The Island of Dr. Moreau

The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Andrew Braddock (Michael York) shipwrecks and eventually washes up on a jungle island. Once there he is introduced to Dr. Moreau (Burt Lancaster) who at first seems like a nice guy simply doing research. Pretty soon Andrew begins to realize that the doctor is doing strange experiments between men and animals and the result are some mutated creatures living in the jungle.

Whenever people speak about the H.G. Wells adaptations of this story, it seems this one here is forgotten and sometimes it doesn't even come up. Of course, they always discuss the greatness of 1932's ISLAND OF LOST SOULS and they always discuss the disastrous Marlon Brando version. Why is this film from 1977 rarely mentioned? I'm going to guess because it's not really a flat-out horror movie. The majority of its running time it appears to be trying to be a real medical drama and a showcase for Lancaster.

Is that a bad thing? I personally don't think so but it does make for a rather slow running time and I'm sure some people would have preferred more horror elements or more of a spotlight being placed on the creatures. With that said, I think this is a mildly entertaining movie thanks in large part to the performances in the film. Lancaster always carried himself with such grace that he had no problem fitting into this role to where people could see this character and think that he was a good man. I thought Lancaster was good in the part, although the screenplay never really allowed him a chance to go crazy or mad.

York was also good in the lead role, although his character too suffers from not getting too much to do until the very end. Nigel Davenport is good in the supporting role as the doctor's help and Barbara Carrera made for a good love interest. Richard Basehart got to play the role originated by Bela Lugosi and I couldn't help but think that Basehart had seen the earlier version and remembered Lugosi's performance.

With all of that said, the film really does come to life during the final fifteen-minutes once the creatures decide that they have had enough. I thought the various animals that were used were great and I also thought the action was nice. There were some tense moments that happened during the final action sequence so overall the film at least goes out on a good note.

I recently saw this version of The Island of Dr. Moreau for the first time courtesy of MGM Midnite Movies.

It was much better than I thought it would be. Of course that was mainly due to the fact that I had already seen the abomination made in 1996 starring Brando and Kilmer. After seeing that mess I had pretty low expectations for this one. I was pleasantly surprised by the acting, yes even Michael York's, as well as the make-up.

Barbara Carrera was beautiful as always even though her character seemed to be more window dressing then integral to the plot. I'm not complaining mind you, she makes lovely window dressing.

Lancaster did an excellent job as Moreau. His subdued, scientific detachment fit the part perfectly and it was interesting as he started going over the edge towards the end of the movie.

York managed a very good scene when he, as he was changing into an animal, managed to remember things from his childhood as he desperately tried to keep his identity and humanity.

Not the best movie that I've seen but it's in the top 10% or so. After watching this version it makes me even more appalled at the 1996 disaster. It's too bad that a lot of people now have an idea of what Island of Dr. Moreau based on that version instead of on this one.

I'd give it an 8 out of 10.

There's three principal reasons why this HG Wells' inspired horror adventure works, firstly the distinguished cast led by A-graders Michael York (as the shipwrecked engineer) and Burt Lancaster, as the reclusive title character whose gene experiments on the local animal population is resulting in terrible mutations trapped amid instincts that lay somewhere between man and animal, a precariously distorted eco-system.

Nigel Davenport plays the boozy mercenary protecting the island establishment from its own macabre experiments, while Richard Basehart is a transformed animal, human enough to be the law sayer and peace-keeper of the mutated island population. Then there's the ravishing Barbara Carrera as a naive orphan brought to the island as a child by Moreau, besotted by the chivalrous York, but equally mysterious like her young lynx companion. Nick Cravat and Dave Cass have minor supporting roles as manimals of various pedigree.

The second reason to tune in is the set design and make-up effects in which luminaries John Chambers and Dan Striepeke were involved. Moreau's half-breed experiments are impressively brought to life by Chambers' crew, the full effect more evident on close-up, particularly on the unrecognisable Basehart.

Finally, if it needs to be defended, the production of Samuel Z.Arkoff and Sandy Howard should please some, their AIP distribution lending a certain B-movie prestige, a badge that will in itself, attract a legion of fans (but equally, render others suspicious of the quality). Overall, while there were a plethora of plot-holes to be found, and the conclusion a little simplistic, the general tone and quality of the film remained highly entertaining, uncomplicated and straightforward, something the 1996 remake couldn't muster in spite of its (by relative standards) gold plated production.

... although any limitations on what could have been shown or done were much more lax in this film 44 years later. Yet I just like the original better.

This is another take on the H. G. Wells novel about the "mad" scientist experimenting with animals on a South Seas island, performing surgery on them in "the House of Pain" to try to transform them into human beings. Of course, things never go as planned in these films. Moreau is, after all, "tampering in God's domain" (though that hoary old expression is mercifully not used in this film).

