Disappointing re-telling of the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde story from Amicus, despite the presence of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in the leads. It might have been better had they played those roles respectively - Cushing would have made a tremendous Jekyll and Lee a wonderful Hyde - but here the double role goes to Lee. And while I like Lee - who doesn't have a soft spot for Christopher Lee, with that magnificent height, voice and bearing - the fact is, he's a limited actor, and it annoyed me here. Cushing plays his friend, who thinks that the Hyde character is blackmailing Jekyll (although they use different names in this movie) not aware they're the same person.
The pacing is slow, there's a lack of atmosphere and suspense, and a weak support cast - the only other role of note is the one played by Mike Raven as a fellow gentleman friend of Cushing and Lee's; there's also a horny Victorian housewife (introduced as if she's going to be important, then throw away) and a cliched buxon barmaid.
There are far too many scenes of people sitting around drawing rooms talking and not nearly enough scary bits. Some solid work from the art department and costume people is wasted.
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