Jekyll & Hyde (1990) (TV)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

David Wickes

Writers:

Robert Louis Stevenson (novel)
David Wickes (writer)

Release Date:

21 January 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

Henry Jekyll is a troubled man. His wife died of pneumonia. He wants his sister-in-law, but her father forbids any contact...

Plot Keywords:

Laboratory | Experiment | Transformation | Science Runs Amok | Psychological Thriller

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Edward Hyde
Cheryl Ladd	...	Sara Crawford
Joss Ackland	...	Dr. Charles Lanyon
Ronald Pickup	...	Jeffrey Utterson, Esquire
Diane Keen	...	Annabel
Kim Thomson	...	Lucy Harris
Kevin McNally	...	Sergeant Hornby
David Schofield	...	Snape
Lee Montague	...	Inspector Palmer
Miriam Karlin	...	Mrs. Hackett
Lance Percival	...	Beresford Mount, Prince's Private Secretary
Joan Heal	...	Mrs. Clark
Frank Barrie	...	Poole the Butler
Lionel Jeffries	...	Jekyll's Father
Martin Jacobs	...	Young Man

Runtime:

96 min | Germany:120 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Spain:13 | Finland:K-16 | Australia:M | USA:R

Company:

David Wickes TV

Trivia:

Last film role for 'Lance Percival'.

Quotes:

Mr. Hyde: I am saving my neck. From the gallows.

Movie Connections:

Version of Edge of Sanity (1989)

Soundtrack:

Polka 'Feuerfest'

"Yes sir, we will proceed... it's just that none of the teams sent to discover redeeming qualities have been successful."

Now, it's not really that this has absolutely nothing to offer... it's really more that it takes an idea with such massive promise, and not only fails to deliver, but actually ruins parts, adds and changes without doing anything, at least positive. I have not read the original by Stevenson, but I am not certain anyone working on this did, either. There's marvelous conflict in the very idea of the character, and this barely manages to realize that at all. The look of Hyde is just bad, and the design of the transformation, the concept used, seems dumb. Much is unintentionally silly(as the other reviewer comments, this would have been good for Mystery Science Theater 3000). I've seen excellent films using non-linear time-lines, but this plays around with time so much, and for so little point(some setting up the final twist, which could have been considerably better, as with the rest of them)... the plot has enough threads, with little to nothing, most notably *not* the main subject of the character(I did notice that the credits said "derived from", not "based on", when listing the book), actually resolved or properly addressed. It also has too many things going, at the same time. The dialog has select moments that are noteworthy, with the rest, the very most part, being utterly preposterous. The acting is seldom commendable, save for Caine, and even he has weak instances. Effects tend to be poor. Ladd's character and what she brings to the story is worse than useless, it hurts the movie. Music is unimpressive, and portions are far too loud. Attempts at comedy are ironically the least funny bits in the film. A lot of things happen without this ever engaging or interesting the(or at least this) viewer. Editing and cinematography cut corners and has so little to offer, you have to wonder why they bothered to make any effort at all. This may also feature the least helpful/discreet(in unexpected situations, at least) servants I've ever seen, even if they do(at times) seem to have good intentions. I recommend this to... well, those people who just *must* watch every adaptation and/or Michael Caine feature out there. The rest of us, please remember that just because it's TV, it doesn't have to mean it's bad; this is outdone even by productions in the same(financial and whatnot) class. 5/10