Reviews (8)

Bravo, Valentino!
The quality of this film (or at least the version I purchased) did not seem to be to the standards of other Valentino films (picture seemed grainy and the speed seemed much faster), but I still rate it among one of the best. Like one review wrote, it does lack the style of the later Tyrone Power remake; however, Power comes nowhere close to Valentino's brooding, sensual portrayal of Juan Gallardo, and Nita Naldi was much more convincing as the witchy Dona Sol than Rita Hayworth, and plays the range of emotions (from begging Gallardo to love her to coldly reacting to his death)extremely well. This 1922 version captures the spirit of the bullfight remarkably well in spite of the limitations of silent film-making, and seemed incredibly authentic.

Now - about Valentino. I was puzzled at the over-emphasized eyebrows and wish the make-up artists had not found it necessary to use the effect, as Valentino would have projected a Spanish image easily with his natural dramatic looks alone. But, either way, he is intensely sexy, powerful, brooding, smoldering and hypnotic as usual. I enjoyed his portrayal of the youth Juan, especially his tenderness toward his mother. His transition from youth to adult matador was natural and believable. The scene in which Dona Sol begs him to love her and proclaims that she longs for him to "beat" her with his "strong" hands was highly erotic and was packed with a sexual tension that can't be matched by anyone other than Valentino and his leading ladies. I may be biased, because I am crazy about any vehicle which showcases Rudolph Valentino; however, this film carries its own and I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. Once again, Valentino has captured my heart, and I recommend this film to all lovers of romance.

What I think....
I think this is the best film Valentino ever did! His acting in the romantic scenes lacks the over the top feel that the loves scenes in "The Sheik" have. He brings a sincere, believeable quality to the character. Also, something that the reviews here seem to miss is the comedic moments in the film. In the scene when the black Moor servant offers to light Valentino's cigarette... the look on his face is priceless! Having the video of this film as well I noticed several scenes on the DVD edition that were missing from the VHS edition.
The DVD edition also includes a wonderfully funny piece of Will Rogers' "Blood And Sand" spoof.

CREEPY VAL BROODS AGAIN
Rudolph Valentino blazed on the silent screen with a weird, smoldering sensuality that seems kind of laughable when seen in stills or clips.

Not so in "BLOOD AND SAND," his most celebrated role. Rarely seen today, this classic silent in a new digital transfer from a 35mm archive negative does justice to the enigmatic Valentino's portrayal of Juan Gallardo, a young Spaniard who achieves his boyhood dream of becoming a famous matador only to fall under the malefic charms of mysterious Dona Sol (Nita Naldi).

The compilation, exotic stereo music score is performed by the acclaimed Mont Alto Motion Picture orchestra. The disc comes with a wealth of supplemental features including a filmed introduction by Orson Welles, a great parody starring Will Rogers, footage from Valentino's funeral and more. Brooding and hypnotic and funky. No one smolders like Valentino. Was he gay or just pleasant?

One of Valentino's best!
I recently bought this movie and loved it. I disagree with Maltin's comments - the seduction scenes are a lot of fun and really make the movie, whereas the bullfighting sequences are less impressive - though Valentino does look great in his matador's costume! What really struck me was the sensitivity in Valentino's performance and the overt sensual quality he possesses that just lights up the screen. Nita Naldi plays her role as the 'the vamp' very well and her scenes with Valentino are great (they played together again in 'Cobra'). Of course, the movie is wildly dated - it's 80 years old! But it holds up well as a piece of entertainment, and fans of silent movies should enjoy it. And if you're a fan of Valentino then you're going to love him in this - he looks stunning and gives one of his finest performances, and according to what I've read it was one of his personal favourite parts to play.

