Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde

Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde: interesting adaptation but it feels more dated than the silent version in some ways. Some of the Hammer 60s/70s aesthetics and attidtdes I guess. It was advertised on Legend Channel as a blackly comic variation on the tale but I have to admit any humour passed over my head apart from Jekyll's annoyance at dresses being ordered by Hyde. A good turn by the villainous Burke & Hare. Happy to murder women to keep the doctor supplied with bodies. While Jekyll is prepared to kill after he takes his potions, Sister Hyde(his alter ego) is the more bloodthirsty. The internal battle between the two personas is well portrayed. Good performances from Ralph Bates as Jekyll and Martine Beswick as Hyde. Directed by Roy Ward Baker from a screenplay by Brian Clemens based on the 1886 novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. 6.5/10.

Not to be confused with "Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde" ('95) or "Daughter of Dr. Jekyll ('57), "Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde" ('71) is a wonderful entertainment that was written and coproduced by Brian Clemens. Clemens, perhaps best known for his work on TV's cult series "The Avengers," as well as for writing and directing "Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter" (his only other film for Hammer Studios, in '74), also wrote a song for "DJASH"; needless to say, he is a man of many talents. In this film, he not only conflates the Whitechapel murders of Jack the Ripper in 1888, the notorious body snatcher/serial killers Burke and Hare (who both died many years before that, but no matter), and R.L. Stevenson's oft-told Jekyll and Hyde story, but gives it all a novel spin by having Jekyll transform into a woman. Also interesting is the fact that Jekyll, well played by Ralph Bates, is almost as monstrous as the Hyde creaturette that he becomes: Jekyll is willing to murder street trollops in order to obtain the female hormones needed for his experiments. Martine Beswick, it must be said, is perfect as Bates' "feminine side." She really does look like his female counterpart, and manages to appear both beautiful and scary looking at the same time. The film is very nice to look at, too; almost like an episode of "Masterpiece Theatre," but with more blood and mayhem. All in all, this is still another winner from the House of Hammer...with loads of fine extras on this DVD, too!

First of all, the tagline and the claim in the trailer that you will actually see a man transform into a woman before your very eyes isn't exactly true. A man does change into a woman in this film; but the change doesn't take place 'before your very eyes'. That being said; this is still a great horror film. Hammer studios have done some great variations on classic tales, and this one stands up as one of their best. The story follows Dr Jekyll, a scientist that, when trying to find cures to every disease going realises that his efforts to prolong life will, ironically, be beaten by death. This then leads to him trying to 'beat' death with the use of chemicals, but somewhere along the way, as his experiments are oestrogen based, he ends up turning himself into a woman. Oops!

As you might expect, this isn't an entirely serious horror film. However, there are more than enough moments of horror: the scenes where Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde battle for 'control' of their body is a brilliant piece of psychological horror, and the parts where Sister Hyde goes out to kill women in order to get more oestrogen are gratuitously bloody and should delight any horror fan. The film is also very atmospheric; the scenes on the streets are filled with smoke and are very gloomy in the way that they are filmed, which makes for a delicious setting. The cast is also brilliant; Ralph Bates is sublime as Dr Jekyll; he creates just the right mood for his character and is very believable, particularly during the split personality scenes. Martine Beswick, whom you might remember as the Bond girl in "From Russia With Love" is both sexy and sadistic as the evil Sister Hyde. She is the stand out of the movie for me. And most other men. Also in the cast is the lovely Susan Broderick, and the competent Lewis Fiander as brother and sister duo; Howard and Susan, who make for an interesting sub-plot when they both fall for Dr Jekyll. If you haven't realized already; Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde is a great horror film, and therefore comes with the highest recommendation that I can muster.

Hammer Films produced a number of classics and an even larger number of very good, entertaining films and a few misses. While Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde is not a classic, it is one of their better later films, and much better than Hammer's other Jekyll and Hyde re-imagining The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll.

Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde looks incredibly good, no surprise seeing as Hammer's films always looked good no matter the quality of the rest of the film. The sets and lighting recreate the Victorian London era with lovingly and evocatively and they look sumptuous and splendidly Gothic. One also has to love the rich colours and the beautiful and atmospheric photography. It is not just that the production values look great that is really well done, but also how much it contributes towards the feel and atmosphere of the film, here the atmosphere is wonderfully moody and has a real sense of fear throughout, which were not always there as effectively in other later Hammer films.

The film also has a chillingly haunting, with also some touches of lush romanticism, score with an at times Rachmaninov sound to it, the dark richness of the orchestration adding so much. It also has the advantage of being well placed and used effectively, excepting some overblown moments in a couple of the transformation scenes. Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde is very intelligently scripted, with some witty and thought-provoking dialogue, while the story(with one of Hammer's most innovative and pretty ingenious premises) is incredibly clever and enormous fun, the suspenseful and often very creepy atmosphere staying consistent all the time and the chills and scares come off tastefully and unsettlingly. Loved the use of the Jack the Ripper mystery, which really did give off a sense of dread, and the nod to Sweeney Todd. The transformation scenes are beautifully shot and boast good effects work and a real edge-of-your-seat tension. The film is strongly directed, the characters carry the narrative very well and the acting is solid; with Ralph Bates giving by far his best performance in a Hammer film and Martine Beswick- youthful beauty at its best- even better in a menacing but never over-the-top performance.

It's not perfect however, but comes close. There are a few pacing longueurs, where a few scenes towards the start dragged just a little. And while the film is incredibly entertaining, rich in atmosphere and does a great job with the majority of its ideas, others did come off rather clumsily, especially the anachronistic and out of place inclusion of Burke and Hare, leaving one wonder why they were included in the first place(a nod to Stevenson's story The Body Snatcher perhaps?).

Overall, while not without flaws and not one of the Hammer classics, it's one of their better later films and never fails to entertain, chill and engage, making the most out of a great premise. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Dr. Jekyll (Ralph Bates) is a scientist researching the cure of many diseases. He is a very reserved and shy man, and spends most of his time working on his laboratory. One day, his friend Professor Robertson (Gerald Sim) visits him and advises that he would probably die before the conclusion of his studies. Dr. Jekyll decides to research an elixir of life, based on feminine hormones, to extend his life and consequently end his work. He uses female corpses to get the hormones. The effect of the elixir releases his '"feminine repressed side" and he becomes an aggressive and beautiful woman, Ms. Hyde (Martine Beswick). When the bodies finish in the city morgue, Dr. Jekyll starts killing women to proceed with his research.

"Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde" is another charming movie by Hammer and a great entertainment. The theatrical style uses few locations and the gore and killing are not graphic. Fans of Hammer Film Productions will certainly enjoy this different version of the classic story Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Médico & Irmã Monstro" ("The Doctor and Sister Monster")