Aside
from the few films that starred both Karloff and Lugosi, there has never
really been a screen horror team other than Christopher Lee and Peter
Cushing. This horror duo starred in so many genre classics, both together
and on their own, that they have become two of horror cinema’s greatest
icons. Additionally, during the course of their illustrious careers, Christopher
Lee and Peter Cushing helped build the reputation of the legendary Hammer
Studios.
After
starring together in the horror classics HORROR OF DRACULA, CURSE
OF FRANKENSTEIN and THE MUMMY for director Terence Fisher,
they three were re-teamed for the Hammer adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes
adventure THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES ($15). While remaining
reasonably faithful to the novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this Hammer
production of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES does play up the more
horrific aspects of the story. Additionally, this interpretation of THE
HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES also featured the same gothic style and
bits of gore that become part of the Hammer formula. In this adaptation
of the story, Peter Cushing portrays Sherlock Holmes- and I have to say,
that Cushing is quite good in the role of Conan Doyle’s master detective.
Equally good is André Morell as Holmes’ biographer and friend Doctor
John Watson, who is depicted as the character appeared in the Conan Doyle
stories- not like the slightly bumbling sidekick of the Basil Rathbone/Nigel
Bruce films.
The
plot of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES concerns a supposed curse
on the Baskerville family line. Doctor Mortimer (Francis De Wolff) believes
that the recently deceased Sir Charles Baskerville died because of his
encounter with a hellhound that comes to claim all the heirs to the Baskerville
title. Hoping to prevent another tragedy, Mortimer engages the services
of Sherlock Holmes to protect Sir Henry Baskerville (Christopher Lee),
recently arrived from South Africa to claim his Uncle’s title and
estate. As I stated, this adaptation of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES
is rich in trademark Hammer atmosphere, in addition to affording its stars
to branch out into different types of roles. I should note that THE
HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES afforded Christopher Lee his only opportunity
of his rather lengthy film career to play a romantic lead. The supporting
cast of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES includes Marla Landi, David
Oxley, Miles Malleson, Ewen Solon, John Le Mesurier and Helen Goss.
MGM
Home Entertainment has made THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES in a
1.66:1 wide screen presentation that has NOT been enhanced for playback
on 16:9 displays. Again, I think that MGM’s policy against issuing
1.66:1 films without the anamorphic enhancement for 16:9 displays does
a disservice to DVD consumers that will be felt a great deal more down
the road. As it stands, the 1.66:1 transfer looks quite good on a 4:3
display, but digitally blowing up the image to fill a 16:9 display softens
the image and introduces artifacts. Watching THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES
on a 4:3 display, one will notice a rather sharp and well-defined image.
The film element used for the transfer displays some blemishes, but not
enough to remind one that this movie is over forty years old. Additionally,
noticeable film grain is very minimal, but it is present at various times
during the course of the movie. Colors are quite vivid and are a reminder
of the glory days of the Technicolor format. Blacks are wonderfully inky
and the level of shadow detail is quite good for a film of this vintage.
Digital compression artifacts are never bothersome.
The
Dolby Digital monaural soundtrack is only adequate. Obviously, the sound
elements have not aged very well, with much of the sound coming across
as rather harsh. James Bernard’s music suffers the most from the
limited fidelity of the track, as well as the other age related anomalies
that crop up. Dialogue holds up somewhat better, maintaining intelligibility
almost all of the time. However, there are moments when the dialogue sounds
dull, flat and recorded in a shoebox. French and Spanish monaural soundtracks
are also encoded onto the DVD, as are English, French and Spanish subtitles.
The
basic interactive menus provide access to the standard scene selection
and set up features, as well as a couple of extras. The Actors Notebook
is a twelve-minute on camera interview with actor Christopher Lee, who
speaks about the making of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, his distaste
for the scene with the spider and his heartfelt admiration for his friend
and co-star Peter Cushing. Christopher Lee also reads excerpts from Arthur
Conan Doyle’s The Hound Of The Baskervilles, which
makes me long for a complete recording of the story read by Lee. A theatrical
trailer closes out the DVD’s extras.
THE
HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES is an
enjoyable Hammer outing that will appeal to Hammer fans, Sherlock Holmes
fans and fans of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. I really wish that
MGM had enhanced THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES for 16:9 displays
and was able to uncover a better soundtrack source. Still, this is a bargain
priced DVD that does offer some solid extras that will certainly please
fans.
