The Island of Dr. Moreau (Unrated Director's Cut) [Blu-ray]

Not the original, but by miles the best version of the movie, even with ALL the problems they had filming this picture ( including firing the original director) It's worth doing a little snooping into this picture, NO, you won't find any inside information on this tape.

Why would I give this movie 5 stars. It shows great potential for genetic recombination. It shows moral and ethical implications that scientists always face. I love movies about genetics and rewatching this now shows me there was so much that could have been improved upon but this was great for a genetics movie from the 90s and is still worth watching.

I actually re-watched this (morbid curiosity) AFTER the amazing documentary Lost Soul: Richard Stanley's Doomed Island of Dr Moreau It's free on Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B00TTRCTG8/ref=atv_dp_share_r_em_7b8931a8a1cd4 ' also available on bluray - loaded with extras. (ASIN#B00YXRPJUM)This "director's cut" is certainly more gory than the initial theatrical/home video version. H'wood gave up the ghost PG-13 version (necessary for a boffo box office). While it's Unrated, it'd probably be a soft "R."The third official adaptation of H.G. Wells’ novel arrives with a troubled history. Kilmer, after initially agreeing to star, sidestepped into a supporting role, and was replaced by Rob Morrow. Then, after only four days’ shooting, the film’s original director Richard Stanley (who had toiled away on the project for more than four years) was fired, Morrow walked, the script was rewritten and Thewlis drafted in to replace the Northern Exposure star. The resultant movie is, understandably, something of a mess, as deformed and half-realised as any of the beast-men hybrids it features.The sole survivor of a plane wreck in the south seas, UN lawyer Edward Douglas (Thewlis) is picked up by a schooner on which Montgomery (Kilmer), a vet, is travelling to the island where the Nobel Prize-winning recluse Dr. Moreau (Brando) has spent more than 17 years working on his “experiments”. Persuaded by Montgomery that he would be safer on the island than continuing on with the ship’s crew, Douglas soon comes to rue his decision as its inhabitants turn out to be beast-men genetically created by Moreau.Despite Brando’s sad decline into embarrassing cameos, there is still an inherent excitement to any film featuring the great man. But any hope you may have held out for another captivating performance is soon dashed. When we first see him he’s caked in white make-up, and speaking with a weird British lisp that makes him sound like Robert Morley. Later he turns up wearing an ice bucket on his head, and performs a piano duet with a monster midget. It is not a dignified performance.Frankenheimer ( the veteran director of The Manchurian Candidate, Ronin, 52 pick-up and more) tries to keep things rolling along, but the incoherent script, like many of the characters, swiftly descends into madness, as Montgomery reveals himself to be as insane as the doctor, sitting around, smoking dope, taking potshots at the creatures. Meanwhile, Moreau’s monsters begin to question their maker and strike back, and there’s a subtext to be had involving the nature of God and creation, but it’s better left alone. Frankenheimer has the gall to have Kilmer white himself up and do a parody (voice and all) of Brando, yet this is, ultimately, at the root of the film’s problem: it’s campy when it really should have been scary.Extras:Weirdly (or not) enough, the original Frankenheimer commentary (DVD) – in which he repeatedly bashes Kilmer – is missing. Presumably no one at Warner Bros wanted to open old wounds.There is but one featurette showcasing the better times while filming.  I’m sure they had to edit this one to h*ll in order to get something worthwhile amongst the numerous cast and crew changes.  What we are left with is a short look at what Val Kilmer, David Thewlis and Stan Winston all think about the film.  This has aged quite a bit as it was made for the 1996 DVD release, but still the (then) only look we are likely to get at this oddball film of Hollywood Folly - this bluray release pre-dated the "Lost Soul" doc.The theatrical trailer is included.

I actually really like this movie. It's weird. The story behind the making of it is fascinating and the subject of a documentary. Good performances although the movie probably would have been better if the original director hadn't been ousted and if the actors had behaved.

I've had a copy of this particular version ever since it came out. The first time I saw it, I enjoyed it enough to watch it twice in two days. I eventually got the Blu-Ray because I wanted the best version that I could have.I find the movie entertaining mostly because of the creatures. I have liked monsters and creature make-up in movies for a very long time so I'm always pulled towards any that are well realized. The late great Stan Winston and his team were responsible for the creature make-up and he doesn't disappoint here. They even made use of amputees and primordial dwarfs to add some extra "inhuman" touches. I also really liked the music and cinematography. The music is moody and haunting at times and frantic and suspenseful at others. Long shots of the island and the compound are well done.That's about where it ends. I think casting Marlon Brando as Dr. Moreau was a big mistake as his acting approach did not mesh well. While Brando has been hailed as a great actor when he was in his prime, he is somewhat at the end of his career here, so the performance is not good. He flubs lines, mispronounces words and gives a really fake "piano" performance where you can tell he has no idea how to actually play the instrument. Plus, even though he's the title character, he only appears in about a third of the film. Val Kilmer gives a somewhat erratic performance as well. Later on, I heard about the difficulties in production and some personal issues that the actors were going through at this time, so that probably accounts for the less-than-perfect performances.This Blu-Ray release is good. Good picture and sound and the overall quality is acceptable. Only the Director's Cut version is available on this release, however. While the Director's Cut is good and somewhat better than the Theatrical version, I usually prefer to have both versions available in the same package for comparison viewing. What can be said is that the Director's Cut is Unrated and more violent than the PG-13 rated Theatrical version. It could *probably* be given an "R" rating if this version were in theaters, but not sure.Overall, If you are a fan of monsters and creatures, you will probably enjoy this film as a good diversion.

The DVD hung up ...sometimes for seconds The pkg was great on delivery

Every so often we find a perfect thing. There is very little that can be added to make this movie worse. Every time I thought it couldn't get worse I see something that blows my mind in a whole different way. It's pretty clear that Mr. Brando was messing with the director by wearing white makeup and an ice bucket on his head. The costumes and make up by Westmore is the high point but everything else just falls apart and turns it into a comedy of the highest level.

It grieves me that this film is under-rated and misunderstood by so many. It deals with the nature of evil and of man and of animals in a situation where it is necessary to suspend scepticism about the feasibility of the experiments involved. The acting is superb. I think the film will be appreciated better in the future when viewers have realized the superficiality of critics who have decried it.

What is not to like about this movie? See Brando pretending to be the Pope. See Kilmer pretending to be Brando, pretending to be the Pope. It is a truly bizarre experience but a great one.

You have to watch this just to see Marlon Brando acting as Dr Moreau. Fantastic. Everything else about it is a bit meh.

Undeserving of its toxic rep, this may well have been a missed opportunity but it still has striking scenery, good make-up effects, score and a oddly touching ending. A compelling curiosity at the very least. Great opening titles sequence too.

New version ! A remake with famous Hollywood actors .