Frances Chung
Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
Hattie
I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.
Cody
One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.
Claudio Carvalho
In the Nineteenth Century, in London, the psychologist Charles Marlowe (Christopher Lee) researches a new drug capable to release inhibitions and uses his patients as guinea pigs. He discusses the principles of Freud with his friend Dr. Lanyon (Richard Hurndall) and decides to experiment his drug in himself. He becomes the ugly and evil Edward Blake and his friend and lawyer Frederik Utterson (Peter Cuhsing) believes Blake is another person that might be blackmailing Charles. Meanwhile Charles loses control of his transformation."I, Monster" is another version of the classic story of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. The art direction is very beautiful and the great attractions are certainly Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): "O Soro Maldito" ("The Damned Serum")
lemon_magic
While I enjoyed Paul Massie and the Hammer version of the "Jekyll and Hyde" story ("The Two Faces Of Dr. Jekyll"), I admit that this version from Amicus Studios may actually be the better film. I suppose it depends on what you are looking for in your "Jekyll/Hyde" adaptation. "I,Monster" is pretty subtle (for a horror film) in its approach to telling the story. The director lets events unfold in an unhurried, meticulous way that allows the viewer to gather all the details without ever being sensationalist or lurid. Everything is present - the debate about the true inner nature of man; the London surroundings; the increasingly violent and degenerate deeds of the good doctor's alter ego; and the sad end. (I won't say "tragic", because this doesn't have the "feel" of a tragedy to me - it feels like a cautionary tale, and the protagonist is hardly a hero undone by fate.)Here's how good and solid the movie is: "Marlowe" (this movie's name for Jekyll) doesn't actually inject himself until nearly 30 minutes into the movie, and when he does...well, you haven't seen "unsettling" until you've seem post-transformation Christopher Lee puttering around his lab with a huge smile of malicious glee on his face, and then picking up a lab mouse with one hand and a scalpel in the other.The copy I saw (on YouTube) was a bit blurry and smeared, but it wasn't bad enough to keep me from noting some really nice camera work, costumes and scenery that reinforced and sometimes foreshadowed the developments in the movie...especially the scene in the daffodil laden park when "Marlowe's" ugly alter ego reasserts itself without the drug. Peter Cushing is a definite 2nd fiddle in this, but he's still a class act. And the rest of the cast keeps up nicely, especially the actor who play's Lee's mentor.This was a fine, fine example of what Amicus could do at its best and would reward the time spent by anyone who has a taste for British horror from previous decades.
ma-cortes
This is an enjoyable as well as lurid chiller , including a fine portrayal of the notorious double-identity , very authentic-seeming Victorian settings , savoir faire performances and results to be a pretty nice rendition . Dr Marlowe (Christopher Lee who tackles a double role of the title character , and gives one of his best acting) is obsessed with Freudian theories , the nature of the id , the ego and the superego and whether they can be separated within an individual . Marlowe uses his experiments with intravenous drugs that are supposed to release inner inhibitions , causing Pulfrich effect , it leads to his metamorphosis development , some good and evil sides to his personality . He transforms into Mr. Blake (Christopher Lee) who prowls the seedy slums of Victorian London -Soho- to satisfy his dark instincts and nasty desires . Then his friend Frederick Utterson (Peter Cushing) suspects when take place grisly killings . This is a largely faithful reworking of Robert Stevenson's classic story , tiring at times , though . The character names may have changed but this is still ¨Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde¨. Although given the source novel, it is unclear why the names of the central character have been changed . Very good acting by Christopher Lee as Dr Marlowe who injects himself with his secret formula and is transformed into Mr Blake . Lee gives one of the best interpretations that the cinema of horror has offered him in a 60-year career . Frequent co-protagonist Peter Cushing is top-notch as usual , playing as his colleague and friend . Adequate and atmospheric cinematography , filmed in Shepperton studios , originally in 3D , some clever camera work and choreography that keeps the foreground moving to the right and the background moving left makes this possible. Thrilling and atmospheric musical score by Carl Davis . The film was efficiently produced by Max J. Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky from Amicus factory , they were usual producers of terror genre . The motion picture was well directed by Stephen Weeks , though Peter Duffell refused the offer to direct this project . Weeks was one of two young British directors to emerge in the terror field in the late sixties , the other , Michael Reeves died at 25 . He began his professional film career at age 17, directing a series of short films . He made his film cinema short film, 'Moods of a Victorian Church' (1967) at age 19, and his first cinema drama, a film set in the First World War in France '1917' . Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was Stephen's second picture at age of 22 and he realized other horror films such as ¨Madhouse mansion¨ or ¨Ghost story¨(1979) and adventure movie such as ¨Gawain and the Green Knight¨ (1973) and its remake ¨Sword of the valiant¨ (1983) also with Peter Cushing . Rating : 6,5/10 . Well worth watching for Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing fans . Other pictures based or inspired on ¨Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde¨ novel are the followings : 1920 silent retelling and first American one by John Robertson with John Barrymore ; 1932 retelling by Robert Mamoulian with Frederic March , Miriam Hopkins ; 1941 version by Victor Fleming with Spencer Tracy , Ingrid Bergman , Lana Turner , Donald Crisp ; 1968 TV take on by Charles Jarrott with Jack Palance , Denholm Elliott , Oscar Homolka ; 1973 adaptation by David Winters with Kirk Douglas , Donald Pleasence , Michael Redgrave , Susan George ; 1971 ¨Dr Jekyll and sister Hyde¨ by Roy Ward Baker with Ralph Bates and Martine Beswick ; 1971 ¨Dr Jekyll and Wolfman¨ by Leon Klimovsky with Paul Naschy , Shirley Corrigan , Jack Taylor ¨Edge of sanity¨(1989) by Gérard Kikoïne with Anthony Perkins , Glynis Barber and most latter-day recounting as 1995 ¨Dr Jekyll and Miss Hyde¨ by David Price with Timothy Daly , Sean Young , Lysette Anthony and ¨Mary Reilly¨ (1996) by Stephen Frears with John Malkovich , Julia Roberts , Michael Gambon . Furthermore , comical films such as ¨The Nutty Professor¨(1963) with Jerry Lewis and Stella Stevens ; ¨The nutty professor¨ (1996) by Tom Shadyac with Eddie Murphy and Jada Pinkett Smith and ¨Nutty Professor II: The Klumps¨(2000) by Peter Segal with Eddie Murphy and Janet Jackson .
