Island of Lost Souls (DVD)

A twisted treasure from Hollywood’s pre-Code horror heyday, "Island of Lost Souls" is a cautionary tale of science run amok, adapted from H. G. Wells’s novel "The Island of Dr. Moreau." In one of his first major movie roles, Charles Laughton is a mad doctor conducting ghastly genetic experiments on a remote island in the South Seas, much to the fear and disgust of the shipwrecked man (Richard Arlen) who finds himself trapped there. This touchstone of movie terror, directed by Erle C. Kenton, features expressionistic photography by Karl Struss, groundbreaking makeup effects that have inspired generations of monster-movie artists, and the legendary Bela Lugosi in one of his most gruesome roles.