Let's be realistic.

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Holmes purists may argue, but I've always thought that the best introduction one can have to Sherlock Holmes is to read or watch The Hound Of The Baskervilles. For one thing Arthur Conan Doyle wrote a full novel here as opposed to his short stories. So you get a lot of character development of Holmes and his companion and chronicler Dr. John Watson. The BBC series of having Jeremy Brett as Holmes and Edward Hardwicke as Watson doing every single Holmes story is a landmark in television. It should be because Sherlock Holmes is eternally popular.As good as the Basil Rathbone series was at Universal Pictures it was a B film series with values befitting it. The BBC took great care in recreating Victorian England in this series.Broken down to its simplest form the plot is that there is a legend about the titled Baskervilles involving a gigantic hound from hell who has caused several generations of Baskervilles to come to untimely ends. Someone in this story is very carefully taking advantage of the legend to take vengeance on the family for a slight and to inherit the Baskerville estate, a considerable one by Victorian standards.The current heir is Kristoffer Tabori arrived from America and it's clear someone's out to get him. For most of the time Tabori has Dr. Watson as his bodyguard. Holmes is around, but he's undercover working disguises so he can get a clear picture of the people around.The climax with Tabori struggling against the giant hell hound will send shivers up your spine. Brett and Hardwicke are as suited for their parts as Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce with Hardwicke a more accurate Watson than the pudding headed Nigel Bruce.A wonderful production of one of the all time great mysteries in literature.

Hound of the Baskervilles, The (1988)*** (out of 4) The number of adaptations Arthur Conan Doyle's novel The Hound of the Baskervilles has received over the years must make it one of the most popular. Some might say it's because the novel is so easy to put on screen while I've read a few who said it's because the story is more horror-like. Whatever the reason this one here features Jeremy Brett as Holmes and Edward Hardwicke as Watson and they try to protect Sir Charles Baskerville (Raymond Adamson) from the deadly curse of the hound. Many Holmes fans claim this is the best version of Hound but I personally wouldn't go that far. While there's a lot to enjoy here I still think the Rathbone and Cushing versions are better. I think the biggest problem I had with this one was its rather slow pacing that really made the 100-minute running time feel longer. The strange thing about this version is that they actually expand all the early stuff without Holmes so this keeps everyone's favorite mystery solver on the back burner until around thirty-minutes left in the movie. Hardwicke does a nice job in the role of Watson but I think he was a tad bit too dry at times so a lively performance might have helped the film move a little better. I really didn't care too much for Adamson in his role and I felt Alastair Duncan was a little weak as Mortimer. As for Brett, he's a favorite to many people and I'll admit that I found him to be a very intelligent Holmes. That's always the most important part to whoever plays the character so Brett had no trouble at making you believe he could be as wise of a person needed for Holmes. The atmosphere is rather thick throughout and this includes the nice ending. The production design is quite nice throughout, which is another plus.

This was a very fine adaptation of a great book. True it does start off slowly, like the book, and I don't think it is quite as good as 1987's Sign of Four. That was creepy, suspenseful, and featured a wonderfully understated performance from the late great John Thaw. The minor negatives aside, this is a conveniently faithful and suspenseful adaptation.It does benefit from fine camera work, wonderful scenery and costumes, and the music score was superb. And there are some genuinely creepy moments, in particular the opening and any other scene with the very scary looking Hound. It isn't all creepy though. There is a very charming ad libbing moment between Holmes and Watson, that was really nice to see.And the acting was great, especially Jeremy Brett as Holmes. Despite the fact that he was ill during production, he still gave a stellar turn as always in the role I remember him by most. Brett was a great actor, and it was a real shame when he died; I will always consider him as the definitive Holmes, with his gritty baritone and towering presence Brett was perfect as Holmes. Edward Hardwicke as Dr Watson is a really nice contrast, and their chemistry is evident here. The supporting performances were sterling, worth of note were James Faulkener and Ronald Pickup.All in all, while not as good as Sign of Four, it was a very atmospheric and faithful adaptation. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This is surely a great adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles. And without the shadow of a doubt, the best of them all. To begin with, I believe that the way the legend itself is put is quite ingenious and adequate, for being a legend it cannot be portrayed as having happened. As with every such story it is not exactly real and so space is left to viewers to imagine how much of it is true. Of Brett the best that can be said is that he was Holmes! Whilst everyone else merely played Holmes. The same goes for Hardwicke as Watson, although Burke had come pretty close. I top this one along with The Devil's Foot Root episode, and the scene where Dr. Mortimer talks of his phrenological passion along with the one in The Devil's Foot Root when Holmes uses unusual resources to make his deductions regarding the Vicar Roundhay. The mystery is quite dense and anyone not familiar with Doyle's story will have a hard time making any sort of deductions before Holmes himself reveals his own. The pace of the movie is what it should be. I, for one, am weary of Hollywood's fast and action packed movies. This is one to allow yourself to soak in the atmosphere and appreciate the narrative quality of the story. If it hadn't the mystery it would still have some interest of its own. It is beautifully filmed, although one can discover one or two directing tricks. But that's just me who must have watched it some 50 times! On the whole, be sure to see it, better still, be sure to get a copy of it!!!