Review: The Island of Dr. Moreau
Blu-ray: The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977)
βWhat is the law?β rings the famous line from Burt Lancasterβs mad scientist in 1977βs classic adaptation of H.G. Wells βThe Island of Dr Moreauβ
The story of Shipwrecked sailor Braddock (no, not Chuck Norris) played by a youthful Michael York who comes ashore at the Island inhabited by Burt Lancasterβs Moreau, his hired mercenary aid Montgomery (NigelΒ Davenport) and a batch of βmainmalsβ who Moreau has created with his serum.
This is 101 Films bluray release of the film; beautifully shot jungle scenes are sharply rendered inΒ a 1.85:1 1080p transfer and the (for the time) state of the art make up fx on the man/animal hybrids look excellent for a film nearly 40 years old.
Don Taylor’s (Omen II) direction is pacy and not without the odd shock of violence. The end scene is very impressive as the caged test subjects (mostly TIGERS AND BEARS!) are let out to fight the manimal hybrids, andΒ is something that would NEVER be filmed in live action today. At one point I was pretty sure I saw someone killed by a lion.Β The stand out for me was Lancasterβs performance as a sympathetic but no less maniacal genius who has a God complex. He is muscular and as commanding as ever.
The Island of Dr Moreau’ was since remade with a bigger budget and critically lauded as one of the worst films of the time!Β (I liked it)
No special features to speak of but itβs all about the film here, and if youβve never seen it this is a perfect version to start with.
So go for this wonderful transfer of the original classics from 101 Films.
Review by Ramrod from a disc kindly supplied by 101 Films.