User reviews

The stiff upper lip and jaw of Ralph Bates finally come into their own in this nice variation of Jekyll and Hyde, which also mixes in good quantities of Jack the Ripper myth and the famous 17th century grave robbers Burke and Hare. Considerably less stiff is Martine Beswick as the doctor's female alter ego. She is absolutely too loose in her ways, but I am certainly not complaining! Both are just the right persons for their clashing roles and superbly so. The actual physical change between the two supreme parts in one person is shown in subtle manners and without great special effects, which not only was cheaper to do, but also leaves a lot for a viewer to imagine and so makes it in a way easier to accept. A wise decision from the makers.

The plot idea of unifying the two main story lines of such classic origins is nothing short of brilliant. The invention of elixir of human life using female hormones and how to get it by "uncanny goings in late hours" really does the trick. So does the fascinating and at the same time foul results of the experiment, the mixing of selves and struggle for dominance. Of course much more could have been built in and deepened in the script making the story more intriguing and disturbing. Some needed romantic and freshening humor aspect comes from the continuously snooping neighbors with their funnily pretentious "it doesn't concern us" attitude.

In all, this is once again a fun and stylish horror movie from Hammer studios. The bolder style of company's early seventies film is very much present with some slight gore and nudity added in the proceedings. So, now everyone hurry up and see it.

Dr. Jekyll (Ralph Bates) is a scientist researching the cure of many diseases. He is a very reserved and shy man, and spends most of his time working on his laboratory. One day, his friend Professor Robertson (Gerald Sim) visits him and advises that he would probably die before the conclusion of his studies. Dr. Jekyll decides to research an elixir of life, based on feminine hormones, to extend his life and consequently end his work. He uses female corpses to get the hormones. The effect of the elixir releases his '"feminine repressed side" and he becomes an aggressive and beautiful woman, Ms. Hyde (Martine Beswick). When the bodies finish in the city morgue, Dr. Jekyll starts killing women to proceed with his research.

"Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde" is another charming movie by Hammer and a great entertainment. The theatrical style uses few locations and the gore and killing are not graphic. Fans of Hammer Film Productions will certainly enjoy this different version of the classic story Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Médico & Irmã Monstro" ("The Doctor and Sister Monster")

You probably know of the regular Jekyll and Hide story, well this Hammer film directed Roy Ward Baker film adds an interesting variation to what you may already know. In Victorian London Dr Henry Jekyll creates a magic potion using hormones stolen from female corpses - he believes that women live longer than men so using their hormones would be more advantageous. After drinking the magic potion, he becomes Sister Hyde - a hot but dangerous woman. As she, he must get more female hormones to make sure the potion doesn't wear off, so she sets off on a murderous rampage through London.

A typical Hammer film where it's as much tongue in cheek as it is horror. Ralph Bates does well as Dr Jekyll, and Martine Bestwick (who you may have seen in the Bond film "From Russia with Love") is excellent. Don't expect a deep delve into feminism or gender struggles, this is a light-hearted horror film through and through. At most if you want to read into it you might perceive sexual repression; Jekyll is married to science while Hyde explores more 'fun' pursuits.

A decent enough film which twists the original Robert Louis Stevenson story in a way that only the 1970's could. 6 out of 10.

