The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977 film)
Encyclopedia
The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977
) is the second movie version of the H. G. Wells
science fiction
novel
about a scientist who attempts to convert animals into people, starring Burt Lancaster
, Michael York
, Barbara Carrera
, and Richard Basehart
. Lancaster perfectly matches Wells' description of Moreau's physical appearance, unlike the other two actors to play the role on screen, Charles Laughton
in 1933's Island of Lost Souls
and Marlon Brando
in 1996's The Island of Dr. Moreau
. This movie was filmed in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Though welcomed as an honored guest by Moreau, Braddock finds his contacts with the natives increasingly disturbing, for they are not like any men he has ever seen. Eventually, it becomes apparent that these "men" are, in fact, the hybrid products of Moreau's experiments upon various species of wild animals. Braddock finds himself threatened by both the "manimals" and the sinister Moreau.
After one of the man-beasts (Demura) attacks an animal, breaking the rules that Moreau has established, Moreau intends to take it to the "house of pain", his laboratory. The beast panics and leads chase, and Braddock kills it in sympathy. Convinced that Moreau is insane, Braddock plans to leave the island with Maria, with whom he has developed a mutual attraction. They are caught however, and Moreau straps Braddock in his lab, intending to conduct experiments on him. Montgomery objects and Moreau kills him in cold blood. M'Ling and the servant animal women take Montgomery's body into the woods to the man-beasts.
While the man-beasts become agitated over Moreau breaking another of the rules ("man shall not kill man"), Moreau injects Braddock with a serum that gives him animal characteristics. Braddock becomes more animalistic and struggles to maintain his humanity. The man-beasts storm the compound and in the chaos Moreau is killed. Braddock, Maria, and M'Ling stall long enough to engineer an escape, but the compound is burned and most of the man-beasts are killed by the wild animals which Moreau kept for his experiments. M'Ling is also killed in the final escape.
Braddock and Maria manage to sail away in the lifeboat that Braddock arrived in, but only after a bloody battle with one of the man-beasts. Some time later, they are rescued by a passing ship, and the serum has worn off, returning Braddock to his full human state. It also appears that Maria, too, is returning to her true nature.
1977 in film
The year 1977 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*In the Academy Awards, Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway and Beatrice Straight win Best Actor and Actress and Supporting Actress awards for Network....
) is the second movie version of the H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel
The Island of Doctor Moreau
The Island of Doctor Moreau is an 1896 science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells. It is told from the point of view of a man named Edward Prendick who is shipwrecked, rescued by a passing boat, and then left at the ship's destination by the crew along with the ship's cargo of exotic animals...
about a scientist who attempts to convert animals into people, starring Burt Lancaster
Burt Lancaster
Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster was an American film actor noted for his athletic physique and distinctive smile...
, Michael York
Michael York (actor)
Michael York, OBE is an English actor.-Early life:York was born in Fulmer, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, the son of Florence Edith May , a musician; and Joseph Gwynne Johnson, a Llandovery born Welsh ex-Royal Artillery British Army officer and executive with Marks and Spencer department stores...
, Barbara Carrera
Barbara Carrera
Barbara Carrera is a Nicaraguan-born American film and television actress as well as a former model. She is best known for her roles as Bond girl Fatima Blush in Never Say Never Again and as Angelica Nero on the soap opera Dallas.-Early life:Barbara Kingsbury was born in San Carlos, Río San Juan,...
, and Richard Basehart
Richard Basehart
John Richard Basehart was an American actor. He starred in the 1960s television science fiction drama Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, in the role of Admiral Harriman Nelson.-Career:...
. Lancaster perfectly matches Wells' description of Moreau's physical appearance, unlike the other two actors to play the role on screen, Charles Laughton
Charles Laughton
Charles Laughton was an English-American stage and film actor, screenwriter, producer and director.-Early life and career:...
in 1933's Island of Lost Souls
Island of Lost Souls (1933 film)
Island of Lost Souls is an American science fiction horror film starring Charles Laughton, Richard Arlen, Leila Hyams, Bela Lugosi and Kathleen Burke as The Panther Woman. Produced by Paramount Pictures in 1933 from a script co-written by science fiction legend Philip Wylie, the movie was the...
and Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...
in 1996's The Island of Dr. Moreau
The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996 film)
The Island of Dr. Moreau is a 1996 science fiction horror film, the third major movie version of the H. G. Wells novel The Island of Doctor Moreau about a scientist who attempts to convert animals into people...
