Reviews (9)

The FIRST Dungeons and Dragons adventure!
This film, intended for kids, was a movie house favorite back in the 1960's. A handsome young man in love with the princess of his land takes on the quest to save her after she is kidnapped by an evil magician. There is some wonderful stuff here. A witch mother with a two headed servant, a special sword, armor and steed intended for Sir George when he reached manhood and a group of famous knights as companions for the quest who are from all over Europe. There is also some great campish humor in this film, especially when the "French" knight is drawn away by a pretty damsel singing in french and when he attempts to kiss her she turns into a horrible one eyed-monster, and upon being saved by Sir George he states: "I should have realized that such a beautiful woman would not be up so early in the morning!" The film also features silly ogres who throw logs like nine pins but get dizzy and fall over from watching a horse run in circles, the usual servant/sinister midgets who seem to terrify people by just standing around holding up their clenched hands and laughing mockingly,vaporous pools of death that knights on horseback seem to automatically lose their balance and fall into to die, caves full of ghostly witches that only the faith of an Irishman can confront and a genuinely good Dragon full of fire breathing fury at the end that is killed by our hero as he is about to feed on our princess. Classic stuff, darkly filmed in spots but deserves to be recognized as perhaps one of the earliest "questing" movies that a lot of fantasy minded gamers and movie makers were to benefit from some 35 years later.

SWORDS AND SORCERY
When watching a movie like "The Magic Sword", you have to smile at the camp and amateurism that often frequents a film like this. Bert I. Gordon did his first color movie with this one, and for the time it was made, the special effects are above average for this time. The dragon is hilarious; as are the conehead ripoffs. But, Estelle Winwood, what a wonderfully zany actress she was, and she steals the movie whenever she's on. Gary Lockwood, undeniably a hunk, is not the world's greatest actor here, although he went on to gain respect in the t.v. series, "The Lieutenant" and the movie, "2001." Anne Helm looks lovely but no more range than a Barbie Doll. Basil Rathbone is effectively hammy in his role as Lodac the evil sorcerer. One question though: they were supposed to encounter seven curses, I missed one somewhere?
Cheesy but enjoyable.

Cheesy rescue the princess from the sorcerer's dragon movie
Apparently Ray Harryhausen's big success with "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" inspired all sorts of sword and sorcery epics (filmed in Cinemascope). Case in point would be this 1962 film, "The Magic Sword," a three-word title that makes the S&S genre perfectly clear. The film is directed and co-written by Bert I. Gordon, who gave us "The Cyclops," "The Amazing Colossal Man," and "Earth vs. the Spider," and actually ends up being one of his better efforts, helped, no doubt, by the money put into the film for color and special effects. But keep in mind that the rest of those films are really bad. "The Magic Sword" also stars the aging Basil Rathbone as the sorcerer, Lodac, and the young Gary Lockwood of "2001" fame as the hero, Sir George. Rathbone does well when he appears on screens, but the rest of the cast is not up to his level and the special effects are average at best (although the dragon at the end is the best of the bunch).

The story is by the numbers for this genre. Sir George has been raised by a witch named Sybil (Estelle Windwood), and has used her magic to spy on the beautiful Princess Helene (Anne Helm). She ends up being abducted by Lodac who plans to feed her to the aforementioned dragon. When the King (Merritt Stone) does the old bit about who ever rescues his daughter gets her hand in marriage, Sir George is off on his quest to the evil sorcerer's castle. Our hero is aided and abetted by six knights that he restores from being petrified. This is good because they have to face seven curses from Lodac and having seven knights makes it sound fair but we all know this is going to get down to just--ALL TOGETHER NOW--Sir George and the Dragon. Along the way Gordon to throw all sorts of witches, ogres, helpful little people, and the like at our band of heroes. I am sorry I missed it when "The Magic Sword" played on "Mystery Science Theater 3000" because this film is a natural for that venue. Still, this cheesy film can be enjoyed as such without the silhouetted talking heads.

Brings back memories
I am so glad I found this video. I've been trying to find out the title to this movie for a long time and when I found out that they still sell the video, I jumped on it right away.

I first saw this movie when I was a kid. I've always remembered the knights that came back to life to help the hero and I always found that fascinating. It's a kid's film and if your kid isn't too spoiled by the high-tech special effects of today, then I think they will like this movie.

