Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde
Reviews
John Chard
Hammer’s Gender Bending of the Robert Louis Stevenson Story Is Deliciously Entertaining. Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde is directed by Roy Ward Baker and written by Brian Clemens. It stars Ralph Bates, Martine Beswick, Gerald Sim, Lewis Fiander, Susan Brodrick and Dorothy Alison. Music is by David Whitaker and cinematography by Norman Warwick. Dr. Henry Shekel (Bates) is working on an elixir that he hopes will be the answer to longevity of life. The answer he believes is to be found in female hormones taken from cadavers sent his way by Burke and Hare. Unfortunately, when the doctor resorts to trying the potion himself, he is transformed into a ravishing but dangerous woman. With London in the grip of Jack the Ripper’s reign of terror, could it be that Jekyll and Sister Hyde are linked to the Jolly jack killings? Burke by name, Berk by nature! It’s an awful title, it really is, I know for a fact people have avoided the film purely because they thought it sounded like some lame British horror parody piece. Which is a shame because it’s a devilishly fun picture that breathes new life into a formula that has never been short of on screen treatments. Not only does Clemens’ intelligent screenplay have the transformed “creature” be a smouldering sex bomb in the shapely form of Martine Beswick, he also reshapes horrible history by having Jack the Ripper and Burke and Hare tied into the plotting. Hell there’s even a nifty aside to Sweeney Todd in there as well. Murder, horrible grizzly murder! Baker directs with some style, never letting the picture drift aimlessly, while he along with Norman Warwick and the set designers create a classic Gaslight Gothic look, the perfect backdrop to such devious doings and berserker gender bending. The transformation sequences are deftly handled, the duality of beings and mirrors a narrative strength, while the film isn’t afraid to add humour over the top of the gruesome Technicolor murders. In fact sometimes the in jokes are so subtle it’s not hard to see why many film observers of the time didn’t get the joke when it was released, the crafty wink-winkery to the audience wasted on the unaware. With Bates and Beswick leading from the front with strong and assured performances, and looking credible as brother and sister into the bargain, the film is never less than enjoyable. It overcomes the gimmick idea to play out a story that stands unique in its freshness. Oh for sure there’s some weaknesses in the production, but really this is a Hammer film that deserves its cult fan base because it repays the good will consistently on repeat viewings. 8/10
Wuchak
_**What if Dr. Jekyll morphed into an alluring woman rather than a monster?**_ In the late 1880s, murders of prostitutes start piling up in the Whitechapel district of east London where a professor (Gerald Sim) starts to suspect a colleague (Ralph Bates), who’s working on a curious elixir of life that needs female hormones taken from fresh cadavers. Martine Beswick plays Jekyll’s “sister.” "Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde” (1971) was the third Hammer film inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's famous story from 1886. The other two were "The Ugly Duckling" (1959), a horror comedy, and “The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll" (1960). “Two Faces” is the best one, but “Sister Hyde” is interesting and has some highlights. For instance, it mixes in two historical serial murder accounts: The Jack the Ripper slayings, which occurred from 1888-1891, and the Burke and Hare murders, which took place in 1828 Edinburgh. Since Stevenson based his 1881 yarn “The Body snatcher” on the Burke and Hare case, scriptwriter Brian Clemens felt it would be a fitting addition. In any case, I like the way Jekyll justifies his diabolical doings for the (supposed) greater good of humanity. The key deviation of the story is helped by the fact that Bates and Beswick have a similar look. As with most Hammer flicks there are a few notable beauties, whether costarring or in the periphery. Besides Martine, there’s Susan Brodrick as the winsome Susan, plus a couple others. The film runs 1 hour, 33 minutes, and was shot in Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, just northwest of London. GRADE: B-
Movie Recommendation
Dracula1958-04-21After Jonathan Harker attacks Dracula at his castle, the vampire travels to a nearby city, where he preys on the family of Harker's fiancée. The only one who may be able to protect them is Dr. van Helsing, Harker's friend and fellow-student of vampires, who is determined to destroy Dracula, whatever the cost.More...
Twins of Evil1971-10-03While dabbling in Satanism, Count Karstein resurrects Mircalla Karnstein who initiates him into vampirism. As a rash of deaths afflicts the village, Gustav the head of Puritan group leads his men to seek out and destroy the pestilence. One of his twin nieces has become inflicted with the witchcraft but Gustav's zeal and venom has trapped the innocent Maria, threatening her with a tortuous execution, whilst Frieda remains free to continue her orgy of evil.More...
