Customer Reviews

Two Faces of Dr Jekyll [VHS]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I had read some good things about this early Hammer Film, but I was ultimately disappointed by it. There isn't much in the way of menace, and the story of an ugly, but good Dr. Jekyll turning into a handsome, but violent Mr. Hyde never really takes off. Most of the plot is taken up with a rather unbelievable affair between Dr. Jekyll's wife and his best friend (played by Christopher Lee). There are far better Hammer Films available. Even from the same year as this film 1960, both "The Brides of Dracula" and "The Curse of the Werewolf" are sure to strike your fancy.

I found this on DVD as part of a four film DVD set called Icons Of Horror Hammer Films. The set includes this film `Scream Of Fear', `The Gorgon` and `The Curse Of The Mummy's Tomb'.

This film ranked third on in the lot, but there is plenty of fun to be had with the set. This film is one I saw on TV as a kid and I always liked it, even though this film deals with a more psychological fiend rather than physically ugly and menacing monster. I was impressed by the film's production, pacing and atmosphere. The DVD transfer in really nice and it includes the trailers for all four films.

I had waited for a long time to finally see this films and I would say some of my expectaions were met and some were not. The film begins with Dr. Jekyll speaking of his theory that each person has an inner self that could be set free. He then proceeds to inject himself with a concoction that transforms him into the suave, but evil Hyde. Hyde then goes off trying everything Jekyll would not and he tries to come between the affair his wife is having with his best friend. Eventually Hyde gets more daring and Jekyll and Hyde have the unavoidable battle for the same body. I give credit to Hammer foa different approach, but it never really covers any different ground that is explored in any other Jekyll-Hyde movie. There are no new revelations or solutions just a different kind of Hyde with the same results. He may be more dangerous than the typical beastly Hyde because he is much more cunning, but we never really get any sense of that by the film's end. Usually Jekyll is a brilliant scientist who goes step too far with his curiosity, but this Jekyll seems like a dull and lonely man who is just unhappy with his life and he would never have the stregnth of character to win out over a dark half. The film does hit more than it misses, but I think it could have been a bit stronger in the story department. Paul Masse is hot and cold, he handles the Hyde part fairly well, but Jekyll seems fairly unbelievable and the transforamtions are just fair. Christopher Lee contributes one of the best roles he ever had for Hammer, it is a shame he didn't get more of the sharp dialogue he recieved here, he handles it beautifully. Dawn Addams is fairly good as Jekyll's wife, I always thought Hammer's leading ladies in the late 50's and very early 60's were worlds above most of the actresses they used later on. The source print used here looks washed out, it is faded in the bright parts and too dark in other places. This is a shame because I am sure this film once had the same vibrant color of other Hammer made at the same time. Still this film is worth seeing.

Elegant and cultivated british director Terence Fisher,specialist since 1958 in personal adaptations of horror myths( or as he prefered " adult fairy-tales ") got another great achievement with this visually imaginative adaptation of Stevenson's famous novel reinventing again through tradition without turning aside the philosophical intention of the story,conducting the film beyond the duality between Good and Evil incarnated in the double personality of Dr. Jekyll to build a sharp study about hipocresy and the double morality and false prejudices hidden behind social conventions and correct manners.The only fault of the film, as occurs in the other adaptations of this novel, is to leave the role of the two personalities of the main character to an only actor, dismounting so the ending surprise.In the other side , the film is plenty of subtle visual invention and keeps the narrative sobriety, absence of effectism and depth in the drawing of the psychology of the characters habitual in Fisher films since his jump into " fantastique". Testimony of his visual creativity is the two metamorphosis of Dr. Jekyll: the first, out of shot ( we see only his shadow );the second transformation is shown through the changing of his handwriting to another while he's writing in his private diary about the effects of the drugs he's experimenting. Another achievement is the ironic characterizetion of Hyde as a handsome, seductive and cynical dandy;ironic twist in relation to the previous adaptations supported by the paradoxal situation of Hyde, despaired in seducing his own wife,a foolish woman who despises the two faces of Jekyll and cheats him having an " affaire " with one of his colleagues: a weak, vicious and oportunist man, convincingly incarnated by Christopher Lee.

This has to be one of the worst remakes in history! The entire plot of Robert Louis Stevenson's book was chopped to pieces to bring forth this trash. I am a long time fan of the book and most film remakes of this classic but I hated this one. I felt ripped off and what's so bad is that I didn't buy it! I saw it on On Demand for free and I still feel gyped!

The plot was so twisted that the film could have been an entirely different story. Maybe it would have been much better if this pathetic facade wasn't claiming to be a remake of Dr. Jekyll and had just come off as an entire new film. I would have forgiven that.

I didn't like anything about this film accept Christopher Lee's performance. I found him wooden but still more talented than the rest of the cast. The design of the film was laughable. It takes place in London yet the leading lady who played Jekyll's wife looked straight out of "Hee Haw" or "Bonanza"! It's like the production designer didn't understand the setting! This film was just ridiculous and I say avoid it at all costs!

The biggest ripoff to me was that when Lee changed into Hyde, he didn't change into a monster or creature, he changed into a man minus his beard and thick eyebrows! The best part of the Jekyll and Hyde story is the doctor's change from looking human to looking scary and grotesque, not changing into a man who looked like he merely shaved! Talk about a gyp and the worst part of it was that this Hyde wasn't scary nor violent! He walked around talking the entire film and didn't get violent until the end and only killed one person! One? Hyde was a menacing serial killer with a monstrous appetite for murder! Didn't the people who made this movie even read the book? It's like they'd never heard of the story before. Hyde was laughable and not at all scary! All he did was go out to balls and court women! Pathetic, pitiful and sad!!!

