The first and most fortunate adaptation of H.G. Wells' literary work. Released in the same year of Tod Browning's cult film "Freaks", also it does not shy away by showing very realistic and frightening make up effects, even if the former had real actors portraying the creatures, this picture is more elegant and elaborate. A brilliant Charles Laughton not only embodies the blindness and evil caused by hubris, but also humanizes his character.

In the world of 1930s films, the pre-code era is looked upon as one of the greatest times for filmmaking. Hollywood hadn't cracked down on immoral thins being filmed. If anything was edited, it was usually sound clips that referenced God (the worst offending example was a horrific edit on the 1931 "Frankenstein" and the "IT'S ALIVE" speech) and other little things. But most scenes with disturbing themes and deaths made their way to theaters unscathed. "Island of Lost Souls" is one of those films that Hollywood left relatively untouched. "Lost Souls" is not really scary, not in the sense that when you watch it you'll leap out of your seat in terror. Instead, it is relentlessly creepy with some weird themes that haven't even been thoroughly examined in desensitized times (mainly the ethics of bestiality). The only moment that might be regarded as scary happens almost right at the end of the movie, and let me say, I did leap off of my couch and shriek "OH MY GOD." In total, this is an underrated gem from the pre-code era, and now Criterion has finally released it on DVD and Blu-Ray (prior to last year, the only way to watch the film was on LaserDisc or VHS), so check it out.