Bravo!
Another of Rudolph Valentino's cinematic triumphs. He stars as a bullfighter who is torn between two women. It's a very good film and the bullfighting scenes are very interesting to watch. Great performances by Valentino, Lila Lee and Nita Naldi make this a good film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It took John Barrymore to bring class to the American horror film, at least in the eyes of the industry. Dignified and virtuous as Dr. Henry Jekyll in this 1920 silent, Barrymore transforms into id incarnate as the lascivious Mr. Hyde. With almost no makeup beyond his gnarled, knobby fingers and greasy hair, Barrymore relies almost solely on a bug-eyed grimace, a spidery body language, and pure theatrical flourish. He tends to be hammy as the leering beast of a thug but brings a tortured struggle to the repressed doctor, horrified at the demon he's unleashed, guilty that he enjoys Hyde's unrestrained life of drinking and whoring, and terrified that he can no longer control the transformations. Martha Mansfield costars as his pure and innocent sweetheart, and Nita Naldi (the vamp of Blood and Sand) has a small but memorable role as the world-weary dance hall darling who first "wakens" Jekyll's "baser nature." --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The birth of the horror genre - a must for collectors
It may be surprising to audiences with modern movie-going sensibilities, given both the absence of well-established genre conventions and the obvious limitations imposed by the absence of sound, that most of the more prominent early movies of genre interest are rather good. The 1920 version of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, directed by John S. Robertson, for example, remains a solid entry among the many film versions of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale, arguably only eclipsed by Rouben Mamoulian's 1932 version starring Fredric March (mainly because of the latter's unintentional comedy). John Barrymore, originating the role of the ill-fated gentleman doctor and his beastly alter ego, is on top form, overcoming the limitations of silence with some superb physical character work. Proving the adage rather early though that Hollywood only knows about four good stories, at least six more versions of the story would be filmed before the advent of sound in 1928.

John Barrymore in the first classic American Horror film
In this 1920 silent film version of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic horror story "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," John Barrymore shows why he was considered one of the greatest actors of his generation (a reputation that is not especially enhanced by what little film work remains of Barrymore's from his period of his career). Pay attention to how little makeup or effects Barrymore uses to make his transformation from the genteel Dr. Henry Jekyll into the monstrous Mr. Hyde, because basically he just greases up his hair and goes bug-eyed (I know Spencer Tracy wanted to do the same sort of thing when he played the role decades later, but he was not allowed to do so by the studio). Ironically, it is as Dr. Jekyll, horrified by what he has become because of his grandiose experiments, that is the stronger half of Barrymore's performances. In both cases you can tell this was an actor trained for the classical stage. Martha Mansfield plays Millicent Carew, the good doctor's beloved, while Nita Naldi plays Miss Gina, the Italian dance-hall singer who first wakens the savage Mr. Hyde. This silent version of the film is of more importance from a historical standpoint than from an artistic standpoint, since Barrymore gave the American horror film some much needed legitimacy by playing this part (Lon Chaney was still five years away from making "The Phantom of the Opera"). WARNING: This is one of two 1920 versions of "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" produced in 1920. However the other, which starred Sheldon Lewis is the title roles, is a lesser film in all regards.

Significantly Dated In Style But A Landmark Nonetheless
Directed by John S. Robertson and starring matinee idol John Barrymore in the dual title role, 1920's DR. JECKYLL & MR. HYDE is sometimes described as the "first American horror film." That description is more than a little problematic, but whether it was or it wasn't, DR. JECKYLL AND MR. HYDE certainly put the horror genre on the Hollywood map.

Whether or not you happen to like this particular version of the famous Robert Louis Stevenson tale will depend a great deal upon your tolerance for the change in acting styles that has occurred between the silent and the modern era. Some silent stars--Lillian Gish, Ramon Novarro, and Louise Brooks leap to mind--were remarkably subtle and worked to create a new style of acting appropriate to the screen, but most actors played very broadly. John Barrymore, considered one of the greatest actors of his day, is among the latter, and was noted for his larger-than-life performances on stage. He brings that expansiveness to the screen, where it inevitably feels "too big" to the modern viewer.

At the time, Barrymore's transformation into the evil Mr. Hyde was considered shocking in its realism, but today these celebrated scenes are more likely to induce snickers than thrills--as will much of Hyde's make-up, which seems excessive to the modern sensibility. Even so, there are aspects of the film which survive quite well, scenes in which one is permitted a glimpse into the power this film once had. For Barrymore's Hyde is, for all his bizarre ugliness, a remarkably seductive creature--and Barrymore uses his hands and eyes in a remarkable way. One feels the sexual pull as much as one feels the revulsion.

