Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde (1976)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

William Crain

Writers:

Larry LeBron (writer)
Lawrence Woolner (story)

Release Date:

January 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

A Monster He Can't Control Has Taken Over His Very Soul!

Plot:

An African-American scientist develops a formula to regenerate dying liver cells, but it has the unfortunate...

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | African American | Police | Killer | Scientist

Cast

Bernie Casey	...	Dr. Henry Pride
Rosalind Cash	...	Dr. Billie Worth
Marie O'Henry	...	Linda Monte
Ji-Tu Cumbuka	...	Lt. Jackson
Milt Kogan	...	Lt. Harry O'Connor
Stu Gilliam	...	Silky, the pimp
Elizabeth Robinson	...	Cissy Hubbard
Della Thomas	...	Bernice Watts
Marc Alaimo	...	Preston, the pusher
Sam Laws	...	Bartender
Judith Angeline	...	Nurse
Janet Day	...	Nurse
Eric Washington	...	Orderly
Dan Spelling	...	Orderly
Cora Lee Day	...	Mrs. Emily Harris

Also Known As:

Decision for Doom (USA) (reissue title)
Dr. Black and Mr. Hyde
Dr. Black and Mr. White
Serum (USA) (working title)
The Watts Monster (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Watts Towers - 1765 E. 107th Street, Watts, Los Angeles, California, USA

Quotes:

Lt. Jackson: That's a cross between The Abominable Snowman and Willie the Werewolf.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 3 (1996) (V)

Deserves a wider audience

I saw this film years ago on cable and enjoyed it for what it was. I suppose that's because I cam to it without any hype or expectations and enjoyed it all the more for it. The trouble with films like 'Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde' and the more famous 'The Thing With Two Heads' is that the gimmick often promises more than it delivers. Likewise when you get over the premise of 'Blacula', it's nothing more than an extended episode of 'Kolchak:The Night Stalker' held together by nothing more than the excellent William Marshall.

But I digress. I think too many people expect these movies to have some meaningful insight into social issues of the day when many mainstream Hollywood films dealing with the same premise would be let off the hook. Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde is nothing more than the Jekyll and Hyde story told with a black actor and should be viewed on that basis alone.

As a blaxploitation horror, this is competent stuff, though I'd recommend 'J.D's Revenge' over this as a better example. As a showcase for Bernie Casey this is far more enjoyable and one of the reasons I have remained a fan of this movie after many years.

NOTE: DS9 fans will enjoy seeing Casey and Marc Alaimo together some 17 years before their appearance as Cal Hudson and Gul Dukat in the DS9 2-parter 'The Maquis'.