Mr. Hyde is a minor character in The Nightmare Before Christmas. He has two smaller copies of himself inside his hat that participate with him in some of the film's songs.
History
Background
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Mr. Hyde is a resident of Halloween Town, where he assists in the seasonal creation of Halloween and the takeover of Christmas. On surface value, he seems to personify the Halloween iconography of pale Victorian gentleman monsters and he is not identified as Mr. Hyde until the end-credits and in other media.
Development
Mr. Edward Hyde is a literary character originating from Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 book, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Hyde was the alias of one Dr. Henry Jekyll concocted through the use of a specialized shapeshifting serum. Jekyll did this as a means of venting out his repressed side which was deemed amoral by Victorian society, using the alias of Mr. Hyde as a fall-man.
However after trampling a young girl, Hyde would become deemed a criminal causing a manhunt to be launched against him. This would lead Jekyll to committing suicide after running out of the exotic salts needed to brew to potion required to turn him back into his old body.
In the subsequent pop-culture regarding the character (such as the 1931 film by Rouben Mamoulian), Jekyll and Hyde would be characterized as separate personalities triggered by the potion rather than simply a fake name and shape-shifted body.
Appearances
Film
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Mr. Hyde is seen at the beginning of the film during the song This is Halloween. He is seen returning to Halloween Town from the main gate along with the Devil and Behemoth as they lead the Pumpkin King scarecrow of Jack Skellington into town. After the song, he cheers for Jack along with the rest of the citizens. After the Wolfman asks "Wasn't it terrifying?", Hyde along with the Cyclops reply "What a night!".
The next morning, when Jack went missing, he searched all over the Pumpkin Patch for him, but to no avail. When Jack finally returns to town, a Town Meeting is held. As Jack tries to explain what a Christmas stocking is, Hyde gets up on stage along with his two smaller selves as they ask what's inside the stocking, hoping it has a rotten foot covered in gook.
Later in the film, Hyde and his smaller selves are seen preparing a Russian doll present during the song Making Christmas. The smallest Hyde kills a scorpion with a mallet and proceeds to put it in the smallest doll with two bigger Hyde putter the smaller dolls within the big ones like one would. Mr. Hyde is then seen passing along a single present from one citizen to another to fill up the back of Jack's coffin sleigh.
At the end of the film, when Jack returns home, Hyde is fascinated by the snow falling down on Halloween Town from Santa Claus, calling it "completely new" along with the Clown.
Shorts and television
Mickey's Gala Premier
The Fredric March depiction of Mr. Hyde appeared in this Mickey Mouse cartoon alongside Dracula and Frankenstein's Monster.
Comics
In the 2014 Italian adaptation of the story, "The Strange Case of Doctor Ratkyll and Mr. Hyde", Donald Duck plays the role of Mickey Mouse's monstrous alter ego. This physical back and forth transformation between Mickey and Donald being seen as damaging to the brand would ultimately result in American Disney officials pulling it from further circulation and choosing not to officially translate it into English.
Disney Parks
Haunted Mansion Holiday
In the seasonal Christmas overlay of the Haunted Mansion, the Nightmare Before Christmas incarnation of Mister Hyde is depicted in the load area. In a Christmas card inspired tableau, Mr. Hyde is represented with the miniature versions of himself popping out from his hat and revealing the smallest of them is dressed like a Christmas angel ornament.
Trivia
- Mr. Hyde is the monstrous, evil alter-ego of Dr. Jekyll from Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Gallery
Screenshots
Merchandise
