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Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

CritiqueQuotesText • At the movies

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde first editionFirst edition
Publication details ▽ Publication details △

First publication
1886

Literature form
Novella

Genres
Literary, science fiction, horror

Writing language
English

Author's country
Scotland

Length
Approx. 24,500 words

Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical
David Hasselhoff's singing and earnest acting cannot save the stage musical turned into a television film.

Singing, dancing Hyde

Jekyll and Hyde: Direct from Broadway (2001): Film of stage version, 135 minutes; director Don Roy King; writer Leslie Bricusse, Steve Cuden; featuring David Hasselhoff, Coleen Sexton, Andrea Rivette, George Merritt

In 2001 a filmed version of the long-running Broadway play Jekyll and Hyde was unleashed on the pay-per-view, television-watching public.

The hook was probably intended to be TV star and pop singer David Hasselhoff as the title character, a role he had assayed briefly in the theatre.

David Hasselhoff  as Jekyll and Hyde
David Hasselhoff sings his way from
Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde.

But despitre its transfer to video, itrremains quite stagy, with unremarkable numbers sung with great gusto by all involved, and with live audience response.

Jekyll is revealed now to be haunted by the death of his father, whom he could not save. After his requests for research subjects are turned down by a local institution, he turns to experimenting on himself.

The storyline—or book as they call it in musical theatre—is otherwise similar to that of the usual movie productions, except with crowds of people taking the stage occasionally for song and dance numbers.

Hasselhoff is actually not bad—a good singer, an earnest actor—but the production sucks badly on TV.

I've heard about a theatrical movie based on the musical, but with a new cast, being in the works since 2007.

Don't hold your breath.

— Eric

 

CritiqueQuotesText • At the movies

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