The Hound of the Baskervilles (2000 film)

Last updated
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Written byNovel:
Arthur Conan Doyle
Screenplay:
Joe Wiesenfeld
Directed byRodney Gibbons
Starring Matt Frewer
Kenneth Welsh
Music byMarc Ouellette
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerIrene Litinsky
CinematographyEric Cayla
EditorVidal Béïque
Running time90 minutes
Production company Muse Entertainment
Budget$4.5 million
Release
Original network CTV (Canada)
Odyssey Network (US)
Original release2000 (2000)
Related
The Sign of Four

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a Canadian television film directed by Rodney Gibbons and starring Matt Frewer and Kenneth Welsh. The film is based on Arthur Conan Doyle's 1902 Sherlock Holmes novel of the same name.

Contents

Production

The first of four Holmes adaptations starring Frewer as Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles was followed by The Sign of Four in 2001, then The Royal Scandal (a blend of "A Scandal in Bohemia" and "The Bruce-Partington Plans") in 2001, with The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire (an original story) the final film released in 2002. Because of the duo's compatibility, they were asked to stay on for a sequel to the film. [1] At the time of release, this was the sixth adaptation of Conan Doyle's 'Hound of the Baskervilles' story. [2]

The film was produced by Montréal-based production company Muse Entertainment and, although both Frewer and Welsh had not read the original story, that did not deter the producers from hiring them on. [1] The two actors were cast for the roles because of their previous theatre training experience. [1] The film's budget was a generous $4.5 million, making it a step above most TV films. [2] Most of the film's budget went into creating elaborate sets [2] to capture the essence of the book's locations. Production designer Jean-Baptiste Tard had $600,000 to create 221B Baker Street as well as a facade for Baskerville Hall. [3] The film was shot in Quebec, Canada, using the streets of Old Montreal to mimic Holmes' iconic Baker Street residence, and the streets of London, England. [2] The nearby rural town of Harrington, Quebec was used as a stand in for the English moors near Henry Baskerville's home. [2] The "hound" was a trained German Shepherd augmented with the use of contact lenses and CG. [3]

Cast

Reception

Frewer's portrayal of Holmes was largely criticized. [4] [5] [6] He has been described as an actor that is 'normally eccentric and rubber-faced', allowing critics to call his adaptation the 'Ace Ventura version of Sherlock Holmes'. [7] Frewer's "manic quirks owe more to Jim Carrey than Basil Rathbone" said one critic. [7] Going on, the actor's characterization has been called more gay, this stemming from what the critic called Holmes' "subliminal interest in the young and handsome Sir Henry Baskerville". [7]

In order to make his interpretation of Holmes stand out, Frewer decided to tap deeper into Holmes' genius side. [2] In an interview with The Globe and Mail , Frewer commented on his take of the infamous sleuth, saying, "I decided Holmes has these literal brainstorms. He can hardly keep up with his own ideas. His brain is working quickly but he's always got this calm reserve and demeanour. So that's exactly how I decided to play him." [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sherlock Holmes</span> Fictional character (consulting detective) created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and logical reasoning that borders on the fantastic, which he employs when investigating cases for a wide variety of clients, including Scotland Yard.

<i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i> Crime novel by Arthur Conan Doyle

The Hound of the Baskervilles is the third of the four crime novels by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes. Originally serialised in The Strand Magazine from August 1901 to April 1902, it is set in 1889 largely on Dartmoor in Devon in England's West Country and tells the story of an attempted murder inspired by the legend of a fearsome, diabolical hound of supernatural origin. Holmes and Watson investigate the case. This was the first appearance of Holmes since his apparent death in "The Final Problem", and the success of The Hound of the Baskervilles led to the character's eventual revival.

The stories of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle have been very popular as adaptations for the stage, and later film, and still later television. The four volumes of the Universal Sherlock Holmes (1995) compiled by Ronald B. De Waal lists over 25,000 Holmes-related productions and products. They include the original writings, "together with the translations of these tales into sixty-three languages, plus Braille and shorthand, the writings about the Writings or higher criticism, writings about Sherlockians and their societies, memorials and memorabilia, games, puzzles and quizzes, phonograph records, audio and video tapes, compact discs, laser discs, ballets, films, musicals, operettas, oratorios, plays, radio and television programs, parodies and pastiches, children's books, cartoons, comics, and a multitude of other items — from advertisements to wine — that have accumulated throughout the world on the two most famous characters in literature."

<i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i> (1981 film) 1981 film

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1981 Soviet television film adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's 1902 novel The Hound of the Baskervilles. It was the third instalment in the TV series about adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson.

<i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i> (1959 film) 1959 film by Terence Fisher

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1959 British gothic mystery film directed by Terence Fisher and produced by Hammer Film Productions. It is based on the 1902 novel of the same title by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It stars Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes, Sir Christopher Lee as Sir Henry Baskerville and André Morell as Doctor Watson. It is the first film adaptation of the novel to be filmed in colour.

<i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i> (1939 film) 1939 film by Sidney Lanfield

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1939 American gothic mystery film based on the 1902 Sherlock Holmes novel of the same name by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Directed by Sidney Lanfield, the film stars Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. John Watson. Released by 20th Century Fox, it is the first of fourteen Sherlock Holmes films produced between 1939 and 1946 starring Rathbone and Bruce.

