BLU RAY AND DVD REVIEW:
Hammer films 1959, The Hound of the Baskervilles makes its
blu-ray debut courtesy of the Shock label in Australia. The blu-ray/DVD combo
pack is region B for the blu-ray and region 4 for the DVD. The blu-ray offers a
terrific transfer: the blacks are appropriately deep and inky, the primary
colors truly do pop and the image retains a pleasing coating of natural film
grain. Detail is very sharp throughout and the print is in excellent shape,
even retaining the original United Artists distributing logo at the beginning.
The mono English soundtrack is in very robust shape, too. Extras are sparse,
but what is there is very good: the featurette on Andre Morell paints a warm
and compelling portrait of a fiery but good natured individual.
Morell seldom seems
to get the sort of love he deserves among fans; from my point of view, he’s
every bit as good as Cushing and Lee, so it’s really nice seeing him paid
tribute like this. A commentary by Jonathan Rigby and Marcus Hearn would have
been gratefully received, but no matter… the film itself is presented in a more
or less immaculate transfer and the featurette is most entertaining. The
Christopher Lee interview included on the Region 1 MGM DVD release has not been
included, so fans may want to hold on to that DVD if they are looking to
upgrade.
Sherlock Holmes (Peter Cushing) and Dr. Watson (Andre Morell) are called upon to protect Sir Henry Baskerville (Christopher Lee) from the family curse…
Confession time: I used to be pretty
unenthusiastic about this version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s best known
Sherlock Holmes adventure. Truth be told, I have been generally lukewarm on
most of the screen versions. Part of the problem is the story itself: it’s not
nearly as clever and surprising as the best of Doyle’s Holmes adventures, truth
be told, and it is at an obvious disadvantage in one key area – namely, Holmes
himself is off screen for a large chunk of the narrative. Most of the
adaptations are further handicapped by another major problem: the hound itself.
This version is certainly no exception in that particular area, but it outdoes
much of the competition where atmosphere is concerned. As you have probably
gathered by now, my feelings towards this Hammer adaptation have changed for
the better.
It is almost certainly the best screen version of the story to
date, though it has to be noted that a number of silent versions are lost to
this day and a few more obscure adaptations have eluded me thus far. But put in
a match against the Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett versions, it looks very
smart indeed; we won’t drag in the Paul Morrissey-directed spoof with Peter
Cook and Dudley Moore, since that is a very different kettle of fish, indeed.
The film opens with a bravura extended
flashback sequence, in which the viewer bears witness to the nefarious misdeeds
of Sir Hugo Baskerville (David Oxley) and his drunken cronies. Director Terence
Fisher, production designer Bernard Robinson and cinematographer Jack Asher
work in perfect harmony to create a tremendous sense of gloom and foreboding
right from the opening frames. Oxley’s magnetic performance teeters on the edge
of becoming over the top, but he emerges as a truly frightening presence – more
frightening by far than the actual hound itself, when it is finally revealed.
But more on that later.
From there, the
viewer is introduced to Peter Cushing and Andre Morell as Holmes and Watson.
Cushing’s performance looks forward to that of Jeremy Brett in some respects,
but it manages to avoid the grotesque overacting which would mar Brett’s later
performances. Cushing’s Holmes is wound as tight as a drum. He is rude,
arrogant and condescending. He has no patience for ego beyond his own and he
possesses a cutting sense of humor. It has been suggested that Cushing’s
performance implies the character’s drug addiction, but this is overstating
things in an effort to make the performance look more “modern.” Most of the
screen versions of Doyle’s stories sidestepped the drug angle for the reasons
of censorship, though the Rathbone Hound (released in 1939, that most golden
year of the golden age of Hollywood) did manage to toss in a surprisingly
explicit reference at the very end, when a weary Holmes snaps at Watson, “The
needle!” Cushing’s many interviews on
the topic of the character never made much of the drug angle and it doesn’t
seem likely that it was something that he was unduly keen to bring in to the
picture. Inevitably, if one chooses to view his tics and mannerisms as
indicative of a cocaine dependency, they are free to do so. From my point of
view, however, his Holmes is less of a dope fiend than he is a volcano of the
mind, always ready to spring into action when “the game is afoot.”
As for Morell, he was
in a tricky position in that the character of Watson had become popularized on
film as a bumbling idiot, thanks to the performance of Nigel Bruce in the
Rathbone series. Unlike many Doyle fans, I can’t really fault Bruce’s
performance: he and Rathbone had great chemistry and it was his touches of
humor that helped to make the films popular in a period when the world was at
war and audiences were looking for a bit of escapism. Even so, he was far
removed from Doyle’s intelligent man of medicine and Morell was determined to
restore the character’s dignity. He was more than successful in this. Morell’s
Watson is intelligent, reliable, fiercely loyal to Holmes but capable of being
bruised by the detective’s rapier-like wit. Cushing and Morell were often
paired as adversaries (c.f., Cash on Demand or 1984), but this film proved that
they could play friends with equal facility.
