The Hound of the Baskervilles

The Hound of the Baskervilles

Director: Sidney Lanfield Cast: Richard Greene
Richard Greene
, Basil Rathbone
Basil Rathbone
, Wendy Barrie
Wendy Barrie
, Nigel Bruce
Nigel Bruce
Sidney Lanfield
The Hound of the Baskervilles

The Hound of the Baskervilles

Director: Sidney Lanfield Cast: Richard Greene
Richard Greene
, Basil Rathbone
Basil Rathbone
, Wendy Barrie
Wendy Barrie
, Nigel Bruce
Nigel Bruce
Sidney Lanfield

DVD

$19.99 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    Qualifies for Free Shipping
  • PICK UP IN STORE
    Check Availability at Nearby Stores

Related collections and offers


Overview

"The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) is surely the only movie directed by Sidney Lanfield that is ever likely to get the kind of deluxe treatment that it has been accorded on this DVD from MPI. Far and away the director's best movie, it still stands up well 60-plus years later, despite some flaws in its structure and some mild flatness to the direction. The new transfer (full-frame, of course, i.e. 1.33:1) brings out the virtues of the handsome 20th Century Fox production and the darkly atmospheric cinematography by J. Peverell Marley (as captured here, it's worth the price of the disc). The movie is enhanced by the presence of a commentary track by David Stuart Davies, a noted Holmes scholar and enthusiast, who walks us through the movie in his droll, British way, very different from the boundless enthusiasm displayed by Richard Valley in his commentary on The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (a DVD release which coincided with this film's issue). Davies is a little less attuned to the film's production than Valley, and closer to the literary side, which is fascinating in itself. He doesn't really slight the movie, as a subject, so much as start from the literary side; he does delve deeply into the layers and currents rippling through the movie. In addition to the commentary track, the movie is supported by a montage of still art and promotional and advertising materials set to music, and there are three reissue trailers, for Dressed to Kill, The House of Fear, and The Pearl of Death. None looks or sounds in terribly good shape, but all are fun to watch. The 13 chapters easily support and enhance the 80-minute movie. The disc opens up automatically to the multi-layered menu, which is a little bit harder to move around in, between the movie and the bonus features, than it needed to be."

Product Details

Release Date: 04/27/2004
UPC: 0030306755199
Original Release: 1939
Rating: NR
Source: MPI HOME VIDEO
Region Code: A
Presentation: [B&W]
Language: English
Time: 1:20:00
Sales rank: 36,713

Special Features

Audio commentary with David Stuart Davies; Selected theatrical trailers; Production notes by Richard Valley; Photo gallery

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Richard Greene Sir Henry Baskerville
Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes
Wendy Barrie Beryl Stapleton
Nigel Bruce Dr. Watson
Lionel Atwill James Mortimer
John Carradine Barryman
Barlowe Borland Frankland
Beryl Mercer Mrs. Jenifer Mortimer
Morton Lowry John Stapleton
Ralph Forbes Sir Hugo Baskerville
E.E. Clive Cabby
Eily Malyon Mrs. Barryman
Nigel de Brulier Convict
Mary Gordon Mrs. Hudson
Peter Willes Roderick
Ivan Simpson Shepherd
Ian MacLaren Sir Charles
John Burton Bruce
Denis Green Jon
Evan Thomas Edwin
Lionel Pape Coroner
Leonard Carey Hugo's Servant
Kenneth Hunter Ship's Officer
Vesey O'Davoren Ship's Steward
Rita Page Chambermaid
Ruth Terry Betsy Ann
David Thursby Open Carriage Driver
Harry Cording Actor
David Buttolph Composer
Cyril J. Mockridge Composer
David Raksin Composer

Technical Credits
Sidney Lanfield Director
Ernest Pascal Screenwriter
Gene Markey Producer
Arthur Conan Doyle Screenwriter
Darryl F. Zanuck Producer
Roger Heman Sound/Sound Designer
W.D. Flick Sound/Sound Designer
From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews