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The Science Fiction Horror and Fantasy Film Review

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Theme: Pharmaceuticals and Potions

Pharmaceuticals and Potions is a separate topic from Drugs and Addiction or Drug Hallucinations. These others refer to narcotics and recreational drug use or their effects. The entries under this theme refer to drugs that are made for medical or magical purposes.

Potions are used by Magicians and Mad Scientists to affect assorted changes. This may include for rejuvenation or to obtain Immortality, affect Animal Transformations, to aid in Magic Spells, or simply as poisons. The most famous potion is the one taken by Dr Jekyll to turn into Mr Hyde – see Jekyll and Hyde Films.

Films with more modern sensibilities deal with pharmaceuticals and their side-effects, which can do anything from create psychic powers and superpowers to cause people to become psychotic. These films often concern the use of untested drugs or drug companies conducting unethical experiments.


Abbott and Costello Meet Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1953)

3 December 199911 February 2020

Rating: ★★

Two Idiots Meet Dr Jekyll

Director: Charles Lamont
Actors: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Boris Karloff, Craig Stevens, …
Category: Horror

Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002)

16 January 20238 July 2025

Rating: ★★★

Comic-Book Character

Director: Alain Chabat
Actors: Gerard Depardieu, Christian Clavier, Monica Bellucci, Jamel Debbouze, …
Category: Fantasy

Asterix and Obelix Vs. Cesar (1999)

8 July 20258 July 2025

Rating: ★★★

Comic-Book Character

Director: Claude Zini
Actors: Christian Clavier, Gerard Depardieu, Roberto Benigni, Claude Pieplu, …
Category: Fantasy

Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion (2018)

11 May 202130 March 2024

Rating: ★★

Animation/Comic-Book Character

Director: Alexandre Astier, Louis Clichy
Category: Fantasy

Beauty Water (2020)

12 February 202412 February 2024

Rating: ★★★

Anime/Extreme Beauty Product

Director: Cho Kyung-hun
Category: Horror

Beyond Bedlam (1994)

31 July 200013 November 2019

Rating: ★

Dream-Invading Serial Killer

Director: Vadim Jean
Actors: Elizabeth Hurley, Craig Fairbrass, Keith Allen, Anita Dobson, …
Category: Horror

Body Melt (1993)

4 May 199922 February 2020

Rating: ★★

Gooey Meltdowns

Director: Philip Brophy
Actors: Gerard Kennedy, Vince Gil, Andrew Daddo, Amanda Douge
Category: Horror

Dead Rising: Watchtower (2015)

26 July 202326 July 2023

Rating: ★★

Zombie Film/Videogame Adaptation

Director: Zach Lipovsky
Actors: Jesse Metcalfe, Meghan Ory, Virginia Madsen, Keegan Connor Tracy, …
Category: Horror

Doctor Jekyll (2023)

6 September 20246 September 2024

Rating: ★★½

Hammer Dr Jekyll Adaptation

Director: Joe Stephenson
Actors: Eddie Izzard, Scott Chambers, Lindsay Duncan, Robyn Cara, …
Category: Horror

Dr Jekyll and His Women (1981)

18 December 20125 December 2022

Rating: ★★★

Erotic Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Adaptation

Director: Walerian Borowczyk
Actors: Udo Kier, Patrick Magee, Marina Pierro, Gerald Zalcberg, …
Category: Horror

Dr. Jekyll & Mistress Hyde (2003)

7 September 201626 November 2024

Rating: ★★½

Softcore Jekyll and Hyde Film

Director: Tony Marsiglia
Actors: Julian Wells, Misty Mundae
Category: Horror

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1913)

20 December 201814 May 2020

Rating: ★★

Evil Personality Within Unleashed

Director: Herbert Brenon
Actors: King Baggot, Jane Gail, Howard Crampton, William Sorelle, …
Category: Horror

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920)

