Issue 16 of Diabolique Magazine May/Jume 2013, which I will happily give it away, after this project is done. Like I said in my last post is really full of content. I still have to kick myself for picking one of the most dense issues they put out. I am in it now so we are moving onto the second article in the issue, The Cushing 13, written by Johnathan Rigby gives us what the writer thinks is the thirteen essential Peter Cushing films. Now I am not cover them all but here is the list in case you want to.
Most actor are lucky to have one defining role in his/her career, Peter Cushing had three. As we have already covered in other entries he played Victor Frankenstein and in this film he plays Sherlock Holmes and as you shall read in my next post he played Doctor Van Helsing opposite the character of Dracula. Is he the actor that defined the role? Well such debates are worth the effort. I have friend who are just not horror fans and never have been and one, Neighbor Dave ( who by the way has the best beer fridge in my town) said he had never heard of Peter Cushing. Shocking as it is to me I understand, I am a child of the 60 and 70s and had a heavy dose of television as baby sitter while growing up. Also a horror fan from an early age, thank you Creature Double Feature, I have been well versed in the genre from an early age. I had to tell Dave that he was Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) so he would have some sense.
In The Hound of the Baskervilles Peter Cushing plays Sherlock Holmes in one of the most famous Arthur Conan Doyle stories ever shot on film. Like many actors before and after him Cushing plays the role as it is written self assured and the smartest man in the room. The character itself is a bit of a dick always proving him, self by testing Watson and those around them to point out how much they did not observed and he does.
This version of the story has a long prquel where we learn of the start of the Baskervilles curse. Baron Hugo Baskerville is a tyrant in his realm, cruel to his subject and always looking for things that give him pleasure. The curse starts with his pursuit of a young women who has no interest in him. When she flees he chases her to some old ruins in the Dartmoor moors. Throws her onto what looks like a fallen acient alter and you think he is going to rape her but instead with glee in his eyes stabs her to death. Almost immediately he hears the howls in the distance and then meets his demise at the hands of a furry creature.
A voice over brings us to Doctor Mortimor(Francis de Wolff), Watson (Andre Morell) and Holmes (Peter Cushing) debating the story we just saw and the latest baskervilles death generations after the start of the curse. Holmes has an interest in it and Mortimor brings the case to him wants him to investigate the latest strange death. It is omportant to note that this is a mystery in the finest sense so talking about the machinations of the film is a real nono. What I can say it does a great job of highlighting Holmes' character and laying the red herrings that keep the viewer guessing. Christopher Lee plays Sir Henry the heir to the Baskervilles fortunes who may or may not be in grave danger.
I really loved this film even though I have a soft spot for the earlier version starring Basil Rathbone as Holmes. Still Cushing was made for a role like this and enacts it with grace and percision. All the supporting cast are wonderful at moving the story along. Andre Morell carries a large load as Watson and is completely up to the task. The twists and turns keep you guessing although because I am a repeat viewer for me it was more about appreciateing the movie making and acting.
Give this one a view especially if you are a mystery buff.
So if you are interested in a magazine with this content, read updates here soresportmovies.blogspot.com, or on Letterboxd.com to learn how my magazine giveaway is going but follow me on Letterboxd if you want to read my movie reviews and comment on the films. I still have a mail connected to my blog movies@edhovey.com where you can write me or comment on blog entries.
My Letterboxd.com handle is @Hovey1127, when I am done with the Issue of the magazine I will offer it up and we can work out the details of me getting it to you. I am not really looking for money just someone who also would love to read it. If no one wants it well it will probably end up on a magazine rack at the library or something.
Chatting with me is difficult, I have stopped my social media account years ago because time… it’s ticking at my age and I would rather spend it doing other things like this for example. Or chatting with my friends at the Zombiegrrlz.com podcasts on their discord. I am a fan of the podcasts they publish The More Deadly Podcast and the Zombiegrrlz podcast and as a Patron for very little $ I get access to the discord. So if you want to good horror content and a great horror community check them out.
