I never heard of this movie until I saw it during this year's November's Criterion sale and ordered it. I just received it today and am going to watch it tonight. I was watching this and thought that Criterion should have had these guy's do a commentary on the movie. I just checked the Blu-ray case and saw that they did do one.
A point to make about the original Island of Lost Souls compared to the remakes is that, apart from all of the other ways in which it's better -- it's also smarter. In this version, from the very beginning, we know that the one and only woman on the island is one of Moreau's creations -- and that fact is central to the unfolding of the story. Yet, in the remakes that followed, we're actually supposed to believe that this woman -- the only woman on this island full of beast men, is human -- and then, at the very end -- what an unbelievable, incredible twist -- it turns out that, gasp! -- she's also one of Moreau's creations! Who would ever have guessed it -- except every single person watching the movie from the very first microsecond that she appears. The original writers, obviously, understood that you just can't keep certain things a secret -- like the fact that the this one cat-like woman on Moreau's island is, well -- a cat woman. NMS
How I wish Rick Baker could have done makeup for an adaptation of the Island of Doctor Moreau, don't get me wrong...Stan Winston's designs in the 1996 one are amazing and one of the most memorable aspects of it that isn't about the drama that happened behind the scenes, but Baker would definitely have done an amazing job at making human/animal hybrids.
And right around the time this movie was made, The Imperial Japanese army was establishing It's bacteriological warfare division, Unit 731, in Manchuria. They did things there that made Dr. Moreau look like a humanitarian.
The novel was written by Wells. But this movie was written by Philip Wylie. He's a terrifically interesting figure. He argued in three books, (in between his movie scripts, novels, magazine articles, pamphlets, presidential speech writing - for Harry Truman - and work on creating the Atomic Energy Commission and as a director of the Lerner Marine Laboratory, plus his TV scripts, some deep sea fishing thrown in for fun, and his role as Carl Jung's main voice in the English language around WWII, while creating Doc Savage and inspiring Superman.) (Well... amphetamines were easy to get in those days, and he did end up with a bit of a problem there, but then he did overcome it and return to writing. 20th century was cray-cray.) Where was I? Yes. He argued in 3 nonfiction books that men were essentially animals and animals were not different from men. That the idea of the role of animal instinct in human behavior is not as appreciated as it should be. The nobility of mankind is not in nature different from the subjective consciousness of animals for their achievements; and the treacherous nature of the wild beast is not different from the cunning of the human animal. Who better to write this screenplay than a man fascinated by the animal nature of humans, and the human-ish equivalent nature of animals?
@@wes788411 Well, I've seen that documentary regarding the making of the movie, and all I can say is that it's amazing they got anything at all produced and released. Totally insane production.
I have to disagree with their assessment that Richard Arlen was not a good actor. They must not have seen many of his movies. Watch "Beggars Of Life" with Louise Brooks, or "The Virginian" with Gary Cooper and Mary Brian, or "College Humor" with Bing Crosby, or "The Conquering Horde" with Fay Wray and then come back and say he was not a good actor. He was Paramount's hottest leading man for several years from 1927-34 or so and was paired frequently with their up and coming actresses to help them get over with audiences.
Three of my favorite people in Hollywood, talk about one of the greatest horror classics of all time. This is amazing.
To me this is still the most unsettling classic horror film in history.
Man, I love how Lugosi delivers that line to Laughton: "Law...No More". You knew right then there was some evil revenge about to come down on Moreau.
Law No More...
Today 2021
Political Experiment of Mind Controls
"not beings...but THINGS!"
I saw this film about 5 years ago and was astounded a film this twisted actually came out in the 30s!
It was made before the Hays Code
I never heard of this movie until I saw it during this year's November's Criterion sale and ordered it. I just received it today and am going to watch it tonight. I was watching this and thought that Criterion should have had these guy's do a commentary on the movie. I just checked the Blu-ray case and saw that they did do one.
Did you like Greg Mank's commentary?
