DR. JEKYLL'S DUNGEON OF DARKNESS (1982)
Directed by James Wood
Genesis Home Video VHS
Reviewed 03.01.06
Review by Joseph A. Ziemba

THE FILM
To hell with "Dear Abby." Henry Jekyll III has missed his calling.

"Love is painful! LOVE...IS...PAINFUL!!" That's Dr. Jekyll's most inspired bit of advice during Dr. Jekyll's Dungeon Of Darkness. Amen, Doc. After fast forwarding through most of your film, my heart hurts real bad too.

Calling Marty McFly. It's 1959: VW Bugs and male hair weaves had yet to be invented, but they exist here. Within this dilligent, one location framework, Dr. Jekyll (James Mathers) performs pituitary experiments on kidnapped karate fighters. 'Jek often speaks as if he's in the throes of a severe dump. In his spare time, the good doctor slobbers on an unconscious girl named Julia. Julia's father, Dr. Atkinison, stops by the house, says "You fiend, you monstah!" and spends the night. Jekyll whips his afro'd "man servant" Boris and makes passes at his frozen-smirked sister, Helga. Lots of needles enter people's arms. Four extended kung fu battles take place. 85 minutes later and you're off the g-damn hook.

If you look not-so-closely, Dr. Jekyll's Dungeon Of Darkness reveals some odd obsessions on the part of the filmmakers (incest, S&M, racism, rape, and torture). But who has the patience for that? One time director James Wood (well, he directed one porno before this, but who's counting?) and writer-actor James Mathers have discharged a lifeless mess of easy exploitation without the juice. The tame tedium never ends, despite an embarassing/ridiculous performance from Mathers. In a cruddy brine of extreme close-ups, infinite fight scenes, and terribly dark photography, the film sits with two thumbs twiddling, begging for a bum's rush to the credit roll. Genres are crossed, a title is wasted, and the night is over. Love is painful, indeed.

Abby, baby, I'm sorry. After that "Love is..." bit, Jekyll deceived me. Can you ever forgive me?

AUDIO AND VIDEO
This one hurts. The oily tape is plagued by plaid shaped noise, blacks that turn people into negative outlines, and a jagged picture. It's like watching TV with a plastic antenna. I don't remember what was going on with the mono sound, but I'm sure it was swell.

EXTRAS
Genesis Home Video: "The Next Wave In Entertainment." Clearly, they were right.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Wallow in the dumps. Dr. Jekyll's Dungeon Of Darkness might've been solid if it was made in 1968, featured instrumental surf songs like "Voodoo Juice" by The Ghouls, and lasted 63 minutes. It wasn't and it doesn't. So don't watch it.

Ultimate men


Just warming her up


Me @ 10 minutes


Thanks be to the kickboxer