Jekyll

What is the connection between the famous professor Henry Jekyll - a scientist who has devoted his life to experiments - and the sinister student Edward Hyde? Why does the first, a  respected person, appoint the second to his only heir? Lawyer John Utterson wants to find out what secret unites the two men, who are completely different, one of them good and the other evil. This is an Italian romantic horror movie released for television. It's a pity it isn't available on DVD or Blu-Ray. The cinematography by Stelvio Massi is great. The soundtrack, composed by Gino Marinuzzi Jr. is nice The movie is well shot. If you like Italian horror movies, give this one a try.

This four-part mini-series, made for Italian TV, has a much more original and modern feel to it than most other adaptions of this book. The updating of the setting from the 19th century to the 60's, certainly goes some way to achieving this but also there is a very serious approach to the script and acting performances in general. Giorgio Albertazzi is in the Jekyll/Hyde dual role and brings a definite intensity to his portrayal - his Hyde character is actually considerably more sinister than is usual for this kind of thing, with little overall makeup other than strange predatory eyes, this Hyde really feels like he might be genuinely dangerous.

I haven't read the novella but believe that the story is told in a similar manner, in that it unfolds from the perspective of Mr Utterson, Jekyll's lawyer. The approach to the material does lead to a lot of scenes where characters will talk at length - it almost feels like something that could have been taken straight out of the theatre in this sense - and the drawback is that the pace can get very bogged down at times. The way it all ended did seem a bit flat as well, with an drawn-out, yet underplayed finale. That being said, there were also many effective moments in this one and its originality of feel was a definite plus. The atmosphere of the piece is enhanced somewhat by the oppressive black and while picture quality, which is due to its 60's TV origins but in which I felt inadvertently lent an extra intensity to the already brooding drama on screen.

Astounding is the word to describe this four-part TV series: it's the most original treatment of the story along with Jean Renoir's THE TESTAMENT OF DR. CORDELIER (1959; curiously enough, another made-for-TV version) and Walerian Borowczyk's DOCTEUR JEKYLL ET LES FEMMES (1981).

While suffering from the occasional longueur (particularly when the youth take center-stage) – being necessarily talky, padded and slow-moving – it's also utterly riveting, despite the over-familiarity of the narrative, and has several passages that are absolutely brilliant. It's rather didactic but, nonetheless, makes perceptive comparisons between Hyde's compulsion for aggressiveness and the rebellious spirit of modern youth – as if the former symbolized a wake-up call to the staid older generation! Incidentally, the Victorian tale adapts surprisingly well to the modern ALPHAVILLE (1965)-esque settings; the script, then, is brimming with philosophical ideas – making it at times closer to sci-fi than horror.

Hyde himself, though simply enough made-up (looking quite a bit like the zombie from DEATHDREAM [1974]!), is perhaps the creepiest ever depicted; interestingly, he's given a child-like voice – as if he's still a developing organism. The character's appearance is, actually, mostly relegated to flashback sequences; the transformation is only seen at the end of the third episode – being the equivalent of a 'trip', again, it links his behavior to the liberal attitudes of youth. An inspired touch here shows Hyde starting to take Jekyll over gradually instead of all at once; ultimately, though, something more elaborate than an off-screen demise should perhaps have been concocted (no pun intended)!

This version also jettisons the dual love interest present in most cinematic adaptations, though Hyde is seen being involved in a relationship with a foreign student – the narrative utilizes a university campus backdrop – which ends in tragedy. The latter is a chilling sequence: Hyde orders his girlfriend to drown her pet dog as a display of her love for him, but she kills herself instead – having recognized his evil character!

The cast is headed by Giorgio Albertazzi (what a tour-de-force both as actor and director!) and Massimo Girotti (the story is seen mostly through his eyes, where he fears that Hyde may hurt or even kill Jekyll because of his will – that is, until, Jekyll decides to confide in him). New characters add more dimension and scope to the venerable plot: Mrs. Utterson, Paula Poole (Jekyll's secretary) and Robert Levy (his young assistant). Though bearing the unattractive signs of early video technology, the stark cinematography by Stelvio Massi (later a director of poliziotteschi!) is notable all the same. Likewise, the versatile score is excellent – part avant-garde (for the horror element), part pastoral/folk (for the college sequences), part exotic (for the brief romantic idyll).

In conclusion, JEKYLL emerges as not only one of the great TV movies but an unsung horror/sci-fi masterpiece. Frankly, it's criminal that this isn't more discussed or readily available (I wasn't even aware of the series' existence myself prior to its late-night TV screening last year, shown on four successive weeks) and should really be put out on DVD pronto!