Roxburgh/Hart HOUN review
May. 11th, 2009 04:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elabyTime for a more coherent review of the Roxburgh/Hart "Hound of the Baskervilles"! First, a couple of things I noticed about the movie on a general level. I think I was in the perfect place to watch it - I've seen lots of adaptations of HOUN and I've liked them all pretty well, I have my own firm notions of what the characters are like and I don't expect a movie to portray them that way, and I know the Holmes and Watson's history and the placement of this story in the timeline. I think that you kind of have to, in order to appreciate why Watson is so angry at Holmes throughout most of the movie - it's refreshing to see him like that, when you're used to him just taking it. I would think that if you hadn't seen a lot of Holmes movies or read all of the stories lots of times, you'd be kind of like "O_o And why do they live together again?"
Costumes = YAY and scenery = DOUBLE FREAKING YAY. I've been to Dartmoor once, and that's what it looked like. Except it was sunny when I was there.
Anyway, possibly more about plot and stuff later, but on to the characters because that's what I like talking about XD
First of all, Richard Roxburgh as Holmes. Unlike - um, most people, apparently - I liked his performance. I didn't love him as Holmes, and I wish to god they'd dyed his hair, because the lightness distracted me, but he did have some of the facial expressions I associate with book-Holmes down pretty well, especially the obvious suppression of emotion part. Roxburgh's Holmes obviously took great pains to make sure nobody knew he was feeling something that he thought implied weakness (laughter apparently not qualifying - this made me so happy, but I'll get to that). The thing that impressed me was that he let things slip through occasionally. When Watson was about to leave with Sir Henry for Dartmoor, he was clenching his jaw with worry, and Watson immediately asked "What's wrong?" which also made me squee. Of course Watson can see through him. Roxburgh's Holmes also looked quite stricken - and you could hear it in his voice - when they found Selton dead and thought it was Sir Henry. The fact that he said "No, it's my fault" in response to Watson's self-blame was significant, I think. And he looked even more miserable when he saw how upset Watson was. And then the laughing.
So far, aside from the BBC radio plays, this has been the only HOUN adaptation I've seen to actually play out the whole scene where they think Sir Henry is dead and then Holmes realizes it's not him and starts to laugh (to which Watson is like "WTF is wrong with you?!" XD) There was no dancing around grabbing Watson like in the book, sadly, but the fact that they kept that much of the scene goes a long way in my affection for this movie. I wait for that scene every time and nobody else has done it! Also, getting Watson shot (and Holmes reacting appropriately) made my day. Since Holmes spent the whole movie being kind of flippant, a little bitchy, and certainly very secretive, his "Oh god, Watson" and reluctance to leave him - so much so that Watson had to yell at him twice - made me really happy. And then at the end, on the train, it's so obvious that he's trying to apologize and almost starts to a few separate times, and then finally very awkwardly says he reserved a box at the opera... and they could go to dinner, maybe... His expressions throughout that entire scene are priceless.
In the interviews on the DVD I rented, Roxburgh said he had only watched one Holmes movie, the Rathbone HOUN, because he wanted to play a Holmes only inspired by reading the stories. I think he did a pretty good job with what he had. He'll never worm himself into my brain and plant himself in the stories while I'm reading them (unlike certain others do on occasion, Mr. Brett) but I did like his Holmes in spite of the way he seemed "off" sometimes.
Ian Hart as Watson was wonderfully refreshing, and did so many things that made me squee with joy, but again he'll never resemble the "Watson" in my head the way David Burke and Vitaly Solomin sometimes do. He was pretty pissy for most of the movie - he rarely smiled - but considering how Holmes treats him, it's entirely understandable and I was really glad to see it. Watsons in movies sometimes don't react indignantly enough to Holmes'sbeing a bad boyfriend lack of trust. Normally Holmes tells him to do stuff, and he does it; Hart's Watson, on the other hand, would only go so far. He knew what he thought was right and he refused to let Holmes stop him from doing it without a fight. That Hart's Watson got really angry, yelled at Holmes, was nice to see.