The 1920 DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE is available in several VHS and DVD releases. Some of these are quite good, but I particularly recommend the Kino version, which offers a good picture, good soundtrack, and several interesting bonuses. Other release versions should be approached with caution, and you should avoid releases by the likes of Alpha or Madacy as you would the plague. They may seem attractive in terms of price, but frankly... in this instance you get what you pay for.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Madacy = below 0
First you're attracted by the price, and then, if you already got the misfortune of acquiring Madacy's product(s), you know it's not even worth that price, since they usually manage to get the worst print they can fish from garbage AND then succeed in making it worse. The fact they're not yet out of business is only the proof for garbage lovers (I've been conned twice, and that's more than enough) being innumerable.

Like,Gag Me With A Toxic Image Enhancing Elixir!
Well....let's start with the 3 stars. John Barrymore for all his hamminess,was an actor of his time. ( i.e. "everybody looks hammy",there was no sound to emote a characters feelings in the silent era. ). Even Lon Chaney Sr. was a victim of scenery chewing. So,you have to see beyond that,first and foremost. The fact that this version of "Dr.Jekyll" uses the new process that eliminates all the silent film flaws,such as unscripted black outs,and cartoony movements,is a big bonus. It's a good movie,though a bit long winded,at times,by today's standards.

And now the bad bits,or where the missing 2 stars went:

1) The title cards are not complete originals,they go from decorative,to semi-decorative,to added in at a much later date.

2)The "music" score for this version is an absolute joke. A monkey on a caliope would've scored it better. Half of the music is nowhere near correct for the scenes.( Try to imagine a wind up jewelery box,playing during one of Dr.Jekyll's murderous rages.).I've heard a live organ accompaniment to this film,and this DVD version,isn't it.

3) The "extras" are nothing more than a "feeble" interactive quiz,a picture of a lobby posters,and a "trailer". ( Although I'm not sure they had film trailers in the 1920's.)

If you MUST have this film,the price is right,but by all means turn down the sound and put on your own choice of "scarey music"....or a collection of music boxes if you like it that way. ... Read more

Description

The legendary silent screen lover Rudolph Valentino as a passionate Count. Beleaguered by women in his native land, a promiscuous Italian Count, Rodrigo Torriani (Valentino) escapes to New York to work for an elegant antiques dealer. The ambitious young man cannot suppress the Don Giovanni within himself and is soon embroiled in a new series of romantic entanglements--until his best friend's new wife captures him in her Cobra-like gaze. Now, he will sacrifice all for one woman. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Thoroughly entertaining!
Everyone else has already said it, but I have to say it as well: this film should not be overlooked when discussing Rudolph Valentino, nor a high-quality silent drama in general, for that matter. I simply cannot fault this film in any aspect: visually beautiful with perfectly-suited, lovely classical violin music, and perhaps the most emotionally-rivetting acting performance by Valentino I have seen. I fully agree with the reviewer who was captivated by Valentino's expressions; not only could you clearly SEE every emotion, but I, for one, could FEEL it, and therefore I found this drama a particularly emotional experience. It is perhaps deceptively simple on the surface, yet when you stop to think about the story, you find a deeper and a meaningful morale, namely friendship versus love - the casanova with a conscience. A wonderful viewing experience and really recommended!

Fascinating Rudolph Valentino Drama
Rudolph Valentino even in the almost eighty years since his death still elicits frenzied discussion from fans all over the world and in this talk frequent mention is made of such Valentino classics as "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse", "The Sheik", and "Blood and Sand". Often overlooked is his contemporary drama "Cobra", which I feel displays some of Valentino's most restrained and pleasing work as an actor. Made in the last full year of Rudolph Valentino's life before his tragic early death and totally overshadowed by his highly successful last film "The Son of the Sheik", "Cobra" has a poignant charm about it and shows a more mature Rudy on screen that many people dont know. Rather fittingly in its story it deals with such issues as regret, wasted youth and character redemption which partially had elements drawn from Valentino's real existence at this final stage in his life.

