Island of Lost Souls (1932)

Directed by Erle C. Kenton. With Charles Laughton, Bela Lugosi, Richard Arlen, Leila Hyams. An obsessed scientist conducts profane experiments in evolution, eventually establishing himself as the self-styled demigod to a race of mutated, half-human abominations.

Island of Lost Souls is an American pre-Code science fiction horror film starring Charles Laughton, Richard Arlen, Leila Hyams, Béla Lugosi, and Kathleen Burke as the Panther Woman, theatrically released in 1932. The film was directed by Erle C. Kenton and produced by Paramount P

A twisted treasure from Hollywood’s pre-Code horror heyday, Island of Lost Souls is a cautionary tale of science run amok, adapted from H. G. Wells’s novel The Island of Dr. Moreau. In one of his first major movie roles, Charles Laughton is a mad doctor conducting ghastly genetic

This first film version of H.G. Wells' Island of Dr. Moreau stars Charles Laughton as Dr.Moreau, a dedicated but sadly misguided scientist who rules the roost on a remote island. Shipwrecked sailor Edward Parker Richard Arlen finds himself on Moreau's island, agreeing to stick around until another boat can come along and take him home. But that's not quite what Moreau has in mind: he'd rather Parker stay on the island and marry the exotic Lota (Kathleen Burke), who curiously possesses the characteristics of the panther. In fact, all the island's natives seem more animal than human, especially the hirsute Bela Lugosi. And why not? They are animals who've been transformed by Moreau into humanlike creatures via surgery. Moreau's plans to mate Parker and Lota are complicated by the arrival of Parker's fiancee Leila Hyams, who has been brought to the island by ship's captain Stanley Fields, one of Moreau's flunkies. When Moreau kills Fields for this insubordination, he makes the mistake of breaking one of the rules he himself has imposed on the island: That no creature shall kill another. Island of Lost Souls does its job of inducing goosebumps so well that one can forgive the cherubic excesses of Charles Laughton in his portrayal of Dr. Moreau. The film would be remade under Wells' original title in 1978, with Burt Lancaster in the Laughton role.

The theatrical trailer for the 1932 horror film Island of Lost Souls starring Charles Laughton and Bela Lugosi, based on H.G. Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau.

Find trailers, reviews, synopsis, awards and cast information for Island of Lost Souls (1932) - Erle C. Kenton on AllMovie - This first film version of H.G. Wells' Island of…

Island of Lost Souls on mubi.com. Find trailers, reviews, and all info for Island of Lost Souls by Erle C. Kenton.

Thirty years ago my friend Craig told me he liked to begin his plays with characters entering the stage and basically saying, “Whew, glad that’s over.”

It’s hard to imagine that a movie made over 80 years ago could still be as frightening as it was when it was released. In a time when shockers like those of the Human Centipede ilk can repulse and revolt, it’s easy to write off a 70-minute black and white picture from 1932 as irr

Island of Lost Souls is a 1932 film about an obsessed scientist who conducts profane experiments in evolution, eventually establishing himself as the self-styled demigod to a race of mutated, half-human abominations.