I do not think you will be disappointed in The Beetle; it is one of those late 19th century novels where they've decided to go for it entirely and hold nothing back. The result is not only entertaining but fascinating if you're interested in the types of anxieties the Late Victorians have.

As for the film, afterwards I was flipping around and saw five minutes of the The Gryphon which made this look like genius in comparison, so there's that.