Review by Gary Tooze

Production:

Disc:

Video:

Audio:

• The 1912 Version (13:49)
• The Rival 1920 Version (14:44)
• Dr Pyckel and Mr. Pride (21:31)
• The Transformation Scene (audio-only 2:34)

Bitrate:

 

Description: Based on the Robert Louis Stevenson story: Doctor Henry Jekyll's enthusiasm for science and his selfless acts of service have made him a much-admired man. But as he visits Sir George Carew one evening, his host criticizes him for his reluctance to experience the more sensual side of life. Sir George goads Jekyll into visiting a music hall, where he watches the alluring dancer Gina. Jekyll becomes fascinated with the two contrasting sides of human nature, and he becomes obsessed with the idea of separating them. After extensive work in his laboratory, he devises a formula that does indeed allow him to alternate between two completely different personalities, his own and that of a brutish, lascivious person whom he names Hyde. It is not long before the personality of Hyde begins to dominate Jekyll's affairs.

 

 

The Film:

Excerpt from TCM located HERE

Image :    NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

The 1920, John Barrymore, version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde arrives on Blu-ray from Kino - restored from 35mm. The image quality has some big swings from impressive to barely discernable (see sample at bottom.) The Blu-ray is dual-layered with a very high bitrate and the inconsistencies seems totally at the mercy of the available source.  Thankfully, the weaknesses are more the exception than the norm. There are, what looks like, sprocket-hole damage on the right side of some of the visuals. There are a few colored tints. Following the story was easy and the Blu-ray presents, what w assume, is the best digital representation available barring discovery of a new print or extensive restoration on this one. Inferiorities seems totally acceptable remembering the age of the film. The damaged sections also seemed to enhance the period aspects and they did not leave a negative impact on the presentation, IMO.

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 Examples of poor quality / damage

 

 

 

Kino include a score by The Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra, and its five-musician small orchestra, via a linear PCM 2.0 channel track at a buoyant 1536 kbps on the Blu-ray. It runs comfortably beside the action building suspense - there are a variety of English intertitles used, some with small logos and images, and my Oppo has identified it as being a region FREE.

Extras :

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:
This was very interesting. While I haven't read the book - I understand that this film is one of the most faithful to Robert Louis Stevenson's work. Despite the uneven video quality it was very easy to get into the classic story. The Kino Blu-ray package offers quite a lot with the keen supplements. Silent Era fans should definitely indulge! 

Gary Tooze

January 11th, 2014