The story of "Cobra", is a simple one and tells the saga of Count Roderigo Torriani (Valentino) a dissolute young Italian aristocrat who spends his life running from one casual love affair to another. The opening scene sees Roderigo dogging the unwelcome wrath of the father of his latest "conquest". In the mix up over being mistaken for Roderigo, Jack Dorning (Casson Ferguson) an American Antique Auctioneer not only saves Roderigo from a all out thrashing but sees potential in the young noblemen and offers him a position with his Antique firm in New York. Travelling to America Roderigo soon finds himself in more hot water with the females and in particular Jack's vampish wife Elise (Nita Naldi). Caught in the snake-like grasp of Elise's cunning Roderigo finds himself for the first time worrying over a moral dilemma of hurting Jack who he loves like a brother. After a moment of temptation Roderigo leaves Elise in the hotel room where the planned seduction was about to take place only to find the next day that Elise has died in a hotel fire and that he was only one of many she brought there for her personal pleasure. Leaving New York for a time Roderigo returns to find that Jack not only was aware of Elise's planned seduction of him , but that he has also partnered with the firm's lovely secretary Mary (Gertrude Olmstead) who Roderigo had also been strongly attracted to for her sincere loving manner. Rather than spoil Jack's happiness a second time Roderigo for the first time in his life shows his developing maturity by spurning Mary's affection and sailing for France to leave Jack and Mary to find happiness together.

"Cobra", has a very sad and touching approach in its storytelling. The ending of the story which I wont reveal the details of for those who haven't seen it yet is very touching and one of the few times when Valentino succeeds in being an object of sympathy on screen. The general level of performances here are wonderful and it remains a mystery why this Valentino performance is not so well known or respected as his more famous great lover roles. Certainly in the beginning his Roderigo is a hopeless lady killer but the reformation of his character as the story progresses shows elements to Rudolph Valentino's acting not revealed before. He is in turn shallow and flighty in the opening sequences and superbly morose and downcast in the final scenes and you can see that alot of thought has gone into developing a logical character progression through the running of the story. Never could Valentino's work in "Cobra", be dismissed as the "nostril flairing, bulbous eyes acting" he was so often accused of practising. I feel it is one of his finest performances. Nita Naldi is very effective as the man eating Elise and her vampish seduction of an almost reluctant Valentino is superbly staged and Naldi earns her place among the 1920's screen vamps. Casson Ferguson and Gertrude Olmstead as Jack and Mary respectively are also good performers in their roles and Ferguson in particular is excellent in his scenes where he learns the truth of his wife's indiscretions. Beautifully filmed in subtle tones of black and white, Kino have done a wonderful job on restoring the print of "Cobra" just as they did when releasing Rudolph Valentino's next and final film "Son of the Sheik". The film also benefits from the expensive look provided by Willian Cameron Menzies elaborate sets and from the first work on screen by the renowned Adrian of later MGM fame who designed the spectacular costumes for the ladies in the story. Of particular note is the elaborate gown worn by Nita Naldi in her great seduction scene of Valentino which is all black with sparkly sequins on it, most fetching indeed.

"Cobra", is a viewing experience to treasure and shows silent movie acting at its most polished and sincere. Rudolph Valentino is wonderful to watch in this less well known performance and it is tragic to think of his death so soon after this film was released. It is he that makes the film an essential part of any silent film lovers collection and one can see that all the interest and affection which is still held for him is entirely justified. Enjoy Rudolph Valentino in his second last film, the stylish "Cobra".

