The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996)

Director: John Frankenheimer
Starring: David Thewlis, Marlon Brando, Val Kilmer

Synopsis:
The survivor of a plane crash is rescued at sea and taken to an island where a mad scientist performs experiments with human-animal hybrids he rules as a cultic father-figure.

Impressions:
If you skipped down to the bottom, you're probably saying to yourself, "What the heck? This movie is one of the most notorious trainwrecks in Hollywood history. Why on earth would you recommend watching it?" My answer is that it is exactly because it was such a trainwreck that it's worth watching. All the crap that went down during production honestly makes for a more interesting story than the movie itself. The finished product is quite the mess. I first saw it not long after it came to video and found it rather offputting, but coming back to it almost 20 years later, it really is an interesting film to watch unfold. The core story is fine but not amazing in and of itself. It's more about the way things happen. Marlon Brando is such a weirdo as the eponymous Dr. Moreau and there's a great scene where Val Kilmer does an impersonation of him (though he may well have been even worse than Brando was on the set). I also liked Ron Perlman as the Sayer of the Law. The creature effects are pretty good, as you'd expect from Stan Winston and his crew. I don't necessarily expect you to like the film, but due to its notoriety and its often bizarre nature, I'd say it's worth checking out.

Rating:
Watch It