Edge of Sanity (1989) from Arrow - June 21, 2022

[DR Herbert West]

Edge of Sanity Blu-ray

Anthony Perkins builds upon his legendary status as cinema’s seminal psycho in Edge of Sanity, a delirious conflation of Robert Louis Stephenson’s classic horror novella ‘Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ and Jack the Ripper’s real-life reign of terror over Victorian London.

When his experiments into a powerful new anaesthetic go hideously awry, respected physician Dr Jekyll (Perkins) takes off into the night, casting aside the shackles of upper-class propriety as he disappears into the shadowy decadent demimonde of Whitechapel in pursuit of sensual pleasures under the guise of ‘Mr Hyde’. As his wife Elisabeth (Glynis Barber) passes her time in charitable work, rehabilitating the district’s fallen women, Hyde is drawn into an escalating cycle of lust and murder that seems to know no bounds.

Produced by exploitation maestro Harry Alan Towers (The Face of Fu Manchu, Count Dracula) and directed with a hallucinogenic intensity by Gérard Kikoïne (Lady Libertine, Buried Alive), Edge of Sanity plunges the viewer into a labyrinth of depravity from which there is no escape.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

Brand new 2K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative by Arrow Films

High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation

Original uncompressed stereo audio

Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing

Brand new audio commentary by writer David Flint and author and filmmaker Sean Hogan

Over the Edge, a brand new interview with Stephen Thrower, author of Nightmare USA

Jack, Jekyll and Other Screen Psychos, a brand new interview with Dr Clare Smith, author of Jack the Ripper in Film and Culture

French Love, a career-spanning interview with director Gérard Kikoïne

Staying Sane, Gérard Kikoïne discusses Edge of Sanity

Original Theatrical trailer

Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys

[AnthonyGG]

Being the huge Tony Perkins fan that I am, it looks like this release is definitely worth picking up for the new transfer and abundance of extras but I agree with the reviewer on this site. The film is NOT all that great and suffers from some missed opportunities. It really could have been much more interesting and lively. I've got Scream Factory's Perkins double feature blu that presented this along with Destroyer but I'll double dip.

[Akuash]

I haven't seen this since it first came out on VHS. I'll probably pick up this release so I can give this film a long overdue rewatch.

I remember it being pretty average, but I do admire Anthony Perkin.

[XandertheGreat]

i remember watching Edge of Sanity one time when it was on late at night one time on either TNT's montervision or on USA Network.

such an odd movie with the dr jekyl mr hyde story

[LanceL]

Wonder if this release is better than the Scream Factory?

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by LanceL

Wonder if this release is better than the Scream Factory?

In terms of PQ it is. It was remastered and looks amazing. The movie itself does leave a bit to desired, but in terms of tech specs, it's great.

[mirotuchy]

Better restoration.

[rbarb]

Originally Posted by LanceL

Wonder if this release is better than the Scream Factory?

We have screenshot comparisons up. I can't link the site here or it will get removed but if you search Edge of Sanity screenshot comparisons you will find our "cult" site.

[LanceL]

Thank you, everyone. Sorry for the late reply. My settings won't give me notifications for some reason. I've gone in and switched it around a couple times, which helps for a few days...only.

[drownsoda]

I picked this up a couple weeks ago because the premise sounded intriguing. Watched it last night, and boy, what a strange movie. It seems to lapse in and out of the period setting, and a lot of the interiors look extremely '80s. A fun flick overall, though, and a very dark performance by Perkins.

[heineken]

I like this one. Very underrated, IMO. A very, sleazy Jekyll/Hyde and Jack the Ripper combo. I think it works.

[Topher76]

Originally Posted by drownsoda

I picked this up a couple weeks ago because the premise sounded intriguing. Watched it last night, and boy, what a strange movie. It seems to lapse in and out of the period setting, and a lot of the interiors look extremely '80s. A fun flick overall, though, and a very dark performance by Perkins.

I picked it up as a blind buy too. I found it to be very cool. The production design is incredible. I noticed the period setting picked up the 80s anachronisms when Hyde was in control - like we see one of the pros early on and she’s in period costume but when Hyde encounters her later she’s dressed in something that looks like it came from an 80s S&M club. The color palette completely changes between Jeckyl and Hyde too.

[broadwaybobl]

Does this release feature the "R" rated cut or the "Unrated" cut. The DVD had the unrated but was labeled as "R" so I'm wondering if this is the same?

[oddbox83]

Well, isn't this barmy? Ken Russell via Derek Jarman* with Norman Bates. I loved it.

*I didn't need Stephen Thrower to tell me this in the extras, I totally picked up on this while watching.

[SpaceBlackKnight]

Does this new transfer feature the Millimeter Films logo up front? Or is this a case where the OCN has nothing at all up front?

[Zillamon51]

Is this the unrated version that was released on VHS?

[Vixen of the Night]

Originally Posted by Zillamon51

Is this the unrated version that was released on VHS?

Yes.

The movie was actually re-submitted when M.G.M. released the DVD years ago and it got an R rating. It's the uncut version.