After the success of Dracula in early 1931, several studios large and small rushed into production on their own macabre features. With the early thirties being the depths of the Great Depression, these studios were eager to make films on low budgets that could turn large profits. As has continued to be the case even to this day, horror films were the prime candidate. Besides Universal, the studio with one of the strongest track records in the genre during this time was Paramount. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) had been a financial and critical success, winning its star Frederic March an Academy Award for his dual role. The studio decided to return to the well of literature for its follow-up, adapting H.G. Wells’ The Island of Dr. Moreau into Island of Lost Souls (1932), which remains an important and effective example of early science fiction/horror.
The film stars Charles Laughton as Dr.
The film stars Charles Laughton as Dr.
- 8/18/2022
- by Brian Keiper
- bloody-disgusting.com
“We Have Ways Of Making Men Talk”
By Raymond Benson
Despite its grammatically incorrect title, The Lives of a Bengal Lancer is considered one of the great old-school Hollywood epic adventure movies, and it remains so to this day. It was released very early in 1935 after a long gestation period and became one of the most popular pictures of the decade. It was nominated for the Oscar Best Picture, Best Director (Henry Hathaway), Best Adapted Screenplay, and four other awards, but it won only one—Best Assistant Director? (Obviously a now defunct category.)
What are Bengal Lancers, you ask? They were British soldiers serving in India in those days of the British Raj between the two world wars. Apparently, one didn’t have to be British to serve. The protagonist, Lieutenant Alan McGregor (Gary Cooper), is Scottish-Canadian. Lieutenant John Forsythe (Franchot Tone) seems to be American, but maybe the actor...
By Raymond Benson
Despite its grammatically incorrect title, The Lives of a Bengal Lancer is considered one of the great old-school Hollywood epic adventure movies, and it remains so to this day. It was released very early in 1935 after a long gestation period and became one of the most popular pictures of the decade. It was nominated for the Oscar Best Picture, Best Director (Henry Hathaway), Best Adapted Screenplay, and four other awards, but it won only one—Best Assistant Director? (Obviously a now defunct category.)
What are Bengal Lancers, you ask? They were British soldiers serving in India in those days of the British Raj between the two world wars. Apparently, one didn’t have to be British to serve. The protagonist, Lieutenant Alan McGregor (Gary Cooper), is Scottish-Canadian. Lieutenant John Forsythe (Franchot Tone) seems to be American, but maybe the actor...
- 5/6/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
There are numerous underrated or forgotten horror classics from yesteryear. While many will rewatch great classics like Frankenstein and Dracula, few will attempt to look much further. One such “lost” movie is the horror classic, The Island Of Lost Souls starring the inimitable, Charles Laughton as the cold, soulless Victor Frankenstein-like Dr. Moreau. As the star of this movie, Laughton is amazing but it’s the darkness that quietly impresses. A horror film noir, its shadows and blackness create a mood that is sinister in all aspects. The movie is perfect in black and white. Genre fans should occasionally “cleanse their palates” of modern horror and CGI to appreciate the older foundations of the genre.
In this movie adaptation of H.G. Wells 1896 book, The Island Of Dr. Moreau, Edward Parker (played by Richard Arlen), our hero, is floating on the sea after an unseen shipwreck. He is rescued by...
In this movie adaptation of H.G. Wells 1896 book, The Island Of Dr. Moreau, Edward Parker (played by Richard Arlen), our hero, is floating on the sea after an unseen shipwreck. He is rescued by...
- 5/29/2014
- by F.L. Portillo
- FEARnet
Following the success of Fox' "Planet Of The Apes", Warner Bros. has confirmed development of a new feature adapting author H.G. Wells' horror novel, "The Island Of Dr. Moreau", focusing on human/animal hybrids, for Appian Way partners Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran.
Screenplay is by Lee Shipman and Brian McGreevy ("Hemlock Grove"). Appian Way will produce with Mad Hatter Entertainment’s Michael Connolly.
Published in 1896, as "an exercise in youthful blasphemy", the original book is narrated by 'Edward Prendick', a shipwrecked man rescued by a passing boat who is left on the island home of 'Doctor Moreau', who creates human-like beings from animals via vivisection.The novel deals with a number of philosophical themes, including pain and cruelty, moral responsibility, human identity, and human interference with nature.
At the time of novel's publication in 1896, there was growing discussion in Europe regarding degeneration and animal vivisection. Two years...
Screenplay is by Lee Shipman and Brian McGreevy ("Hemlock Grove"). Appian Way will produce with Mad Hatter Entertainment’s Michael Connolly.
Published in 1896, as "an exercise in youthful blasphemy", the original book is narrated by 'Edward Prendick', a shipwrecked man rescued by a passing boat who is left on the island home of 'Doctor Moreau', who creates human-like beings from animals via vivisection.The novel deals with a number of philosophical themes, including pain and cruelty, moral responsibility, human identity, and human interference with nature.
At the time of novel's publication in 1896, there was growing discussion in Europe regarding degeneration and animal vivisection. Two years...
- 9/6/2013
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
For years now Island Of Lost Souls has been DVD’s most glaring omission from the Golden Age of Horror. It won the Rondo Award several times for Film Most in Need of DVD Released or Restoration , but last October, classic horror fans rejoiced when Criterion finally released the film. They were not disappointed and this year, not surprisingly, Island Of Lost Souls won the Rondo for Best Classic DVD.
Island Of Lost Souls (1932), the first adaption of H.G.Well’s 1896 novel The Island of Dr. Moreau was one several shocking horror films from the early 30′s that helped advance the enforcement of the Hays Code, Hollywood’s self-censoring rules deeming “no picture shall be produced that will lower the moral standards of those who see it.”. It wasn’t Island Of Lost Souls’s radical scenes of horror (like Freaks) or the deviant sexuality (like the Frederick March version of Dr.
Island Of Lost Souls (1932), the first adaption of H.G.Well’s 1896 novel The Island of Dr. Moreau was one several shocking horror films from the early 30′s that helped advance the enforcement of the Hays Code, Hollywood’s self-censoring rules deeming “no picture shall be produced that will lower the moral standards of those who see it.”. It wasn’t Island Of Lost Souls’s radical scenes of horror (like Freaks) or the deviant sexuality (like the Frederick March version of Dr.
- 8/28/2012
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Island Of Lost Souls (1932), the first adaption of H.G.Well’s 1896 novel ‘The Island of Dr. Moreau’, was one several shocking horror films from the early 30’s that helped advance the enforcement of the ‘Hays Code’, Hollywood’s self-censoring rules deeming “no picture shall be produced that will lower the moral standards of those who see it”. It wasn’t Island Of Lost Souls’s radical scenes of horror (like Freaks) or the deviant sexuality (like the Frederick March version of Dr. Jekyll And Mr Hyde) that offended but its allegory premise that Man could play God and create Man through surgery by splicing together the flesh of various living animals (….and I’m sure the hints of bestiality didn’t help). Island Of Lost Souls is a movie that hasn’t lost its power to shock and disturb almost 80 years later, but it’s one that is Not available on DVD.
- 4/29/2010
- by Tom
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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