The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mrs Osbourne - what can you say about this one? A psychosexual farce? An arty spoof horror? A straight ahead adaptation ? That last option sounds ridiculous but wait a mo, isn't this film just taking the idea of the sexual Id being brought to the fore to its ultimate conclusion? Who's to say Stevenson might not have included a little spanking and light torture if he was able. Truly this film is a bundle of riches, it looks absolutely fantastic, it's genuinely funny and it has Patrick Magee at his most demented. You are never sure what's round the corner in this film, how far it will go - a rare commodity. One of the years best finds for me.
Robin Redbreast - Last of the Summer Wine meets The Wicker Man (although contemporary Belgian classic Left Bank is a better comparison story wise), a 1970 Play For Today which has its moments but never reaches the heights. Two problems for me - the preoccupation with social issues - promiscuity, contraception, class divide, abortion etc get in the way of the chills, also I never bought the remoteness of the location and hence never felt the threat - a quick travel montage a la the helicopter ride at the start of the WM would've worked wonders. Story is chilling all the same and lingers in the mind. This is the kind of thing that would benefit from a remake IMO, as it is well worth a watch.
Edit - was thinking about what I had written and it occurred to me the lack of differentiation between city and country (only insert shots of random, creepy forest) is a deliberate choice - the distance between our civilised selves and our pagan/primitive roots isn't a physical one but a mere synapse in the brain. Hmm, love the way these old BBC dramas get you thinking - sure I'll watch it again and get a totally different take.
Last edited by Handyman Joe; 7th October 2015 at 07:28 PM.
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