Film Review
After their successful pairing in Hammer's 1958 production
of
Dracula, Peter Cushing and
Christopher Lee are reunited in this enjoyable Gothic-style adaptation
of Conan Doyle's
The Hound of the
Baskervilles, the only Sherlock Holmes film which Hammer made,
although others were planned. Cushing is as good in the role of
the deerstalker-wearing sleuth as he was as the vampire hunter Van
Helsing, and his portrayal of Holmes as a cold man of intellect is
somewhat closer to Conan Doyle's creation than Basil Rathbone's earlier
film interpretation. Cushing would reprise the role in a popular
BBC television series in 1968, partnered with Nigel Stock as Dr
Watson. Christopher Lee would also get to play the famous
detective in a Franco-German film,
Sherlock
Holmes and the Deadly Necklace (1962) which, incidentally, was
co-directed by Terence Fisher, the Hammer stalwart who directed this
film. Here the part of Dr Watson is capably played by
André Morell, who had just starred as Professor Quatermass in
the now legendary BBC TV series,
Quatermass
and the Pit.
Not surprisingly, given that Hammer's forte was horror not detective
fiction, this version of
The Hound
of the Baskervilles puts much greater emphasis on the horror
rather than the mystery elements of the story. Although the
horror content is pretty mild, even for a Hammer film of this period,
the atmospheric sets and photography succeed in imbuing a
spine-tingling sense of menace that suggests supernatural forces are at
large. The one horror scene that does leave a lasting impression
is the one in which Christopher Lee is menaced by a tarantula; what
makes this so frightening is the sheer terror the actor manages to
convey, a touch of realism which is pretty rare for Hammer. The
film isn't flawless (many of the deviations from the original story are
unnecessary and merely muddle the plot) but, thanks mainly to the fine
performances and some unexpected humour, it offers an entertaining and
original take on a familiar story.
© James Travers 2009
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Next Terence Fisher film:
The Mummy (1959)
Film Synopsis
When Sir Charles Baskerville dies in mysterious circumstances one
evening, his friend Dr Mortimer is convinced that he is the latest
victim of an old family curse. Ever since Sir Hugo Baskerville
murdered a young woman, some centuries ago, the Baskervilles have been
haunted by a hound from Hell. Concerned that Sir Charles'
heir, Sir Henry Baskerville, is to be the hound's next victim, Dr
Mortimer consults the world famous detective Sherlock Holmes. The
case intrigues Holmes, but he is convinced that Sir Charles' death was
the result of natural, not supernatural causes. He instructs his
colleague Dr Watson to travel down to Baskerville Hall in Devon and
keep a watchful eye on his new client. It soon becomes clear that
someone intends to kill Sir Henry, but who, and for what reason...?
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.