Hammer's Dracula and Frankenstein movies starring Christopher Lee and/or Peter Cushing are probably their best known, but dig deeper and you'll find some even more original and inventive movies from the studio. Like 'Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde', one of the very best. Ralph Bates had appeared in a couple of not very good Hammer movies prior to this, but he's perfectly cast as Dr. Jekyll and the choice of the stunning Martine Beswick as his alter ego makes this really something to see! Beswick had already been a Bond girl and co-starred with Raquel Welch in Hammer's unforgettable trash classic 'One Million Years B.C.' before this. She later appeared in cult favourites like Oliver Stone's 'Seizure' and 'The Happy Hooker Goes To Hollywood', but this to me is the definitive Beswick role. She is so sexy and evil in this movie, you'll never forget her once you see it. Gerald Sim plays Jekyll's horny colleague Professor Robertson, and Jekyll and Hyde's lives are complicated by their respective love interests (sister and brother) Susan (Susan Broderick) and Howard (Lewis Fiander). Broderick is really lovely. She seemed familiar but it wasn't until I looked her up that I realized where I had seen her before. David Hemmings buys something from her antique store towards the beginning of 'Blowup'. Fiander incidentally appeared with Gerard Sim in 'Dr.Phibes Rises Again' the year after this, but did very little subsequent horror work. As well as the great cast, the movie is helped enormously by a fresh script from Brian Clemens, and the solid direction from Roy Ward Baker, who had both previously worked on 'The Avengers'. It's funny, most fans immediately name Terence Fisher as Hammer's best director, but Baker directed three out of my Top Five Hammer movies (the others being 'The Vampire Lovers' and 'Quatermass And The Pit'), so I'd choose him instead. 'Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde' is wonderfully entertaining, and I give it my highest recommendation. If you've ever enjoyed a Hammer movie but haven't seen this one you're in for a real treat!

I am looking back on this movie with rose-tinted spectacles. I saw it when it first came out at the movies and it was quite risqué at the time. Nowadays, the levels of nudity and prurience would probably be laughable but I do remember feeling a stirring in my loins at the scene where Dr Jekyll realises he is now a woman and the first thing he does is have a good gander. Probably exactly what I'd have done at the time! Plot-wise it's pretty much the straight Jekyll/Hyde story and apart from the twist of changing sex very little is different.

Good performances from Ralph Bates and Martine Beswick who in my opinion didn't get the roles she deserved as she was very much Hammer's leading lady and not a mainstream actress. Very much in the mould of a dark haired version of Ingrid Pitt.

Oh well, I guess a DVD version of this will be available soon if not now and I will watch with relish. However, be warned, I recently bought a DVD of Vampire Lovers and was totally disappointed - obviously my memory of this other movie was tinged with nostalgia for a more innocent time.

At any rate, a movie to be enjoyed when placed into the context of it being made in the early 70's, Hammer were not making a lot of money and were trying to bring a little sex into their horror movies.

Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde: interesting adaptation but it feels more dated than the silent version in some ways. Some of the Hammer 60s/70s aesthetics and attidtdes I guess. It was advertised on Legend Channel as a blackly comic variation on the tale but I have to admit any humour passed over my head apart from Jekyll's annoyance at dresses being ordered by Hyde. A good turn by the villainous Burke & Hare. Happy to murder women to keep the doctor supplied with bodies. While Jekyll is prepared to kill after he takes his potions, Sister Hyde(his alter ego) is the more bloodthirsty. The internal battle between the two personas is well portrayed. Good performances from Ralph Bates as Jekyll and Martine Beswick as Hyde. Directed by Roy Ward Baker from a screenplay by Brian Clemens based on the 1886 novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. 6.5/10.

First of all, the tagline and the claim in the trailer that you will actually see a man transform into a woman before your very eyes isn't exactly true. A man does change into a woman in this film; but the change doesn't take place 'before your very eyes'. That being said; this is still a great horror film. Hammer studios have done some great variations on classic tales, and this one stands up as one of their best. The story follows Dr Jekyll, a scientist that, when trying to find cures to every disease going realises that his efforts to prolong life will, ironically, be beaten by death. This then leads to him trying to 'beat' death with the use of chemicals, but somewhere along the way, as his experiments are oestrogen based, he ends up turning himself into a woman. Oops!

