Title: The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll Director: Terence Fisher Writer: Wolf Mankowitz Cast: Paul Massie, Dawn Adams, Christopher Lee, David Kossoff, Norma Marla, Francis De Wolf Year: 1960 Min: 88
Dr. Henry Jekyll (Paul Massie) is working on a formula that will separate the good side of man and the uncontrolled, dark side. In the meantime, his beautiful wife, Kitty (Dawn Adams) is cheating on him with his old friend Paul Allen (Christopher Lee), who is also leaching money off of him. Jekyll decides to test the the formula on himself. He becomes a younger and more handsome man, named Hyde. As Hyde, he is a lecherous, perverse, unscrupulous, and, ultimately murderous man.
He catches Kitty in her cheating ways and passes himself off as a friend of Jekyll, and takes this chance to pretend to befriend Paul. At the same time, he takes an interest in sexy exotic dancer and snake charmer Maria (Norma Marla), who ultimately falls for his charms. He also tries to worm his way into Jekyll's house and decides that he must not only make Paul pay for his misgivings but have Kitty, as well.
Hammer Studios first attempt at adapting Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde takes some liberties with the novella. It takes a more psychological and pyschosexual approach to the subject matter, than some other adaptations may have been. Unfortunately the end result is not as a great as it could or should have been, but is also not with its share of merits.
The movie is highly aided by very strong performances. Massie is great in the dual role, so good that I honestly thought it was two different actors in the role! Of course, this does explain why Jekyll's beard always looked kinda ''off'' to me. Lee is phenomenal as Paul Allen. He exceeds a certain sleazebag and sex appeal filled charm in the role. But, it is also a complex one, that has at least a few heroic moments. Everyone else in the movie's cast does a fine job in their respective parts. Also, keep a eye out for the late, great Oliver Reed in a cameo, as man who wants to brawl with Hyde over his treatment of a ''harlot''.
The film's interest in studying the duality of man is certainly inspired by the book. And, there are some interesting moments and ideas presented. But, it simply does not go far enough. The movie is many times very quiet, which by definition can be fine, but the horror is ultimately too subdued. Even for an early Hammer movie it is quite restrained in what happens, action wise. However, there an undercurrent of a maturity and dark sexuality that do make it interesting from a psychological narrative.
After a whole lot of not much happening the movie begins to pick up some steam. It heads into an admit ably enthralling and, at few points, shocking climax. Unfortunately, the actual ending, though competent, is kind of flat. It hurts the upward mobility that the story had taken. Although, there is some credit to be given as it is an outcome not seen in any other take on this classic story.
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll is an interesting but somewhat disappointing entry in Hammer's studio legendary run. It is expertly acted and has some good ideas. But, for a good part of the film not much happens. The horror is very restrained to the point of being nonexistent, save for the well done climax. A flat ending further adds to the movie's uneven quality. It can be found on a Hammer Films Double Feature Blu-ray along with the superior The Gorgon put out by Mills Creek Entertainment.
It's time for the type of post that's always hard for me to do, and certainly never fun, those that pay tribute to people who have tragically left us. This week had two great and very different men, both who contributed to the movie world in very separate and distinct ways: Jess Franco and Roger Ebert.
The passing of Jess Franco, the European cult director who made countless of countless movies, many under the horror and erotic banner, was a shock to me. He was loved by those who got his films; while other saw him as a hack. Me? I liked him. I honestly need to watch more of his work, but I've always had a love for those filmmakers who mix erotica and horror. And, he certainly had a nack for doing just that.
He began his career with We Are Eighteen in 1959, and the last film he worked on, which is incomplete by the way, was Al Pereira Vs. the Alligator Women. He was shooting that movie this year, and at this time it is unknown if someone else will take the reigns to finish it.
Of the Franco flicks, I have seen, I enjoyed A Virgin Among the Living Dead, which while some may
find it slow, I found to be a wonderfully, dream-like horror flick about a beautiful woman who meets her weird family when she goes to be present at her father's will reading. It has a beautiful female cast, some wonderful full frontal female nudity, and some hints of lesbianism. Even better, but lacking in the lesbo action is Faceless, a movie starring Caroline Munro and Bridgette Lahaie that ranks as one of his goriest flicks.
Not everything he made is great, sure. Even with all the lesbianism, nudity, and gore stuff like Lust for Frankenstein and Tender Flesh (which also throws in pissing) are pretty shitty. But, again the man had a passion for his mix of flesh and blood.
He did work with some legends, including Christopher Lee and cult favorites, such as Michelle Bauer (the aforementioned Frankenstein flick)
Christopher Lee in Jess Franco's Count Dracula
As, I said, I need to seriously see more of his work, including one of his most well known and talked about films Vampyros Lesbos.
Franco passed away this Tuesday at age 82. Causes are unknown at this time, but he had lung problems due to his major smoking habit. He is already greatly missed, by fans like me.
Yesterday, Roger Ebert passed away at age 70, tragically succumbing to cancer, which he had been battling for years. I really never agreed with his stance on slasher films or more hardcore horror fare like I Spit on Your Grave. As a matter of fact, during the 80s he and his partner Gene Siskel attacked films like Friday the 13th, Silent Night, Deadly Night, and the aforementioned rape/ revenge flick. To me, it has always one thing to think a movie is crap, it's another to so viciously attack a film that it sounded like they wanted to start a witch-hunt for it. Here is an example of what I mean.
Clips like this always rubbed me the wrong way. This isn't to say Ebert hated all graphic horror. He did praise movies like Last House of the Left, Dawn of the Dead, Re-Animator, and Evil Dead 2. Plus, he wrote Beyond the Valley of the dolls for director Russ Meyer. That truly awesome movie included gore, drugs use, lesbians, full frontal female nudity, and other things that definitely fall out of the safe range, but yet Ebert wrote it! But, all that said, it's very sad, that he has passed on and, even more so, the way he did. Cancer is horrible disease. As I have said before, FUCK CANCER!
And there is no denying that he was the last of the great mainstream critics. And, his, along with, of course, Siskel, thumbs up/ thumbs down, is to day, still used and remembered. There is also no denying that deep down the man loved movies. And, that's something we all do, don't we?
God bless both of these great contributors to the movies and may they RIP.
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