Rating: 
Summary: Haunted Holmes.
Review: In his foreword to Bantam's "Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories," Loren Estleman called the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson literature's warmest, most symbiotic and most timeless ever: rightfully so. Not surprisingly, film history is littered with adaptations of Conan Doyle's tales and Holmes pastiches (stories using the protagonists but otherwise based on independent screenplays); and I don't think any of Conan Doyle's four original novels has been adapted more frequently than "The Hound of the Baskervilles." Yet - and I'm saying this with particular apologies to the fans of the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce canon - none of the prior versions of any Holmes story can hold a candle to the ITV/Granada TV series produced over the decade spanning the years 1984 through 1994, starring Jeremy Brett as Holmes and first David Burke, then in near-seamless transition Edward Hardwicke as a refreshingly sturdy, pragmatic and unbumbling Dr. Watson; and this certainly includes any and all adaptations of "The Hound of the Baskervilles."
Thus, this version of Conan Doyle's spookiest tale stands out positively not only when compared to some of the other movie adaptations starring Jeremy Brett, which tend to over-emphasize a gothic atmosphere not present in the stories *those* movies are based on (particularly so, "The Last Vampyre" and "The Eligible Bachelor"), but also when compared to earlier versions of "The Hound of the Baskervilles." Indeed, stripped of those other productions' antics and occasionally not much better than B-movie-level special effects, the Jeremy Brett/Edward Hardwicke adaptation relies primarily on the superb acting skills of its stars and supporting cast and tells the story of the Baskerville family's apparent curse in a relatively straightforward manner, which truly manages to terrify where earlier versions were merely unintentionally funny. Largely true to Conan Doyle's original, this is also the only one of the movie-length adaptations that sees Dr. Watson performing an investigation of his own. (He embarks on similar, albeit generally less elaborate missions, in some of the series's shorter episodes, such as "The Solitary Cyclist.")
The tale's storyline itself is well known: Sir Charles Baskerville has been found dead, apparently killed by a mysterious, larger-than-life dog living in the moors surrounding his estate and occasionally heard howling at night; allegedly a hound from hell haunting the family since the days of their evil ancestor Sir Hugo Baskerville. When Sir Henry (Kristoffer Tabori), latest heir to the Baskerville title and fortune, arrives from the U.S., Holmes is hired to investigate the mystery surrounding the beast. And "[y]es, the setting is a worthy one. If the devil did desire to have a hand in the affairs of men ...," Holmes soon comments on the setting of the Baskerville estate. But asked by Dr. Watson whether he is inclined to place any belief into the supernatural explanation of the phenomenon, he proceeds to point out that the devil's agents may well be of flesh and blood, and that the only questions to be resolved in the matter are whether any crime has been committed at all, and if so, what that crime is and how it was committed. As (nearly) always, Holmes is of course proven right in the end.
Jeremy Brett was the only actor who ever managed to perfectly portray Sherlock Holmes's imperiousness, bitingly ironic sense of humor and apparently indestructible self-control without at the same time neglecting his genuine friendship towards Dr. Watson and the weaknesses hidden below a surface seemingly dominated by his overarching intellectual powers. And that dichotomy is clearly in evidence in this movie, where Brett, himself already afflicted by the illness which would eventually kill him, reaches new, intense and particularly great depths in Holmes's soul. If you want to see the best of Holmes, therefore get this production, the equally well-done Jeremy Brett adaptation of "The Sign of the Four" and the collections of the series's shorter episodes (particularly the first two cycles - "Adventures" and "Return" - are a "must"), enjoy and ... have a good hunt, because - come on Watson: the game's afoot!
Rating: 
Summary: A different slant on a classic story.
Review: It is my opinion that this teleplay focused more on the "human interest" of the story and less on any supernatural suspense.
Any great work of literature can disappoint when pictured, because after all, we form our own thoughts, and picture it in our heads. So here, the tragedy of the escaped killer's real story and the rescue of the young lady at the end, come to the fore; as opposed to the focus on the hound...which is slightly disappointing, admittedly. Although, that aspect was handled well, and does retain some suspense, as we fear for Baskerville walking across the moor at night. I'm a staunch fan of this Sherlock, but it seems the novelettes didn't come off as well.