As you might expect, this isn't an entirely serious horror film. However, there are more than enough moments of horror: the scenes where Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde battle for 'control' of their body is a brilliant piece of psychological horror, and the parts where Sister Hyde goes out to kill women in order to get more oestrogen are gratuitously bloody and should delight any horror fan. The film is also very atmospheric; the scenes on the streets are filled with smoke and are very gloomy in the way that they are filmed, which makes for a delicious setting. The cast is also brilliant; Ralph Bates is sublime as Dr Jekyll; he creates just the right mood for his character and is very believable, particularly during the split personality scenes. Martine Beswick, whom you might remember as the Bond girl in "From Russia With Love" is both sexy and sadistic as the evil Sister Hyde. She is the stand out of the movie for me. And most other men. Also in the cast is the lovely Susan Broderick, and the competent Lewis Fiander as brother and sister duo; Howard and Susan, who make for an interesting sub-plot when they both fall for Dr Jekyll. If you haven't realized already; Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde is a great horror film, and therefore comes with the highest recommendation that I can muster.

Ralph Bates plays a young Dr Jekyll, following the oft filmed path to damnation. When seeking an elixir of life, he, on this occasion uses female hormones and turns into a female version of himself and a nasty one, Miss Hyde, played by Marine Beswick.

Interesting that as well as incorporating a female twist on the famous story, this handsome Hammer production also slides rather oddly into both Jack the Ripper and Burke and Hare territory. The overall result could easily have been very silly, but both leads are up for the task and the swaps between male and female, within budget constraints that will not allow for ambitious change effects, are actually edited together quite effectively. Not great and certainly not scary or very horrific, but better than expected.

Hammer Films produced a number of classics and an even larger number of very good, entertaining films and a few misses. While Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde is not a classic, it is one of their better later films, and much better than Hammer's other Jekyll and Hyde re-imagining The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll.

Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde looks incredibly good, no surprise seeing as Hammer's films always looked good no matter the quality of the rest of the film. The sets and lighting recreate the Victorian London era with lovingly and evocatively and they look sumptuous and splendidly Gothic. One also has to love the rich colours and the beautiful and atmospheric photography. It is not just that the production values look great that is really well done, but also how much it contributes towards the feel and atmosphere of the film, here the atmosphere is wonderfully moody and has a real sense of fear throughout, which were not always there as effectively in other later Hammer films.

The film also has a chillingly haunting, with also some touches of lush romanticism, score with an at times Rachmaninov sound to it, the dark richness of the orchestration adding so much. It also has the advantage of being well placed and used effectively, excepting some overblown moments in a couple of the transformation scenes. Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde is very intelligently scripted, with some witty and thought-provoking dialogue, while the story(with one of Hammer's most innovative and pretty ingenious premises) is incredibly clever and enormous fun, the suspenseful and often very creepy atmosphere staying consistent all the time and the chills and scares come off tastefully and unsettlingly. Loved the use of the Jack the Ripper mystery, which really did give off a sense of dread, and the nod to Sweeney Todd. The transformation scenes are beautifully shot and boast good effects work and a real edge-of-your-seat tension. The film is strongly directed, the characters carry the narrative very well and the acting is solid; with Ralph Bates giving by far his best performance in a Hammer film and Martine Beswick- youthful beauty at its best- even better in a menacing but never over-the-top performance.

It's not perfect however, but comes close. There are a few pacing longueurs, where a few scenes towards the start dragged just a little. And while the film is incredibly entertaining, rich in atmosphere and does a great job with the majority of its ideas, others did come off rather clumsily, especially the anachronistic and out of place inclusion of Burke and Hare, leaving one wonder why they were included in the first place(a nod to Stevenson's story The Body Snatcher perhaps?).

