6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Shipwrecked Andrew Braddock washes ashore on a remote, tropical island in the Pacific. There he is attended to by the seemingly kindly Dr. Moreau and his dour assistant Montgomery. Also living in Moreau's stockaded fort is the beautiful and exotic Maria, to whom Braddock is immediately attracted. The island's natives appear very strange to Braddock, who questions both Moreau and Montgomery on their unusual appearances and behavior. Not satisfied with their explanations, Braddock discovers that these monstrosities are actually wild predator animals that have been imported to the island and, as a result of genetic manipulation and surgery, have taken on human characteristics, including rudimentary speech. Disgusted by these unnatural experiments and cruelty, Braddock attempts to stop Moreau's work... with tragic consequences...
Starring: Burt Lancaster, Michael York, Barbara Carrera, Richard Basehart, Nigel DavenportHorror | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Hollywood has been fascinated with “The Island of Dr. Moreau” for a long time. The 1896 H.G. Wells novel has been adapted time and again, dating back to a 1913 French silent film and a 1932 production starring Charles Laughton, titled “Island of Lost Souls.” Perhaps most infamously, the book inspired a messy 1996 endeavor that starred Marlon Brando as the titular madman, with its nightmarish shoot recounted in a documentary from last year, “Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s The Island of Dr. Moreau.” Joining the roster of interpretations is a 1977 effort that favored action over science, with heavy emphasis on the chaotic community of animal and man, striving to whip up a frenzy with dangerous stunts and ghoulish make-up effects. Directed by Don Taylor (“Damien: Omen II”), “The Island of Dr. Moreau” suffers the same fate as most adaptations, with the limitations of Wells’s story unable to fill the needs of a feature film, thought the movie certainly has its share of eye-popping moments, most born from era-specific recklessness when dealing with live animals.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation does show some signs of age, with a general flatness that doesn't encourage a more substantial study of screen elements. Colors are adequate, with island greenery and blues skies capturing attention, while skintones are natural. Make-up offers more unusual hues as skin is matched to fur, and costuming offers some range. Detail isn't encouraging, but close-ups retain a degree of sharpness, exploring sweaty faces and mutated particulars, which helps to appreciate the fantasy aspects of the production. Pockets of noise remain. Contrast isn't a powerful as it could be, losing some consistency in limited lighting. Delineation is threatened at times.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix runs fairly hot, with scoring cues extremely loud, working to drive the pace of the picture, but mostly reaching uncomfortable extremes at times. There's no defined distortion, but highs are sharp and clouded, losing instrumentation. Dialogue exchanges are adequate, preserving differences between man and humanimal, with clear emotions and balanced dramatics. Atmospherics for jungle activity are acceptable, while the group dynamic is preserved. Hiss isn't a concern.
Bedlam eventually swallows "The Island of Dr. Moreau," with raging fires, death, and chases fighting to bring the picture to a boil. What the script really needs is more incident to keep Andrew and Moreau at odds, delaying the inevitable with more robust confrontations and paranoia. Taylor keeps his adaptation on the dry side, offering bloodless passion and a weird concentration on suffering. Already a difficult tale to sell in a cinematic manner, "The Island of Dr. Moreau" doesn't come alive, weighed down by a reluctance to truly submit to the depths of Wells's tale of insanity.
2019
2007
2018
1932
2012
2010
1957
2001
Roger Corman's Cult Classics
1978
2001
1957
2015
Lost Island
1968
1955
1978
20th Anniversary Edition
1998
2010
1959
2006
1977