I have never been a devotee of horror films. Certainly when I was younger I would always shy away from gore, which seemed to appeal to some of my curious friends. What I prefer is a happy medium between "horror" and "thriller". I suppose the name for this sort of film would be a "chiller", and I feel Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971) fits that description. This is one of many films produced by the British company, Hammer Studios, mostly famous , I would say, for the career-making Dracula films of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. This film offers an alternative take on the classic story from 1886 of "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson, in which a lawyer investigates strange happenings between his friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll, and the maleficent Edward Hyde, before it is discovered that, due to the dangerous miracles of science, they are one and the same.
In this film by Roy Ward Baker, Dr, Jekyll discovers a formula that, when drunk, transforms him into a dangerously seductive women, whom he dubs his"sister", Mrs. Hyde. Playing with these two identities puts Dr Jekyll's own love life in jeopardy and starts to arouse the suspicion of the neighbours, one of whom, Howard, develops an attraction towards the illusive "Mrs. Hyde". All leads to disastrous consequences.
In terms of the acting, Ralph Bates is suitably sinister in the role of Dr. Jekyll, and has that particular look and general quality of a leading man of the 1960s//1970s. Apparently Bates went on to make several other pictures for Hammer, though I cannot comment as I have not seen them. Moreover, Martine Beswick is quite wonderful in the role of Jekyll's alter-ego, "Mrs. Hyde". She has very little dialogue, but her mystical presence is what does her credit. The film's direction is very ably executed. Roy Ward Baker dabbled in many different genres and has many credits to his name, the most commendable of which is perhaps the Titanic film, A Night to Remember (1958). What stands out for me, however, is the soundtrack by David Whitaker, a man who is little known but who has a distinguished film music career all the same. Against the opening titles plays Whitaker's main theme, a memorable and moving waltz. As for the rest of the soundtrack, Whitaker's compositions are aptly suspenseful.
The film is generally frivolous and the premise is silly, but isn't that true of most Horror/Chiller films? This is also a film which features some fleeting scenes of bare flesh, which is indicative of a time in which Hammer Studios started to mix so-called "horror" with bawdiness, to relatively ill effect. Cue lesbian vampires, etc. All considered, this film will perhaps not go down in history, and if it did, it would only be recognised in the context of the Hammer Studios canon, which is undeniably impressive. As a Saturday night's entertainment though, I wouldn't knock it.
In this film by Roy Ward Baker, Dr, Jekyll discovers a formula that, when drunk, transforms him into a dangerously seductive women, whom he dubs his"sister", Mrs. Hyde. Playing with these two identities puts Dr Jekyll's own love life in jeopardy and starts to arouse the suspicion of the neighbours, one of whom, Howard, develops an attraction towards the illusive "Mrs. Hyde". All leads to disastrous consequences.
In terms of the acting, Ralph Bates is suitably sinister in the role of Dr. Jekyll, and has that particular look and general quality of a leading man of the 1960s//1970s. Apparently Bates went on to make several other pictures for Hammer, though I cannot comment as I have not seen them. Moreover, Martine Beswick is quite wonderful in the role of Jekyll's alter-ego, "Mrs. Hyde". She has very little dialogue, but her mystical presence is what does her credit. The film's direction is very ably executed. Roy Ward Baker dabbled in many different genres and has many credits to his name, the most commendable of which is perhaps the Titanic film, A Night to Remember (1958). What stands out for me, however, is the soundtrack by David Whitaker, a man who is little known but who has a distinguished film music career all the same. Against the opening titles plays Whitaker's main theme, a memorable and moving waltz. As for the rest of the soundtrack, Whitaker's compositions are aptly suspenseful.
The film is generally frivolous and the premise is silly, but isn't that true of most Horror/Chiller films? This is also a film which features some fleeting scenes of bare flesh, which is indicative of a time in which Hammer Studios started to mix so-called "horror" with bawdiness, to relatively ill effect. Cue lesbian vampires, etc. All considered, this film will perhaps not go down in history, and if it did, it would only be recognised in the context of the Hammer Studios canon, which is undeniably impressive. As a Saturday night's entertainment though, I wouldn't knock it.