A rare treat
This film is a perfect example of why silent films have to be REALLY WATCHED without any distractions. On first viewing, I was not paying full attention and I missed a lot. This movie deserves full attention....to gestures, expressions, mannerisms.
While Rudy may not be quite as physically devastating as in his costumed roles, his acting is the showcase here. And, this makes him even more attractive as a real person. You can feel what he is thinking and going through and he draws you into the story (which is basically a morality tale). And, what he is thinking and going through (even the comedy bits) appear very genuine and--it is the best word--heartfelt. In the scene where he is being tempted to kiss his best friend's wife, just watch the emotion passing across his face....WOW. The rest of the characters are well-cast and the sets and costumes (in one of famous designer, Adrian's, first movies) are fun to see in themselves. But, it is the magic of Rudolph Valentino that makes this movie a rare treat.

A true discovery
Several virtues make this atypical Valentino vehicle a true find for silent cinema buffs, Valentino buffs, cinematography buffs, design buffs, and especially those who appreciate restoration for video. Few nitrate-era movies have enjoyed the luck of perfect original-negative preservation plus the intelligence of perfect fidelity in the video transfer. This release is at the opposite end of the spectrum from the "fractured flickers" syndrome, and is a rare indication of the technical and artistic heights gained by Hollywood's silent golden age. For "Cobra," William Cameron Menzies (fresh from Fairbanks' "Thief of Bagdad") created a family of four spacious and picturesque Mediterranean-style sets plus what may be the first art deco set in any movie--a huge and stunning nightclub set that's on screen for less than five minutes. ("Cobra" was released the same year as the Paris exposition that introduced art deco.) Unfortunately, a third of the movie is spent in other, bland sets. Cinematography ranges from intensely picturesque (undoubtedly as conceived and created by the production designer Menzies) to inept. The potentially magnificent look is undermined greatly by mediocre, sometimes awkward or apathetic, direction. Could it be that the budget was quickly consumed and shortcuts were instituted halfway through the production? For once, Valentino (in real life an Italian immigrant gigolo) plays an Italian immigrant gigolo, here named Rodrigo (strangely similar to "Rudolfo"). The character is deliciously ambiguous and has none of the cliches associated with the Valentino image. The performance is probably Valentino's most subtle, detailed and heartfelt. Because of the paralells with the real Valentino and because this was his first independent production, with deatailed and complex characterization, I think the portrayal had strong personal overtones for the actor-producer. All the more interesting because "Cobra" is almost universally dismissed by biographers and film historians as a minor, throwaway project. The narrative begins as a comedy (Rodrigo is a destitute aristocrat in Italy, is a gigolo--the world's worst gigolo) but as he finds true friendship with an American antiques dealer Jack, moves in with him in New York, and gets caught up in a golddigger's (Nita Naldi) machinations, the story ends up a grim soap opera. The confused screenplay is far more interesting in what it suggests than what it delivers. The male characters are richly non-stereotyped, but the women are, alas, either whores or madonnas to the point of a misogynistic tone throughout. The new chamber-orchestral score is appropriate and improves on some of the movie's inconsistency. For variety, I like to play some Respighi selections while viewing. Both for its weaknesses and for its remarkable, outstanding strengths, "Cobra" deserves to be highly recommended. ... Read more

Description

The great John Barrymore takes on the title characters in Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of a tormented doctor who ventures into the unknown only to find his dark side. Directed by John S. Robertson and co-starring Nita Naldi, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is one of the all-time classics of silent cinema. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The birth of the horror genre - a must for collectors
It may be surprising to audiences with modern movie-going sensibilities, given both the absence of well-established genre conventions and the obvious limitations imposed by the absence of sound, that most of the more prominent early movies of genre interest are rather good. The 1920 version of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, directed by John S. Robertson, for example, remains a solid entry among the many film versions of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale, arguably only eclipsed by Rouben Mamoulian's 1932 version starring Fredric March (mainly because of the latter's unintentional comedy). John Barrymore, originating the role of the ill-fated gentleman doctor and his beastly alter ego, is on top form, overcoming the limitations of silence with some superb physical character work. Proving the adage rather early though that Hollywood only knows about four good stories, at least six more versions of the story would be filmed before the advent of sound in 1928.