He also was awesomely capable. Action Watson pulls Holmes out of the way of oncoming carriages! Action Watson protects Sir Henry! Action Watson punches Stapleton! He always had his revolver out, the impetuous "do it now" Watson of the books. I loved that he grabbed the chair during the seance, when the hound was jumping against the window. There was little in him of the gentle, compassionate Watson, and little of the hurt so obvious in the story at Holmes's lack of trust, but... I dunno. Being little and cute and hurt is what Solomin Watson is for XD The way he expressed any affection for Holmes was more in the "Stop being a moron and let me help you" sort of way, which I liked very much, though I think book-Watson wouldn't quite take that tack.
Other things... Stapleton! OMGYAY, Richard E. Grant! I <3 him very much, and I would've actually liked to see him play Holmes, as I think someone on my f'list has mentioned. He was a delightfully charming-covering-evil Stapleton, and it's always a pleasure to watch him act (I also love his voice, bwee). When he called Holmes vain and patted his cheeks I almost died XD
AND THEN, oh lord, speaking of Action Watson - right between the eyes! That was a triumph for Watson-supporters everywhere! No drowning in the mire for Stapleton. You get shot by a pissed off writer-doctor-soldier whose actor remembers that he's got a bullet lodged in his shoulder and who slugged you in the jaw earlier when he discovered that you'd killed your wife. ABOUT THAT, also o_O I totally didn't expect them to kill off Beryl Stapleton. But it was a good impetus to make Watson really furious. And in the same vein, I approved of their other subtractions as well - I forgot that they'd left out Laura Lyons until Holmes mentioned going back to London. I don't remember if they ever explained why Sir Charles was out there in the middle of the night without talking about her, but I didn't miss the whole divorce subplot.
One final thing, before I run off to dinner: the DVD I saw had a "The Making of" section, and Ian Hart made the most squee-worthy comment in his discussion of Holmes and Watson:
"We always find in any relationship the things that are lacking in ourselves. That's what you look for in the person you fall in love with... or whatever, you know? And Holmes is thinking on several levels at once. Watson is thinking on that one level. You need someone who thinks on that level. You need someone to book the tickets. *laughs* 'Watson, we need to go and catch a criminal in France. Get some tickets, would you?'"
XD Later, in the interviews, I believe he was trying a little too hard to overcompensate for that comment, because his entire interview was pretty much "Yes, I'm proud to play Watson, and did you know Watson loved women? Watson totally loved women. And I love women. Women love me. I have them banging my door down, actually." *snickers*
Costumes = YAY and scenery = DOUBLE FREAKING YAY. I've been to Dartmoor once, and that's what it looked like. Except it was sunny when I was there.
Anyway, possibly more about plot and stuff later, but on to the characters because that's what I like talking about XD
First of all, Richard Roxburgh as Holmes. Unlike - um, most people, apparently - I liked his performance. I didn't love him as Holmes, and I wish to god they'd dyed his hair, because the lightness distracted me, but he did have some of the facial expressions I associate with book-Holmes down pretty well, especially the obvious suppression of emotion part. Roxburgh's Holmes obviously took great pains to make sure nobody knew he was feeling something that he thought implied weakness (laughter apparently not qualifying - this made me so happy, but I'll get to that). The thing that impressed me was that he let things slip through occasionally. When Watson was about to leave with Sir Henry for Dartmoor, he was clenching his jaw with worry, and Watson immediately asked "What's wrong?" which also made me squee. Of course Watson can see through him. Roxburgh's Holmes also looked quite stricken - and you could hear it in his voice - when they found Selton dead and thought it was Sir Henry. The fact that he said "No, it's my fault" in response to Watson's self-blame was significant, I think. And he looked even more miserable when he saw how upset Watson was. And then the laughing.
