Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanleys Island of Dr. Moreau is a must-see. This essential doc on filmmaking and the madness that can ensue chronicles Hardware director Richard Stanleys failed attempt to realize a definitive adaptation of HG Wells The Island of Dr. Moreau, thanks to interference and circumstance thats positively unreal. Now, after an experience that left him understandably shaken, Stanley is not only primed to return to feature filmmaking (following doc LAutre Monde and anthology segment The Mother of Toads), but is vowing his Moreau will in fact live.
Speaking to LA Weekly about the documentary and harrowing Moreau experience, Stanley explains the positive reception to Lost Soul has reignited interest in his original vision. And it’s also reawakened interest in the Moreau project. Since the documentary’s been around, I’ve been getting lots of inquiries about the original screenplay, Stanley says. At this stage, it looks very likely. It’s too early for me to name the company involved, but I was actually put under contract in January to write a new draft of The Island of Dr. Moreau, which is already completed and delivered. The project has come back to life, which I think is a side effect of David’s work.
Much of Stanleys work, as he surmises the original Moreau script, was ahead of its time and clearly artful and left of center, just part of why hes so embraced in the genre world. Would a fresh Moreau script be any less so, or could it find mainstream acceptance? Stanley believes in an age of Guardians of the Galaxyand I imagine, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes tooboth the VFX possibilities are there and the ideas of animals with weapons wont be perceived as too arthouse.
He does add however, “I think part of that problem is the world’s still not used to the idea of an epic fantasy film for adults. They’ve always had the desire in the last adaptations to make it safe for the family. The script I’ve turned in now isn’t so much R-rated as X-rated. And then the wrangling can begin after that as to how it will be put on the screen.”
Lost Soul continues its theatrical tour this weekend. You simply must go. Find the dates, including select with director Gregory and Stanley in attendance, below. For more, read Shock’s review of Lost Soul here.
2/25 Austin, TX, Alamo Drafthouse Ritz
2/27 3/5 Los Angeles, CA, Cinefamily, Richard Stanley and David Gregory Q&A
2/27 and 2/28 Brooklyn, NY, Nitehawk Cinema
3/1 Winchester, VA, Alamo Drafthouse Winchester
3/6 and 3/7 Boston, MA, Coolidge Corner
3/6 3/8 Portland, OR, Hollywood Theater
3/6 3/12 Houston, TX, Alamo Drafthouse Vintage Park
3/6 3/12 Lubbock, TX, Alamo Drafthouse
3/8 Yonkers, NY, Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers
3/9 and 3/10 Minneapolis, MN, Trylon Microcinema
3/18 Ashburn, TX Alamo Drafthouse Loudon
3/26 and 3/28 Gainesville, FL, The Wooly
3/29 Austin, TX, Austin Film Society at The Marchesa
3/30 Phoenix, AZ, Harkins 101 Scottsdale, Richard Stanley and David Gregory Q&A
