Victorian London is the scene of one of the most horrific tales of the nineteenth century, one which explores the dual nature of man. By suggestion from wolfemann, we go back to the beginning and trace the history of the two fellows. Tell me your two sides on Twitter @HalloweenHaunt, on Facebook, and HalloweenHaunt.wordpress.com.
More on the book and history of Jekyll/Hyde on Wikipedia.com.
An intellectual essay by Vladimir Nabokov.
Music:
“Awkward Meeting” and “Interloper” by Kevin McLeod are available at Incompetech.com.
A bit of “Psy Dreaming” by Combat Caveman (from GarageBand.com)
“The Mad Scientist” by David Chochoi (from Soundclick.com)
Click here to download the show.
The Halloween Haunt 
Well, so glad to see that the episode already came up so soon! 🙂
My favorite version is the Frederic March adaptation, I think – Miriam Hopkins’ character was phenomenal, and did an excellent job of simple physical acting. Though I think the closest I’ve seen to a faithful adaptation was the animated version made some decades back… cheap, and they made poor Eddie rather more bloodthirsty than in the novel, but they did a good job.
Personally, I’ve always felt that the story’s popularity was its greatest problem… everybody knows how it ends, so nobody can do it as a mystery anymore. Quite a pity, really – there’s so much power in the story as told from Utterson’s point of view that just gets missed by most movie versions.
Ah well.
And of course we’ve all got our own Dr. Jekyll’s and Mr. Hyde’s inside – it’s part of society, especially in any society with the Puritanical basis we’ve got here in the states. I mean… just look at most of our elected politicians. I think the problem is just that folks are electing Mr. Hyde, instead of Dr. Jekyll.
Personally, my Dr. Jekyll is the state accountant I am ‘by day’ – quiet, unassuming, does his job, occasionally writes on the side. My Mr. Hyde….
Well what can I say?
He’s hiding. 😉
wolfemann,
I told you I would get right to work on it, didn’t I?
It’s too bad no one can experience the story of Jekyll and Hyde as a mystery now, since we all learn the premise long before we read, or more commonly, see the story. On the other hand, it speaks to the power of the story, and the multiple layers, that so much can be stripped off and so much still remains that we still enjoy it today.
And while much of the underlying premise of good and evil within man was bubbling to the surface in psychology and culture at the time, it’s really a theme that has gone back hundreds and even thousands of years in literature and some religions. Many of us clearly believe it’s true.
I hope never to discover your “Hyde side.”
Thank you again for the excellent suggestion.
–HH
I enjoyed the Spencer Tracy adaption because in my personal opinion I think Spencer Tracy is a good actor. I thought the atmosphere of the set is eerie and Tracy himself gives off a creepy portrayal of his character.
Yes, Alyssa, I think many people’s opinion is that Spencer Tracy is a good actor. He can be very creepy when he wants to be.
–HH
I scare a few people who know me. At least one freshman in my eighth period high school class. My family does know I have a “Hyde” side and my own mother knows that no one should see it because I can turn nasty in a second when that side comes out.
Many people do…
That’s so fun….
–HH
I enjoy frightening people most of the time. It is fun.
Yes, it is, Alyssa. Most of the time.
–HH
I only do it to be funny. When I have a Mr. Hyde moment, that’s the watch out point,.