DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (1931)
With soundtrack, 96 minutes.
Tickets: $25/$20
General seating - not reserved or numbered
(T 0419 267 318)
“The critics were in raptures with this 1931 version. It stands as a towering achievement and enduring work of cinematic art. Whether regarded as an indictment of rigid Victorian morality, a disturbing portrait of a splintered psyche, a cautionary tale of science run amok, or a garden-variety monster movie, Mamoulian's film brilliantly succeeds and outclasses all the other Jekylls and Hydes Hollywood has produced over the past century. Mixing technical prowess, lyrical elegance, countless thrills, provocative themes, and searing performances into one motion picture is no easy task, but the director concocts an intoxicating brew that's as irresistible to movie lovers as the fateful elixir is to Jekyll himself.
The extensive use of a subjective camera, elongated dissolves that thrust us into Jekyll's tortured brain, wipes that stall midway through to produce an arresting split-screen effect in which action transpires in both halves of the frame for several seconds, and psychedelic special effects that resemble an acid trip keep us off-kilter throughout and contribute to the film's unsettling mood. Sumptuous sets and costumes and gorgeous cinematography also keep the eye engaged while fostering a seductive elegance that hammers home the Jekyll-Hyde dichotomy.
Most impressive are the seamless transformation scenes in which the handsome Jekyll devolves into the hideous Hyde. Shifting colored lens filters play off special dark makeup on March's face to create the effect, which is enhanced by March's agonized facial expressions. To think all this visual wizardry is spun in a film made in 1931 really boggles the mind and inspires even more appreciation for this expertly crafted production.”
Tickets: $25/$20
General seating - not reserved or numbered
(T 0419 267 318)
“The critics were in raptures with this 1931 version. It stands as a towering achievement and enduring work of cinematic art. Whether regarded as an indictment of rigid Victorian morality, a disturbing portrait of a splintered psyche, a cautionary tale of science run amok, or a garden-variety monster movie, Mamoulian's film brilliantly succeeds and outclasses all the other Jekylls and Hydes Hollywood has produced over the past century. Mixing technical prowess, lyrical elegance, countless thrills, provocative themes, and searing performances into one motion picture is no easy task, but the director concocts an intoxicating brew that's as irresistible to movie lovers as the fateful elixir is to Jekyll himself.
The extensive use of a subjective camera, elongated dissolves that thrust us into Jekyll's tortured brain, wipes that stall midway through to produce an arresting split-screen effect in which action transpires in both halves of the frame for several seconds, and psychedelic special effects that resemble an acid trip keep us off-kilter throughout and contribute to the film's unsettling mood. Sumptuous sets and costumes and gorgeous cinematography also keep the eye engaged while fostering a seductive elegance that hammers home the Jekyll-Hyde dichotomy.
Most impressive are the seamless transformation scenes in which the handsome Jekyll devolves into the hideous Hyde. Shifting colored lens filters play off special dark makeup on March's face to create the effect, which is enhanced by March's agonized facial expressions. To think all this visual wizardry is spun in a film made in 1931 really boggles the mind and inspires even more appreciation for this expertly crafted production.”
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Location
State Library NSW
Metcalfe Auditorium, Macquarie Street
Entrance is via rear of the cafe
Sydney NSW 2000
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STATE LIBRARY NSW-19 Jan 2025-Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)
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