It's Monday with Tabonga, here at The Dungeon!.. Our offering is a true horror classic from the novel by the awesome Mr. H. G. Wells, "The Island of Dr. Moreau." Director was Erle C. Kenton, who'd go on to direct THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN, HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN and HOUSE OF DRACULA.
Some teriffic poster art from The Thirties!
We have a soundclip from this film that includes a line borrowed by DEVO, so, push the big red 'GO' button located near or next to the revolving book shelf,
now, Ralphie The Tarantula! Here's some sounds from...
ISLAND OF LOST SOULS!
Stanley Fields plays our hero's nemesis, Captain Davies, still added for Douglas.
Charles Laughton and Richard Arlen star as Dr. Moreau and Edward Parker. Parker has ended up in the hands of Moreau as a result of a string of bad luck incidents, and, is now helplessly headed to the doctor's island... I swear,
I love those white suits! 
The doctor has a little surprise for Edward,
Lota! You know, to help him kill some time while he's stuck there.
Then, Edward gets to meet the rest of the inhabitants on the island, the Manimals! Bela Lugosi gets second poster billing as head Manimal, Sayer Of The Law.
Eegah!! and Tabonga! learned about vivisection in FAMOUS MONSTERS when they reviewed this movie!
I think those two stills compliment each other rather nicely! In 1939, Laughton played Quasimodo in THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, and, there's a colorized version of that one available on VHS.
Edward puts 2 + 2 together and figures out that Lota is actually a Panther Woman and that Moreau also wants him to mate with her!
Moreau's having a spot of tea when Edward comes in and decks him!
Edward's fiancee figures out where he is and shows up unannounced with her travelling partner. The Manimals like to watch her at night through the window. Leila Hyams plays Ruth Thomas, Leila was also in another classic film, FREAKS!
Moreau finally crosses the line with his creations and the freak show unleashes itself on their overlord!
Moreau tries to fend off the vengeful creatures with his trusty whip, but, it doesn't work this time!
The Manimals grab the doctor and then grab some of his medical tools from the case. Next stop...
The House Of Pain!! 
Here's a nice British 'Cert. X' poster.
Some teriffic poster art from The Thirties! 
We have a soundclip from this film that includes a line borrowed by DEVO, so, push the big red 'GO' button located near or next to the revolving book shelf, now, Ralphie The Tarantula! Here's some sounds from... ISLAND OF LOST SOULS!
Stanley Fields plays our hero's nemesis, Captain Davies, still added for Douglas. 
Charles Laughton and Richard Arlen star as Dr. Moreau and Edward Parker. Parker has ended up in the hands of Moreau as a result of a string of bad luck incidents, and, is now helplessly headed to the doctor's island... I swear, I love those white suits! 
The doctor has a little surprise for Edward, Lota! You know, to help him kill some time while he's stuck there. 
Then, Edward gets to meet the rest of the inhabitants on the island, the Manimals! Bela Lugosi gets second poster billing as head Manimal, Sayer Of The Law. 
Eegah!! and Tabonga! learned about vivisection in FAMOUS MONSTERS when they reviewed this movie! 
I think those two stills compliment each other rather nicely! In 1939, Laughton played Quasimodo in THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, and, there's a colorized version of that one available on VHS. 
Edward puts 2 + 2 together and figures out that Lota is actually a Panther Woman and that Moreau also wants him to mate with her! 
Moreau's having a spot of tea when Edward comes in and decks him! 
Edward's fiancee figures out where he is and shows up unannounced with her travelling partner. The Manimals like to watch her at night through the window. Leila Hyams plays Ruth Thomas, Leila was also in another classic film, FREAKS! 
Moreau finally crosses the line with his creations and the freak show unleashes itself on their overlord! 
Moreau tries to fend off the vengeful creatures with his trusty whip, but, it doesn't work this time! 
The Manimals grab the doctor and then grab some of his medical tools from the case. Next stop... The House Of Pain!! 
Here's a nice British 'Cert. X' poster.
I want to open a tavern called Island of Lost Souls. "What is the law?" "NO SPILL BEER!"
ReplyDeleteAlthough HG Wells considered this movie to be a "vulgarization" of his novel (And in the book, there is no "panther woman." Moreau creates males and females without gender discrimination, and the "natives" live in heterosexual couples), the fact remains that this is still the best film made from this nightmarish novel. The Brando version is one of the most-bizarrely awful movies ever made, one that leaves you thinking: "What did they think they were doing?"
ReplyDeleteCatalina was used as a filming location for Dr. Moreau's Island. As a kid, I lived where you could see Catalina from our back yard. Had I known that was The Island of Dr. Moreau, particularly after the first time I read it, when I was 13, it would have been scary indeed.
The drunken ship's captain who throws Arlen off his ship and maroons him with Moreau was Stanley Fields, also remembered as the sheriff in Laurel & Hardy's classic Way Out West.
Laughton's sly, playful performance in this movie is a rare treat.
So why is this movie so great, and still scary and creepy, when Kenton's Universal Frankenstein movies are all dreck?
WoW!
ReplyDeleteYou added Warren Oates' fried egg eyeballs gig from The Outer Limits, among other cool items, to your opening banner!
Cool!
gimme five, a friend of reviews! :DDD
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourite thirties horror films.
ReplyDeleteI did a sketch page after watching the Criterion earlier this year. http://hypnotikeye.blogspot.com/2012/01/first-sketchbook-drawing-of-year-is.html
Hi, I think you were following my Necrotic Cinema blog. or at elast I seem to following yours :) I had to change the URL for a a couple reasons. Things will improve for me but the drawback is I lost all my followers. If you like the site can you refollow me at:
ReplyDeletehttp://necroticcinema.blogspot.com
Thanks
Bill