The Island of Lost Souls (Masters of Cinema)
Originally banned outright by UK censors, this first screen adaptation of H.G. Wells’ The Island of Dr. Moreau has stood the test of time extremely well. Unlike other horrors from the same era, the film still maintains an unshakable aura of terror and taboo-busting.
With the original negative lost decades ago, the disc's surprisingly robust AVC 1.37:1 1080p presentation is based upon a hybrid of the best surviving elements from a 35mm fine grain master positive, 35mm nitrate positive and 16mm screening print. Just as impressive for a film of this vintage is the restored DTS-HD MA dual-mono soundtrack.
Limited but fascinating extras include interviews with film historian Jonathan Rigby (15-mins) and Charles Laughton biographer Simon Callow (12-mins), a collectible booklet containing essays about the film, and a bonus DVD copy of the movie.
Eureka Entertainment, Region B BD/R2 DVD, £23 Approx, On sale now
HCC VERDICT: 4/5
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