{"id":37,"date":"2006-03-07T15:37:52","date_gmt":"2006-03-07T22:37:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=37"},"modified":"2021-01-18T14:32:51","modified_gmt":"2021-01-18T21:32:51","slug":"island-of-lost-souls-the-1933","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=37","title":{"rendered":"Island of Lost Souls, The (1933)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Are we not men?&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Poster-300x233.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"233\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-47018\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Poster-300x233.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Poster-1024x797.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Poster-128x100.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Poster-768x597.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Poster.png 1171w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA shipwrecked sailor (Richard Arlen) tries to escape from the clutches of mad Dr. Moreau (Charles Laughton), who has created a race of pseudo-humans from animals.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Bela Lugosi Films<\/li>\n<li>Charles Laughton Films<\/li>\n<li>H.G. Wells Films<\/li>\n<li>Mad Doctors and Scientists<\/li>\n<li>Rebellion<\/li>\n<li>Science Fiction<\/li>\n<li>Slavery<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review:<\/strong><br \/>\nBased on H.G. Wells&#8217;s 1896 sci-fi novel <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Island_of_Doctor_Moreau\"><em>The Island of Dr. Moreau<\/em><\/a>, this atmospheric adventure film is surprisingly &#8220;shocking, gruesome, [and] fascinating.&#8221; As indicated by the movie&#8217;s slightly altered title, director Eric Kenton seems primarily interested in exploring the potential <em>humanity<\/em> of these half-beasts: if they&#8217;re human enough to have &#8220;souls&#8221;, then surely they merit a better existence than the slavish one they&#8217;re subjected to on Dr. Moreau&#8217;s island. Indeed, it&#8217;s difficult not to cheer for these pathetically odd-looking creatures once they finally gather the courage to rebel. An intriguing subplot in the film focuses on the doomed attraction that the sexy &#8220;Panther Woman&#8221;, Lota (Kathleen Burke), feels for Arlen &#8212; who, after kissing her on the lips, &#8220;does quite a double-take and looks ill.&#8221; Burke does a remarkably effective job portraying a feline sensibility in a female body, but Laughton (nominated by Peary as one of the Best Actors of the Year in his <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>) steals the show in the lead role; according to Peary, he based his sadistic characterization of Dr. Moreau on his dentist (!).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> Although the title has been changed, this early film ironically remains the most faithful version made so far of Wells&#8217;s novel.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Charles Laughton&#8217;s stand-out performance as Dr. Moreau<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Laughton.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Laughton-1024x690.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"431\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-47020\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Laughton-1024x690.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Laughton-300x202.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Laughton-128x86.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Laughton-768x518.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Laughton.png 1455w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Kathleen Burke as the Panther Woman<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Burke2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Burke2-1024x659.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"412\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-47021\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Burke2-1024x659.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Burke2-300x193.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Burke2-128x82.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Burke2-768x494.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Burke2.png 1477w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The wonderfully convincing, &#8220;hideous-looking&#8221; half-beasts<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Beasts.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Beasts-1024x673.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"421\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-47023\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Beasts-1024x673.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Beasts-300x197.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Beasts-128x84.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Beasts-768x505.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Beasts.png 1469w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Atmospheric cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Cinematography-1024x668.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"418\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-47019\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Cinematography-1024x668.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Cinematography-300x196.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Cinematography-128x84.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Cinematography-768x501.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Cinematography.png 1463w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Cinematography2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Cinematography2-1024x633.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"396\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-47022\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Cinematography2-1024x633.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Cinematography2-300x185.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Cinematography2-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Cinematography2-768x475.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Cinematography2-1536x949.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/Island-of-Lost-Souls-Cinematography2.png 1539w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes. As Peary points out, this movie&#8217;s daringly &#8220;offensive&#8221; storyline makes it an unusual, must-see part of early film history.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Controversial Film<\/li>\n<li>Noteworthy Performance(s)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/imdb.com\/title\/tt0024188\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1933\/01\/13\/archives\/charles-laughton-as-a-mad-scientist-in-a-pictorial-conception-of-an.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.moriareviews.com\/horror\/island-of-lost-souls-1932.htm\">Moria Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Are we not men?&#8221; Synopsis: A shipwrecked sailor (Richard Arlen) tries to escape from the clutches of mad Dr. Moreau (Charles Laughton), who has created a race of pseudo-humans from animals. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Bela Lugosi Films Charles Laughton Films H.G. Wells Films Mad Doctors and Scientists Rebellion Science Fiction Slavery Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: Based on H.G. Wells&#8217;s 1896 sci-fi novel The Island of Dr. Moreau, this atmospheric adventure film is surprisingly &#8220;shocking, gruesome, [and] fascinating.&#8221; As&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=37\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=37"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64212,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37\/revisions\/64212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=37"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=37"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=37"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}