The Hound Of The Baskervilles Movie Analysis

To say that The Hound of the Baskervilles was the most loved mystery book of Victorian England would be an extreme understatement. People idolized and revered Sherlock Holmes, the most prominent, realistic detective of all time, in this new, exhilarating novel. How could an author convey so much emotion and anticipation in the plot of one book through such thought-provoking diction? Although a considerably small one, Doyle’s methods as a writer is a mystery to fans all around the world; an astounding mystery just like The Hound of the Baskervilles. Therefore, it can be stated that when the 2002 BBC movie came out, fans were instantly attracted to the new film. David Attwood, the director of The Hound of the Baskervilles movie, knew his audience

The Hound of the Baskervilles film ends with a dramatic, fatal scene between Stapleton, Sherlock, and Watson. As the detective and his professional partner accuse Stapleton of murder, Stapleton attempts to run away; Holmes follows him in hopes to catch him, but then he plumits into the Grimpen Mire, in which he is just barely saved from a gruesome fatality by Dr. Watson. Watson shot Stapleton as he was about to fire his gun at Sherlock, who was still suffering inside the mire (Attwood). This scene was added into the movie by Attwood for dramatic effect and suspense; the director knew that his viewers would not want Sherlock, the beloved and famous detective, to end on such an abrupt note. By including this disturbing scene, the audience is pulled into the film, losing all ability to look away when their favorite character of Victorian England could potentially die. Whereas in the book, Stapleton supposedly died on the Grimpen Mire due to a multitude of environmental difficulties (228-229). Holmes, Beryl, and Watson walk through the Grimpen Mire, looking for Stapleton; however, instead of finding the murderer, they found Sir Henry’s missing boot and the area where Stapleton kept his fatal hound (228 and 229). Dr. Watson even reiterates the event through the following words: “Somewhere in the heart of the Grimpen Mire, down in the foul slime of the huge morass which had sucked him in, this cruel and cold-hearted man [Stapleton] is forever buried” (229). The book and film are both concluded in a practically faultless way, but Attwood, who knows his audience’s emotional cravings, was able to captivate the viewers’ attention in a suspenseful, but ultimately incredible