I recommend this as entertaining, as long as you approach it as a retelling with a touch of heart.
Rating:
Summary: Average adaptation
Review: It's a shame that Jeremy Brett's poor health worked against making this television adaptation of perhaps the most famous Sherlock Holmes story such a disappointingly average production. Brett is obviously lethargic here as Holmes and it's hard to imagine that this is the same Sherlock Holmes we saw in the first series and the majority of the second. Compare his appearance and performance here with his Sherlock Holmes in 'The Sign Of Four', for example. Gone is the quick wit and hawk-like persona that made Brett so notable as Holmes. Here, Brett is bloated and distant. It may have been best in hindsight if the production was postponed until Brett was in better health, but that didn't happen and as a result the film suffers.The supporting cast are all fine, and Edward Hardwicke is excellent as Watson which is important as the character features heavily in the story. Check out Donald Churchill's terrible performance as Watson in the Ian Richardson version to see how a poor performance as Holmes' companion can sink a film adapation of this story. Unfortunately the direction and pace is as lethargic as the star. In comparison to other Granada tv movies like The Sign Of Four and The Master Blackmailer, it's hard to believe that this one was made by the same production team. I believe a lot of the blame can be attributed to reported budgetary constraints but lack of money is no excuse for pacing problems. It's a very faithful adaptation of the novel, but some scenes go on longer than necessary giving the production a very theatrical feel which works against the film. There are some great scenes though...the mysterious figure collecting Watson's letters from the post office, Watson and Dr Mortimer laying in wait for someone who has set up camp in the hills near the Baskerville house, etc. It's certainly a watchable and sometimes entertaining production, but the production team really dropped the ball with this one especially when you are aware of the excellent productions that have come before. Unfortunately this effort was a sign of things to come as the series steadily declined with only The Casebook Of Sherlock Holmes series and The Master Blackmailer as saving graces. The sad decline in Jeremy Brett's health and the increasingly poor scripting makes the final two tv movies (The Last Vampyre and The Eligible Bachelor) and the final series (The Memoirs Of Sherlock Holmes) almost unwatchable. Stories in the last series like The Mazarin Stone are not only an embarrassment to the Holmes tv canon but are also extremely poor television.
Rating: 
Summary: Another solid adaptation of the HOUND story
Review: Once again that classic story of Sherlock Holmes and the hellish Hound of the Baskervilles gets trotted out in film form. This time, it is Granada Television's turn and, for the most part, they do a solid job in bringing this classic to life. Fairly faithful to the book, this film benefits from the top notch performances of Jeremy Brett as the Great Detective and Edward Hardwicke as the faithful Dr. Watson. Despite the fact that Brett's Holmes is off-screen during a large chunk of the film's time, his characterization never ceases to grasp our attention. Edward Hardwicke takes over from David Burke as the trusty Watson and he makes his own indelible mark on the role. Hardwicke's take on the role is a little less brittle than Burke's, making Watson a much more warm and engaging personality. The film is also chock-full of the spooky moorish atmosphere that makes this tale a classic. Also, the supporting cast is top notch with Neil Duncan earning praise as an unconventionally eccentric Dr. Mortimer. If the movie suffers in one instance, it is in the overall pacing and length. At an even 2 hours, parts of the film seem to drag, especially when compared with the Peter Cushing or other versions. But, that's minor quibbling. With either Watson, the Jeremy Brett series still provides the current standard by which most Sherlock Holmes films are judged, and this film more than holds its own. Definitely recommended for Sherlock Holmes fans.