THE MAGIC SWORD
I enjoyed this moviw trwemendously when I was a child. The fantasy of the movie at the time was very exciting. The idea that a night could have magic used to help him find himself, was a good pretense for a movie. I still remember this movie today as if I'd just finished watching it. ... Read more

Description

(1966-USA) COLOR. With JOHN SAXON, BASIL RATHBONE, JUDI MEREDITH, DENNIS HOPPER. A talented cast sparkles in this unique and riveting combination science fiction-horror epic. Indeed, after watching it, you may never ever want to stare into the eyes of a beautiful woman again! The year is 1990. Mankind has long ago explored and conquered the moon. The primary question about outer space remains unanswered: Does life in any form exist on other planets? To find out, plans are under way to send spaceships to explore the planets Mars and Venus. The institute has received some special signals relaying a message that a spaceship from a faraway galaxy has been dispatched toward our planet. Meanwhile, an "unknown object" crosses the moon and is headed toward our planet. It reportedly is not the spaceship in question. Various events quickly follow, highlighted by the blast-off into space of a rocket headed to Mars. What is found there is utterly shocking: a gorgeous "queen!bee" vampiress who, in order to survive, must feed off the blood of earthlings! The special effects are imaginatively devised and frequently eye-popping, and it is fascinating to note the manner in which the filmmakers perceive everything from space flight to international relations in the "future" year of 1990! It also is great fun to see young Dennis Hopper in his role as Paul, a space pioneer who is one of the astronauts on board the flight to Mars. This film was produced for only $50,000, using footage from a Russian film made seven years earlier and writing the script around it. Even more astonishing, this is the second Basil Rathbone film to use this same footage! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

She is green with envy
Fantastic cast (JOHN SAXON, BASIL RATHBONE, JUDI MEREDITH, and DENNIS HOPPER.) This formula program uses a standard threat that you have seen from the old 50's sci-fi and even pops up now and then today. Check out the 1990 technology such as a reel-to-reel tape recorder of which many of today's viewers have never seen. If you only had $50,000 to make a movie you would bring your home tape recorder also.

In the year 1990 a technically advanced society has crash-landed on Mars just prior to our plans to go there. We sped up the process to see if we could help the survivors. I will not go into details however at one point the female alien (Florence Marly) looks up and find the female astronaut owns three male food containers and she is green with envy. What great threat can this being pose to earth? Worse still she seems to have her eye on a young Dennis Hopper. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

fafel, farfel, pipick is yiddish
Wonderful movie. Other reviewers have already told the story so I won't repeat. But one of the great hysterically funny moments occurs at the Doge's ball with Bob in women's clothes, barely holding on to his stuffing...and dancing with a foreign gentleman who speaks an unknown language. Bob responds with "farfel, farfel, pipick." Farfel is a Yiddish word for a particular sidedish made of wheat barley and usually cooked with mushrooms. Pipick refers to a bellybutton, often to the bellybutton of a chicken (in itself a joke) which is eaten along with the rest of the roast chicken. Anyway, it's very funny.

"Farfel, farfel, pipick"
A Hope comedy classic, ranking right up there with "Ghost Breakers". Bob's performance as Pipo Poppolino, "a miserable tailor's miserable apprentice", is almost flawless, and the supporting cast (Vicent Price as Casanova, the great Basil Rathbone as Luccio, Joan Fountain as the Widow Bruni, Hugh Marlow as the brother of the bride, Arnold Moss as the evil Doge of Venice, and brief appearances by Lon Chaney, Jr., John Carradine and Raymond Burr), is excellent. Hope is at his bumbling, cowardly best as the commoner impersonating Casanova, until he finds the courage to overcome the Doge and turn the tables on the devious Luccio. The sword fight scene and the finale (with Hope in hilarious drag) are side-splitters.

Not Hope's best
Ok, the movie is [bad]... it's still better than "Harry Potter." Bob is rich, and he doesn't need your money... but if you want a light, swashbuckling adventure for kids or kids at heart, then enjoy.

Classic Bob Hope Comedy romp
In this Bob Hope comedy classic, he portrays a lowly tailors aprentice who gets a chance to impersonate the worlds greatest lover, Casanova. Hope plays Peepo, who toils away in his masters tailor shop and dreams of romance with the lovely grocery lady across the street played by Joan Fontaine. When the real Casanova skips town in order to escape his creditors, Peepo is pressed into service by Fontaine and the others to pretend to be the famous swordsman and lover when a Countess offers $10,000 ducets to test the fidelity of her future daughter in law. Peepo throws himself into the role and is soon entering Venice in grand style singing the song "Tic a Tic A tic a" and enthralling every woman within earshot, (including one who dives fully clothed into the canal to swim out to his gondola), everyone thinking that he is indeed the famous Casanova. However Peepo soon discovers the downside of being a notorious lover as several outraged husbands, brothers, and boyfreinds come looking for him swords in hand, looking to avenge the dishonor of their womenfolk. At first Peepo wants only to fullfill his part of the deal (Obtaining an embroidered peticoat in order to prove he "Seduced" the girl he was supposed to), and obtain his money, he soon is helping to save her from the plottings of the Doge who seeks to use both her and Casanova to touch off a war.
This movie is a classic costume comedy from the days when movies didn't need four letter words and potty humor to get a laugh. Hope is in top form as he capers about the screen from one narrow escape to another, all the time mugging for the camera. I highly reccomend it for all Hope fans.

