Island Of Lost Souls

The Criterion Collection

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 experiments on a remote island in the South Seas, much to the fear and disgust of the shipwrecked sailor man (Richard Arlen) who finds himself trapped there. This touchstone of movie terror, directed by Erle C. Kenton, features expressionistic photography by Karl Strauss, groundbreaking makeup effects that have inspired generations of monster-movie artists, and costars Bela Lugosi in one of his most gruesome roles