Cheap Island of Lost Souls / Mystery of the Wax Museum (DVD) (Charles Laughton, Richard Arlen) (Erle C. Kenton) Price

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Customer Reviews of Island of Lost Souls / Mystery of the Wax Museum

A SPOOKY CLASSIC FROM 1933.
For 35 years, the film was banned in England. As Dr. Moreau, Laughton is the ultimate mad doctor. He isn't experimenting for the good of science, nor is he using his genius to wreak revenge: he knows exactly what he's doing, and he knows why. A classic scene (in which he is speaking more to himself rather than to his guest): "Doctor Parker, do you know what it means to feel like God"? H.G. Wells, the story's author heartily denounced the movie and encouraged it's ban in Britain. Any which way the viewer looks at it, this film is potent stuff - especially considering that it was filmed 7O years ago!. The plotline runs thusly: On a South Seas island, Dr. Moreau transforms animals into humans via vivisection. Kathleen Burke does well as Lota the pantherwoman: her oddly angular yet attractive face and unaffected body language are assets towards a good charactersation. Karl Struss' camerawork is impeccable. Lugosi is memorable as the weird, tortured "Sayer of the Law". Unfortunately, Richard Arlen's performance is rather ineffective and wooden: a rather unconvincing portrayal in a film full of good ones.

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Uncanny and ahead of its time
A superb adaptation of H.G. Well's frightening turn of the century novel, The Island of Doctor Moreau, this film stars Charles Laughton who plays the vivisectionist immoderate, Moreau, with a strangeness not often seen in today's cinema. Made in 1932 the progress of the story follows Well's idea fairly close. When I first read the novel about 8 years ago I was terrified. I must admit the film did not have the same effect but is still unique in in own right. After being rescued by a less than cordial sea captain, Edward Parker (played by Richard Arlen) is transported to the mysterious island and basically forced to be a prisoner of the Doctor's whims. We are introduced to some of Moreau's perverse experiments when Parker and a woman, who herself is one of the more successful vivisection experiments, try to explore the island's mysteries, and find a whole population of animal/humans inhabiting the island's interior. One thing leads to another and the island's animal/men begin to revolt and seize control killing Moreau in the process. Parker is able to escape although his animal/woman friend dies helping him and his fiancee (who had recently arrived on her own search and rescue mission) reach safety. Some of the special effects and fighting scenes are [not up to par] but the film maintains interest and is worth the price.

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That is the law! Are we not men?
The earliest and best H.G. Wells' adaptations is Island Of Lost Souls, based on The Island of Dr. Moreau. After being rescued from a lifeboat by the S.S. Covena, Edward Parker ends up on an island run by the mysterious Dr. Moreau and his assistant Montgomery. The Covena was delivering some animals, mostly dogs, for Moreau.

The island also has some pretty strange natives, who are hirsute and barely human. Fortunately, Moreau has a whip that scares them off. Apart from Moreau, Montgomery, and M'ling the servant, there's Lota, a ravishing young girl whom Moreau introduces to Parker. He is curious as to their interractions, as he secretly observes them.

The natives also have a strange ritual. Moreau asks them "What is the law?" To which they reply "Not to eat meat. That is the law. Are we not men?" And other replies. The leader of the natives says of Moreau: "His is the hand that makes/His is the hand that heals/His is the house of pain." Those who have read the book will know what's going on, but does not exactly follow it, as is the case with most future Moreau adaptations.

Charles Laughton plays Moreau in a variety of shades, far from the typical mad scientist. He's refined, reserved in speech (for the most part), and cunning. His smile, and that weird twinkle in his eyes lends the hint to his (Laughton's) homosexuality, but his performance here demonstrates why Hollywood decided to protect him.

Richard Arlen plays Parker as a bit of an uptight and conventional prude, and Leila Hyams as his fiancee Ruth is a perfect match for him.

Kathleen Burke is a wonder as Lota--pity she didn't appear in that many films. She gives a sensitive, sympathetic portrayal, speaking in a soft, child-like voice. If I were Parker, I'd dump Ruth for Lota anyday.

Bela Lugosi is barely recognizable in furry makeup as the leader of the natives, but once one sees those unmistakable eyes... one instantly recognizes the man who lost his identity playing Dracula ad nauseum. And whoever played the giant Ouran did so with great menace.

As this was made before the Hays Code, some of the scenes and implied dialogue on the island is strong for that era. That this was initially banned in many countries and in some parts of the U.S. is not surprising. Pity they don't make movies like this anymore, because it stands heads over many.