I recently acquired the two disc set that includes this movie, and was finally able to see it uncut, and uninterrupted by commercials, having last viewed it in the early Seventies on network television.
I found it a genuinely unnerving movie, with a very depressing atmosphere that lingers in the mind for days afterward. This is surprising, given how well known the story is, and how many film adaptations there have been over the years.
Part I think is due to the screenplay, which depicts Dr. Jekyll as less benign and more of an egotist than he's usually shown. Mr. Hyde in this context seems more like a logical extension of the repressed and frustrated Dr. Jekyll's id run amok, than the more conventional " evil" half of his personality. One could say that Mr. Hyde is more truly the man Jekyll wishes he was.
The other aspect is the convincing portrayal by actor Paul Massie of two completely different men. His Mr. Hyde is almost cute and charming at times, with an oddly naive quality that is unexpected. Hyde becomes more vicious and cunning as the story unfolds, but there's no getting around the fact that Hyde is overall more appealing than Jekyll, who almost seems more like the bad guy, in this version.
To say more would be to risk spoiling the movie, which has its share of surprises. It's an uncomfortably absorbing film, that nearly overwhelms the viewer with its sordid atmosphere. Seldom have Victorians seemed so decadent and unlikable on screen.
One other thing must be mentioned. The portrayal of suave womanizer Paul Allen by Christopher Lee is unlike anything else Lee ever did. His charm, wit and lighthearted personality are miles from the usual somber Lee presence and manner. It's truly amazing to see Lee smiling and joking, and even getting drunk, with self indulgent glee. The movie is probably worth seeing just for Lee by himself.
I found it a genuinely unnerving movie, with a very depressing atmosphere that lingers in the mind for days afterward. This is surprising, given how well known the story is, and how many film adaptations there have been over the years.
Part I think is due to the screenplay, which depicts Dr. Jekyll as less benign and more of an egotist than he's usually shown. Mr. Hyde in this context seems more like a logical extension of the repressed and frustrated Dr. Jekyll's id run amok, than the more conventional " evil" half of his personality. One could say that Mr. Hyde is more truly the man Jekyll wishes he was.
The other aspect is the convincing portrayal by actor Paul Massie of two completely different men. His Mr. Hyde is almost cute and charming at times, with an oddly naive quality that is unexpected. Hyde becomes more vicious and cunning as the story unfolds, but there's no getting around the fact that Hyde is overall more appealing than Jekyll, who almost seems more like the bad guy, in this version.
To say more would be to risk spoiling the movie, which has its share of surprises. It's an uncomfortably absorbing film, that nearly overwhelms the viewer with its sordid atmosphere. Seldom have Victorians seemed so decadent and unlikable on screen.
One other thing must be mentioned. The portrayal of suave womanizer Paul Allen by Christopher Lee is unlike anything else Lee ever did. His charm, wit and lighthearted personality are miles from the usual somber Lee presence and manner. It's truly amazing to see Lee smiling and joking, and even getting drunk, with self indulgent glee. The movie is probably worth seeing just for Lee by himself.