Because
of: thematic elements, implied rape, violence
Rated:
The Hound of the Baskervilles
is without a doubt one of the finest
mysteries ever written. With its devious twist of fates, the illusive characters, and
monstrous apparition that haunts the moor, it has become the
volume by which all other mysteries are measured. There have been many adaptations
into film, but this one has a particular gothic flair conformed more to the style of a Victorian horror film than the
logic and precision of Sherlock Holmes. It's
not your average retelling.
This
particular adaptation opens in the darkened corridors
of Baskerville Hall. A white-haired older
man stands smoking a cigar by the wicket gate, checking his pocket
watch. His nervous agitation is apparent with the passing of time,
and his concern is not unwarranted. From the darkness there suddenly
erupts a violent, snarling black
hound. Sir Charles Baskerville flees into the
garden-house and there his housekeeper and her husband find him
sprawled on the ground,
dead of a heart attack. The
matter is brought to the attention of Sherlock Holmes (Ian
Richardson) in his London
flat. Ordinarily a case which most investigators would overlook, its
interest lies mainly in the story behind that night, and a legend
of a mysterious hell-hound who has haunted the Baskerville family
for centuries. It began several hundred years
prior, when Sir Hugo Baskerville kidnapped a
local girl from the parish. She escaped through an upper window and
fled into the darkness. In a drunken rage, Hugo went after her, pledging that he would sell his soul
to the devil to find her.
The
only surviving heir to the Baskerville estate is newly arrived from
America. Sir Henry (Martin Shaw) believes that the traditions of the
estate are nonsense, and there is no such hound. Dr. Mortimer (Denholm Elliott)
believes that Henry is placing his life in danger, and requests that
Holmes intervene. Intrigued by the case but finding it not pressing enough
to warrant his immediate attention,
Holmes sends his accomplice Dr. Watson
(Donald Churchill) to Baskerville Hall. The manor has its fair share
of secrets, from the strange comings and goings of the staff (Eleanor Bron,
Edward Judd) to the eccentricities of local neighbors. An escaped convict
is loose on the moors. Gypsies are encamped nearby. Watson has become very
suspicious, but his investigations only turn up further questions.
Sinister
characters, a dark and cold manor house, a supernatural foe, and a
master detective. All the workings of the classic tale by Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle weave together to produce a chilling premise and a
haunting climax. Like all adaptations, the story strays in some
respects to make a more interesting turn. The
glittering gem in the film is the
performance of Ian Richardson. He plays a clever and often eccentric detective with a
level amount of humor, irony, and calculating precision. The rest of the cast make for an interesting ride, but
it is Richardson who holds it all together. His voice, appearance,
and overall charisma on-screen are what makes his Sherlock Holmes
much more memorable than Jeremy Brett's. While it is a good
adaptation, at times it bears only minor resemblance to the novel,
particularly in the relationship between a young married woman and
Sir Charles.
Violence
is the film's main downfall, as well as the gothic horror it employs. Many families will object to seeing a woman
strangled on-screen and another attacked and
raped on the moor. A man comes home in a drunken rage and throws his
wife around, threatening Holmes and Watson with
a poker. In a chilling sequence, a small dog is stalked and
attacked by the hound, who mauls two people. A man falls from a cliff and we view his body
on
the rocks below. Someone drowns in a bog. There are allusions to an adulterous
relationship and a mild amount of language. A woman has her fortune
told by a wandering gypsy. Although
some of the costuming is clichéd and a few events are
foreseen early on, for lovers of Sherlock Holmes or gothic thrillers in general, this Hound more
than haunts the night: he leaves a vivid and chilling impression.
But even he is no match for the cleverness of Sherlock Holmes.
THE
HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES
The
only surviving heir to the Baskerville estate is newly arrived from
America. Sir Henry (Martin Shaw) believes that the traditions of the
estate are nonsense, and there is no such hound. Dr. Mortimer (Denholm Elliott)
believes that Henry is placing his life in danger, and requests that
Holmes intervene. Intrigued by the case but finding it not pressing enough
to warrant his immediate attention,
Holmes sends his accomplice Dr. Watson
(Donald Churchill) to Baskerville Hall. The manor has its fair share
of secrets, from the strange comings and goings of the staff (Eleanor Bron,
Edward Judd) to the eccentricities of local neighbors. An escaped convict
is loose on the moors. Gypsies are encamped nearby. Watson has become very
suspicious, but his investigations only turn up further questions.
Violence
is the film's main downfall, as well as the gothic horror it employs. Many families will object to seeing a woman
strangled on-screen and another attacked and
raped on the moor. A man comes home in a drunken rage and throws his
wife around, threatening Holmes and Watson with
a poker. In a chilling sequence, a small dog is stalked and
attacked by the hound, who mauls two people. A man falls from a cliff and we view his body
on
the rocks below. Someone drowns in a bog. There are allusions to an adulterous
relationship and a mild amount of language. A woman has her fortune
told by a wandering gypsy. Although
some of the costuming is clichéd and a few events are
foreseen early on, for lovers of Sherlock Holmes or gothic thrillers in general, this Hound more
than haunts the night: he leaves a vivid and chilling impression.
But even he is no match for the cleverness of Sherlock Holmes.