Dracula A.D. 19721972-06-26Set in London in the early 1970's, supposedly for teen thrills, Johnny organises a black magic ceremony in a desolate churchyard. The culmination of the ritual, however, is the rejuvenation of Dracula from shrivelled remains. Johnny, Dracula' s disciple, lures victims to the deserted graveyard for his master's pleasure and one of the victims delivered is Jessica Van Helsing. Descended from the Van Helsing line of vampire hunters her grandfather, equipped with all the devices to snare and destroy the Count, confronts his arch enemy in the age-old battle between good and evil.More...
The Revenge of Frankenstein1958-06-13Rescued from the guillotine by his devoted dwarf Fritz, the Baron relocates to Carlsbruck, where he continues his gruesome experiments.More...
Fear in the Night1972-07-09It took Peggy Heller a long time to recover from the trauma of a brutal physical assault, suffered in her youth. When she married Robert, he provided her with the love and reassurance she craved for and the two settled down in a pretty house in the grounds of the public school where Robert was a master. But the headmaster of the school is not what he seems and Peggy is convinced he means to harm her - is her fear a figment of her tortured imagination or are there forces at work that intend to manipulate her anxieties with fatal consequences?More...
First Girl I Loved2016-10-18Seventeen-year-old Anne just fell in love with Sasha, the most popular girl at her L.A. public high school. But when Anne tells her best friend, Clifton—who has always harbored a secret crush on her—he does his best to get in the way.More...
Lust for a Vampire1971-01-17In 1830, the Karnstein heirs use the blood of an innocent to bring forth the evil that is the beautiful Mircalla - or as she was in 1710, Carmilla. The nearby Finishing School offers rich pickings not only in in the blood of nubile young ladies but also with the headmaster who is desperate to become Mircalla's disciple, and the equally besotted and even more foolish author Richard Lestrange.More...
The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb1964-10-18Those who have interfered with the Tomb of Ra-Antef are in terrible danger. Against expert advice, American showman and financial backer of the expedition, Alexander King, plans a world tour exhibiting this magnificent discovery from the ancient world but on the opening night the sarcophagus is void of its contents. The mummy has escaped to fulfill the dreadful prophesy and exact a violent and bloody revenge on all those who defiled his final resting place.More...
The Skull1965-08-25An occult investigator buys the 150-year-old skull of the Marquis de Sade, which turns out to be possessed by evil spirits.More...
The Tribe2018-03-16A cleaner woman with vocational street dancer tries to recover her long-stranded son that she gave for adoption, a former CEO who lost everything, including his memories.More...
Dressed to Kill1980-07-25After witnessing a mysterious woman brutally slay a homemaker, prostitute Liz Blake finds herself trapped in a dangerous situation. While the police thinks she is the murderer, the real killer is intent on silencing her only witness.More...
Vertigo1958-05-28A retired San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend's wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her.More...
Mission: Impossible - Fallout2018-07-25When an IMF mission ends badly, the world is faced with dire consequences. As Ethan Hunt takes it upon himself to fulfill his original briefing, the CIA begin to question his loyalty and his motives. The IMF team find themselves in a race against time, hunted by assassins while trying to prevent a global catastrophe.More...
Anatomy of a Fall2023-08-23A woman is suspected of her husband's murder, and their blind son faces a moral dilemma as the sole witness.More...
Dune2021-09-15Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.More...
Coco2017-10-27Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector, and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history.More...
Wonder2017-11-13The story of August Pullman – a boy with facial differences – who enters fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.More...
Titanic1997-11-18101-year-old Rose DeWitt Bukater tells the story of her life aboard the Titanic, 84 years later. A young Rose boards the ship with her mother and fiancé. Meanwhile, Jack Dawson and Fabrizio De Rossi win third-class tickets aboard the ship. Rose tells the whole story from Titanic's departure through to its death—on its first and last voyage—on April 15, 1912.More...
Deadpool2016-02-09The origin story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who, after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopts the alter ego Deadpool. Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humor, Deadpool hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.More...
Orphan: First Kill2022-07-27After escaping from an Estonian psychiatric facility, Leena Klammer travels to America by impersonating Esther, the missing daughter of a wealthy family. But when her mask starts to slip, she is put against a mother who will protect her family from the murderous “child” at any cost.More...
