Island Of Lost Souls (EOTWS)

End Of The Week Shorts #22 extract: Island Of Lost Souls (1932)

Island Of Lost Souls is a phenomenal pre-code picture based on a H.G Wells novel that is seemingly both a retelling of the Frankenstein myth and a precursor to The Planet of The Apes. In such, this combines horror and science fiction with violence, torture and sexuality in a way that only a pre-code picture could. As could be expected, this was then very controversial in its day and was banned in some countries for decades. 

However, there is more than just pre-code spectacle in this picture. Within we find some great moments of direction, genuinely horrific and violent moments, brilliant costumes, sets and cinematography and a compelling story. Whilst this is not an incredibly smart picture, it does chase after a few controversial topics of evolution and the consequences of humans tinkering with biology quite well. As cliched as this topic has become over the years, considering the context of this film and the way in which its story is told, Island Of Lost Souls is a particularly impressive film, and another example of a pre-code picture that makes you wonder "what if..." in regards to the rise of censorship in Hollywood.