Difficult to not compare this version to the first adaption, 1933's Island of Lost Souls, which I find far more satisfactory. In the original Charles Laughton brought a creepy, perverse quality to his Moreau. He was unsettling but effective, and when he cracked that whip in the "What is the law?" scene with the man beasts there was more than a hint of the sadist about him.

The surprising casting of Burt Lancaster as Moreau in the 1977 version fails to bring any of these same odious qualities to the film. It's difficult to work up much of a dislike for Lancaster's scientist in spite of his activities. He's still Burt, and he has to battle against his good guy screen persona.

Island of Dr. Moreau also surprisingly jettisons one of the kinkiest aspects of the 1933 film, the Panther Girl, as originally played by Kathleen Burke, his most near perfection human like creation from a beast, with whom Laughton's Moreau is eager to see if an unsuspecting male shipwrecked on his island (Richard Arlen) will be willing to mate.

The '77 version does have beautiful Barbara Carrera slinking around, and she certainly intrigues (well, more than intrigues) Michael York, now in the Arlen role. Lancaster is aware that they are sexually attracted to each other and ready to mate - but to what purpose, since it turns out Carrera is a normal human, and no kind of Panther Girl. There is a hint in her final scene, however, that she may not be quite so normal, after all, but it went by so quickly I wasn't quite certain if it was my imagination.

The man beasts in the original are more effective than here. For starters, you didn't get a really good look at the makeup in the original (outside of a closeup of Bela Lugosi), so much of it is left to the audience's imagination. In the '77 version you see the makeup and, to be honest, it's not so much frightening as it is artificial in appearance (on about a par with that to be found in the original Planet of the Apes).

The '77 version, however, interestingly, does show what happens to the man beasts after everything blows up on the island, something the '33 original left to our imagination. This version also has Moreau strapping down and experimenting with York, something not done in the '33 version. That is one of the more interesting aspects of this production, as well.

In the final analysis, this is a fairly mediocre adaption of the Wells story, but one should still see it to make his own assessment. There would be another version with Brando almost 20 years later, of course. It's been too long since I've seen that version to talk about it, though I do recall disliking it at the time.

On a desolate island a man (Michael York) discovers that its inhabitants are experimental animals being turned into strange looking humans, all of it the work of a visionary doctor (Burt Lancaster) , as he's horrified to uncover experiment transforming beasts into humans , Humanimals . The mad doctor isolated on the remote island has spent years creating half-men , half-animals , some real abominations . Acceptable adaptation based on H.G. Wells' novel realized by and with remarkable makeup by John Chambers . It's an excitingly produced remake of 1933's ¨Island of the lost souls¨ with Lancaster heading a solid casting as a nutty doctor who develops a process of transforming animals into half-humans at an desolated tropical island . Through experimentation Moreau-Burt has upset the balance of nature . It starts when Michael York is shipwrecked at sea and arrives in a strange island where he's terrified to discover the terrible genetic experiments realized by Dr. Moreau .

Passable horror-fantasy chiller that is developed up and down with some grotesque moments and in other side contains eerie and thrilling scenes. It results to be a strong rendition of H.G. Wells' novel about an isolated scientific who has spent several years creating half-animals turning beasts into half-human . Cast is frankly well. Lancaster's sturdy acting and good secondary casting as Richard Bashehart displaying a magnificent portrayal of one of the beasts ,the law-sayer , Nigel Davenport and a gorgeous Barbara Carrera . Watchable by excellent makeup by the late John Chambers . Colorful cinematography by the classic cameraman Gerry Fisher and thrilling musical score by Laurence Rosenthal. The motion picture is well directed by Don Taylor . He was an actor and director as TV as cinema , he played one of the leads in the Army-Air Force production of Hart's play, "Winged Victory¨ . Returning to civilian life, Taylor resumed his work in pictures with a top role in the trend-setting crime drama ¨The naked city (1948)¨ and played successful films as ¨Destination Gobi , Battleground and Stalag 17¨. In later years Taylor became a film and TV director, being nominated for an Emmy for his direction of an episode of "Night Gallery" (1969). Don met his wife Hazel Court when he directed her in a 1958 episode of "Alfred Hitchcock presents" (1955). Taylor was an expert filmmaker on adventures genre as ¨Adventures of Tom Sawyer¨ , Terror as ¨Damien : Omen 2¨ and science fiction as ¨Island of Dr. Moreau¨, ¨Escape from Planet of Apes¨, and ¨The final of countdown¨. Rating : Good . Acceptable and passable fantasy-terror fare although better viewed in big screen . The movie will appeal to Burt Lancaster devotees who will want to check out his excessive performance .

Other adaptation based on H.G. Wells' known novel are the following : The classic of 1933 titled ¨The island of lost souls¨ by Erle C. Kenton with Charles Laughton , Kathleen Burke , Bela Lugosi and Richard Arlen ; and remade in 1996 , retelling by John Frankenheimer with Marlon Brando -who hams it up a bit- , David Twellis ,Ron Perlman , Fauriza Balk , William Hootkins and Temuera Morrison