Shooting hadn't even finished on Blood from the Mommy's Tomb when camera's started rolling on Hammer's next film, and continuing with the classics, this time Robert Louis Stevenson Jekyll & Hyde - with a Hammer twist of course. " Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde " Brian Clemens came up with the title while having lunch in the studio canteen at EMI, and then went on to write the screenplay and produce the film with Albert Fennell.
It's a great movie with some great performances, especially the two leads Ralph Bates and Martine Beswick. The Whole movie was shot on some very nice atmospheric sets evoking a dark and foggy 19th century London Town, with a healthy mix of Jack the Ripper and even some body snatching from Burke & Hare, and of course lots of bloody screams.
There's a definite sense of Movie Theatre here, something I think the film world has lost a lot of with its need for realism. One of my favorite scenes's is Jekyll's first transformation into Hyde, and its all done in one shot using mirrors and chairs - its great just for its pure sense of theatre. It's in this scene we first get to see Martine Beswick, and it's really quite creepy in a way only the 1970's can do creepy.
After such a great performance it's a shame she never worked with Hammer again, leaving England & Borehamwood for Hollywood.
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