Once Holmes accepts
the challenge to investigate the mysterious Baskerville family curse, we are
introduced to the imperiled Sir Henry, played by Christopher Lee. Lee’s reserved screen presence is put to good
use here. Sir Henry is a man who does not suffer fools gladly, but as the
character is lured into falling for a femme fatale (played by Marla Landi, in
the film’s only truly unsatisfactory performance) he is able to convey the
character’s inner passion and desire for love… and sex. Sir Henry is typically
a rather dull and colorless character, but screenwriter Peter Bryan and Lee
manage to imbue him with a vulnerability that makes him endearing.
Like other Hammer films of the period, the
film has an air of cozy familiarity in hindsight due to the casting of familiar
character faces like Francis DeWolff, Miles Malleson and Ewan Solon, while the
recycled sets (Baskerville Hall is Castle Dracula redressed) and James
Bernard’s pounding soundtrack evoke the spirit of their more overt Gothic
horrors.
Fisher directs with a sure and steady hand, building the mood and
atmosphere to good effect. The climax is particularly exciting – but it has to
be admitted that the hound itself is a let down. Fisher had toyed with the idea
of using children to double for Lee, Cushing and Morell so that the dog would
look appropriately imposing, but the rushes revealed that they looked very much
like kids in suits and the effect was ludicrous. A mask was finally strapped
onto the face of a large, rather friendly great dane – Lee does his best to
wrestle convincingly with it (and with a puppet, as well) but, well, it’s not
exactly ideal.
But let us not dwell
on the negative. The film’s faults (including a lack of Baker Street exteriors)
are relatively minor in context. What the film does offer is a richly
atmospheric, occasionally spooky take on a familiar story – and a fine cast of
British acting talent giving the material the treatment it deserves.
The Hound Of The Baskervilles Blu Ray /
DVD Competition: During the month of September, The UK Peter Cushing
Appreciation Society in association with Shock Entertainment, Cinema
Cult and Screenpop are launching TWO competitions, offering TEN
copies of Hammer films classic 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' starring
Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee...for the very first time on Blu
Ray...as prizes!
Here we
present the first competition, with FIVE
blu rays up for grabs! All you
have to do is use your POWERS of OBSERVATION to win your copy! - See
more at: http://petercushingblog.blogspot.co.uk/#sthash.Deej1Zaw.dpuf
Here we
present the first competition, with FIVE BLU RAY DVD COMBO PACKS up for grabs! All you
have to do is use your POWERS of OBSERVATION to win your copy!
OBSERVE
EXHIBIT ONE: A vintage photograph from 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'
Featuring Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes and Andre Morell as Watson.
OBSERVE EXHIBIT B: The same photograph, but with TEN DIFFERENCES. Things moved, changed or missing!.
To ENTER the
competition, list ALL TEN CORRECT DIFFERENCES and send your list to us, BY EMAIL TO THEBLACKBOXCLUB@GMAIL.COM. ANY entries posted onto the comments feed will be deleted and not counted as an entry. ALL correct
entries will be placed in a hat and FIVE winning names will be drawn.
Competition ENDS Saturday 27th SEPTEMBER 2014 at MIDNIGHT! Winners
names will be posted here on the PCASUK account news feed on Sunday 28th
SEPTEMBER 2014.
Have FUN and Good LUCK!
Our thanks to Screenpop and Cinema Cult in making our pcasuk competition possible. Please show your support by visiting their website and following their facebook pages. http://www.screenpop.com.au/
The Hound Of The Baskervilles Blu Ray / DVD:
During the month of September, The UK Peter Cushing Appreciation Society
in association with Shock Entertainment, Cinema Cult and Screenpop are
launching TWO competitions, offering TEN copies of Hammer
films classic 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' starring Peter Cushing
and Christopher Lee...for the very first time on Blu Ray...as prizes! - See more at: http://petercushingblog.blogspot.co.uk/#sthash.Deej1Zaw.dpuf
The Hound Of The Baskervilles Blu Ray / DVD:
During the month of September, The UK Peter Cushing Appreciation Society
in association with Shock Entertainment, Cinema Cult and Screenpop are
launching TWO competitions, offering TEN copies of Hammer
films classic 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' starring Peter Cushing
and Christopher Lee...for the very first time on Blu Ray...as prizes! - See more at: http://petercushingblog.blogspot.co.uk/#sthash.Deej1Zaw.dpuf
The Hound Of The Baskervilles Blu Ray / DVD:
During the month of September, The UK Peter Cushing Appreciation Society
in association with Shock Entertainment, Cinema Cult and Screenpop are
launching TWO competitions, offering TEN copies of Hammer
films classic 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' starring Peter Cushing
and Christopher Lee...for the very first time on Blu Ray...as prizes! - See more at: http://petercushingblog.blogspot.co.uk/#sthash.Deej1Zaw.dpuf
Banner and Feature Design: Marcus Brooks
