Two long overlooked titles from Hammer Films – the kings of Gothic horror in the ’50 and ’60s – are finally coming to DVD: 1960’s THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL and 1964’s THE GORGON. Both films have seen previous home video release, on VHS and/or laserdisc, but there first appearance on DVD will be as part of a two-disc, four-film box set title “Icons of Horror: Hammer Films.” The other two films in the set will be THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY’S TOMB and SCREAM OF FEAR (the latter actually a slick, modern-day thriller rather than a Gothic horror film).
JEKYLL is a unique take on the familiar tale, with Mr. Hyde re-imagined as a handsome, seductive, amoral playboy; horror fans tend to dismiss the movie because it lacks the hideous makeup and transformation effects one expects, but it is actually a brilliantly written and colorfully filmed classic. GORGON is a bit less effective: another transformation movie, it is a bit slow-moving and short on thrills, but it works as a wonderfully romantic, doomed love story.
Icons of Horror is scheduled for an October 14 release from Sony Home Entertainment, and the only question I have is: What took them so long? New 35mm prints of both GORGON and JEKYLL were struck a few years ago for retrospective screenings, so it’s not as if the material was not available.
RELATED ARTICLES:
- Review: THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL
- Review: THE GORGON