France 1981, “Docteur Jekyll et les femmes” (original title), 92 min, colour, French dir Walerian Borowczyk sc Walerian Borowczyk based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel ed Kadicha Bariha cam Noël Véry mus Bernard Parmegiani cast Udo Kier, Marina Pierro, Patrick Magee prod Ralph Baum, Robert Kuperberg, Jean-Pierre Labrande
Taking its cue from the legend that Robert Louis Stevenson’s cocaine-fueled first draft of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was burned by his prudish American wife on account of its sexual excess, Borowczyk sets up a chamber piece spanning just one night, in which Henry Jekyll (Udo Kier) plunges into a bath of chemicals only for him to emerge as the monstrously endowed Mr. Hyde. A masterpiece of surrealist cinema, Borowczyk’s film mischievously flits between violent farce, bloody delirium, and erotic frenzy.