Why so much hype?

Did you people see the same film I saw?

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

During the course of his experiments, the reclusive Dr Jekyll (Paul Massie), creates a personality changing drug which he tests on himself turning him into a much younger and handsome man called Edward Hyde who turns out to be his evil alter ego. He visits the high class Sphinx club in London where he discovers Jekyll's friend, the parasitical Paul Allen (Christopher Lee), a compulsive gambler who scrounges money off him to pay his debts, is having an affair with his wife Kitty (Dawn Addams). Meanwhile, Hyde begins an affair of his own with Maria (Norma Marla) a snake woman at the Sphinx while offering to bail Allen out of his debts in return for introducing him to the city's forbidden pleasures in the vice dens. But, Jekyll starts losing control of his transformations into Hyde - even destroying his formula proves useless as they start occurring of their own accord - and his tendencies become homicidal. He sets a trap for Allen and Kitty - the former refused to loan him his mistress in return for settling his debts - and meets his demise at the hands of Maria's snake. On discovering Allen's body, Kitty commits suicide and Hyde strangles Maria as he turns back into Jekyll. Both personalities are battling it out for control, but to destroy one would mean destroying the other...Hammer's adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story was a spectacular flop on its original release in 1960. But, seen today, it emerges as an interesting film with enough merits of its own leading one to conclude that it was unfairly overlooked at the time. In any case, Hammer and Terence Fisher films are almost always worth watching.It is graced by fine acting all round with Lee offering one of his best performances as the parasitic, unscrupulous playboy Paul Allen. We would have expected him to have played the Jekyll and Hyde part, but on his own admission he said that he wanted it but Hammer "shot that one down". Yet, the star would get a shot at it a decade later in the flawed but worthwhile Amicus film I Monster (1971) in which Jekyll and Hyde were for reasons unknown called Dr Marlowe and Mr Blake. Paul Massie does fine work in the role though. He skilfully brings out Jekyll's unashamedly evil alter ego in Hyde and the former's kind hearted nature. There is a stand out scene where Jekyll sees his alter ego reflected in a mirror and he asks him why he committed the murders. "To punish you", he replies. "Society will blame you and you will have to hide as I have had to hide". Then he adds "I can't destroy you without destroying myself" before urging him to "end the struggle (he) must lose." Dawn Addams also offers a strong performance as Jekyll's bored and neglected wife who has an affair with the unscrupulous Allen in search of a more exciting and fulfilling life.Terence Fisher's direction is as accomplished as ever displaying his talent as a storyteller and a strong feeling for character, place and period. He succeeds admirably in bringing out the central theme of the story, which is summed up admirably in the closing sequence in a coroner's court. The coroner in delivering his verdict looks directly into the camera as if he is addressing us and says the case is "a solemn warning to us all not to interfere in things that are the divine will of nature" referring, of course, to the doctor's obsessive and reclusive quest for forbidden knowledge.The film also benefits from exquisite set design (Bernard Robinson) and Jack Asher's technicolor cinemascope cinematography is gorgeous in every single frame and they combine to heighten the atmosphere and sense of place of the proceedings.

The Sex is more Salacious and the Color is more Dominant in this Hammer Horror. Two Things that the Beloved Studio Honed in the Fifties with Their Modernization of the "Famous Monsters of Filmland". This one has an "Ahead of its Time" Feel.The Classic Story from Robert Louis Stevenson is given somewhat of a Twisted Facelift here and it is Shocking but Not in the Way You Think. Hammer Emphasizes, even more than usual, the Victorian Sexual and Moral Hypocrisy. Cab Driver..."It's only wicked if you're poor." Some of the more Close-Up Sexuality and Overtly Crude Dialog was deemed to Explicit for American Audiences in 1960 and was Cut for Stateside Distribution. Thankfully the Film can now be Seen with the Footage Restored and the Beautiful, but Gaudy Costumes and Sets can be Relished in Blazing Color in HD on Blu-ray.Christopher Lee wanted a Non-Monster Role and He Plays a Womanizing, Adulterous, Cad who is Addicted to Gambling, Abuses Alcohol and Drugs, and is a Nasty "Gentleman" to say the least. He Plays the (Non-Monster?) Character with an Energy of Enthusiasm.Gracing the Screen alongside Jekyll and Hyde is Dawn Addams a Red-Headed Beauty that also Throws Herself into the Role of Dr. Jekyll's Wife and Lee's Mistress. Paul Massie Paints both Faces as a Depressingly Doomed and Suffering Creature.But some of the Dialog and Exposition are a bit Unclear about Motivation. Massie does OK but is Burdened by some Overwritten Scenes and some of it seems Forced.Overall, a Wonderful Looking Movie that is Different and it does have an Edge to it. Not as Well Formed as the other Classical Hammer Offerings but it Sure is a Treat to Watch.

Like many Hammer Films that were pooh-poohed at the time of their release as exploitational, THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL is much better than its reputation would have you think, and it's surprisingly frank in its depictions of adultery and sexuality. It's well-directed by Terence Fisher, and the sets, costumes, set decorations and cinematography are excellent, making very good use of color (particularly in the Can-Can sequence). Performances are also excellent, particularly Paul Massie in the title roles, though he may seem a bit over-the-top at times. He does an excellent job of differentiating between Jekyll and Hyde, even vocally (though he sounds oddly post-synched in both roles). No, this isn't the foggy, gas-lit London of previous versions of J&H - color more or less ruled that out - but its nevertheless effective in its own way and deserves re-examination.

Ostracized by the scientific community, Dr. Jekyll is doing some rather pointless sounding experiments while his wife is cheating on him with his gambler friend. Unhappy with their relationship, he turns his experiments on himself and becomes the suave Mr. Hyde.Another take on the Jekyll and Hyde story, this one has some interesting ideas, but it never does much with them. Ultimately, the film is quite dull. Too much focus is placed on Jekyll's poor marriage and the affair his wife is having. It might not have been so bad if his wife were actually desirable, but she's an annoying shrew. Jekyll should just rid himself of her and consider his life all the better for it. Christopher Lee plays the friend with whom she's having the affair. He's playing against type here and is actually sort of the protagonist, but it's hard feeling sympathy for a philanderer. Paul Massie plays Jekyll and Hyde. He's actually not that great as either. His line delivery just sounds unnatural, especially when he's playing Jekyll.There are some interesting twists towards the end, but it's too little, too late. This isn't one of the better films from Hammer.