Overall, while not without flaws and not one of the Hammer classics, it's one of their better later films and never fails to entertain, chill and engage, making the most out of a great premise. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Not to be confused with "Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde" ('95) or "Daughter of Dr. Jekyll ('57), "Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde" ('71) is a wonderful entertainment that was written and coproduced by Brian Clemens. Clemens, perhaps best known for his work on TV's cult series "The Avengers," as well as for writing and directing "Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter" (his only other film for Hammer Studios, in '74), also wrote a song for "DJASH"; needless to say, he is a man of many talents. In this film, he not only conflates the Whitechapel murders of Jack the Ripper in 1888, the notorious body snatcher/serial killers Burke and Hare (who both died many years before that, but no matter), and R.L. Stevenson's oft-told Jekyll and Hyde story, but gives it all a novel spin by having Jekyll transform into a woman. Also interesting is the fact that Jekyll, well played by Ralph Bates, is almost as monstrous as the Hyde creaturette that he becomes: Jekyll is willing to murder street trollops in order to obtain the female hormones needed for his experiments. Martine Beswick, it must be said, is perfect as Bates' "feminine side." She really does look like his female counterpart, and manages to appear both beautiful and scary looking at the same time. The film is very nice to look at, too; almost like an episode of "Masterpiece Theatre," but with more blood and mayhem. All in all, this is still another winner from the House of Hammer...with loads of fine extras on this DVD, too!

The British cinema of the late sixties and early seventies tended to specialise in horror and erotica, largely because these were the two topics that were taboo on British television and the film industry was therefore able to cater for two markets that were not open to its rival. Hammer Films, the leading British producer of horror films, often tried to cater for both markets at once by making horror films with strongly erotic overtones. "Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde" is an example of that approach. It took R L Stevenson's famous novel and gave it an unusual twist; when Jekyll drinks the potion he turns into a woman. (The more recent American version, "Dr Jekyll and Ms Hyde", dealt with the story in a similar way).

In this version Dr Henry Jekyll is a brilliant young doctor in 1880s London, working on an "antivirus" that will cure all known diseases as well as an "elixir of life". Jekyll discovers that female hormones are necessary to produce such an elixir, and that these hormones can only be procured from the freshly-killed corpses of young women. He therefore decides to obtain corpses from body-snatchers, and when this supply fails takes to murdering young prostitutes, thus linking the film to two infamous British murder cases, that of Jack the Ripper and that of Burke and Hare (who in reality operated in the Edinburgh of the 1820s rather than the London of the 1880s). When Jekyll drinks his elixir, he finds that it has the effect of transforming him, temporarily, into a beautiful young woman, whom he names "Mrs Hyde" and passes off as his widowed sister. To add to the complications, Jekyll's neighbour Howard Spencer falls in love with "Mrs Hyde", whereas Howard's own sister Susan is in love with Jekyll.

Stevenson's original story was a philosophical exploration of the duality of good and evil in the human soul, but that concept is largely abandoned here. (Hammer horror films are not, anyway, the place to go if you are looking for philosophical insight into the human condition). Certainly, Sister Hyde is an evil killer, but in this version so is Jekyll even before he drinks the potion. The difference seems to be that whereas she kills for pleasure, he kills for what he believes are idealistic reasons. Jekyll's view is that a the lives of a few prostitutes are a price worth paying for advancing the cause of medical research. If the ideologically-driven mass-murders of the twentieth century have taught us anything, it is that the most dangerous type of killer is the one driven by idealism, but the film loses the chance to make this point.

Having thrown away the deeper implications of the Jekyll and Hyde legend, the film-makers settle for an odd mixture of thrills and macabre humour, mostly wisecracks of the "Burke by name and berk by nature" type, with the occasional erotic frisson thrown in. Some of the acting is reasonably good, especially from Martine Beswick as Hyde and from Gerald Sim as Jekyll's smoothly lecherous older colleague Dr Robertson. Although Beswick was a very glamorous young woman, she was here able to suggest the male persona underlying her character's female appearance. I was less impressed by Ralph Bates as Jekyll, who never seemed sure whether his character was supposed to be sympathetic or unsympathetic. The main trouble with the film, however, was that it was a dog's breakfast of horror, comedy and eroticism which never managed to be either very horrifying or very comic or (despite a couple of nude shots of Martine Beswick) very erotic. The jokes were never particularly amusing in their own right, but they were intrusive enough to prevent us from taking the horror scenes seriously. 5/10

London. We see first how Jack the Ripper kills one whore. Then we see that Ripper actually is Dr. Jekyll. Jekyll has killed womens to produced he's "elixir of life". But when he drinks it he becomes a sexy and evil femme fatale Hyde.