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 2002 television adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1902 novel of the same name.

<i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i> (1978 film) 1978 British film

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1978 British comedy film spoofing the 1902 novel The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It starred Peter Cook as Sherlock Holmes and Dudley Moore as Dr. Watson. A number of other well-known British comedy actors appeared in the film including Terry-Thomas, Kenneth Williams and Denholm Elliott.

<i>The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson</i> Soviet television film series

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson is a series of Soviet television films portraying Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional English detective, starting in 1979. They were directed by Igor Maslennikov.

The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire is a non-canonical Sherlock Holmes film. The film was produced in 2002 for The Hallmark Channel as the last installment in a series of Hallmark Sherlock Holmes films.

<i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i> (1937 film) 1937 film

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1937 German mystery film directed by Carl Lamac and starring Peter Voss, Fritz Odemar and Fritz Rasp. It is an adaptation of the 1902 Sherlock Holmes story The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle. It was shot at the Babelsberg Studios in Potsdam and on location at the neo-Gothic Moyland Castle. The film's sets were designed by the art directors Wilhelm Depenau and Karl Vollbrecht.

The Sign of Four (2001) is a Canadian television film directed by Rodney Gibbons and starring Matt Frewer and Kenneth Welsh. The movie is based on Arthur Conan Doyle's second Sherlock Holmes novel published in 1890.

<i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i> (1983 film) 1983 film directed by Douglas Hickox

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1983 British made-for-television mystery thriller film directed by Douglas Hickox, starring Ian Richardson as Sherlock Holmes and Donald Churchill as Dr. John H. Watson. It is based on Arthur Conan Doyle's 1902 novel The Hound of the Baskervilles.

The Royal Scandal is a Sherlock Holmes film which is an amalgam of "A Scandal in Bohemia" and "The Bruce-Partington Plans". The film was produced in 2001 for The Hallmark Channel as part of an ongoing series of Hallmark Sherlock Holmes films.

<i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i> (1932 film) 1932 film

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1932 British mystery film directed by Gareth Gundrey and starring John Stuart, Robert Rendel and Frederick Lloyd. It is based on the 1902 novel The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle, in which Sherlock Holmes is called in to investigate a suspicious death on Dartmoor. It was made by Gainsborough Pictures. The screenplay was written by Edgar Wallace.

<i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i> (1921 film) 1921 film by Maurice Elvey

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1921 British silent mystery film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Eille Norwood, Catina Campbell and Rex McDougall. It is based on the 1902 Sherlock Holmes novel The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle. It was made by Stoll Pictures, Britain's largest film company at the time. It was the first British film adaptation of the famous novel.

<i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i> (1972 film) 1972 film directed by Barry Crane

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1972 American made-for-television mystery film directed by Barry Crane and starring Stewart Granger as Sherlock Holmes and Bernard Fox as Doctor Watson. The movie is based on Arthur Conan Doyle's 1902 Sherlock Holmes novel The Hound of the Baskervilles.

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1982 British television serial made by the BBC. It was produced by Barry Letts, directed by Peter Duguid, and starred Tom Baker as Sherlock Holmes and Terence Rigby as Doctor Watson. The adaptation aired as a four-part serial. The serial is based on Arthur Conan Doyle's 1902 Sherlock Holmes novel The Hound of the Baskervilles. The music score was composed and conducted by Carl Davis.

Der Hund von Baskerville is a 1914 German silent film adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's 1902 novel The Hound of the Baskervilles, the first film adaptation of the work. According to the website silentera.com, the film was considered lost, but has been rediscovered; the Russian Gosfilmofond film archive possesses a print, while the Filmmuseum München has a 35mm positive print.

<i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i> (1929 film) 1929 film

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1929 German silent mystery film directed by Richard Oswald and starring Carlyle Blackwell, Alexander Murski, Livio Pavanelli. The film is an adaptation of the 1902 Sherlock Holmes novel The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle. It was the last Sherlock Holmes adaptation in the silent film era. The film boasted an unusually international cast, including American actor Carlyle Blackwell, German actor Fritz Rasp, British actress Alma Taylor, Russian actor Alexander Murski and Italian actor Livio Pavanelli.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bouw, B. (October 25, 2000). "Eliminate The Impossible, And You're Left With These Two: Frewer and Welsh Play Holmes and Watson". National Post. ProQuest   329634710.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ryan, Andrew (October 28, 2000). "Shadows and Fog". The Globe and Mail . Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Prepolec, Charles (2000). "Holmes, Headroom, and a Hound from Hell!". Scarlet Street . 1 (40): 36–38, 41.
  4. The Sherlock Holmes Collection (2000-2002) - DVD Review
  5. The Sherlock Holmes Collection
  6. The Hound of the Baskervilles: A Thumbnail Review
  7. 1 2 3 Atherton, T. (October 26, 2000). "Halloween Haunts Airwaves: Celebration is A Sweet Treat for TV Advertisers". Calgary Herald . ProQuest   244852169.