So far, aside from the BBC radio plays, this has been the only HOUN adaptation I've seen to actually play out the whole scene where they think Sir Henry is dead and then Holmes realizes it's not him and starts to laugh (to which Watson is like "WTF is wrong with you?!" XD) There was no dancing around grabbing Watson like in the book, sadly, but the fact that they kept that much of the scene goes a long way in my affection for this movie. I wait for that scene every time and nobody else has done it! Also, getting Watson shot (and Holmes reacting appropriately) made my day. Since Holmes spent the whole movie being kind of flippant, a little bitchy, and certainly very secretive, his "Oh god, Watson" and reluctance to leave him - so much so that Watson had to yell at him twice - made me really happy. And then at the end, on the train, it's so obvious that he's trying to apologize and almost starts to a few separate times, and then finally very awkwardly says he reserved a box at the opera... and they could go to dinner, maybe... His expressions throughout that entire scene are priceless.
In the interviews on the DVD I rented, Roxburgh said he had only watched one Holmes movie, the Rathbone HOUN, because he wanted to play a Holmes only inspired by reading the stories. I think he did a pretty good job with what he had. He'll never worm himself into my brain and plant himself in the stories while I'm reading them (unlike certain others do on occasion, Mr. Brett) but I did like his Holmes in spite of the way he seemed "off" sometimes.
Ian Hart as Watson was wonderfully refreshing, and did so many things that made me squee with joy, but again he'll never resemble the "Watson" in my head the way David Burke and Vitaly Solomin sometimes do. He was pretty pissy for most of the movie - he rarely smiled - but considering how Holmes treats him, it's entirely understandable and I was really glad to see it. Watsons in movies sometimes don't react indignantly enough to Holmes's
He also was awesomely capable. Action Watson pulls Holmes out of the way of oncoming carriages! Action Watson protects Sir Henry! Action Watson punches Stapleton! He always had his revolver out, the impetuous "do it now" Watson of the books. I loved that he grabbed the chair during the seance, when the hound was jumping against the window. There was little in him of the gentle, compassionate Watson, and little of the hurt so obvious in the story at Holmes's lack of trust, but... I dunno. Being little and cute and hurt is what Solomin Watson is for XD The way he expressed any affection for Holmes was more in the "Stop being a moron and let me help you" sort of way, which I liked very much, though I think book-Watson wouldn't quite take that tack.
Other things... Stapleton! OMGYAY, Richard E. Grant! I <3 him very much, and I would've actually liked to see him play Holmes, as I think someone on my f'list has mentioned. He was a delightfully charming-covering-evil Stapleton, and it's always a pleasure to watch him act (I also love his voice, bwee). When he called Holmes vain and patted his cheeks I almost died XD
AND THEN, oh lord, speaking of Action Watson - right between the eyes! That was a triumph for Watson-supporters everywhere! No drowning in the mire for Stapleton. You get shot by a pissed off writer-doctor-soldier whose actor remembers that he's got a bullet lodged in his shoulder and who slugged you in the jaw earlier when he discovered that you'd killed your wife. ABOUT THAT, also o_O I totally didn't expect them to kill off Beryl Stapleton. But it was a good impetus to make Watson really furious. And in the same vein, I approved of their other subtractions as well - I forgot that they'd left out Laura Lyons until Holmes mentioned going back to London. I don't remember if they ever explained why Sir Charles was out there in the middle of the night without talking about her, but I didn't miss the whole divorce subplot.
One final thing, before I run off to dinner: the DVD I saw had a "The Making of" section, and Ian Hart made the most squee-worthy comment in his discussion of Holmes and Watson:
"We always find in any relationship the things that are lacking in ourselves. That's what you look for in the person you fall in love with... or whatever, you know? And Holmes is thinking on several levels at once. Watson is thinking on that one level. You need someone who thinks on that level. You need someone to book the tickets. *laughs* 'Watson, we need to go and catch a criminal in France. Get some tickets, would you?'"
XD Later, in the interviews, I believe he was trying a little too hard to overcompensate for that comment, because his entire interview was pretty much "Yes, I'm proud to play Watson, and did you know Watson loved women? Watson totally loved women. And I love women. Women love me. I have them banging my door down, actually." *snickers*