John Barrymore in the first classic American Horror film
In this 1920 silent film version of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic horror story "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," John Barrymore shows why he was considered one of the greatest actors of his generation (a reputation that is not especially enhanced by what little film work remains of Barrymore's from his period of his career). Pay attention to how little makeup or effects Barrymore uses to make his transformation from the genteel Dr. Henry Jekyll into the monstrous Mr. Hyde, because basically he just greases up his hair and goes bug-eyed (I know Spencer Tracy wanted to do the same sort of thing when he played the role decades later, but he was not allowed to do so by the studio). Ironically, it is as Dr. Jekyll, horrified by what he has become because of his grandiose experiments, that is the stronger half of Barrymore's performances. In both cases you can tell this was an actor trained for the classical stage. Martha Mansfield plays Millicent Carew, the good doctor's beloved, while Nita Naldi plays Miss Gina, the Italian dance-hall singer who first wakens the savage Mr. Hyde. This silent version of the film is of more importance from a historical standpoint than from an artistic standpoint, since Barrymore gave the American horror film some much needed legitimacy by playing this part (Lon Chaney was still five years away from making "The Phantom of the Opera"). WARNING: This is one of two 1920 versions of "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" produced in 1920. However the other, which starred Sheldon Lewis is the title roles, is a lesser film in all regards.

Significantly Dated In Style But A Landmark Nonetheless
Directed by John S. Robertson and starring matinee idol John Barrymore in the dual title role, 1920's DR. JECKYLL & MR. HYDE is sometimes described as the "first American horror film." That description is more than a little problematic, but whether it was or it wasn't, DR. JECKYLL AND MR. HYDE certainly put the horror genre on the Hollywood map.

Whether or not you happen to like this particular version of the famous Robert Louis Stevenson tale will depend a great deal upon your tolerance for the change in acting styles that has occurred between the silent and the modern era. Some silent stars--Lillian Gish, Ramon Novarro, and Louise Brooks leap to mind--were remarkably subtle and worked to create a new style of acting appropriate to the screen, but most actors played very broadly. John Barrymore, considered one of the greatest actors of his day, is among the latter, and was noted for his larger-than-life performances on stage. He brings that expansiveness to the screen, where it inevitably feels "too big" to the modern viewer.

At the time, Barrymore's transformation into the evil Mr. Hyde was considered shocking in its realism, but today these celebrated scenes are more likely to induce snickers than thrills--as will much of Hyde's make-up, which seems excessive to the modern sensibility. Even so, there are aspects of the film which survive quite well, scenes in which one is permitted a glimpse into the power this film once had. For Barrymore's Hyde is, for all his bizarre ugliness, a remarkably seductive creature--and Barrymore uses his hands and eyes in a remarkable way. One feels the sexual pull as much as one feels the revulsion.

The 1920 DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE is available in several VHS and DVD releases. Some of these are quite good, but I particularly recommend the Kino version, which offers a good picture, good soundtrack, and several interesting bonuses. Other release versions should be approached with caution, and you should avoid releases by the likes of Alpha or Madacy as you would the plague. They may seem attractive in terms of price, but frankly... in this instance you get what you pay for.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Madacy = below 0
First you're attracted by the price, and then, if you already got the misfortune of acquiring Madacy's product(s), you know it's not even worth that price, since they usually manage to get the worst print they can fish from garbage AND then succeed in making it worse. The fact they're not yet out of business is only the proof for garbage lovers (I've been conned twice, and that's more than enough) being innumerable.

Like,Gag Me With A Toxic Image Enhancing Elixir!
Well....let's start with the 3 stars. John Barrymore for all his hamminess,was an actor of his time. ( i.e. "everybody looks hammy",there was no sound to emote a characters feelings in the silent era. ). Even Lon Chaney Sr. was a victim of scenery chewing. So,you have to see beyond that,first and foremost. The fact that this version of "Dr.Jekyll" uses the new process that eliminates all the silent film flaws,such as unscripted black outs,and cartoony movements,is a big bonus. It's a good movie,though a bit long winded,at times,by today's standards.

And now the bad bits,or where the missing 2 stars went:

1) The title cards are not complete originals,they go from decorative,to semi-decorative,to added in at a much later date.

