The Strange Case of the Man and the Beast (1951) User Reviews

Argentina monster movie

[BandSAboutMovies · 4/10 · 5 January 2022]

Yet again, Dr. Henry Jekyll has decided to try to discover the dark side of man and the nature of evil, but ends up releasing the dark side. This time, however, the movie is made in Argentina, which at least lends it some level of interest.

This was a dream project of actor/director Mario Soffici, who is the lead. That said, if you're expecting a movie filled with action, this is not the one you are looking for. It's mostly talking and even when Mr. Hyde shows up, he just has an odd hairstyle and knocks a kid down. That's it - nothing much to report of how wild he can be.

That said, how often are you going to get to watch a 1950's horror movie from Argentina?

How the transformation was created in those days in argentine studios.

[polverinointernacional · 9/10 · 25 November 2002]

The man who helped Mario Soffici make his long waited dream come true was called Neron Kesselman. This charming fellow was the head of the studios make up department for fifteen years. He began in the olden days helping to paint the bodies of the actors who played as indians in the "gaucho" films. He always with a gentle smile that they used to use orange powder on the bodies in order to obtain tanned skin in the black and white photography. He would do the work with two gigantic hand puffs. In the case of Mr. Soffici´s make up he began by skinning his head. In other words Soffici worked all throughout the production with his head balled. On the days he had to act as the serious doctor he would put a wig on him. On the other hand when he had to become the monster, Neron glued hair all over his head and face. In those days there weren´t many materials to use so he used to place wire in the actor´s mouth and painted parts of the teeth and lips with melted car tires. Without any place for doubt, this work and this film is one of the most succesfull and daring of the argentine film. Neron continued his days in the trade. He managed the argentine side of the Hollywood production called "Taras Bulba" with Yul Brynner which was filmed in Argentina. He was the head of the make up dept in Channel 7, one of the biggest television studios in latin america, and ended off his days giving classes to the young students of the now called special effects department. An honorable life for this artist who thought we would live up to be a sculptor.