This version of 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' was made by the BBC thirty years ago, and featured Diana Dors and Toyah Wilcox in small but pivotal roles, other well-known names in the cast include Ian Bannen and Clive Swift as Dr Jekyll's oldest friends from when they were all students together.
Interestingly this version presents Dr Jekyll as other than a saintly doctor (a failing in earlier adaptations, IMO). Here, Jekyll is already visiting places of sin before he even starts taking the potions to separate his 'good' and 'evil' sides. This makes the transformation into Mr Hyde even more sinister - although in appearance he is younger and more dynamic rather than a simple monster as depicted in other adaptations of this tale.
In the dual lead roles, David Hemmings is excellent and both characters are very much given their own personalities. There are a couple of chilling moments - one involving Mr Hyde and a child prostitute, another Dr Jekyll's maid who is enticed into pleasures by Mr Hyde which leave her disgraced and desperate.
Well worth watching even if its low production values date it rather when viewing today.
Interestingly this version presents Dr Jekyll as other than a saintly doctor (a failing in earlier adaptations, IMO). Here, Jekyll is already visiting places of sin before he even starts taking the potions to separate his 'good' and 'evil' sides. This makes the transformation into Mr Hyde even more sinister - although in appearance he is younger and more dynamic rather than a simple monster as depicted in other adaptations of this tale.
In the dual lead roles, David Hemmings is excellent and both characters are very much given their own personalities. There are a couple of chilling moments - one involving Mr Hyde and a child prostitute, another Dr Jekyll's maid who is enticed into pleasures by Mr Hyde which leave her disgraced and desperate.
Well worth watching even if its low production values date it rather when viewing today.