2)The "music" score for this version is an absolute joke. A monkey on a caliope would've scored it better. Half of the music is nowhere near correct for the scenes.( Try to imagine a wind up jewelery box,playing during one of Dr.Jekyll's murderous rages.).I've heard a live organ accompaniment to this film,and this DVD version,isn't it.

3) The "extras" are nothing more than a "feeble" interactive quiz,a picture of a lobby posters,and a "trailer". ( Although I'm not sure they had film trailers in the 1920's.)

If you MUST have this film,the price is right,but by all means turn down the sound and put on your own choice of "scarey music"....or a collection of music boxes if you like it that way. ... Read more

Description

The story of The Love Goddesses is itself a history of sex in the movies beginning with America still in the shadow of the Victorian era and the movie heroine bound by the same conventions as any young lady of society. This brilliant documentary chronicles the massive changes in women's film sexuality from the beginnings of the motion picture at the turn of the century to the newfound frankness of the 1960s with clips of more than 100 actresses. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An okay DVD
This DVD is dated. It looked as if it was made no later that 1960. Poor picture quality, and they could've featured more love goddesses.

DVD just like the video
While most DVDs add something special to the disc, this one has nothing new to add. Both the video and DVD have some entertaining clips of Theda Bara, Marlene Dietrich, Clara Bow, Pola Negri, Ingrid Bergman, Marilyn Monroe and others, but, unfortunately, the cuts between the Love Goddesses are obvious, as if the producers have done a quick job of putting all the actresses on a list and then splicing from one actress to another, without rhyme or reason. That's a shame because the subject is interesting. Still, if you love to watch some fascinating footage and will forgive the sudden shifts from one actress to another, you will enjoy "The Love Goddesses."

Celebrating the Love Goddesses of the Silver Screen!
This film, produced in 1965, is a wonderful collage of the many kinds of vamps, starlets, love goddesses, girls-next-door and sirens that have graced the silver screen since the turn of the century. See Theda Bara, Pola Negri, Lillian Gish, Gloria Swanson, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Ginger Rogers, Rita Hayworth and even the child star Shirley Temple put their own indelible brand of love on the screen. It examines how, over the course of sixty years, women's sexuality has evolved, and played itself out in different arenas in film. While some of the film clips are a little iffy, it is exceptionally well made. A pure joy to own if you are an admirer of any of the actresses presented, interested in women's studies, pre-code Hollywood or the history of sexuality in film. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The birth of the horror genre - a must for collectors
It may be surprising to audiences with modern movie-going sensibilities, given both the absence of well-established genre conventions and the obvious limitations imposed by the absence of sound, that most of the more prominent early movies of genre interest are rather good. The 1920 version of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, directed by John S. Robertson, for example, remains a solid entry among the many film versions of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale, arguably only eclipsed by Rouben Mamoulian's 1932 version starring Fredric March (mainly because of the latter's unintentional comedy). John Barrymore, originating the role of the ill-fated gentleman doctor and his beastly alter ego, is on top form, overcoming the limitations of silence with some superb physical character work. Proving the adage rather early though that Hollywood only knows about four good stories, at least six more versions of the story would be filmed before the advent of sound in 1928.

John Barrymore in the first classic American Horror film
In this 1920 silent film version of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic horror story "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," John Barrymore shows why he was considered one of the greatest actors of his generation (a reputation that is not especially enhanced by what little film work remains of Barrymore's from his period of his career). Pay attention to how little makeup or effects Barrymore uses to make his transformation from the genteel Dr. Henry Jekyll into the monstrous Mr. Hyde, because basically he just greases up his hair and goes bug-eyed (I know Spencer Tracy wanted to do the same sort of thing when he played the role decades later, but he was not allowed to do so by the studio). Ironically, it is as Dr. Jekyll, horrified by what he has become because of his grandiose experiments, that is the stronger half of Barrymore's performances. In both cases you can tell this was an actor trained for the classical stage. Martha Mansfield plays Millicent Carew, the good doctor's beloved, while Nita Naldi plays Miss Gina, the Italian dance-hall singer who first wakens the savage Mr. Hyde. This silent version of the film is of more importance from a historical standpoint than from an artistic standpoint, since Barrymore gave the American horror film some much needed legitimacy by playing this part (Lon Chaney was still five years away from making "The Phantom of the Opera"). WARNING: This is one of two 1920 versions of "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" produced in 1920. However the other, which starred Sheldon Lewis is the title roles, is a lesser film in all regards.