13 February 200914 May 2020

Rating: ★★★

Evil Personality Within Unleashed

Director: John S. Robertson
Actors: John Barrymore, Brandon Hurst, Charles Lane, George Stevens
Category: Horror

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

18 July 200114 May 2020

Rating: ★★★★

Evil Personality Within Unleashed

Director: Rouben Mamoulian
Actors: Fredric March, Miriam Hopkins, Rose Hobart, Halliwell Hobbes, …
Category: Horror

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1941)

9 May 200118 August 2020

Rating: ★★

Evil Personality Within Unleashed

Director: Victor Fleming
Actors: Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, Lana Turner, Donald Crisp, …
Category: Horror

Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (2002)

24 June 200721 November 2023

Rating: ★★★★

Evil Personality Within Unleashed

Director: Maurice Phillips
Actors: John Hannah, David Warner, Gerard Horan, Elodie Kendall, …
Category: Horror

Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde (2008)

31 October 20085 September 2024

Rating: ★★

Evil Personality Within Unleashed

Director: Paolo Barzman
Actors: Dougray Scott, Krista Bridges, Tom Skerritt, Cas Anwar, …
Category: Horror

Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde (1995)

8 May 200113 July 2020

Rating: ★★

Dr Jekyll Becomes a Woman Comedy

Director: David F. Price
Actors: Tim Daly, Sean Young, Lysette Anthony, Stephen Tobolowsky, …
Category: Horror, Science Fiction

Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971)

28 May 20008 April 2021

Rating: ★★★½

Dr Jekyll Becomes a Woman/Hammer Film

Director: Roy Ward Baker
Actors: Ralph Bates, Martine Beswick, Gerald Sim, Lewis Fiander, …
Category: Horror

Dr Jekyll and the Wolfman (1972)

19 December 202319 December 2023

Rating: ★★½

Dr Jekyll Encounters a Werewolf

Director: Leon Klimovsky
Actors: Paul Naschy, Jack Taylor, Mirta Miller, Jose Marco, …
Category: Horror

Edge of Sanity (1989)

8 August 199930 September 2020

Rating: 0­

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Adaptation

Director: Gerard Kikoine
Actors: Anthony Perkins, Glynis Barber, Sarah Maur-Thorp
Category: Horror

The Facility (2012)

3 November 2021

Rating: ★★½

Drug Trial Gone Wrong

Director: Ian Clark
Actors: Aneurin Barnard, Nia Roberts, Alex Reid, Steve Evets, …
Category: Horror

Firestarter (1984)

29 July 200214 August 2023

Rating: ★★½

Pyrokinesis/Stephen King Adaptation

Director: Mark L. Lester
Actors: Drew Barrymore, George C. Scott, David Keith, Martin Sheen, …
Category: Science Fiction

Firestarter (2022)

20 May 202210 June 2025

Rating: 0­

Pyrokinesis/Stephen King Adaptation

Director: Keith Thomas
Actors: Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Zac Efron, Michael Greyeyes, Gloria Reuben, …
Category: Science Fiction

Firestarter Rekindled (2002)

22 May 20051 February 2023

Rating: ★

Pyrokinesis

Director: Robert Iscove
Actors: Marguerite Moreau, Malcolm McDowell, Danny Nucci, Dennis Hopper, …
Category: Science Fiction

Girl Next (2021)

9 May 20229 May 2022

Rating: 0­

Imprisonment Thriller/Mad Science

Director: Larry Wade Carrell
Actors: Lacey Cofran, Marcus Jean Pirae, Rachel Alig, Paula Macenaro Solinger, …
Category: Horror

Help! I’m a Fish (2000)

20 January 20047 July 2021

Rating: ★★½

Animation/Children Transformed Into Talking Fish

Director: Stefan Fjeldmark, Michael Hegner
Actors: Jeff Pace, Alan Rickman, Aaron Paul, Terry Jones, …
Category: Fantasy

