FAQ

Rescued by a passing trading ship after his boat sinks, Edward Parker (Richard Arlen) is unceremoniously dumped at the first port of call, the tiny tropical island belonging to scientist Dr Moreau (Charles Laughton), along with Moreau's cargo of lions, tigers, and other exotic animals. Parker soon discovers that Moreau has created an assortment of grotesquely misshapen beasts in his experiments to turn wild animals into human beings. Disgusted by these unnatural experiments and the cruelty that Moreau shows the man-beasts, Parker attempts to stop Moreau's work, but Moreau has another experiment in mind for Parker.

Island of Lost Souls is based on The Island of Dr Moreau, an 1896 novel by English writer Herbert George (H.G.) Wells (1866-1946). The screenplay for the film was written by American screenwriters Waldemar Young and Philip Wylie. Other movies based on Wells' novel include L'île du docteur Moreau (1977) and L'Île du Dr. Moreau (1996).

Moreau's island is fictional and uncharted, said to be located at 15° south latitude and 170° west longitude. Reference is made to Apia, the capital of the country of Samoa in the South Pacific. Apia is located at 14° S 171° W, so Moreau's island is supposedly located a bit north and east of Apia. In reality the island used was Santa Catalina Island, close to Los Angeles.

Not to run on all fours. Not to eat meat. Not to spill blood. Are we not men?

The Island of Dr Moreau is in the public domain and available for downloading and reading on several websites including Project Gutenberg.

When the restless man-beasts learn that a man can die, they realize the power they wield and begin to riot. When Moreau attempts to control them with his whip, they capture and carry him off to the House of Pain where they presumably do the things to him that he had been doing to them. Parker, Ruth, and Montgomery make a run for a boat. Parker tries to bring Lota along, but Lota, noticing Ouran, the man-beast that started the riot, attempting to ambush Parker, decides to fend him off. She manages to kill Ouran, but she dies in the process. Although Parker loved someone else (Ruth), Lota died protecting the one she loved. In the final scene, Parker, Ruth, and Montgomery row away from the island while it can be seen burning in the background. 'Don't look back,' Montgomery says to Parker and Ruth when they look behind them. Relieved, Parker takes Ruth in his arms.