Pacto diabólico

1967's "Jekyll and Hyde: Pact with the Devil" (Pacto Diabolico) began shooting June 26, kicking off a quartet of quickie John Carradine vehicles for producer Luis Enrique Vergara, essentially the same deal that Boris Karloff would sign early next year, similarly completed over a four month period (sadly none of these efforts would ever be dubbed into English). He had previously contributed his services to the Basil Rathbone feature "Autopsy of a Ghost" (Autopsia de un Fantasma) as well as a television project, ANTHOLOGY OF FEAR (Antologio del Miedo), in a segment titled "Chewing Gum" (Los Chicles), both for veteran director Ismael Rodriguez, remembered for "Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer" and "The Beast of Hollow Mountain." It is apparent that Carradine is the only performer speaking his lines in English though he is dubbed in a Spanish language voice not his own, introducing himself in each film before the credits roll. This is a very poor debut indeed, his screen time as Dr. Halback limited to under 19 minutes, opening with the removal of a woman's eyes to complete an experiment inspired by his late friend Henry Jekyll, assisted by Dr. Alfonso Bennett (Andres Garcia). His beautiful ward, whom he appears to be in love with, happens to be Jekyll's daughter DiNora (Regina Torne), and when he announces to his butler Doyle (Guillermo Zetina) that his 'nephew' is coming, expectations run high, yet here is where Carradine basically exits the picture with only two brief appearances much later on, the new incarnation played by Miguel Angel Alvarez, posing as 'Sir Fredrick Halback.' Attempts to impress DiNora are shattered by a reminder that Dr. Bennett is her fiancee, so he decides instead to seduce a striptease ballerina (Isela Vega), forced to take matters into both hands after they turn all hairy, somehow securing the girl's eyes for another dose of serum. Only one more victim becomes a sightless corpse, Jekyll's infamous notes leading DiNora to the truth, Halback restored to his old self, stopping short of killing the woman he loves to secure his own demise. Apart from greying hair and mustache the only makeup worn by Carradine is a pair of hairy gloves, his alter ego eventually looking like a minstrel performer in blackface, little to offer in regard to horror in a 19th century period setting, much chirping and bubbling in the lab. Andres Garcia would do one film with Karloff, "House of Evil," as would glamorous Isela Vega in "Fear Chamber," wasted here in a nothing part that at least offers a spot of toplessness. Author Tom Weaver believed that this was 'the least lousy' of the Carradine quintet, but this viewer admits great difficulty staying awake even before the star's vanishing act. Director Jaime Salvador and screenwriter Ramon Obon Jr. Were also at the helm for the next vehicle, "Madame Death" a definite improvement, retaining Regina Torne, Isela Vega, and Miguel Angel Alvarez.

The late Dr. Jekyll's daughter comes home from school to assist her guardian, Dr. Holbeck (Hollywood veteran John Carradine), in his search for the elixir of eternal youth which he thinks he's found in the retina of the human eye. He needs a constant supply of them for his experiments, of course, and any handy lady'll do, thank you. Ancient ham John Carradine runs around with hairy hands but doesn't get much chance to overact in this half-baked take on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic since he turns into a much younger ancestor (who's palmed off as a long lost nephew) fairly early on. The nephew, in turn, devolves into an ape-like brute (who looks a lot like Al Jolson in blackface) at the most inopportune moments and only an eyeball cocktail can change him back. It sounds a lot better than it is even with a song, a semi-striptease by a dance hall girl, and some brief nudity. The campy, cadaverous character actor's pretty much wasted -and so's your time if you tune in.

I adore this film with all my heart. It was not too long ago that I came across this film when I discovered that my mother Silvia Villalobos was in it but, only for a few moments (she had her many minutes of fame). Death by guillotine. This is not much of a comment...but I had to share this information with imdb afficionados. Thanks!