I, Monster (1971)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Stephen Weeks

Writers:

Robert Louis Stevenson (novel)
Milton Subotsky (screenplay)

Release Date:

April 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Christopher Lee stars in this Amicus production of "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" where the names have been changed to Dr...

Plot Keywords:

Lawyer | Split Personality | Victorian Era | Pulfrich Effect | 19th Century

Cast

Christopher Lee	...	Dr. Charles Marlowe / Edward Blake
Peter Cushing	...	Frederick Utterson
Mike Raven	...	Enfield
Richard Hurndall	...	Lanyon
George Merritt	...	Poole
Kenneth J. Warren	...	Mr. Deane
Susan Jameson	...	Diane Thomas
Marjie Lawrence	...	Annie
Aimée Delamain	...	Landlady (as Aimee Delamain)
Michael Des Barres	...	Boy in alley

Runtime:

75 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Argentina:18 (re-rating) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Australia:M | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | UK:X (original rating) | UK:12 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Amicus Productions

Trivia:

Attempts (and is mostly successful) to exploit the Pulfrich effect to provide a 3-D experience. To see this, use a pair of glasses with the right lens much darker than the left. These are available for other videos or can be made by removing the left lens from a pair of sunglasses. Some clever camera work and choreography that keeps the foreground moving to the right and the background moving left makes this possible.

Quotes:

Dr. Charles Marlowe: The face of evil is ugly to look upon. And as the pleasures increase, the face becomes uglier.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Nightmare Theatre's Late Night Chill-o-Rama Horror Show Vol. 1 (1996) (V)

Middling Movie, Crappy-Looking DVD

The makers of the "deluxe" "I, Monster" DVD apologize on screen at the film's beginning for the quality of the presentation, explaining that they used the best video and audio sources available. And an apology certainly is in order, as the look of this eagerly awaited release (it was released for the first time on DVD in January '05) is quite grainy, revealing what was most likely lousy 16mm print sources. Flesh tones are uneven, sound quality is so-so, and the crisp look that DVD viewers have come to expect is wholly lacking. Extras on this "deluxe" release are comprised of one trailer (in execrable shape) and five or six stills. Anyway, that's the bad news. The better news is that the movie itself turns out to be not half bad. Christopher Lee plays Charles Marlowe, a psychotherapist in 1906 London who injects himself with a serum to wipe out his superego inhibitions. Only problem is, he keeps turning into a progressively ugly and more violent beast (one called "Mr. Blake") every time he does so. Sound familiar? Yes, this IS Stevenson's Jekyll & Hyde tale repeated again for the umpteenth time. So why not just call it Jekyll & Hyde? Who knows? Stevenson IS credited, after all! Anyway, Lee is darn good in his dual role, and Peter Cushing is dependable as always as his suspecting friend. Some very unusual music by Carl Davis adds some strange atmosphere, and a very streamlined screenplay avoids unnecessary clutter (such as characterizations). There's really not much to this movie, actually, besides Lee going bonkers, and without his and Cushing's presence, it certainly would be less than watchable. Still, I suppose we should be grateful for what little we have here, as any opportunity to see Cushing and Lee together is one that all fans of classic horror should pounce upon. Just don't expect anything on the order of "Horror Express"!