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By
NICK ZEGARAC
The secrets of life and
death have long fascinated authors and filmmakers.
From Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, to "Invasion of
the Body Snatchers," humankind simply cannot get
enough of the oft' horrific truths that haunt the
darkened recesses of the human mind. However, in
an age of genetic engineering buttressed by the
breaking of the code for human DNA and cloning a
la Dolly the Sheep, and stem cell research that
promises to build a better human being via the
Bionic Man syndrome, some ancient tales of science
gone wrong just seem antiquated or quaintly out of
date. Robert Lewis Stevenson's "Dr. Jekyll & Mr.
Hyde" is basically a Victorian morality tale,
about the power and predisposition of humankind
for either good or evil. When scientist Henry
Jekyll attempts to separate the good from the
evil, he discovers that evil is too strong for him
and thereafter runs amuck in London as the demonic
Mr. Hyde. This DVD contains the two best versions
of Stevenson brought to the screen, the all-star
glossy 1941 treatment from MGM and the vastly
superior, pre-code 1931 Paramount edition starring
Fredric March.
Directed by Roubin Mamoulian, March's
interpretation of Hyde is a tour de force. The
1931 transformation sequences -- where Jekyll
becomes Hyde -- are genuinely terrifying. The
effect was achieved by the application of various
hues of light sensitive makeup. Depending on the
light source being projected, different parts of
the green makeup became visible. The result is a
seamless and frightening mutation from the
congenial Jekyll to the maniacal Hyde. The 1941
transformation of Spencer Tracy being transformed
are uninspiring by comparison, using time-lapse
photography that doesn't always line up, thus
revealing the process by which the effect was
achieved.
After his first encounter with the magical potion,
Jekyll/now Hyde, encounters the wanton harlot and
barmaid, Ivy (Mirium Hopkins in 1931, Ingrid
Bergman in 1941). Hopkins' Ivy is a genuine
trollop in the best sense of low down sluts,
tempting Jekyll with a flash of flesh -- risqué by
the conventions of the period, and then melting
into tragic hysterics under the auspices of being
ravaged by the hideous and brutish Hyde. Hopkins
also plays Ivy with a convincing Irish accent,
something that Bergman's Swedish accent, try as
she might, cannot conceal. Ivy's death in the 1931
version is absolutely chilling. After tempting her
with the prospect of escape, Hyde viciously
corners Ivy in her boudoir, hissing, "Isn't Hyde a
man after your own heart?" and then violently
strangles her to death. The 41' version isn't
nearly as explicit -- thanks in part to the more
stringent censorship in Hollywood by that time,
but also, by MGM's edict of ultra sheen and
glamour above all else.
In the 1931 version, Rose Hobart is cast as
Jekyll's fiancée, Muriel Carew. In the '41 version
Lana Turner assumes the thankless role, her name
inexplicably altered to Beatrix Emery. Once again,
when comparing the two versions of this
performance on film, Hobart excels by comparison
even though she is given less screen time to shine
than Turner in '41.
True, the '31 version lacks the polish and sheen
that MGM brought to the '41 version -- but the '31
scares is still a very visceral and horrific
experience -- and that's all one should expect
from a genuine horror classic. On Oscar night,
Fredrick March won the Best Actor statuette for
his dual role. Ten years later Spencer Tracy was
not even nominated. I would like to add that there
is nothing inherently bad or wrong about Spencer
Tracy's performance or the film, for that matter.
But the code of ethics must temper some of the
blame for forcing the production to tone down much
of the shock and thrills of its predecessor. The
'31 version was truncated for reissue to keep it
in line with the morality code, but thanks to the
rediscovery of that missing footage, all of Hyde's
diabolical venom from the '31 version has been
restored.
The one disappointment on this DVD is that the
1931 version of "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" was not
digitally cleaned up. Age related artifacts
including scratches, chips, tears and sometimes
excessive film grain are present throughout the
entire feature. They distract somewhat. In
contrast, the 1941 version presents a near
pristine looking print of the film. Both versions
offer a solid, well-balanced gray scale of the B&W
picture and both are free from digital anomalies.
The audio for both is mono but nicely cleaned up.
The '31 version comes with an audio commentary
that is thorough, not just on the production, but
also comments on the silent John Barrymore version
and the Tracy version. This is a historically
dense audio track that film buffs will relish for
years to come. There's also a Bugs Bunny cartoon
and the 1941 theatrical trailer -- which is really
tacky!!! |
