Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #40660 in VHS
• Released on: 1997-01-29
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 88 minutes

Amazon.com
Terence Fisher's take on the oft-filmed Robert Louis Stevenson tale offers a clever switch in a handsome, suave, charming Hyde, like Christopher Lee's Dracula as a seductive figure of evil. Paul Massie plays Dr. Jekyll as a distracted intellectual under a (rather phony) beard whose personality-changing drug unleashes his repressed desires and reveals a different side not just of himself, but of his hypocritical best friend. Paul (Christopher Lee) is a smiling viper who leeches off of Jekyll while carrying on an affair with his wife, and soon becomes the smooth-faced Hyde's partner in debauchery through the nightclub underworld of Victorian England. Hyde's violent streak emerges when he targets those who have wronged his weak alter ego (including a truly brutal attack upon his wife) and in his passionate affair with the exotic snake charmer he soon makes his sexual slave. Massie is neither the intense, menacing Hyde nor the tortured Jekyll the part demands; the sides of his personality are better expressed through costars Lee as Hyde's gleefully hedonistic buddy and David Kossoff as Jekyll's conservative and caring friend. Fisher revels in the debauchery of his characters (the Jekyll story often feels like an afterthought), creating an atmosphere of decadence by suggestion and flourish, but his Hyde is a cruel, cold-blooded character, a true Hammer Studios monster behind a friendly face. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews

A disappointing Hammer Film
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.

AN INTERESTING HAMMER FILM! THIS IS AVAILABLE ON DVD!
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.

HORRIBLE!
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!