How I Became a Super-Hero (2020)

20 July 202320 July 2023

Rating: ★★

Superpowers Film

Director: Douglas Attal
Actors: Pio Marmai, Vimala Pons, Benoit Poelvoorde, Leila Bekhti, …
Category: Science Fiction

I, Monster (1971)

5 July 200226 August 2021

Rating: ★★★

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Adaptation

Director: Stephen Weeks
Actors: Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Richard Hurndall, George Merritt, …
Category: Horror

Jekyll + Hyde (2006)

3 February 200922 November 2021

Rating: ★★

Modernised Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

Director: Nick Stillwell
Actors: Bryan Fisher, Bree Turner, Zachary Bennett
Category: Horror

Jekyll and Hyde … Together Again (1982)

2 September 200322 November 2021

Rating: ★★★

Jekyll and Hyde Spoof

Director: Jerry Belson
Actors: Mark Blankfield, Bess Armstrong, Tim Thomerson, Peter Brocco
Category: Science Fiction

Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy (1996)

24 November 200219 December 2024

Rating: ★

Happiness Drug Comedy

Director: Kelly Makin
Actors: Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, David Foley, Bruce McCulloch, …
Category: Science Fiction

Kraven the Hunter (2024)

25 January 202525 January 2025

Rating: ★

Marvel Comics Superhero

Director: J.C. Chandor
Actors: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ariana DeBose, Russell Crowe, Alessandro Nivola, …
Category: Fantasy

Love Potion No 9 (1992)

2 December 2021

Rating: ★★

Scientists Devise Love Potion Comedy

Director: Dale Launer
Actors: Sandra Bullock, Tate Donovan, Dale Midkiff, Anne Bancroft, …
Category: Fantasy

Mandy (2018)

24 February 201929 May 2025

Rating: ★★

Man’s Revenge Trail Against a Cult

Director: Panos Cosmatos
Actors: Nicolas Cage, Andrea Riseborough, Linus Roache, Ned Dennehy, …
Category: Horror

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1999)

15 May 199922 October 2020

Rating: ★★★

Shakespeare Adaptation/Fairy Enchantments

Director: Michael Hoffman
Actors: Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett, Calista Flockhart, …
Category: Fantasy

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2005)

19 April 20078 January 2025

Rating: ★★½

Modernised Shakespeare Adaptation

Director: Ed Fraiman
Actors: Bill Paterson, Imelda Staunton, Lennie James, Dean Lennox Kelly, …
Category: Fantasy

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2014)

22 June 201516 October 2019

Rating: ★★★★

Shakespeare Adaptation/Fairy Enchantments

Director: Julie Taymor
Actors: David Harewood, Kathryn Hunter, Lily Englert, Jake Horowitz, …
Category: Fantasy

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2016)

1 August 20178 January 2025

Rating: ★★½

Modernised Shakespeare Adaptation

Director: David Kerr
Actors: Matt Lucas, Nonso Anozie, Prisca Bakare, Matthew Tennyson, …
Category: Fantasy

The Nutty Professor (1963)

27 February 20036 September 2024

Rating: ★★★½

Personality Transformation Formula Comedy

Director: Jerry Lewis
Actors: Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens
Category: Science Fiction

The Nutty Professor (1996)

11 March 200022 January 2025

Rating: ★★★½

Personality Transformation Formula Comedy

Director: Tom Shadyac
Actors: Eddie Murphy, Jada Pinkett, Dave Chappelle, Larry Miller, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000)

30 July 200010 September 2024

Rating: ★★½

Rejuvenation Formula Comedy

Director: Peter Segal
Actors: Eddie Murphy, Janet Jackson, Larry Miller, John Ales, …
Category: Science Fiction

Red 11 (2019)

10 July 20226 June 2023

Rating: ★★★

Illicit Medical Experiments

Director: Robert Rodriguez
Actors: Roby Attal, Lauren Hatfeld, Steven Brudniak, Alejandro Rose-Garcia, …
Category: Science Fiction

