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The Hound Of The Baskervilles [1959]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Sherlock Holmes gets the Gothic treatment in Hammer's Hound of the Baskervilles, a typical mix of mystery and supernatural horror from the famous studio. Peter Cushing is perfectly cast as the great detective, the very embodiment of science and reason (which also made him a great Van Helsing in the Dracula series) in a case wound around a legacy of aristocratic cruelty and a devilish dog wandering the swampy moors. Christopher Lee is a less satisfying fit as the last of the Baskervilles, as he waffles between fear and apathetic disregard, but Andre Morell is a fine Dr Watson and a far cry from Nigel Bruce's sweet bumbler from the Hollywood incarnation of the 1940s. Director Terence Fisher was Hammer's top stylist and the film drips with the mood of the moors, mist hanging in the air, the dying vegetation itself threatening to come to life and trap the next unwary traveller. --Sean Axmaker


Perfect adaptation
Review date: 2008-01-06 Rating: 10 out of 10

I love this movie! It is a true gem for fans of vintage British film, and I was amazed at not having seen this earlier, as it is a classic. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing make great performances in this beautifully shot, tightly paced Sherlock Holmes chiller, which has stood the test of time without problem. This is my favorite among the many collaborations that Lee and Cushing made throughout their career. The sets are gorgeous and create just the right atmosphere. Who needs CGI? They sure don't make them like this anymore.
5 out of 5.

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Reviews


Not a faithful rendition
Review date: 2007-12-23 Rating: 6 out of 10

The cover says that this is based on the novel. Never a truer word was written. It's an ok movie in its own right, with Cushing making a reasonable Holmes. However, for someone who reads Doyle and loved the novel - this was a disappointment.

One of the Hammer greats
Review date: 2007-11-19 Rating: 10 out of 10

Any Hammer film that is directed by Terence Fisher, and stars both Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, as well as having music composed by James Bernard is almost certainly a classic. This version of the classic Conan Doyle story meets that criteria and yes it is a superb film.

Peter Cushing is superb as Holmes. All fidgety energy with boundless intelligence and a steely determination to get to the truth of the Baskerville legend. Christopher Lee, as he showed in "The Devil Rides Out", is equally good at playing the good guy. The rest of the cast are good as well, with the inimitable Miles Malleson stealing the film from under everyones noses with a substantial cameo role as Bishop Frankland.
The film doesn't stick exactly to the story, but its well adapted and a number of key scenes not in the original story work really well (the spider for one).

Producers of modern films could learn a lot from watching a film like this. By comparison to todays blockbusters this was made on a small budget, and at 86 minutes long it holds your attention easily.

James Bernard reprises some of the music used in Dracula (aka The Horror of Dracula) and it wouldn't surprise me if Hammer even reused some of the sets from that earlier film. But don't let that put you off as this is a brilliant version of the story and is one the finest Hammer films you can buy.

Ideal Holmes exhibition
Review date: 2007-01-09 Rating: 10 out of 10

Adapted from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous Sherlock Holmes story, Terence Fisher's film of The Hound of the Baskervilles is probably the best attempt to immortalise the Great Detective on film. The movie has several things in its favour, notably a director at the top of his game, teamed yet again with the initial Bray crew who made Hammer's initial run of Gothic fantasies so memorable; in particular Jack Asher's cinematography deserves special praise. The cast, too, is almost flawless; in terms of faithfulness to the literary source, the Holmes and Watson team of Peter Cushing and Andre Morell is second only to the Jeremy Brett / David Burke pairing of the Granada TV series, twenty-five years later. The supporting performances are respectable, with such British cinema stalwarts as John Le Mesurier, Miles Malleson, and Francis DeWolff giving their usual accomplished turns, and David Oxley memorably evil as the depraved Sir Hugo Baskerville. The film doesn't quite follow the source novel, subtracting several characters and beefing up the roles of others, but as this is one of the most-adapted stories in TV and film history that is hardly a bad thing; the 1959 adaptation is easily the most enjoyable, being more action-packed than either the 1939 Basil Rathbone version or the 1988 Brett TV movie, whilst still building up a memorable atmosphere of menace and dread, aided by James Bernard's typically doom-laden score. As well as bettering the respected Rathbone and Brett versions, this movie is vastly superior to just about any other adaptation you could mention. The only real flaw in the film (and this is perhaps a controversial opinion) is the casting of Christopher Lee as the victimised Sir Henry Baskerville; Lee is, of course, typically professional in the role, and there is nothing technically wrong with his performance, but after viewing his forceful performances opposite Cushing in other, more even-handed movies, made both before and after this one, is a little hard to accept him as a weak, mild-mannered aristocrat, constantly in awe of Cushing's Holmes, and in need of his help. The fact that he towers above both Cushing and Morell, his supposed saviours, doesn't help either; surely an actor who would have been a better fit for the role would have been Francis Matthews, Cushing's young co-star in the previous year's The Revenge of Frankenstein.

The best verison ever!!!!
Review date: 2004-03-22 Rating: 10 out of 10

Ok, so this '59 edition of the classic A.C.Dole story isn't a perfect page-to-screen adaptation, but in my opinion makes for a better movie for it!!! This movie has everything to keep you interested time and time again - wonderful cast including the hammer duo Peter Cushing (Holmes) and Christopher Lee (Baskerville), a solid story full of plot twists and suspense, a great murder mystery which unfolds very well. If your new to hammer productions, or just new to this kind of film, I'd certain recommend a night in with this classic. A must for any self respecting movie fan.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Peter Cushing
Christopher Lee
David Oxley
Marla Landi
André Morell

Creators:
Peter Cushing (Primary Contributor)
André Morell (Primary Contributor)
Jack Asher (Cinematographer)
Anthony Hinds (Producer)
Anthony Nelson Keys (Producer)
Kenneth Hyman (Producer)
Michael Carreras (Producer)
Arthur Conan Doyle (Writer)
Peter Bryan (Writer)

Director(s):

Recording label: MGM Entertainment
Manufacturer: MGM Entertainment
EAN: 5050070010596
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2003-10-20
Number of discs: 1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 83 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1959-07-03
Language: English (Original Language)

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