7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Considered by many to be the first great American horror film, John S. Robertson's DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE allowed stage legend John Barrymore to deliver his first virtuoso performance on film. Blending historic charm with grim naturalism, this version of DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE is one of the more faithful of the many screen adaptations of Stevenson's story (though greatly influenced by T.R. Sullivan's popular stage treatment), recounting a visionary scientist's ill-fated attempts to unleash the human mysteries that dwell beneath the shell of the civilized self.
Starring: John Barrymore, Brandon Hurst, Martha Mansfield, Charles Lane, Cecil ClovellyHorror | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.25:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Music: LPCM 2.0
Silent Film
None
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. Freud's lusty, animalistic id and regulating, punishment-wary ego. The two faces of the Roman god Janus (or Two-Face, for that matter, Batman's enemy). There are endless manifestations of the idea that human beings are in possession of dual natures—good and evil—which are constantly at odds. In fiction, of course, one of the most obvious examples is Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, an 1886 novel steeped in the oppressive morality of the Victorian era, when the importance of appearances—and the demands of one's social stature—strictly regulated what should or should not be done. Not that this is any different now.
Mr. Hyde
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is in the public domain and can be viewed for free online—there's a decent copy on The Internet Archive—but Kino-Lorber's new Blu-ray release is by far the best current way to watch the film. Just don't expect a miraculous restoration. As per Kino-Lorber's custom, the archival 35mm film elements used for this 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer have been largely left as-is, with no significant digital touchups. Specks and scratches of variable sizes mark just about every second of footage, 35mm film sprockets can sometimes be seen on the right side of the image, and there are also some occasional dropped frames. Additionally, there are two brief scenes early in the film that are clearly taken from lesser, standard definition sources. On the whole, though, the film's HD debut is very satisfying. There's a marked improvement in clarity, rendering details that would simply disappear on DVD, and though the picture occasionally looks a little dim—white are rarely bright— there are no issues with heavily crushed shadows or other distracting contrast problems. Likewise, there are no noticeable compression hiccups in the encode. If not perfect, this is certainly the best Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has ever looked on home video.
Presented in uncompressed Linear PCM 2.0 form, the disc features an eerie Rodney Sauer score performed by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra, both of whom are no strangers to Kino-Lorber silent film releases. The music complements the onscreen action well and sounds great too. No subtitles are included, but—obviously—none are required.
Of the many, many film adaptation of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this 1920 version stands out for the sheer creepiness of John Barrymore's gnarled, pent-up performance. As the screenshots above attest, there's definitely some unsettling imagery here, and you could certainly make the case for this being an early American horror classic. Given that the film is in the public domain and can be watched for free online, any home video release needs to convince us that it's worth purchasing; fortunately, Kino-Lorber's new Blu-ray does this handily, featuring some excellent supplements, a solid HD presentation, and a score from the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra. Recommended for all fans of silent horror.
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