Thursday, October 6, 2011

Classic Horror Films: Day 6 (Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - 1920)

Some of you may be just bored with all those scream queens and the cries: “Look out! – He’s behind you!” or the whispered “No one ever came back - alive..” stuff..

So this film about the most popular shizophrenic personality of literature and film might be right up your alley - it's a silent movie:

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1920)

Dr. Jekyll is a goodhearted scientist who finds a method to split his personality – with horrible outcome..

Maybe I am a bit obsessed with the Barrymore clan.. I adore them.. Here we have a dashing young John Barrymore in the lead – he is maybe not so dashing as Dr. Jekyll’s alter ego Mr. Hyde.. And he is doing quite an impressive performance – well, the first time he turns back into Dr. Jekyll it looks like they put Jerry Lewis in charge to do that: Jump up... ...fall down - flat on the floor..

But it’s no silly film.. Not really scary either – just shortly before the end of the film there is kind of a human giant spider.. really creepy looking.. And because I am not able to describe it properly you simply have to watch it, haven’t you? [insert vicious giggle here]

Oh - and you can find it completely on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho8-vK0L1_8&feature=related

2 comments:

  1. I've not seen this one, but I did record the 1931 Fredric March remake, which TCM just aired a couple nights ago. Unfortunately, I've not read the book, so I won't know if the film accurately follows the book.

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  2. Oh - the Frederic March version is great! Hope you'll enjoy it! Well.. I certainly will do that everytime I watch it.. I LIKE Frederic March.. ;")

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