I'ev seen Dr. Jekyll vs. the Werewolf before, not on the famous Mondo Macabro release but on the Spanish DVD with no subtitles. I wasn't too fond of it, what I can remember. But now when Code Red release it together with The Vampires' Night Orgy in a nice double feature I felt compelled to watch it again - and boy, did I reevaluate it! If you look at it the logical way, this is one of those movies that can't go wrong. The director is genius León Klimovsky, it stars (and written by) Paul Naschy as Waldemar Daninsky and Jack Taylor has a supporting part as Dr Jekyll, the grandchild of the famous mad doctor who could transform into Mr Hyde! It's also set in Transylvania and London (very common thing of course, because they said it was set in Spain it would be banned by the fascist right-wing regime during the time).
Why I didn't like it the first time I can't understand. Maybe it was a cut version, maybe the simple dialogue - easy to understand without subs - was more important than I thought. But now it seems like it's one of the best and most solid of the Waldemar Daninsky flicks. The story is simple, but still fun: Justine (Shirley Corrigan) travels with her older husband Imre (José Marco) to Transylvania to do something, I already forgotten about it, and when their car breaks down on a far off country road (which happens in every Naschy film, almost!) they meet a lepra-ridden man who scares Justine and they manages to get away. When Imre later is killed by robbers and Justine saved by Daninsky (another trademark plot twist from the mind of Naschy) she discovers the lepra man in his basement! Terror! Anyway, that's just a small detail - because she's soon aware that Daninsky is a werewolf and she takes him to London to meet Dr Jekyll (Jack Taylor) who might have a cure for him... but things goes terrible wrong, and soon Dr Hyde is roaming the streets after prostitutes to kill!
Well, you hear! And doesn't it sound like a lot of fun? It is! The set-pieces when Naschy transforms into werewolf or Mr Hyde is wonderfully staged, the best one being in a stuck elevator together with a scared shitless nurse...and of course the famous disco-scene, which still is very cool. It also have more plot twists than usual, all of them very cheesy - but honest, and it feels like everyone had a damn good time shooting this film. It's bloody and has lots of nudity, there's plenty of Naschy for everyone, the girls are cute, the women are hot, the men are cool - it's one of the best.
Trust me.
What strikes me the most is how scary Naschy is in his Dr Hyde make-up. He looks almost unreal, with those big odd contact lenses, pale face and hair in desperate need of a good balsam. He feels and looks evil, pure evil. By this time Daninsky is a hero and it's easy to love him, so maybe Dr Hyde was exactly what this movie needed - someone even more dangerous, someone calculating. An aggressive animals can always be controlled, but a serial killer is far more fearsome!
The DVD from Code Red looks rough and with scratches and faded colours, but this time I'll agree with all those backwards out there who likes it when it looks more "grindhouse". It fits the film perfectly and gives it a grittier, more gruesome look. It's a wonderful release and a must for everyone who collects either Naschy, werewolf-movies or just Spanish horror.
"Why I didn't like it the first time I can't understand. Maybe it was a cut version, maybe the simple dialogue - easy to understand without subs - was more important than I thought."
This is why I don´t watch films without subtitles.....you just don´t know what you are missing.
"and of course the famous disco-scene, which still is very cool."
WHAT???!!!
Disco werewolf....?
Oh man....
"It's bloody and has lots of nudity, there's plenty of Naschy for everyone, the girls are cute, the women are hot, the men are cool - it's one of the best."
My type of film.
"It's a wonderful release and a must for everyone who collects either Naschy, werewolf-movies or just Spanish horror."
Sounds cool....good review and thanks.
Posted by: Megatron | March 14, 2013 at 13:47