I, Monster

I, Monster is a 1971 British horror film directed by Stephen Weeks (his feature debut) for Amicus Productions. It is an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, with the main characters' names changed to Dr. Charles Marlowe and Mr. Edward Blake.[1]

This article is about the horror film. For the British music group, see I Monster.

I, Monster
Theatrical release poster
Directed byStephen Weeks
Produced byJohn Dark
Max Rosenberg
Milton Subotsky
Written byMilton Subotsky
Based onStrange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
StarringChristopher Lee
Peter Cushing
Mike Raven
Richard Hurndall
George Merritt
Kenneth J. Warren
Music byCarl Davis
CinematographyMoray Grant
Edited byPeter Tanner
Distributed byBritish Lion Films (U.K.)
The Cannon Group (U.S.)
Release date
  • 1 November 1971 (1971-11-01) (U.K.)
  • 1973 (1973) (U.S.)
Running time
75 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Psychologist Charles Marlowe (Lee) invents a drug which will release his patients' inhibitions. When he tests it on himself, he becomes the evil Edward Blake, who descends into crime and eventually murder. Utterson (Cushing), Marlowe's lawyer, believes that Blake is blackmailing his friend until he discovers the truth.

Cast

Production

It stars Christopher Lee as the doctor and his alter ego, and Peter Cushing as Frederick Utterson, a central character in Stevenson's original story. Mike Raven and Susan Jameson also star. It was photographed by Moray Grant, with music by Carl Davis.[2]

Peter Duffell, who had previously worked for Amicus, was offered the movie to direct, but turned it down.[1] Financing came from British Lion and the NFFC.[3]

It was intended to be shown in 3-D utilizing the Pulfrich effect, but the idea was abandoned upon release.[4]

Reception

The film performed poorly at the box office.[3] Time has been kinder to the film and it is now seen as a very faithful adaptation[5] with Drew Hunt of Chicago Reader listing it as one of Christopher Lee's five best roles.[6]

gollark: You should try MODDED™, where the time taken is REDUCED™.
gollark: <@!330678593904443393>
gollark: Anyway, science is basically just a way to find out things about the world, and theoretically (this is somewhat broken a lot of the time, honestly) can have incorrect stuff noticed and corrected. Religion goes "LALALALALA I'M RIGHT I'M RIGHT" and then if this ever comes into conflict with the world, says the world's wrong or calls it a metaphor or something.
gollark: What if they're nonexistent lizards? That's much easier.
gollark: This isn't solipsism, the other people exist but are lizards.

References
  1. Hallenbeck 2015, p. 112.
  2. Miller & Johnson 2009, p. 226.
  3. Bryce 2000, p. 72-79.
  4. Hallenbeck 2015, p. 112-115.
  5. Hallenbeck 2015, p. 115.
  6. Hunt 2015.

Sources
  • Bryce, Allen (2000), Amicus: The Studio That Dripped Blood, Stray Cat Publishing Ltd, ISBN 978-0953326136
  • Hallenbeck, Bruce G. (2015), The Amicus Anthology, Midnight Marquee Press, ISBN 978-1936168569
  • Hunt, Drew (14 June 2015), Christopher Lee's five best performances, Chicago Reader, retrieved 22 February 2017
  • Miller, Mark A.; Johnson, Tom (2009), The Christopher Lee Filmography: All Theatrical Releases, 1948-2003, McFarland & Company, ISBN 978-0786446919


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