Rating:
Summary: Another solid adaptation of the HOUND story
Review: Once again that classic story of Sherlock Holmes and the hellish Hound of the Baskervilles gets trotted out in film form. This time, it is Granada Television's turn and, for the most part, they do a solid job in bringing this classic to life. Fairly faithful to the book, this film benefits from the top notch performances of Jeremy Brett as the Great Detective and Edward Hardwicke as the faithful Dr. Watson. Despite the fact that Brett's Holmes is off-screen during a large chunk of the film's time, his characterization never ceases to grasp our attention. Edward Hardwicke takes over from David Burke as the trusty Watson and he makes his own indelible mark on the role. Hardwicke's take on the role is a little less brittle than Burke's, making Watson a much more warm and engaging personality. The film is also chock-full of the spooky moorish atmosphere that makes this tale a classic. Also, the supporting cast is top notch with Neil Duncan earning praise as an unconventionally eccentric Dr. Mortimer. If the movie suffers in one instance, it is in the overall pacing and length. At an even 2 hours, parts of the film seem to drag, especially when compared with the Peter Cushing or other versions. But, that's minor quibbling. With either Watson, the Jeremy Brett series still provides the current standard by which most Sherlock Holmes films are judged, and this film more than holds its own. Definitely recommended for Sherlock Holmes fans.
Rating:
Summary: Decent viewing, but with some caveats
Review: Plus points: Excellent English gothic atmosphere with Baskerville hall, the Grimpen moor et al. Hardwicke puts up a sober and warm performance as Watson, making very good use of his long screen time here. The other characters like Henry Baskerville, Mortimer, the Stapletons and the Barrymore couple are played quite well by a solid cast.
Minus Points: The main caveat unfortunately is Jeremy Brett. Suffering physial illnesses and manic depression, he looks like a wreck in this latter day production. Baggy watery eyes, hanging cheeks and a thoroughly dishevelled appearance make him a sad sight and he even seems to have breathing problems given how prominent his breath is on the soundtrack. He performs gamely enough, though.
A minor issue would be that the film chickens out on the Holmes-out-of-the-scene bit by showing spoiler glimpses of him in the country before he makes his major appearance at Devonshire in the original tale. Sure, we've read the story millions of times before, but we still want it to be told exactly the way Sir Doyle told it.
And yeah, the hound sucks...it looks a bit too amiable and the animal sounds are obviously faked.
On the whole a good comfy viewing experience.
Rating:
Summary: A delightful two hours of Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes
Review: The execrable sound track almost ruins this otherwise excellent film. I tried the subtitles only to find that whoever did them had more trouble with the sound than I did. The subtitle has an English gentleman of the nineteenth century going to visit an acquaintance in a TRUCK!
Rating:
Summary: Avoid the DVD!
Review: The execrable sound track almost ruins this otherwise excellent film. I tried the subtitles only to find that whoever did them had more trouble with the sound than I did. The subtitle has an English gentleman of the nineteenth century going to visit an acquaintance in a TRUCK!
Rating:
Summary: THIS MOVIE SCARED THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF WHEN I WAS 8
Review: THE FIRST TIME I SAW THIS MOVIE WAS WHEN I WAS 8 YRS OLD. I DON'T REMEMBER THE ACTORS NAMES. I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN THIS MOVIE I SAW ALMOST 62YRS AGO.THE HOUND WAS A TERRIFYING ANIMAL ON THE DARK MOOR. I HAD NIGHTMARES FOR YEARS.I ALSO RECENTLY SAW THE JEREMY BRETT SHOW. IT WAS JUST AS I REMEMBERED IT.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointment...!
Review: The Hound of the Baskervilles is the greatest case from the Sherlock Holmes series in the paper format by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, As far as Granada TV is concerned they have given the right justice to the Sherlock Holmes character by forwarding a great Artist Late Mr. Jermy Brett in leading role. I am the fan of Brett as and Holmes. He is the best holmes I ever seen.
This VHS gives me a very disappointing experience considering Brett's performance (may because of his health), Horrifying environment on moor, All character (except Dr. Watson) especially Henry Baskerville, Stepelton and his sister (they are all just nonsense), Director is lacking in all fronts. The Dog is not looking as terrible as it should. The movie is bit slow and not apealing though I am the fan of Brett and Sherlock Holmes.
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