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Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (2008 film)

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Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
DVD cover art
Directed byPaolo Barzman
Written byPaul B. Margolis
Robert Louis Stevenson
Based onStrange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Produced byJohn Hannah
Starring
CinematographyPierre Jodoin
Edited byAnnie Ilkow
Music byFM Le Sieur
Production
company
Distributed byMuse Entertainment Enterprises
RHI Entertainment
Release dates
2008 (UK)
  • May 17, 2008 (2008-05-17)
(US)[1]
Running time
129 minutes[2]
96 minutes (shorter version)
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish
Budget5 million (estimated)[citation needed]

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde is a Canadian film directed by Paolo Barzman and starring Dougray Scott in the title role. Set and shot in Montréal, Québec, Canada,[3][4] it was released theatrically in both the US and UK in 2008, and then on DVD in 2009.[5] It was given as "second-tier premiere" on the ION network on May 17, 2008.[3]

Synopsis

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In modern day Boston, prominent medical researcher Dr. Henry Jekyll spends his evenings experimenting with a rare flower from the Amazon jungles. The natives say the flower has the power to separate the human soul into good and evil parts. After Jekyll's evil side, known as Mr. Hyde, commits a series of murders, Jekyll's DNA is found on one of the victims and he is arrested. Confined to an asylum, Jekyll realizes Hyde must be brought under control. He retains the services of attorney Claire Wheaton and tells her his story. Wheaton is skeptical until Jekyll gives her a locket worn by one of the murdered girls. Wheaton agrees to represent Jekyll and decides to argue in court that Jekyll and Hyde are two separate people and therefore should not be held responsible for each other's actions.

Cast

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Reception

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The film was not well received. Exclaim! called it "completely unnecessary and frequently laughable".[6] PopMatters titled its review "A Stale Telling of an Old Tale."[7] Variety criticized the screenplay, saying it "botched the fundamental underpinnings and purged any nuance from the story."[3] DVD Talk compared it unfavorably with other versions of the story.[8] The New York Times,[9] The News Journal,[10] and The Akron Beacon-Journal[11] also offered their reviews.

References

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  1. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2009). The Year in Television, 2008: A Catalog of New and Continuing Series , Miniseries, Specials and TV Movies. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-7864-4391-8.
  2. ^ JEKYLL AND HYDE at clerkenwellfilms.com, accessed 20 June 2020
  3. ^ a b c Lowry, Brian (May 16, 2008). "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde". Variety. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  4. ^ "DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE". tcm.com. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  5. ^ Jonathan Rigby, English Gothic: A Century of Horror Cinema (2008), p. 309
  6. ^ Bell, Robert (June 18, 2012). "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde". Exclaim!. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  7. ^ Sorrento, Matthew. "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde". Popmatters. Archived from the original on 20 August 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  8. ^ Felix, Justin (May 14, 2008). "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde". DVD Talk. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  9. ^ Stewart, Susan (May 17, 2008). "The Doctor With a Dark Side Samples Boston". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Dougray Scott puts a modern spin on 'Jekyll and Hyde'". The News Journal. Gannett News Service. May 17, 2008. p. E2.
  11. ^ Heidenfels, Rich (May 11, 2008). "Both sides are unpleasant". The Akron Beacon Journal.
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