Aside
from the few films that starred both Karloff and Lugosi, there has never
really been a screen horror team other than Christopher Lee and Peter
Cushing. This horror duo starred in so many genre classics, both together
and on their own, that they have become two of horror cinema’s greatest
icons. Additionally, during the course of their illustrious careers, Christopher
Lee and Peter Cushing helped build the reputation of the legendary Hammer
Studios.
After
starring together in the horror classics HORROR OF DRACULA, CURSE
OF FRANKENSTEIN and THE MUMMY for director Terence Fisher,
they three were re-teamed for the Hammer adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes
adventure THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES ($15). While remaining
reasonably faithful to the novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this Hammer
production of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES does play up the more
horrific aspects of the story. Additionally, this interpretation of THE
HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES also featured the same gothic style and
bits of gore that become part of the Hammer formula. In this adaptation
of the story, Peter Cushing portrays Sherlock Holmes- and I have to say,
that Cushing is quite good in the role of Conan Doyle’s master detective.
Equally good is André Morell as Holmes’ biographer and friend Doctor
John Watson, who is depicted as the character appeared in the Conan Doyle
stories- not like the slightly bumbling sidekick of the Basil Rathbone/Nigel
Bruce films.
The
plot of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES concerns a supposed curse
on the Baskerville family line. Doctor Mortimer (Francis De Wolff) believes
that the recently deceased Sir Charles Baskerville died because of his
encounter with a hellhound that comes to claim all the heirs to the Baskerville
title. Hoping to prevent another tragedy, Mortimer engages the services
of Sherlock Holmes to protect Sir Henry Baskerville (Christopher Lee),
recently arrived from South Africa to claim his Uncle’s title and
estate. As I stated, this adaptation of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES
is rich in trademark Hammer atmosphere, in addition to affording its stars
to branch out into different types of roles. I should note that THE
HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES afforded Christopher Lee his only opportunity
of his rather lengthy film career to play a romantic lead. The supporting
cast of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES includes Marla Landi, David
Oxley, Miles Malleson, Ewen Solon, John Le Mesurier and Helen Goss.
MGM
Home Entertainment has made THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES in a
1.66:1 wide screen presentation that has NOT been enhanced for playback
on 16:9 displays. Again, I think that MGM’s policy against issuing
1.66:1 films without the anamorphic enhancement for 16:9 displays does
a disservice to DVD consumers that will be felt a great deal more down
the road. As it stands, the 1.66:1 transfer looks quite good on a 4:3
display, but digitally blowing up the image to fill a 16:9 display softens
the image and introduces artifacts. Watching THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES
on a 4:3 display, one will notice a rather sharp and well-defined image.
The film element used for the transfer displays some blemishes, but not
enough to remind one that this movie is over forty years old. Additionally,
noticeable film grain is very minimal, but it is present at various times
during the course of the movie. Colors are quite vivid and are a reminder
of the glory days of the Technicolor format. Blacks are wonderfully inky
and the level of shadow detail is quite good for a film of this vintage.
Digital compression artifacts are never bothersome.
The
Dolby Digital monaural soundtrack is only adequate. Obviously, the sound
elements have not aged very well, with much of the sound coming across
as rather harsh. James Bernard’s music suffers the most from the
limited fidelity of the track, as well as the other age related anomalies
that crop up. Dialogue holds up somewhat better, maintaining intelligibility
almost all of the time. However, there are moments when the dialogue sounds
dull, flat and recorded in a shoebox. French and Spanish monaural soundtracks
are also encoded onto the DVD, as are English, French and Spanish subtitles.
The
basic interactive menus provide access to the standard scene selection
and set up features, as well as a couple of extras. The Actors Notebook
is a twelve-minute on camera interview with actor Christopher Lee, who
speaks about the making of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, his distaste
for the scene with the spider and his heartfelt admiration for his friend
and co-star Peter Cushing. Christopher Lee also reads excerpts from Arthur
Conan Doyle’s The Hound Of The Baskervilles, which
makes me long for a complete recording of the story read by Lee. A theatrical
trailer closes out the DVD’s extras.
THE
HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES is an
enjoyable Hammer outing that will appeal to Hammer fans, Sherlock Holmes
fans and fans of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. I really wish that
MGM had enhanced THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES for 16:9 displays
and was able to uncover a better soundtrack source. Still, this is a bargain
priced DVD that does offer some solid extras that will certainly please
fans.