Similar Movies
The Rage: Carrie 2
1999-03-12Following the suicide of her only friend, outcast teen Rachel Lang's life begins a downward spiral that will not only affect her but take everyone around her down in horrifying fashion.Girl at the Window
2022-08-18A troubled teenage girl who’s struggling to cope with the accidental death of her father suspects that the mysterious killer stalking her hometown is not only her neighbour but her mother’s new romantic interest.Untraceable
2008-01-22Special Agent Jennifer Marsh works in an elite division of the FBI dedicated to fighting cybercrime. She thinks she has seen it all, until a particularly sadistic criminal arises on the Internet. This tech-savvy killer posts live feeds of his crimes on his website; the more hits the site gets, the faster the victim dies. Marsh and her team must find the elusive killer before time runs out.Funny Games
2008-03-14When Ann, husband George, and son Georgie arrive at their holiday home they are visited by a pair of polite and seemingly pleasant young men. Armed with deceptively sweet smiles and some golf clubs, they proceed to terrorize and torture the tight-knit clan, giving them until the next day to survive.Cannibal Ferox
1981-04-24Three friends out to disprove cannibalism meet two men on the run who tortured and enslaved a cannibal tribe to find emeralds, and now the tribe is out for revenge.Cannibal Apocalypse
1980-08-04Released from captivity in Vietnam, two American Army officers return to civilian life and discover they have acquired an insatiable taste for human flesh. A city is terrorised... as they stalk the inhabitants to satisfy their primitive appetites.A Nightmare on Elm St...
1984-11-09Teenagers in a small town are dropping like flies, apparently in the grip of mass hysteria causing their suicides. A cop's daughter, Nancy Thompson, traces the cause to child molester Fred Krueger, who was burned alive by angry parents many years before. Krueger has now come back in the dreams of his killers' children, claiming their lives as his revenge. Nancy and her boyfriend, Glen, must devise a plan to lure the monster out of the realm of nightmares and into the real world...Scream 7
2026-02-25The seventh installment in the 'Scream' franchise. Plot TBA.Amityville Exorcism
2017-01-03A family must put faith in a mysterious priest when an demonic force, connected to a decades-old murders in their home, possesses their daughter.The Omen
2006-06-06A diplomatic couple adopts the son of the devil without knowing it. A remake of the classic horror film of the same name from 1976.Next Door
2005-03-11After Ingrid leaves John, he allows himself to be pulled into a mystical and scary world where it is impossible to separate truth from lies.Frenzy
1972-05-25London is terrorized by a vicious sex killer known as The Necktie Murderer. Following the brutal slaying of his ex-wife, down-on-his-luck Richard Blaney is suspected by the police of being the killer. He goes on the run, determined to prove his innocence.Clown Motel: Spirits ...
2019-06-11A group of "Ghost Hunters" coming back from an old ghost town and a bachelorette party returning home from Las Vegas stumble across the "Clown Motel" located in the middle of nowhere. Though no one is there to greet them, the two groups decide to stay for the evening. After a wild night of partying, they awake to find their vehicles sabotaged, leaving them stranded, left to discover if this motel is truly abandoned, or if it is home to souls of the clowns who once lived there.Angel Heart
1987-03-06A down-and-out Brooklyn detective is hired to track down a singer on an odyssey that will take him through the desperate streets of Harlem, the smoke-filled jazz clubs of New Orleans, and the swamps of Louisiana and its seedy underworld of voodoo.Dead in 3 days
2006-07-21When Nina and her high school friends receive eerie text messages declaring that they will all die within three days, they dismiss it as a hokey prank - until one by one, the pals start turning up dead in the alpine countryside. With the cops stymied, Nina and her remaining friends must scour their past for clues to identify the madman before he kills them all.Freaks
1932-01-01A circus' beautiful trapeze artist agrees to marry the leader of side-show performers, but his deformed friends discover she is only marrying him for his inheritance.Bride of Frankenstein...
1935-04-20Dr. Frankenstein and his monster both turn out to be alive, not killed as previously believed. Dr. Frankenstein wants to get out of the evil experiment business, but when a mad scientist, Dr. Pretorius, kidnaps his wife, Dr. Frankenstein agrees to help him create a new creature.The Hole
2001-04-20Four teenagers at a British private school secretly uncover and explore the depths of a sealed underground hole created decades ago as a possible bomb shelter.A Deadly Love
2018-08-03A new young couple struggles to keep their relationship afloat.Devil's Exorcist
1975-01-01Teresita, the only daughter to a wealthy couple, begins to be troubled by loud sounds and visions of a tall man in black walking towards her menacingly. Soon she becomes plagued by strange physical symptoms, visions of arms extending from the walls to grab at her...and sometimes she gets violent. A priest is called in to try and wrench the devil from her body.