. This movie was filmed in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Synopsis
Crewman Andrew Braddock (York) survives the wreck of the sailing ship, "The Lady Vain". After several days at sea in a lifeboat, he reaches the shores of an island governed by the mysterious scientist, "Dr. Moreau" (Lancaster). Besides Moreau, the inhabitants of the island include Moreau's associate, Dr. Montgomery (Davenport), his deformed servant M'Ling (Cravat), and a lovely young woman named Maria (Carrera).Though welcomed as an honored guest by Moreau, Braddock finds his contacts with the natives increasingly disturbing, for they are not like any men he has ever seen. Eventually, it becomes apparent that these "men" are, in fact, the hybrid products of Moreau's experiments upon various species of wild animals. Braddock finds himself threatened by both the "manimals" and the sinister Moreau.
After one of the man-beasts (Demura) attacks an animal, breaking the rules that Moreau has established, Moreau intends to take it to the "house of pain", his laboratory. The beast panics and leads chase, and Braddock kills it in sympathy. Convinced that Moreau is insane, Braddock plans to leave the island with Maria, with whom he has developed a mutual attraction. They are caught however, and Moreau straps Braddock in his lab, intending to conduct experiments on him. Montgomery objects and Moreau kills him in cold blood. M'Ling and the servant animal women take Montgomery's body into the woods to the man-beasts.
While the man-beasts become agitated over Moreau breaking another of the rules ("man shall not kill man"), Moreau injects Braddock with a serum that gives him animal characteristics. Braddock becomes more animalistic and struggles to maintain his humanity. The man-beasts storm the compound and in the chaos Moreau is killed. Braddock, Maria, and M'Ling stall long enough to engineer an escape, but the compound is burned and most of the man-beasts are killed by the wild animals which Moreau kept for his experiments. M'Ling is also killed in the final escape.
Braddock and Maria manage to sail away in the lifeboat that Braddock arrived in, but only after a bloody battle with one of the man-beasts. Some time later, they are rescued by a passing ship, and the serum has worn off, returning Braddock to his full human state. It also appears that Maria, too, is returning to her true nature.
Main cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Burt Lancaster Burt Lancaster Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster was an American film actor noted for his athletic physique and distinctive smile... |
Dr. Paul Moreau |
| Michael York Michael York (actor) Michael York, OBE is an English actor.-Early life:York was born in Fulmer, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, the son of Florence Edith May , a musician; and Joseph Gwynne Johnson, a Llandovery born Welsh ex-Royal Artillery British Army officer and executive with Marks and Spencer department stores... |
Andrew Braddock |
| Nigel Davenport Nigel Davenport Nigel Davenport is an English stage, television and film actor.- Early life :Davenport was born Arthur Nigel Davenport, however he goes by the first name of Nigel. Davenport was born in Shelford, Cambridgeshire, the son of Katherine Lucy and Arthur Henry Davenport. Davenport's father was a bursar... |
Dr. Montgomery |
| Barbara Carrera Barbara Carrera Barbara Carrera is a Nicaraguan-born American film and television actress as well as a former model. She is best known for her roles as Bond girl Fatima Blush in Never Say Never Again and as Angelica Nero on the soap opera Dallas.-Early life:Barbara Kingsbury was born in San Carlos, Río San Juan,... |
Maria |
| Richard Basehart Richard Basehart John Richard Basehart was an American actor. He starred in the 1960s television science fiction drama Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, in the role of Admiral Harriman Nelson.-Career:... |
Sayer of the Law |
| Nick Cravat Nick Cravat Nick Cravat was an American film actor. His real name was Nicholas Cuccia . "Cravat" was a stage name based on a character in a play he had seen and rather liked.... |
M'Ling |
| Fumio Demura Fumio Demura is a Japanese master of karate. He is a well known master of karate and kobudo , and his martial arts skills featured in the Karate Kid series of films. Demura holds the rank of 9th dan in Shitō-ryū karate.-Early life:... |
Hyenaman |