Review: The Island of Dr. Moreau
Blu-ray: The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977)
“What is the law?” rings the famous line from Burt Lancaster’s mad scientist in 1977’s classic adaptation of H.G. Wells ‘The Island of Dr Moreau’
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 Lancaster’s Moreau, his hired mercenary aid Montgomery (Nigel Davenport) and a batch of ‘mainmals’ who Moreau has created with his serum.
This is 101 Films bluray release of the film; beautifully shot jungle scenes are sharply rendered in 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, and 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. The stand out for me was Lancaster’s 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! (I liked it)
No special features to speak of but it’s all about the film here, and if you’ve 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.