Interesting film indeed. Intense, twisted climax - and very well filmed. Charles Laughton's performance is extremely enjoyable to watch, as expected.

1932's Island of Lost Souls adapts H.G Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau for the Universal Monsters fan, its success almost entirely hinging on Charles Laughton in the mad scientist's role. No really, wow. While the humanoid animals are meant to be the "monsters" on the surface level, it's really man's potential for inhumanity that makes Moreau the real monster, first as unthinking cruelty to animals, but at SOME point, one must consider whether they deserve human dignity. Laughton creates a whole performance here, not simply a portrait of obsession or sadism. He's sinister, funny, quirky, intelligent, deluded, tortured... and more. He may rise above everyone and everything else in the film, but everyone else is at least competent, the pacing is adequate, and the cinematography atmospheric. Given the lack of success of 70s and 90s adaptations of the story, Island of Lost Souls may well still be the best "Island of Dr. Moreau" we've ever gotten.

Are we not men? (We are Devo :P)