Scanners (1981)

5 May 20034 July 2020

Rating: ★★★★

Psychic Powers

Director: David Cronenberg
Actors: Stephen Lack, Patrick McGoohan, Michael Ironside, Jennifer O'Neill, …
Category: Science Fiction

Scanners II: The New Order (1991)

5 November 20001 June 2020

Rating: 0­

Psychic Powers

Director: Christian Duguay
Actors: David Hewlett, Raoul Trujillo, Isabelle Mejias, Vlasta Vrana, …
Category: Science Fiction

Scanners III: The Takeover (1992)

5 May 199928 December 2022

Rating: ★

Psychic Powers

Director: Christian Duguay
Actors: Liliana Komorowska, Steve Parrish, Colin Fox, Daniel Pilon
Category: Science Fiction

Senseless (1998)

5 July 200426 July 2022

Rating: ★

Sense-Heightening Drug Comedy

Director: Penelope Spheeris
Actors: Marlon Wayans, David Spade, Matthew Lillard, Tamara Taylor, …
Category: Science Fiction

#ShakespearesShitstorm (2020)

21 October 202421 October 2024

Rating: ★★★

Bad Taste Shakespeare Parody/Troma Film

Director: Lloyd Kaufman
Actors: Lloyd Kaufman, Kate McGarrigle, Erin Miller, Abraham Sparrow, …
Category: Horror

The Shape of Things to Come (1979)

5 July 200229 October 2021

Rating: ½

Space Opera

Director: George McCowan
Actors: Jack Palance, Barry Morse, Nicholas Campbell, Anne-Marie Martin/Eddie Benton, …
Category: Science Fiction

She Devil (1957)

5 March 20255 March 2025

Rating: ★★

Scientist Creates Femme Fatale

Director: Kurt Neumann
Actors: Mari Blanchard, Albert Dekker, Jack Kelly, John Archer
Category: Horror, Science Fiction

Shrek 2 (2004)

5 July 20045 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Animation/Fairytale Spoof

Director: Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, Conrad Vernon
Actors: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, …
Category: Fantasy

Sleeping Beauty (1987)

5 August 201431 March 2023

Rating: ★★

Fairytale

Director: David Irving
Actors: Morgan Fairchild, Tahnee Welch, Kenny Baker, Jane Wiedlin, …
Category: Fantasy

Special (2006)

15 August 201221 March 2025

Rating: ★★★★

Man Believes He is a Superhero

Director: Hal Haberman, Jeremy Passmore
Actors: Michael Rapaport, Paul Blackthorne, Jack Kehler, Josh Peck, …
Category: Science Fiction

Spiderhead (2022)

19 November 202223 August 2024

Rating: ★★½

Illicit Behaviour Modifying Pharmaceutical Experiments

Director: Joseph Kosinski
Actors: Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller, Jurnee Smollett, Mark Ragulo, …
Category: Science Fiction

Strange Magic (2015)

6 February 201528 March 2025

Rating: ★★

Animation/World of Fairies

Director: Gary Rydstrom
Actors: Evan Rachel Wood, Alan Cumming, Meredith Ann Bull, Elijah Kelley, …
Category: Fantasy

The Strongest Man in the World (1975)

25 June 199927 November 2024

Rating: ★

Super-Strength Cereal/Disney Comedy

Director: Vincent McEveety
Actors: Kurt Russell, Joe Flynn, Dick Van Patten, Cesar Romero, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Substance (2024)

25 October 202417 December 2024

Rating: ★★★

Rejuvenation Serum/Alternate Youthful Self

Director: Coralie Fargeat
Actors: Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid, Edward Hamilton Clark, …
Category: Horror

Supergirl (1984)

5 July 200027 July 2023

Rating: 0­

Comic-Book Superheroine

Director: Jeannot Szwarc
Actors: Helen Slater, Faye Dunaway, Hart Bochner, Peter O'Toole, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Taint (2010)

