5.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The great grandson of the original Dr. Jekyll kidnaps people and experments on them with the aggression serum created by his great grand dad.
Starring: James Mathers (I), John F. Kearney, Dawn Carver Kelly, Nadine Kalmes, Jake PearsonHorror | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital Mono
BDInfo verified. 2nd track is just a "lossy" audio track (128kbps)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The horrors of Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novella, “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” are significantly diluted for 1978’s “Dr. Jekyll’s Dungeon of Death.” The title suggests an ominous viewing experience, detailing absolute finality in a basement setting. However, what director James Wood is actually offering is a loose appreciation for the original text, mounting his own martial arts exhibition as the potential for frights is replaced by choreographed fights. This is one bizarre feature, seemingly slapped together over a few weekends, with Wood keeping to the bare minimum of story and screen tension while offering large parts of the run time to a local karate school. There’s a dungeon and there’s some death, but the real Dr. Jekyll-ness of it all doesn’t factor into the final cut.
Enjoying some form of life on VHS and television programs, "Dr. Jekyll's Dungeon of Death" has been criticized for its murky cinematography, which never stood a chance in lower resolution. Vinegar Syndrome hopes to deliver clarity for the first time, presenting an AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation, sourced from the 35mm original camera negative. Of course, this feature is all about black levels, and while there's inherent solidification with cinematographic limitations, the viewing experience is as illuminated as possible. Blacks are deep, highlighting the spooky mood director James Wood is trying to achieve, with delineation comfortable throughout. Primaries are distinct, with a heavy use of red on costuming and household decoration, while feminine hues offer lighter whites and purples. Skintones are natural. Detail is superb for a movie that doesn't always know what to do with it, offering distinct skin surfaces and fibrous clothing, which favors felt and stiff karate gear. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in good condition, with mild judder and few brief areas of damage.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix offers a basic presentation of dialogue exchanges, with some mild sibilance issues detected along the way. Performances are clear, from grunting to madman ecstasy, allowing what little here passes for drama to remain intelligible. Scoring cues are supportive without overwhelming the actors. Sound effects are appreciable but limited, dealing with body blows during karate battles.
There's a lot of kookiness in "Dungeon of Death," which is supposed to take place in 1959 despite everyone in the cast looking as though they just auditioned for "One Day at a Time." There are also extensive conversations about bull breeding as Dr. Henry tries to sell the legitimacy of his serum to Professor Atkinson. Wood is caught between his interest in creating a tale of a demented man, the grandson of the original Dr. Jekyll, hoping to live up to his scientific potential to change the world, and the karate demo experience where, presumably, friends are showcased delivering their best moves. "Dr. Jekyll's Dungeon of Death" isn't focused enough to be wonderful nonsense, but for B-movie addicts on the hunt for a film that's sufficiently odd to hold attention, even when nothing of note is happening, this is a passable experience of no-budget entertainment.
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