Significantly Dated In Style But A Landmark Nonetheless
Directed by John S. Robertson and starring matinee idol John Barrymore in the dual title role, 1920's DR. JECKYLL & MR. HYDE is sometimes described as the "first American horror film." That description is more than a little problematic, but whether it was or it wasn't, DR. JECKYLL AND MR. HYDE certainly put the horror genre on the Hollywood map.

Whether or not you happen to like this particular version of the famous Robert Louis Stevenson tale will depend a great deal upon your tolerance for the change in acting styles that has occurred between the silent and the modern era. Some silent stars--Lillian Gish, Ramon Novarro, and Louise Brooks leap to mind--were remarkably subtle and worked to create a new style of acting appropriate to the screen, but most actors played very broadly. John Barrymore, considered one of the greatest actors of his day, is among the latter, and was noted for his larger-than-life performances on stage. He brings that expansiveness to the screen, where it inevitably feels "too big" to the modern viewer.

At the time, Barrymore's transformation into the evil Mr. Hyde was considered shocking in its realism, but today these celebrated scenes are more likely to induce snickers than thrills--as will much of Hyde's make-up, which seems excessive to the modern sensibility. Even so, there are aspects of the film which survive quite well, scenes in which one is permitted a glimpse into the power this film once had. For Barrymore's Hyde is, for all his bizarre ugliness, a remarkably seductive creature--and Barrymore uses his hands and eyes in a remarkable way. One feels the sexual pull as much as one feels the revulsion.

The 1920 DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE is available in several VHS and DVD releases. Some of these are quite good, but I particularly recommend the Kino version, which offers a good picture, good soundtrack, and several interesting bonuses. Other release versions should be approached with caution, and you should avoid releases by the likes of Alpha or Madacy as you would the plague. They may seem attractive in terms of price, but frankly... in this instance you get what you pay for.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Madacy = below 0
First you're attracted by the price, and then, if you already got the misfortune of acquiring Madacy's product(s), you know it's not even worth that price, since they usually manage to get the worst print they can fish from garbage AND then succeed in making it worse. The fact they're not yet out of business is only the proof for garbage lovers (I've been conned twice, and that's more than enough) being innumerable.

Like,Gag Me With A Toxic Image Enhancing Elixir!
Well....let's start with the 3 stars. John Barrymore for all his hamminess,was an actor of his time. ( i.e. "everybody looks hammy",there was no sound to emote a characters feelings in the silent era. ). Even Lon Chaney Sr. was a victim of scenery chewing. So,you have to see beyond that,first and foremost. The fact that this version of "Dr.Jekyll" uses the new process that eliminates all the silent film flaws,such as unscripted black outs,and cartoony movements,is a big bonus. It's a good movie,though a bit long winded,at times,by today's standards.

And now the bad bits,or where the missing 2 stars went:

1) The title cards are not complete originals,they go from decorative,to semi-decorative,to added in at a much later date.

2)The "music" score for this version is an absolute joke. A monkey on a caliope would've scored it better. Half of the music is nowhere near correct for the scenes.( Try to imagine a wind up jewelery box,playing during one of Dr.Jekyll's murderous rages.).I've heard a live organ accompaniment to this film,and this DVD version,isn't it.

3) The "extras" are nothing more than a "feeble" interactive quiz,a picture of a lobby posters,and a "trailer". ( Although I'm not sure they had film trailers in the 1920's.)

If you MUST have this film,the price is right,but by all means turn down the sound and put on your own choice of "scarey music"....or a collection of music boxes if you like it that way. ... Read more