The Hound of the Baskervilles (2000 film)
The Hound of the Baskervilles | |
---|---|
Written by | Novel: Arthur Conan Doyle Screenplay: Joe Wiesenfeld |
Directed by | Rodney Gibbons |
Starring | Matt Frewer Kenneth Welsh |
Music by | Marc Ouellette |
Country of origin | Canada |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Producer | Irene Litinsky |
Cinematography | Eric Cayla |
Editor | Vidal Béïque |
Running time | 90 minutes |
Production company | Muse Entertainment |
Budget | $4.5 million |
Original release | |
Network | CTV (Canada) Odyssey Network (US) |
Release | 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.
Production
The first of four Holmes adaptations starring Frewer as Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles was followed by
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
- Matt Frewer as Sherlock Holmes
- Dr. John H. Watson
- Jason London as Sir Henry Baskerville
- Emma Campbell as Beryl Stapleton
- Gordon Masten as Dr. Mortimer
- Robin Wilcock as Stapleton
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]
References
- ^ ProQuest 329634710.
- ^ a b c d e f g Ryan, Andrew (October 28, 2000). "Shadows and Fog". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
- ^ a b Prepolec, Charles (2000). "Holmes, Headroom, and a Hound from Hell!". Scarlet Street. 1 (40): 36–38, 41.
- ^ The Sherlock Holmes Collection (2000-2002) - DVD Review
- ^ The Sherlock Holmes Collection
- ^ The Hound of the Baskervilles: A Thumbnail Review
- ^ ProQuest 244852169.
External links
- The Hound of the Baskervilles at IMDb