Hound of the Baskervilles - Science Fiction Fantasy Chronicles: forums

ravenus · 15th July 2004, 08:53 AM

Hound of the Baskervilles - Terence Fisher

Watched this one last night and while it won't stand up as a sterling example of Sherlock Holmes on screen it was good amusement.

In the interests of glossing over what they consider the 'dull' parts of Doyle's manuscript Hammer cheerfully modify a good portion of it. Thus we have episodes like Holmes saving Henry Baskerville from a tarantula attack and Watson plunging into the Grimpen mire. Lots more where that came from.

Peter Cushing although a dead ringer for Homes in his looks doesn't quite play it as well as I'd have liked him to. His Holmes is rather bluff and gung-ho even when curled up on a couch in his dressing gown, and often pointlessly rude. He also seems to have been tainted by leftovers of his Van Helsing dialog when at one point he pleads with the Bishop, "Can't you see I fight evil as you do?" (WHAT Bishop, I hear you say. Aha, that's one of the many surprises that Hammer's version of the story pulls on you).

Chrisopher Lee makes a fine Henry Baskerville, although his statesque proportions and baritone make one think that he'd have made a fine Holmes as well.

Fisher directs efficiently and there are some fine looking shots even if the backdrops look too prop-like.

So long as you're not a Doyle puritan, this is a rather fun ride, with some hilarious detours from the original story.

ravenus · 16th July 2004, 03:55 AM

Has anyone here seen the 2002 TV adaptation of HoTB with Richard Roxburg as Holmes? I should like to have opinions about it.

steve12553 · 22nd May 2006, 12:44 PM

I saw this version when I was maybe 12 or so. I had seen some of the Basil Rathbone movies and discovered some of the books so I wasn't picky and was just interested in more "Holmes" of any sort. I must have read the novel already because I remember wondering why Baskerville was from South Africa rather than the American West but all in all I agree it was entertaining in one way or another. The Rathbone-Bruce version was more true to the book and of course the Granada TV version with Jeremy Brett sets the standard but this was a fun movie.

CarlottaVonUberwald · 28th May 2006, 05:28 PM

ive seen so many versions of Hotb i find it hard to get excited about any of them really

cornelius · 28th May 2006, 05:34 PM

I saw one of the older versions lately, the hound was like from a Scooby-do cartoon, and Sherlock had a weird accent

15th July 2004, 08:53 AM	#1 (permalink)
ravenus Heretic Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: India Posts: 1,382	Hound of the Baskervilles Hound of the Baskervilles - Terence Fisher Watched this one last night and while it won't stand up as a sterling example of Sherlock Holmes on screen it was good amusement. In the interests of glossing over what they consider the 'dull' parts of Doyle's manuscript Hammer cheerfully modify a good portion of it. Thus we have episodes like Holmes saving Henry Baskerville from a tarantula attack and Watson plunging into the Grimpen mire. Lots more where that came from. Peter Cushing although a dead ringer for Homes in his looks doesn't quite play it as well as I'd have liked him to. His Holmes is rather bluff and gung-ho even when curled up on a couch in his dressing gown, and often pointlessly rude. He also seems to have been tainted by leftovers of his Van Helsing dialog when at one point he pleads with the Bishop, "Can't you see I fight evil as you do?" (WHAT Bishop, I hear you say. Aha, that's one of the many surprises that Hammer's version of the story pulls on you). Chrisopher Lee makes a fine Henry Baskerville, although his statesque proportions and baritone make one think that he'd have made a fine Holmes as well. Fisher directs efficiently and there are some fine looking shots even if the backdrops look too prop-like. So long as you're not a Doyle puritan, this is a rather fun ride, with some hilarious detours from the original story.

16th July 2004, 03:55 AM	#2 (permalink)
ravenus Heretic Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: India Posts: 1,382	Re: Hound of the Baskervilles Has anyone here seen the 2002 TV adaptation of HoTB with Richard Roxburg as Holmes? I should like to have opinions about it.

22nd May 2006, 12:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
steve12553 The Enigma of Steel Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Mississippi Posts: 843	Re: Hound of the Baskervilles I saw this version when I was maybe 12 or so. I had seen some of the Basil Rathbone movies and discovered some of the books so I wasn't picky and was just interested in more "Holmes" of any sort. I must have read the novel already because I remember wondering why Baskerville was from South Africa rather than the American West but all in all I agree it was entertaining in one way or another. The Rathbone-Bruce version was more true to the book and of course the Granada TV version with Jeremy Brett sets the standard but this was a fun movie.

28th May 2006, 05:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
CarlottaVonUberwald Just Julie Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 241	Re: Hound of the Baskervilles ive seen so many versions of Hotb i find it hard to get excited about any of them really

28th May 2006, 05:34 PM	#5 (permalink)
cornelius former axe demon Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Belgium Posts: 847	Re: Hound of the Baskervilles I saw one of the older versions lately, the hound was like from a Scooby-do cartoon, and Sherlock had a weird accent

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