Starring Michael Caine as the doctor and Cheryl Ladd as his wife, this is an interesting adaptation in that it combines the infamous Mr. Hyde with the Jack the Ripper legend. The Hyde makeup, veering away from the Frederic March werewolf interpretation, is most unsettling--reminiscent of Jason from Friday the 13th, which makes it puzzling that no characters in the movie react strongly to the appearance of the monster. Were they jaded towards horrific killers back then, or what? The movie's only problem is that Hyde's visage is too monstrous for the slant the movie takes. Here, he's treated as an evil man who sexually abuses Jekyll's wife; the killings he's responsible for are largely off-camera. Far better in every way than Anthony Perkin's Edge of Sanity (a theatrical release showing Dr Jeckyll turning into Hyde from using cocaine--seriously), this film shows Hyde at his best (worst?).
Starring Michael Caine as the doctor and Cheryl Ladd as his wife, this is an interesting adaptation in that it combines the infamous Mr. Hyde with the Jack the Ripper legend. The Hyde makeup, veering away from the Frederic March werewolf interpretation, is most unsettling--reminiscent of Jason from Friday the 13th, which makes it puzzling that no characters in the movie react strongly to the appearance of the monster. Were they jaded towards horrific killers back then, or what? The movie's only problem is that Hyde's visage is too monstrous for the slant the movie takes. Here, he's treated as an evil man who sexually abuses Jekyll's wife; the killings he's responsible for are largely off-camera. Far better in every way than Anthony Perkin's Edge of Sanity (a theatrical release showing Dr Jeckyll turning into Hyde from using cocaine--seriously), this film shows Hyde at his best (worst?).
