Island of Lost Souls (1932)

Directed by Erle C. Kenton, Island of Lost Souls (1932) is an American science fiction horror film produced and distributed by Paramount Productions. Based on H.G. Wells’ 1896 novel The Island of Doctor Moreau, the film follows the story of Edward Parker, a shipwrecked traveler who is rescued by a freighter transporting animals to an isolated South Seas island owned by Dr. Moreau. While onboard, Parker witnesses the mistreatment of M’ling, a passenger with beast-like features, by the drunken captain. In retaliation, Parker is thrown overboard into Mr. Montgomery’s boat, which happens to be headed for Moreau’s island. Upon arrival, he meets Lota, a young woman who Moreau claims is of Polynesian origin.

However, when screams from ‘the House of Pain’ catch their attention, Lota reveals that it is where Moreau and Montgomery perform operations on human-like creatures without any anesthesia. Parker, convinced of Moreau’s involvement in brutal vivisection, attempts to leave but is confronted by savage-looking humanoids that resemble beasts emerging from the jungle. Moreau emerges and uses his whip to command them to recite a set of rules known as ‘the Law’, causing the creatures to scatter. Later at the main house, Moreau attempts to ease Parker’s concerns by describing his scientific pursuits. He reveals that he started with accelerating plant evolution during his time in London, before moving on to animals and attempting to transform them into humans through various methods such as plastic surgery, blood transfusions, gland extracts, and ray baths.