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The Island of Dr. Moreau movie storyline. This is the third movie to bring parts of early 20th-century writer H.G. Wells’ book The Island of Dr. Moreau to the screen. Earlier versions (1933, 1977) adhered more closely to the story than this one does. Douglas (David Thewlis) is a U.N. peace negotiator who is stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean by an airplane crash. He is picked out of the water by Montgomery (Val Kilmer), Dr. Moreau’s assistant, and taken to a tropical island.
He is at first prevented from straying much beyond the doctor’s house and is befriended by Dr. Moreau’s daughter (Fairuza Balk). Gradually he discovers that Dr. Moreau (Marlon Brando) has been mixing human and animal genes to create chimeras intended to serve the human race as slaves.
The chimeras are not content to serve, however, and the situation unravels from there. One of the film’s many lowlights is Ron Perlman as Sayer of the Law in a send-up of Charleton Heston’s Moses. Brando and Balk manage to give interesting performances, but for the most part the film is a tedious and unpleasant exercise overwhelmed by garish make-up and animal costuming.
The Island of Dr. Moreau is a 1996 American science fiction horror film, the third major film adaptation of H. G. Wells’ novel The Island of Doctor Moreau, about a scientist who attempts to convert animals into people. The film stars Marlon Brando, David Thewlis, Val Kilmer, Ron Perlman, and Fairuza Balk, and was directed by John Frankenheimer, who was brought in half a week after shooting started. The screenplay is credited to the original director Richard Stanley and Ron Hutchinson.
Cast and Characters
Marlon Brando as Dr. Moreau, a mad scientist who created the Beast Folk.
David Thewlis as Edward Douglas, a U.N. agent who gets left to die in the middle of the ocean and comes to the island.
Val Kilmer as Dr. Montgomery, a former neurosurgeon who is a vet on Dr. Moreau’s island.
Fairuza Balk as Aissa, a beautiful cat hybrid and Moreau’s “daughter” who looks more human than the other hybrids.
Daniel Rigney as Hyena-Swine, a vicious hyena and pig hybrid.
Temuera Morrison as Azazello, a dog-like hybrid and Moreau’s “son” who is assigned to find the hybrids.
Nelson de la Rosa as Majai, a miniature version of Dr. Moreau who doesn’t speak.
Peter Elliott as Assassimon, a baboon-like hybrid who is the only primate hybrid and Five Finger Man.
Mark Dacascos as Lo-Mai, a leopard hybrid who is accused of breaking the laws (suckling water from a stream, walking on all fours, and eating flesh).
Ron Perlman as Sayer of the Law, a blind goat-like hybrid who is the priest-like figure among the hybrids.
Marco Hofschneider as M’Ling
Miguel López as Waggdi
William Hootkins as Kiril
The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996)
Directed by: John Frankenheimer
Starring: David Thewlis, Marlon Brando, Val Kilmer, Fairuza Balk, Temuera Morrison, Nelson de la Rosa, Mark Dacascos, Ron Perlman, Marco Hofschneider
Screenplay by: Richard Stanley, Ron Hutchinson
Production Design by: Graham ‘Grace’ Walker
Cinematography by: William A. Fraker
Film Editing by: Paul Rubell
Costume Design by: Norma Moriceau
Set Decoration by: Lesley Crawford, Beverley Dunn
Art Direction by: Ian Gracie
Music by: Gary Chang
MPAA RatingB PG-13 for sci-fi violence, horror and gore involving mutant creatures.
Distributed by: New Line Cinema
Release Date: August 23, 1996
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