Starring Paul Massie, Dawn Addams, Christopher Lee, David Kossoff, Norma Marla
Directed by Terence Fisher
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Dr. Henry Jekyll experiments on himself looking to study man's dark half, and transforms into a man who calls himself Hyde, handsome on the outside, but completely free of morality within.
Hammer Films' take on Robert Louis Stevenson's famous story of Jekyll & Hyde adds some twists to distinguish itself, most notably making Hyde's face not reflect the monstrosity Jekyll has released. Actor Paul Massie dons makeup and a beard instead to play Jekyll, while portraying Hyde with his normal face and figure. It's an interesting idea, and Massie certainly succeeds in making each character unique, with a low voice and rather stilted mannerisms conveying the restraints on Jekyll, while he seems to glide through scenes as the morally unfettered Hyde. However is he enough of a screen presence in either role? I'm not quite sure that can be honestly said. My friend Dan Day Jr. believes co-star Christopher Lee would have been much better in the role, and it's hard to disagree with that, although Massie's is still a memorable performance. My friend Josh Lycans pointed out which I hadn't really noticed before, that Massie's makeup was aged as Hyde asserts more and more control, which adds some power to the doctor's plight late in the picture. However, what I most remember about the film is how the filmmakers pushed the envelope with some risqué scenes, including a phallic snake dance, flashes of skin, and transforming Jekyll's wife, devoted to him in other adaptations, into a philanderer whom Hyde longs to proposition. It's definitely a picture worthy of much discussion, but can't say I believe it belongs among the Hammer greats.
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