Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (2002)

the audience applauded

One of my all time favorites.

one of my absolute favorites!

Awesome Movie

As a direct descendant of Robert Stevenson (the grandfather of Robert Louis Stevenson), I tend to take a very critical view of movie adaptations of the books written by my ancestral cousin. To my surprise – although I have generally little time for Video movies – this one is very good. True, there are a few lapses here and there, and a couple of the minor support players are more decorative than charismatic, but the principals, particularly Mark Redfield (who also directed) and Ellie Torrez are superb. In fact, my only complaint against the film as a whole is that the movie could stand just a little bit of trimming. 109 minutes is far too long. Everyone in the audience knows the conclusion, so there is no need to draw it out, as is deliberately done here. The problem is that when it comes to his own scenes, director Redfield is obviously biased. In fact, I've never yet met an actor or actress who complained that their roles were too large. On the contrary, they always complain that their roles were too small, and that the maladroit idiots who directed their movies cut some of their best scenes!

This film ultimately contains everything I could want in a horror film-excellent atmosphere, subtlety, and above all, a standout performance by Mark Redfield in the dual role of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Though working with a limited budget, the film borrows excellently from the stage adaptation to give it the perfect combination of cinema and theater. This is the most thoughtful adaptation of the book I have yet seen (including the John Barrymore and Fredric March versions). The performances by the leads all contributed much to this version of the story as well. Special mention should go to the excellent makeup work by Robert Yoho in creating the Mr. Hyde transformation. This version of the classic story is both respectful to its source material and very atmospheric, which makes for an excellent film.

A journey through old London by way of the infamous personalities of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has always been compelling. Mark Redfield's version continues the legacy and will keep you following every moment with keen expectation. Whether you are familiar with the original story or a first time viewer, it will be just as entertaining. Correlations with earlier versions are not really necessary, because this film carries its own individual quality. Young and old will find Jekyll and Hyde worth investigation. The entire production is done professionally with excellent performances, especially by Mr. Redfield. So, cast away any preconceived notions and make seeing this intriguing picture first on your list.

Although I am a horror fan, I looked upon the arrival of yet another telling of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with a certain degree of trepidation. However, I must confess I was pleasantly surprised. This version was shot on video, but the production compensated with the use of nice locations and imaginative sets. The filmmakers were smart to stay away from outdoor daylight exteriors. (Here comes my rant.) Outdoor daylight exteriors are the Achilles heel of the current flood of video features. They always bring the cinematic look of the film down to the level of the evening news. The local evening news at that! When I watch a movie I want images that will transport me somewhere, not ugly reality. That's my major pet peeve about the so-called "video revolution." Up yours, Dogma! (Now back to the review.) The performances were pretty good throughout. Mark Redfield, who also wrote and directed, plays Hyde with a bit of a twinkle in his eye rather than as a straightforward monster. Carl Randolph gives a good understated performance as Jekyll's loyal but suspicious friend. Elena Torrez is sufficiently seductive as the prostitute who tempts Jekyll and brings out the beast in Hyde. J.R. Lyston is also good as the somewhat comic Scotland Yard inspector who finds Hyde's murders almost as destructive to the Yard's image as those blasted stories by that Conan Doyle fellow. The film is more loyal to the Stevenson story than many of its predecessors, but it does update the time to the turn of the last century. This allows for the introduction of the Lumiere Brothers and a novel ending. I caught this film at a horror festival. I look forward to buying a copy.