29 June 201119 December 2023

Rating: ★★½

Gonzo Bad Taste Comedy/Zombiefying Penis-Enlargement Drug

Director: Drew Bolduc, Dan G. Nelson
Category: Horror

The Testament of Dr Cordelier (1959)

16 June 201510 April 2025

Rating: ★★★

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Adaptation

Director: Jean Renoir
Actors: Jean-Louis Barrault
Category: Horror

Thunder Force (2021)

17 April 202117 April 2021

Rating: ★½

Superhero Comedy

Director: Ben Falcone
Actors: Melissa McCarthy, Octavia Spencer, Jason Bateman, Bobby Cannavale, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960)

21 November 20236 September 2024

Rating: ★★½

Hammer Dr Jekyll Adaptation

Director: Terence Fisher
Actors: Paul Massie, Dawn Addams, Christopher Lee, David Kossoff, …
Category: Horror

Unhuman (2022)

20 August 202313 November 2023

Rating: ★★

School Pupils Under Attack in the Woods

Director: Marcus Dunstan
Actors: Brianne Tju, Benjamin Wadsworth, Uriah Shelton, Ali Gallo, …
Category: Horror

White Noise (2022)

13 January 202321 September 2023

Rating: ★★½

Satire/Toxic Cloud

Director: Noah Baumbach
Actors: Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, Don Cheadle, Raffey Cassidy, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Witches (2020)

7 November 20204 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Evil Witches/Roald Dahl Adaptation

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Actors: Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Jahzir Bruno, Chris Rock, …
Category: Fantasy

The Wizard of Gore (2007)

21 February 202331 July 2023

Rating: ★★

Splatter Magician

Director: Jeremy Kasten
Actors: Crispin Glover, Kip Pardue, Bijou Phillips, Brad Dourif, …
Category: Horror

Zapped! (1982)

15 May 200118 June 2025

Rating: ★

Psychokinetic Powers Teen Comedy

Director: Robert J. Rosenthal
Actors: Scott Baio, Willie Aames, Heather Thomas, Scatman Crothers, …
Category: Science Fiction

Zapped Again (1990)

5 May 200018 June 2025

Rating: 0­

Psychokinetic Powers Teen Comedy

Director: Doug Campbell
Actors: Todd Eric Andrews, Kelli Williams, Sue Ann Langdon, Lyle Alzado, …
Category: Science Fiction

Zoe (2018)

5 May 201927 November 2024

Rating: ★

Android Relationship Film

Director: Drake Doremus
Actors: Ewan McGregor, Lea Seydoux, Theo James, Rashida Jones, …
Category: Science Fiction

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Theme Essays

  • Films About Atlantis
  • Werewolf Films
  • Virtual Reality
  • Imprisonment Thrillers
  • Films Depicting NASA and the Space Program
  • Human Bloodsports and Death Games
  • Animals Attack Films
  • Films About Plague and Pandemic
  • Disaster Movies
  • Steampunk Films
  • Documentaries
  • Films About Halloween
  • Films About Prophecy
  • Magicians and Sorcerers
  • Secret Societies
  • Real-Life People in Fiction
  • Techno-Thrillers
  • Twins in Fantastic Cinema
  • Asylums
  • Possession Films
  • Films About Imaginary and Magical Lands
  • Religion in Fantastic Cinema
  • Romantic Comedies
  • Film Noir
  • Spy Films
  • Jekyll and Hyde Films
  • Films That Make Dubious Claims to Being True Stories
  • Coming of Age Stories in Fantastic Cinema
  • Films About Cryogenics and Suspended Animation
  • Alternate History Films
  • Disturbed Psychology as Portrayed on Film
  • Law Enforcement in Fantastic Cinema
  • Weird Westerns
∧

Copyright Richard Scheib 1999-2025

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