I've never seen a plot butchered like this one was! It made Mary Reilly (what we all thought was the worst Jekyll and Hyde remake of all), look like a gem compared to this garbage! I don't recommend this to anyone unless you are confined to some bed or chair, can't get up and HAVE to watch it. Unless you're being forced don't bother and surely don't waste one penny buying it!

I can't stress how pitiful this was. If I never see it again it will be too soon! I just wish I could have given zero stars and anyone who says this is a good remake did not read the book! If RLS were alive he'd definitely sue the makers of this mess! The nerve of the creators of this production butchering a classic!

I have a particular fascination for the classic Robert Louis Stevenson story "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", which of course explored the whole idea of the human body being composed of equal parts that are good and evil. As a story it made an ideal subject for a horror movie and under its original title has seen many classic versions made stretching right back into the silent era. Strangely Hammer Studios in England, the leaders in the revival of so many early horror properties through the 1950's and 60's in beautiful full colour productions seemed to shy away from this particular story and it was only in 1960 that they at least attempted to remake the original novel under the different title of "The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll". In the process they made an number of quite prominent changes in the story as well, most significantly in turning Dr. Jekyyl's alter ego not into a snarling sadistic monster but instead a murderous debonair man about town who has a seemingly fatal ability to charm his intended victims. While this effort is probably less satisfactory than previous versions of this story resulting mainly from the strangely colourless performance by Paul Massie in the lead, there is still a lot to admire in some of the supporting performances and in the typically lavish Victorian settings to the story courtesy of Hammer Studios which make "The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll", a visually rich film to enjoy nevertheless.

Putting his own stamp on such a famous story Terence Fisher removes the "visual", monster from the story and substitutes instead a suave but deadly menacing character as the chief villian as we see a totally self focused scientist Dr. Henry Jekyll (Paul Massie), neglecting his wife and friends in his single minded pursuit of the answers to the human mind and how it works. Carrying his experiements too far he begins to try out his serum on himself where he finds the results catastrophic whereby his repressed and cold personality is transformed into a handsome but deadly opposite who attempts to take over all of Jekyll's mind and soul. As "Edward Hyde", Jekyll begins to take revenge on all those who have hurt him in some way including his bloodsucking friend Paul Allen (Christopher Lee), who drains money off him to pay his gambling debts while carrying on an affair with his wife Kitty (Dawn Addams). Kitty is also in Hyde's target sight for never taking an interest in his alter egos work in research. Gradually Hyde begins to take total control in the inner fight for Jekyll's mind and body and as the murders begin building up Jekyll in his lucid moments fights back to rid himself of this terrifying side to his own character. Hyde however gains the upper hand and successfully implicates Jekyll as the multiple murderer just before the inner spirit of Jekyll asserts itself just as the court decision is made. The Court Justice then arrests Jekyll on a charge of mass murder.

Directed with typical finesse by Hammer Studios best director in Terence Fisher, the production overall I feel is hindered to a degree by Paul Massie in the dual role of Henry Jekyll/Edward Hyde. He seems an odd choice for the lead at this time at Hammer Studios and either Peter Cushing or Christopher Lee would have undoubtedly put more feeling into their characterisations. His attempts to also show the debauched side to Edward Hyde's character in particular dont have a convincing ring to them and you have to wonder why in the script he is viewed as such a charmer by his female victims. The film however does boast a fine performance by Christopher Lee, fresh from his triumphs in the Hammer classics "Horror of Dracula", and "The Mummy", in the second male lead role of the dissolute Paul Allen. As the equally debauched off sider to Edward Jekyll and spendthrift lover of Jekyl's wife, he stumbles from one gambling debt and unsavory romantic attachment to the next. His performance certainly makes the film come alive and he is pure Victorian decadence from head to toe. Another stand out in the cast is Dawn Addams in the role of Kitty Jekyll. Her work is particulary pleasing in that she has a far more spunky character to work with than most of the women in Hammer Films around this time generally have. Certainly she plays a neglected wife but she is a woman with her own mind despite her tragic end and her scenes handling the parasitic Paul Allen in particular are very effective. As in other Hammer Productions made during this peak time in the studios history the film glows with beautiful sets and costumes depicting the Victorian setting of the story and Terence Fisher handles smoothly the transformations from Jekyll into Hyde with aplomb although the film does suffer from the lack of a real horror transformation into Hyde's character which was always the most spellbinding scene in the earlier filmed versins of this story. Indeed the lack of any real horror at all in "The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll", is one of its main failings and instead we have more of a sordid drama peopled by not terribly likeable individuals who seldom raise sympathy with the audience.

Certainly "The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll", would never be regarded as a high point in the production history of Hammer Studios, the "Studio that Dripped Blood", and they certainly turned out many far more noteworthy horror efforts in this highly productive period of their history. As a lesser attempt at this classic Robert Louis Stevenson story however it is not without some merit. The expected Hammer attention to detail and in this case lurid decadence is very much on display and first and foremost it is outstanding in revealing some of the great diversity that Christopher Lee had even at this early stage in his film career playing largely unattractive characters that definately capture our interest. Sadly hampered with a remote lead player who does not invoke any sympathy "The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll", is not a well remembered film nowadays but based on its other good performances it does deserve a place among the roll call of the many film versions of this famous story.