Review by
Jason Abbey
Directed by: Stephen Weeks
Starring: Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Mike Raven, Richard Hurndall, George
Merritt
Amicus productions, the evil twin of Hammer, specialised in the same mix
of horror and lurid melodrama but with the added twist of being able to
pull in some American talent (and Fluff Freeman) for the International
markets. This keeps the British end up and could have just as easily been
part of the Hammer horror pantheon of monsters as a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
film that curiously abandons the obvious name recognition while keeping
the names of some of the ancillary characters from
Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella.
The big draw was putative 3D process "The Pulfrich Effect", a process that
did not require the customary glasses but was abandoned before release.
It's a decision that explains some of the baffling shot choices and in
your face effects that feel like a slipshod carnival ghost train.
A failure on release, this upgrade allows a certain warm nostalgia for a
film that would have been clunky and outdated on release but which allows
us the chance to capture some early '70s Cushing and Lee, if not in their
full pomp then at least giving it enough oomph with fairly limited
resources.
This version of the tale has a more Freudian bent as Charles Marlowe (Lee)
develops a drug that has an impact on the subconscious, turning one of his
patients into a potential nymphomaniac and a powerful man into a simpering
milquetoast. As is the wont of all mad scientists, it’s only a matter of
time before he's sticking the needle in his arm with all the enthusiasm of
an Irvine Welsh character. Repressed and controlled, Marlowe turns into
Edward Blake, a libidinous psychopath with a liking for cane abuse and an
ever growing set of false teeth (which due to budgetary restrictions,
finds Lee grabbing his face with anguish to insert his teeth in lieu of an
actual transformation).
Apart from the name changes, this is a familiar and straight down the line
telling of the hoary old horror classic. The only real deviation from the
template is the lack of love interest/fixation for Jeky…Marlowe. Most of
the sleuthing is left to a whiskery consortium of gentlemen at one of the
fine establishments Marlowe inhabits pre-transformation. The use of two
protagonists may have been down to Cushing looking after his gravely ill
wife at the time so his Utterson shares duties with the execrable
Mike Raven as Enfield.
We hear a great deal of what Blake is up to but unfortunately, we do not
see a great deal. Lee is great at depicting the childlike glee as he
embarks on his rampage but very little of his behaviour is visualised. An
ugly personality is manifested as an ugly countenance, which hasn’t aged
well, but Lee gets maximum sympathy as he forlornly changes into the
haggard and ugly Blake.
Other than a few early shenanigans with a dead cat that plays like a proto
version of
Re-Animator, there is very little to get hot under the collar about.
Stephen Weeks' directing style is constantly on the move to
emphasis a never used 3D process, and the budgetary restrictions hamper
the visual effects. Weeks seems like a more interesting character than
director (see extras) but this is amiable fare that’s as warming as a mug
of Horlicks, and about as scary.
Extras:
As expected from Powerhouse, a relatively minor entry in the horror
canon is festooned with extras including two presentations of the film:
the original 75-minute theatrical cut and the extended 81-minute
version. Two audio commentaries - one from director Stephen Weeks and
one also with film scholar Sam Umland.
An archival audio recording, made as part of the British Entertainment
History Project, featuring the celebrated editor in conversation with
Roy Fowler and Taffy Haines.
A short interview with composer Carl Davis. An introduction to the film
from Stephen Laws as well as archival footage of Laws in interview with
the director.
Add to the mix a substantial (and at over three hours, I use that word
wisely) audio interview with producer Milton Subotsky, which is the
standout extra on this disc.
The usual publicity and promotional material is included as well as the
first pressing containing a new essay by Josephine Botting, Milton
Subotsky on I, Monster, an archival interview with Stephen Weeks, and an overview of
contemporary critical responses.
I, Monster is on blu-ray now from
Powerhouse Indicator.