Thanks for the upload. Could you add the other feature with Bob Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh?
I saw this movie for the first time when I was about 7 years old; it scared the beJeezes out of me.
A point to make about the original Island of Lost Souls compared to the remakes is that, apart from all of the other ways in which it's better -- it's also smarter. In this version, from the very beginning, we know that the one and only woman on the island is one of Moreau's creations -- and that fact is central to the unfolding of the story.
Yet, in the remakes that followed, we're actually supposed to believe that this woman -- the only woman on this island full of beast men, is human -- and then, at the very end -- what an unbelievable, incredible twist -- it turns out that, gasp! -- she's also one of Moreau's creations!
Who would ever have guessed it -- except every single person watching the movie from the very first microsecond that she appears.
The original writers, obviously, understood that you just can't keep certain things a secret -- like the fact that the this one cat-like woman on Moreau's island is, well -- a cat woman.
NMS
Excellent talk on movies now past.
How I wish Rick Baker could have done makeup for an adaptation of the Island of Doctor Moreau, don't get me wrong...Stan Winston's designs in the 1996 one are amazing and one of the most memorable aspects of it that isn't about the drama that happened behind the scenes, but Baker would definitely have done an amazing job at making human/animal hybrids.
And right around the time this movie was made, The Imperial Japanese army was establishing
It's bacteriological warfare division, Unit 731, in Manchuria. They did things there that made Dr. Moreau look like a humanitarian.
Great Discussion of Film Work and Subject
The novel was written by Wells. But this movie was written by Philip Wylie.
He's a terrifically interesting figure. He argued in three books,
(in between his movie scripts, novels, magazine articles, pamphlets, presidential speech writing - for Harry Truman - and work on creating the Atomic Energy Commission and as a director of the Lerner Marine Laboratory, plus his TV scripts, some deep sea fishing thrown in for fun, and his role as Carl Jung's main voice in the English language around WWII, while creating Doc Savage and inspiring Superman.)
(Well... amphetamines were easy to get in those days, and he did end up with a bit of a problem there, but then he did overcome it and return to writing. 20th century was cray-cray.)
Where was I? Yes. He argued in 3 nonfiction books that men were essentially animals and animals were not different from men. That the idea of the role of animal instinct in human behavior is not as appreciated as it should be. The nobility of mankind is not in nature different from the subjective consciousness of animals for their achievements; and the treacherous nature of the wild beast is not different from the cunning of the human animal.
Who better to write this screenplay than a man fascinated by the animal nature of humans, and the human-ish equivalent nature of animals?
Rick Baker Forever
Awesome
Horror films respected works of literature
All Experimental Devices
2:30 Spirit gum too they used at times.
"Not to go on all fours...THAT is The Law. Are we...not MEN?"
Laughton played a genuinely "mad" scientist, sick and creepy.
Are we not men??
We are Devo
Landis is such a cool guy
Oh, hell yeah, IoLS was the best Moreau picture; the one released in '77 was just a 'B' kids' movie, and the one released in '96 was a ludicrous mess.
You should read about the making of the '96 one.
@@wes788411 Well, I've seen that documentary regarding the making of the movie, and all I can say is that it's amazing they got anything at all produced and released. Totally insane production.
Adorable, you don't like ghost of Frankenstein yeah, you don't like house of Frankenstein, yeah.
& all the freaks got Dr. Mareua & did the same thing to him...so horrifying in the end.
Blade Runner
I have to disagree with their assessment that Richard Arlen was not a good actor. They must not have seen many of his movies. Watch "Beggars Of Life" with Louise Brooks, or "The Virginian" with Gary Cooper and Mary Brian, or "College Humor" with Bing Crosby, or "The Conquering Horde" with Fay Wray and then come back and say he was not a good actor. He was Paramount's hottest leading man for several years from 1927-34 or so and was paired frequently with their up and coming actresses to help them get over with audiences.
Ignoring the brilliant cinematography. 🙄