Dr. Jekyll et Sister Hyde

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!

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.

London. We see first how Jack the Ripper kills one whore. Then we see that Ripper actually is Dr. Jekyll. Jekyll has killed womens to produced he's "elixir of life". But when he drinks it he becomes a sexy and evil femme fatale Hyde.

Sounds like a bad film? It is not.

This is one of few interesting horror films from Hammer at 70's. Director Roy Ward Baker(Vampyre Lowers) has made a film that really takes you at the late of 19's century. Ralph Bates(Horror of Frankenstein) is good as "the Ripper" Jekyll. In this version Jekyll has to do evil before he drinks the elixir. That make story more interesting. Jekyll first robs the graves with criminals called Burke and Hare(famous real life body snatchers from Edinburgh). Then he has to kill to do good. And when he finally takes a drink things are rally getting on. Martine Beswick(One million years B.C.) is beautiful, sexy and wicked as sister Hyde.

It is a good film. But still... I think that(as a fan of Robert Louis Stevenson's story)this could work better if writer/producer Brian Clemens would have made two films. One of Jekyll & Hyde, another of Jack the Ripper. But after all this, it is worth to see.

But do not watch that comedy Dr. Jekyll and ms. Hyde. That sucked so much!!!

I am looking back on this movie with rose-tinted spectacles. I saw it when it first came out at the movies and it was quite risqué at the time. Nowadays, the levels of nudity and prurience would probably be laughable but I do remember feeling a stirring in my loins at the scene where Dr Jekyll realises he is now a woman and the first thing he does is have a good gander. Probably exactly what I'd have done at the time! Plot-wise it's pretty much the straight Jekyll/Hyde story and apart from the twist of changing sex very little is different.

Good performances from Ralph Bates and Martine Beswick who in my opinion didn't get the roles she deserved as she was very much Hammer's leading lady and not a mainstream actress. Very much in the mould of a dark haired version of Ingrid Pitt.

Oh well, I guess a DVD version of this will be available soon if not now and I will watch with relish. However, be warned, I recently bought a DVD of Vampire Lovers and was totally disappointed - obviously my memory of this other movie was tinged with nostalgia for a more innocent time.

At any rate, a movie to be enjoyed when placed into the context of it being made in the early 70's, Hammer were not making a lot of money and were trying to bring a little sex into their horror movies.

Hammer's Dracula and Frankenstein movies starring Christopher Lee and/or Peter Cushing are probably their best known, but dig deeper and you'll find some even more original and inventive movies from the studio. Like 'Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde', one of the very best. Ralph Bates had appeared in a couple of not very good Hammer movies prior to this, but he's perfectly cast as Dr. Jekyll and the choice of the stunning Martine Beswick as his alter ego makes this really something to see! Beswick had already been a Bond girl and co-starred with Raquel Welch in Hammer's unforgettable trash classic 'One Million Years B.C.' before this. She later appeared in cult favourites like Oliver Stone's 'Seizure' and 'The Happy Hooker Goes To Hollywood', but this to me is the definitive Beswick role. She is so sexy and evil in this movie, you'll never forget her once you see it. Gerald Sim plays Jekyll's horny colleague Professor Robertson, and Jekyll and Hyde's lives are complicated by their respective love interests (sister and brother) Susan (Susan Broderick) and Howard (Lewis Fiander). Broderick is really lovely. She seemed familiar but it wasn't until I looked her up that I realized where I had seen her before. David Hemmings buys something from her antique store towards the beginning of 'Blowup'. Fiander incidentally appeared with Gerard Sim in 'Dr.Phibes Rises Again' the year after this, but did very little subsequent horror work. As well as the great cast, the movie is helped enormously by a fresh script from Brian Clemens, and the solid direction from Roy Ward Baker, who had both previously worked on 'The Avengers'. It's funny, most fans immediately name Terence Fisher as Hammer's best director, but Baker directed three out of my Top Five Hammer movies (the others being 'The Vampire Lovers' and 'Quatermass And The Pit'), so I'd choose him instead. 'Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde' is wonderfully entertaining, and I give it my highest recommendation. If you've ever enjoyed a Hammer movie but haven't seen this one you're in for a real treat!