The Island of Doctor Moreau: Difference between revisions
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"Not to eat Fish or Flesh; that is the Law. Are we not Men?" |
"Not to eat Fish or Flesh; that is the Law. Are we not Men?" |
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"Not to claw the Bark of Trees; that is the Law. Are we not Men?" |
"Not to claw the Bark of Trees; that is the Law. Are we not Men?" |
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"Not to chase other Men; that is the Law. Are we not Men?"|'''The Law'''}} |
"Not to chase other Men; that is the Law. Are we not Men?"<!-- We are Devo! -->|'''The Law'''}} |
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An 1896 novel by [[H. G. Wells]], ''[[The Island of Doctor Moreau]]'' has since become one of the classics of sci-fi literature. Its story centers on Edward Prendick, the narrator, who is shipwrecked at sea and rescued by Dr. Montgomery. The good doctor takes Edward to the island where he works, a land so ominous that they quickly abandon him. Edward is soon introduced to the island's ruler, the mad Doctor Moreau, and discovers Moreau's society of surgically-altered beasts that walk, speak, and struggle to live like men. The more he's around these beastmen, the more uncomfortable he becomes in his own society. |
An 1896 novel by [[H. G. Wells]], ''[[The Island of Doctor Moreau]]'' has since become one of the classics of sci-fi literature. Its story centers on Edward Prendick, the narrator, who is shipwrecked at sea and rescued by Dr. Montgomery. The good doctor takes Edward to the island where he works, a land so ominous that they quickly abandon him. Edward is soon introduced to the island's ruler, the mad Doctor Moreau, and discovers Moreau's society of surgically-altered beasts that walk, speak, and struggle to live like men. The more he's around these beastmen, the more uncomfortable he becomes in his own society. |
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* [[Ax Crazy]]: Hyena-Swine. |
* [[Ax Crazy]]: Hyena-Swine. |
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* [[Beast Man]] |
* [[Beast Man]] |
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* [[Body Horror]]: In the original book, the creatures aren't mutated, simply mutilated |
* [[Body Horror]]: In the original book, the creatures aren't mutated, simply ''mutilated'': anesthetic-free surgery has forced them into humanoid forms. (Interestingly, while the original story portrays the creatures as abominations that should not exist, updated versions that use [[Genetic Engineering Is the New Nuke|genetic engineering]] tend to paint them as innocent victims of scientific cruelty.) |
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** Prendick from the book does eventually come to pity the creatures, he's just so |
** Prendick from the book does eventually come to pity the creatures, he's just so [[Squick]]ed out on first meeting them that it takes him a while to empathize. |
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* [[Catgirl]]: Doesn't technically exist in the novel (Moreau is working on transitioning a female puma into this, but |
* [[Catgirl]]: Doesn't technically exist in the novel (Moreau is working on transitioning a female puma into this, but {{spoiler|it escapes and kills him}}) but the films each had one -- Lota in the 1932 version, {{spoiler|Maria}} in the '77 version, and Aissa in the '96 one. |
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* [[The Commandments]]: The Law. |
* [[The Commandments]]: The Law. |
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* [[Cute Mute]]: The sloth creature. |
* [[Cute Mute]]: The sloth creature. |
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* [[Deserted Island]]: The titular Island. |
* [[Deserted Island]]: The titular Island. |
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* [[Died in Your Arms Tonight]]: Not in the novel, only the 1932 film. {{spoiler|Lota dies in Edward's arms.}} |
* [[Died in Your Arms Tonight]]: Not in the novel, only the 1932 film. {{spoiler|Lota dies in Edward's arms.}} |
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* [[Everything's Better with Monkeys]]: Moreau |
* [[Everything's Better with Monkeys]]: Moreau initially experimented on a gorilla to produce his first Beast Man. Later on, Prendick meets an Ape Man. |
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* [[Evil Redhead]]: Wells repeatedly mentions the fact that Captain Davis, the drunken, abusive schooner captain, has red hair. Admittedly Davis isn't so much "evil" as he is just a bully, but the repeated mentions of his hair color brings him close to this trope. |
* [[Evil Redhead]]: Wells repeatedly mentions the fact that Captain Davis, the drunken, abusive schooner captain, has red hair. Admittedly Davis isn't so much "evil" as he is just a bully, but the repeated mentions of his hair color brings him close to this trope. |
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* [[Evilutionary Biologist]]: Moreau seeks to improve animals by making them more and more human, hoping to eventually make one fully human. |
* [[Evilutionary Biologist]]: Moreau seeks to improve animals by making them more and more human, hoping to eventually make one fully human. |
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* [[Four-Fingered Hands]]: The novel's ape-man is exceedingly proud that he averts this trope, unlike most of the other beastfolk. |
* [[Four-Fingered Hands]]: The novel's ape-man is exceedingly proud that he averts this trope, unlike most of the other beastfolk. |
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* [[A God Am I]]: Moreau never outright says it, but the Beastmen certainly view him this way. |
* [[A God Am I]]: Moreau never outright says it, but the Beastmen certainly view him this way. |
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** Played straight in Island of Lost Souls: "Mr. Parker, do you know what it's like to feel like God?" |
** Played straight in ''Island of Lost Souls'': "Mr. Parker, do you know what it's like to feel like God?" |
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* [[Humanity Ensues]]: Subverted with the Beast Men; although they are transformed into anthropomorphic forms they gradually regress back into animalistic forms, despite Moreau's best efforts. |
* [[Humanity Ensues]]: Subverted with the Beast Men; although they are transformed into anthropomorphic forms they gradually regress back into animalistic forms, despite Moreau's best efforts. |
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* [[Mad Scientist]]: Moreau. |
* [[Mad Scientist]]: Moreau. |