Island of Lost Souls (The Island of Dr. Moreau)

Island of Lost Souls (The Island of Dr. Moreau) (1932)

  • 95% of critics liked it
    (19 reviews)

  • 76% of users liked it
    (1,911 ratings)

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… More

Play Trailer

Unrated, 1 hr. 11 min.
Directed By
Erle C. Kenton
Written By
H.G. Wells & Waldemar Young, Philip Wylie, Waldemar Young
Genres
Horror, Classics, Science Fiction & Fantasy
In Theaters
Jan 1, 1933 Wide
On DVD
Sep 1, 1993
Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • , TIME Magazine

    Laughton, as he managed to do in Devil and the Deep and The Sign of the Cross, gives the role of the villain a peculiarly horrifying quality by humanizing it far beyond the demands of the script.

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    While the action is not designed to appeal to other than the credulous, there are undoubtedly some horror sequences which are unrivaled.

  • Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

    It's a grand, hokey chiller, dripping with sex and sadism and photographed in dense, Sternbergian shadows by the great cinematographer Karl Struss.

  • Mordaunt Hall, New York Times

    Although the attempt to horrify is not accomplished with any marked degree of subtlety, there is no denying that some of the scenes are ingenously fashioned and are, therefore, interesting.

  • Ian Berriman, SFX Magazine

    Of all the horror films of this period, perhaps only Freaks retains as powerful a transgressive charge.

Read all 16 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Stella D


    love laughton and he is dead creepy here but the bad makeup effects really put me off. the movie was banned for years for it's suggestion of bestiality and it is indeed very strange. kind of like 'the most dangerous game' only with mutants

  • Jacob E


    In the world of 1930s films, the pre-code era is looked upon as one of the greatest times for filmmaking. Hollywood hadn't cracked down on immoral thins being filmed. If anything was edited, it was usually sound clips that referenced God (the worst offending example was a… More

  • Ken S


    Hands down the best adaptation of the Island of Dr. Moreau. Now that's not saying a lot as the other adaptations are REALLY weak, but seeing Laughton and Lugosi work together is well worth the watch.

  • Tim S


    Island of Lost Souls, being based on the H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau, is a masterpiece of the genre. Charles Laughton is absolutely flawless as the mad scientist. He's creepy, unforgiving and absolutely crazy, but at the same time, completely calm and under control.… More

  • AJ V


    This is the best movie about dr. moreau and the island of lost souls. If you're interested in mad scientist and haunted islands you should see this movie.

Read all 11 featured audience ratings

Cast

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Trailers & Clips

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