Island of Lost Souls (1932)

An early telling of the Island of Dr. Moreau, shipwrecked Richard Arlen is stranded on the island with the good doctor, played by Charles Laughton, and a menagerie of creatures of questionable genesis. Laughton’s performance is wonderfully over the top and smarmy. He takes great delight in introducing his guest to his experiments, particularly the panther woman Kathleen Burke. While the production has a thoroughly 1930s feel, it’s definitely an elevation of the form from the make-up of the hybrids to the elaborate set designs. Overall, it’s a pretty good version of the story that was likely very influential in the future renditions.