The Hound of the Baskervilles

Dir: Terence Fisher

1959

****

I adore Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories and although The Hound of the Baskervilles is my least favourite book of his, I think it is the story that has being adapted best for the big screen, on more than one occasion. I've always been rather fond of Douglas Hickox's 1983 'Made for TV' version of the The Hound of the Baskervilles but you just can't beat Terence Fisher's 1959 Hammer Studios hit adaptation. There have been many wonderful variations of Conan Doyle's characters and many actors have played Sherlock Holmes brilliantly but for me Peter Cushing is up there as maybe the best and probably my favourite. Cushing was said to be a bit of an expert regarding the books and made many changes to the film himself, so it's not surprising he returned to the character nine years later for the BBC TV series. Andre Morell made for a great Doctor Watson and Christopher Lee is outstanding as Sir Henry Baskerville. The performances and chemistry between actors is great throughout and although the many changes from the novel are questionable, I have to say I rather liked them. It wouldn't be a Hammer film if there wasn't at least one ritual sacrifice, a tarantula or an abandoned mine shaft but I did like the part about the missing portrait and the webbed hands. It's a shame the Hounds weren't glow in the dark as they should have been but there is something a little bit more believable about this version, although only just and the higher body count went some ways towards making up for it. It's a British classic from a very British studio, one I love and grew up enjoying. You can't beat a Terence Fisher thriller/horror, he is by far the most underrated British director of all time.