Sounds like a bad film? It is not.

This is one of few interesting horror films from Hammer at 70's. Director Roy Ward Baker(Vampyre Lowers) has made a film that really takes you at the late of 19's century. Ralph Bates(Horror of Frankenstein) is good as "the Ripper" Jekyll. In this version Jekyll has to do evil before he drinks the elixir. That make story more interesting. Jekyll first robs the graves with criminals called Burke and Hare(famous real life body snatchers from Edinburgh). Then he has to kill to do good. And when he finally takes a drink things are rally getting on. Martine Beswick(One million years B.C.) is beautiful, sexy and wicked as sister Hyde.

It is a good film. But still... I think that(as a fan of Robert Louis Stevenson's story)this could work better if writer/producer Brian Clemens would have made two films. One of Jekyll & Hyde, another of Jack the Ripper. But after all this, it is worth to see.

But do not watch that comedy Dr. Jekyll and ms. Hyde. That sucked so much!!!

I have never been a devotee of horror films. Certainly when I was younger I would always shy away from gore, which seemed to appeal to some of my curious friends. What I prefer is a happy medium between "horror" and "thriller". I suppose the name for this sort of film would be a "chiller", and I feel Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971) fits that description. This is one of many films produced by the British company, Hammer Studios, mostly famous , I would say, for the career-making Dracula films of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. This film offers an alternative take on the classic story from 1886 of "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson, in which a lawyer investigates strange happenings between his friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll, and the maleficent Edward Hyde, before it is discovered that, due to the dangerous miracles of science, they are one and the same.

In this film by Roy Ward Baker, Dr, Jekyll discovers a formula that, when drunk, transforms him into a dangerously seductive women, whom he dubs his"sister", Mrs. Hyde. Playing with these two identities puts Dr Jekyll's own love life in jeopardy and starts to arouse the suspicion of the neighbours, one of whom, Howard, develops an attraction towards the illusive "Mrs. Hyde". All leads to disastrous consequences.

In terms of the acting, Ralph Bates is suitably sinister in the role of Dr. Jekyll, and has that particular look and general quality of a leading man of the 1960s//1970s. Apparently Bates went on to make several other pictures for Hammer, though I cannot comment as I have not seen them. Moreover, Martine Beswick is quite wonderful in the role of Jekyll's alter-ego, "Mrs. Hyde". She has very little dialogue, but her mystical presence is what does her credit. The film's direction is very ably executed. Roy Ward Baker dabbled in many different genres and has many credits to his name, the most commendable of which is perhaps the Titanic film, A Night to Remember (1958). What stands out for me, however, is the soundtrack by David Whitaker, a man who is little known but who has a distinguished film music career all the same. Against the opening titles plays Whitaker's main theme, a memorable and moving waltz. As for the rest of the soundtrack, Whitaker's compositions are aptly suspenseful.

The film is generally frivolous and the premise is silly, but isn't that true of most Horror/Chiller films? This is also a film which features some fleeting scenes of bare flesh, which is indicative of a time in which Hammer Studios started to mix so-called "horror" with bawdiness, to relatively ill effect. Cue lesbian vampires, etc. All considered, this film will perhaps not go down in history, and if it did, it would only be recognised in the context of the Hammer Studios canon, which is undeniably impressive. As a Saturday night's entertainment though, I wouldn't knock it.

Pretty good late Hammer. Not much to do with the original Stephenson story regarding the battle between good and evil within man but gives us an interesting twist. Indeed this mixes the aforementioned tale with that of Jack the Ripper and throws in Burke and Hare for good measure. And of course one of the more exciting added ingredients here is the lovely, Martine Berwick as Jekyll's alter ego or 'sister'. She's great throughout. His changes into her are effective, his gleeful peeks at herself fun and her spirited killing a treat. In fact the body count here must be very high because, after a languorous start, with voice-over we seem to scamper from one screaming bloody death to another.