Paul Andrews
I, Monster is set at the turn of the 20th Century in London as the well respected Dr. Charles Marlowe (Christopher Lee) has been studying the recent works of Freud & is convinced that every personality has two sides & Dr. Marlowe is just as convinced that they can be separated. In his laboratory at his home Dr. Marlowe has created a serum to be injected into a subject that he hopes will prove his theory & separate the two personalities allowing the dormant one to take control, Dr. Marlowe tries his serum on a shy woman who then strips in front of him & an angry man who then reverts back tot hat of a child. Dr. Marlowe decides to carry on his experiments using himself & injects the serum into his arm, soon after Marlowe turns into a cruel & brutal thug who takes pleasure in hurting people & adopts the alias Edward Blake. Soon Dr. Marlowe's friend & lawyer Frederick Utterson (Peter Cushing) begins to suspect Blake is blackmailing Marlowe but is shocked to discover they are the same person & Marlowe is no longer able to control Blake...This British production was made by Amicus studios who were the main rivals to Hammer Studios during the glory days of the period Anglo horror cycle of the late 60's & 70's. Amicus were, & still are I suppose, best know for their cracking horror anthology films like Dr. Terror's House of Horror (1965), Torture Garden (1967), The House That Dripped Blood (1971), Tales from the Crypt (1972), Asylum (1972), The Vault of Horror (1973), From Beyond the Grave (1974) & The Monster Club (1981) all of which are worthwhile watching. An obvious adaptation of the novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson in all but the title & the central character's name which have both been changed for some mysterious reason despite Stevenson's novel even getting an 'Inspired by' opening credit, directed by Stephen Weeks apparently because all of the other regular director's used by Amicus turned it down I, Monster is a very faithful adaptation of it's source novel & is a pretty decent horror thriller that could have been a classic if it were not for a slightly sedate pace & a general lifeless feel to the direction. The script is solid enough, the character's & dialogue are all engaging enough & it tells a good story competently enough but that's my main problem, I was never engrossed or excited by it & while it's solid & competent like I said it never goes beyond it. At just under 80 odd minutes I, Monster surprisingly drags in a couple of places but it never becomes too boring & the story unfolds at a nice pace although anyone familiar with the Jekyll and Hyde story won't find many surprises here. It's also a mystery that none of Marlowe's friends recognise Blake as the same person, I mean he doesn't look that different in all honesty. The psychological aspect of double personalities is touched upon but never goes anywhere significant & I would have liked a little more incident.Originally filmed using the Pulfrich effect to create a 3-D experience that apparently uses clever camera movement & choreography to keep the foreground moving right & the background moving left, to see the effect you apparently need to wear glasses with the right lens significantly darker than the other. I can't say I tried it or even want to but it's an odd little side-note & you can see the odd shot that looks as if it was filmed with 3-D in mind. I love all these 70's British period horror films & I, Monster is no exception with some great Victorian production design, sets & costumes. It's all very colourful & well made. There's not much blood, gore or horror here to be honest, there's a bit of blood when Blake kills a woman but other than that this is disappointingly dry. Legend has it that the money ran out during production & the makers simply had to put together what they had already shot, maybe this explains the sub 80 minute running time & the slightly rushed feel of certain scenes that seem to end rather abruptly.Released into UK cinemas in November 1971 this didn't reach US shores until April 1973, filmed here in the UK in Shepperton Studios. The acting is good from a solid cast, it's always great to see great actor's such as Christopher Lee & Peter Cushing who manage to turn mundane material into something special. Since we can class I, Monster as a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde film I think Christopher Lee has played all the classic monsters including the Frankenstein monster in The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dracula in Dracula (1957) & the Mummy in The Mummy (1959) which were all made by Hammer to add to his performance as Jekyll and Hyde here.I, Monster is almost a great a film, slightly lifeless direction & a lack of action doesn't help but the cast & solid script & story help balance it out. A good solid British horror effort from a golden era but I'm not surprised it hasn't gone down as a classic, well worth watching none the less.
