May 22 is Arthur Conan Doyle’s 163rd birthday so it seems elementary, dear movie-lover, that we watch a Sherlock Holmes movie!
We think this 1959 re-telling of “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” from legendary horror studio Hammer and starring genre stalwarts Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee stands as the super sleuth’s finest cinematic hour.
Rising up out of the swirling mists, Baskerville Hall stands tall and gloomy. Its occupant, Charles Baskerville, has been found dead, potentially the victim of the so-called Baskerville Curse, which tells of a deadly beast that stalks the countryside. Enter Sherlock Holmes and right-hand man Dr. Watson to track down the supposed monster.
Imbued with an atmosphere as thick as fog, “The Hound of the Baskervilles” is a superlative gothic yarn that benefits from its stellar cast as well as the expert direction of Terence Fisher, known for helming many Hammer classics including “Dracula.” A.K.A. it’s no mystery why this movie is so perfect!