The story is well known, but the Hammer computation of it is pure fun like you've rarely seen it before! The re-writing of the ancient fable by Robert L. Stevenson is dared and perhaps a bit silly, but it never loses the power of the classic version. You simply can't but love this film as it combines good laughs, a few shocks and terrific acting performances. Roy Ward Baker also did a sublime job as the director. Since the year of release is 1971, this one certainly belongs to the better ones of the late Hammer efforts, if not one of the best in the entire history of the British production company. The largest praising goes out to the cast. I've seen Ralph Bates before, as the vicious Baron in The Horror of Frankenstein, but I didn't like him that much at that time…neither did I like that whole film, by the way. But he certainly does a great job here, as the dedicated scientist – Dr. Jeckyll – who is about to discover the secret to everlasting life! The intense work and dedication he puts into his research is spooky and funny at the same time. A pure joy to observe and a very bright performance. As an important substance of his experiments, he tests the effect of female hormones on himself, which makes him turn into his alter ego, Sister Hyde. He then becomes a stunning beauty, walking and talking through the body of the absolutely gorgeous Martine Beswick! This former Bond-girl (From Russia with Love) could be described best as every man's wet dream. As a cover for Dr. Jeckyll, sister Hyde goes out on the streets at night for killing new hormones! The alter ego slowly takes control over Jeckyll's manhood, which leads to a couple of hilarious and well-portrayed situations. As said before, the screenplay of this film is one you've got to love! Enormous fun! The Jack-the-Ripper settings and atmosphere are terrific and there even is some good bloodshed to enjoy for the real horror freaks! Highest possible recommendation for this one!

I'v seen many variations on the Jekyll and Hyde story, one could say too many. But this Hammer film about Dr. Jekyll (Ralph Bates) who changes into a woman (Martin Beswick) with the help of female estrogen from girls that he's killed, stands as one of the better ones. And as a latter day Hammer film it easily stands out from the pack, although not reaching the splendid heights of films that were produced in Hammer studio's heyday. nonetheless, I found the film to have a suitable mood to it, and well-acted.

DVD Extras: Audio commentary by director Roy Ward Baker, actress Martine Beswick, writer/co-producer Brian Clemens, moderated by Hammer Films historian/author Marcus Hearn; 2 radio spots; Poster and still gallery; and Cast & crew bios

My Grade: B

Eye Candy: Martine Beswick lets loose her twin torpedoes

This Hammer flick was a major turn in the career of Martine Beswick. Her first flick could have been a major role in Dr. No but the director preferred Ursula Andress instead but promised her another role in another James Bond which became From Russia With Love. After Jams Bond she appeared in a lot of flicks but had one problem, she didn't want to do nudity. Even as she was asked to do it she refused in way that her career was influenced by it. But to cut a long story short, she was asked by Hammer to have a lead in this flick, an era were Hammer had a lot of nudity in their flicks and so she agreed to appear naked. Only her breasts should be shown but due a game of the director he asked her to go full monty and somehow the studio was full of people watching her strip. She wasn't offended by going nude and after the Hammer flicks she went into Italian soft core flicks. Once that she was done with that she went to television for series and commercials. So here we have her for the first time in her nudies. Luckily for the Europeans it came in an uncut edition, sadly for the US the nudity was cut out to have a commercial rating. The flick itself hasn't really a typical Hammer Gothic feeling but it still works. It's based on the Jekyll and Hyde story combined with the Jack The Ripper story. The filming is sublime and the acting is really good. Of course there is blood in it but you never see the knife going in, the effects are up to today's standard laughable, especially the transformation from Jekyll to Hyde. Nevertheless, it's enjoyable and surely one to watch and to have in horror collection.