Arrow Video has announced the European Blu-ray debut of Hammer’s legendary gothic flick, The Hound of the Baskervilles, arriving in June. Starring genre stalwarts Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, this classic Sherlock Holmes adaptation stands as one of the best re-tellings of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle tale to date.
Rising up out of the swirling mists of Dartmoor, Baskerville Hall stands tall and gloomy. Its occupant, Charles Baskerville, has been found dead in mysterious circumstances. Could Sir Charles have been the victim of the so-called “Baskerville Curse”, which tells of a deadly beast that stalks the surrounding countryside? Unperturbed by the legend, next-in-line Sir Henry Baskerville (a rare leading man performance from Lee) sets out to Dartmoor to assume inheritance of the family estate, under the auspices of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes and right-hand man Dr. Watson (Andre Morell).
Imbued with an atmosphere as thick as fog, The Hound of the Baskervilles is a superlative gothic yarn which benefits from game performances from Cushing, Lee and Morell, as well as the expert direction of Terence Fisher, known for helming many of Hammer’s most celebrated efforts including The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula and The Devil Rides Out.
This new edition comes loaded with a bumper crop of bonus content, including a new audio commentary with Hammer experts Marcus Hearn and Jonathan Rigby alongside a brand new documentary, Release the Hound!, which looks at the genesis and creation of the Hammer classic, featuring interviews with hound mask creator Margaret Robinson, film historian Kim Newman, and actor/documentarian and co-creator of BBC’s Sherlock Mark Gatiss.
The Hound of the Baskervilles will be released on UK Blu-ray on 1st June 2015 by Arrow Video at the RRP of £19.99.
Boasting a High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) feature presentation, original uncompressed Mono 1.0 audio and optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing, the dic will have the following extras:
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Isolated music and effects soundtrack
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New audio commentary with Hammer experts Marcus Hearn and Jonathan Rigby
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Release the Hound! – a brand new documentary looking at the genesis and making of the Hammer classic, featuring interviews with hound mask creator Margaret Robinson, film historian Kim Newman, actor/documentarian and co-creator of BBC’s Sherlock Mark Gatiss, and others
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André Morell: Best of British – a featurette looking at the late great actor André Morell and his work with Hammer
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The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes – a 1986 documentary looking at the many incarnations of Conan Doyle’s celebrated character, narrated and presented by Christopher Lee
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Actor’s Notebook: Christopher Lee – an archive interview in which the actor looks back on his role as Sir Henry Baskerville
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The Hounds of the Baskervilles excerpts read by Christopher Lee
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Original theatrical trailer
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Extensive image gallery
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Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper
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Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by former Hammer archivist Robert J.E. Simpson, illustrated with original archive stills and posters
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