Based on H.G. Wells’ “The Island Of Dr. Moreau”, “Island Of Lost Souls” is an entertaining sci-fi/horror flick. It reminded me a lot of “The Most Dangerous Game” with its setting on a mysterious island run by an eccentric madman.

In this movie, Edward Parker (Richard Arlen “Wings”, “Forced Landing”) survives a shipwreck. He soon gets trapped on a mysterious island, which isn’t on any maps. The place is run by the charismatic Dr. Moreau (Charles Laughton “Spartacus”). Parker discovers Moreau is carrying out sickening experiments to create human and animal hybrids. Parker must try to escape the island and return to his fiancée. However, Moreau has sinister plans for Parker.

Charles Laughton steals the show as the mad scientist. The character feels like a combination of Zaroff in “The Most Dangerous Game” and Dr. Frankenstein in the 1931 version of “Frankenstein”. Béla Lugosi (“Dracula”, “White Zombie”) has a role as one of the creatures created by Moreau. The monsters actually look pretty unsettling for a film from 1932. Still, it cannot compare to the horror of the real circus freaks in “Freaks”, which came out in 1932. The Edward Parker character is pretty forgettable but then again, how can he compete when you’ve got a mad scientist and monsters?

This adaptation of the H.G. Wells story is certainly more enjoyable than 1996’s ill-fated “The Island Of Dr. Moreau” with Marlon Brando as Moreau. “Island Of Lost Souls” maybe doesn’t get quite as much attention as it deserves but you have to remember that it came out in the early 30s when audiences had “Frankenstein”, “Dracula”, “The Mummy” and “White Zombie”. This is a satisfying movie with some disturbing themes and concepts. It’s old movie so just don’t expect anything particularly graphic. Also, don’t expect to see too much of Lugosi.