Casanova's Big Night the Review
Casanova's Big Night was a hysterically funny movie. I have always enjoyed BoB Hope and Dorothy Lamore; but Joan Fontaine was a most worthy co-star in this comedy routine.In this movie BoB Hope plays a gentleman who really has nothing to offer in the royal presence he is in the midst of. I don't want to give away the entire story, but basically he has been asked to pretend he is the geat lover Casanova to woo the queen and save the country.It is a rare, in these times, to find a movie with comedy and cleanliness. I find myself constantly returning to the "fore fathers of comedy" to find something decent to laugh at. The is one of my first choices for family entertaiment. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Basil Rathbone comes to Transylvania to inherit his father's estate in this second sequel to Frankenstein. The townspeople are suspicious, but young Frankenstein has no interest in reviving his father's work--until he discovers the monster hidden away in the castle, inert but very much intact and watched over by Ygor (Bela Lugosi), a sinister, snaggle-toothed peasant with broken neck. Convinced to revive the creature and vindicate his father's name, he toils away in the lab not realizing that Ygor plans to use the monster to revenge himself on the jury that sentenced him to hang. Boris Karloff makes his final appearance as the Monster, now little more than a mute, lumbering robot under the hypnotic control of Ygor. Rathbone is a dignified, suave scientist and a marvelous match to Lugosi's mad Ygor, a richly malevolent performance that dominates the film. Lionel Atwill makes a marvelous addition to the Frankenstein gallery as the wooden-armed constable, a legacy of the monster's rampage 25 years before (Mel Brooks's loving lampoon Young Frankenstein, a veritable remake of this film, features the constable and his lumber limb in a major role). Universal abandoned horror films in 1936, but the success of this sequel single-handedly revived the genre. Though lacking the gothic splendor and macabre humor of James Whale's originals, Rowland V. Lee's handsome production remains an intelligent, well-made classic of the genre and Universal's last great horror film. Lugosi returns as Ygor in Ghost of Frankenstein. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (26)

A few volts below par
'Son of Frankenstein' is, in my opinion, the least successful of all the Frankenstein films in this series. It obviously had a great deal of money spent on it, judging by the austere and quite massive sets. It boasted a fine cast, too, including Karloff, Atwill, Rathbone and Lugosi's first involvement in the series as the classic henchman, Ygor. And, admittedly, it has a lot of atmosphere what with crashing rainstorms, gothic architecture and restless villagers. But it lacks something. The weird black humour of former director James Whale, possibly, and the dry, eccentric characters he used to create (Minnie the housekeeper or Dr. Praetorious from 'Bride...' for example). Possibly, the inclusion of the brattish 'Grandson' of Frankenstein, who adds nothing but an element of irritation to the picture. Somehow, it seems to drag in a way that none of the other films did, and the monster itself is treated with little respect: he has become a silent murderer in this film, with no sympathy or humanity, much as he would do in future stories, but at least they would have the novelty value of a different actor playing the part. Here, even Karloff's heart doesn't seem to be in it, and by no means a negligable film, this is definately not one of the best.

A feast for horror actors
SON OF FRANKENSTEIN doesn't quite approach the quality of BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, but it has style and histrionics to spare. Director Rowland V. Lee lacks James Whale's flair for macabre humor, but does a great job with pace and atmosphere. The cast is top notch, too.Karloff makes his final starring appearance as the Monster. While his performance is excellent, the Monster isn't nearly as sympathetic a character as he was in FRANKENSTEIN and BRIDE. Bela Lugosi was never better as the mad Ygor, proving beyond a doubt that he was capable of more than just endless variations of Dracula. Lionel Atwill also gives one of his best performances as the wooden armed police chief.

Enter the stereotypical Frankenstein monster
Son of Frankenstein has its charms, but it is less than a worthy successor to the first two Frankenstein films. What I see here is the beginning of the stereotypical monster; whatever humanity the unfortunate creature had left after Bride of Frankenstein (and even the great James Whale never gave him one tenth of the humanity his true creator, Mary Shelley, did), there's little to be found of it here. Sure, he has a couple of somewhat emotional scenes, but all such emotions are turned into hatred and manifested in a desire to kill and destroy.

I feel a touch of sadness when I watch Son of Frankenstein. Any film featuring both of the classic horror masters Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff should be brilliant, but here you have Lugosi playing a role I consider far beneath him, while Karloff ends up taking part in the one thing he wanted so passionately to avoid - namely, the conversion of the creature into nothing but an inhuman monster. This film does have a saving grace, however, in the form of Lionel Atwill, who steals the show time and again as Inspector Krogh. Basil Rathbone starts out quite swimmingly as Baron Wolf von Frankenstein, but this actually works against him in the long run because the mania that overtakes him in the second half of the film just doesn't ring true to me, especially when the man's sudden desire to justify his father's work takes precedence over the safety of his own wife and child. Then there is Lugosi's character Ygor, whose only accomplishment in life is having survived the gallows - and don't even get him started talking about his broken neck.

Let's get our ducks in a row here. Some twenty-five years have passed since the events chronicled in Bride of Frankenstein. Dr. Frankenstein himself apparently died just a few years later, but not before seeing a son of the house of Frankenstein brought into the world. That child, Baron Wolf von Frankenstein (Rathbone), has now returned to the family castle, with wife and little boy in tow. As you might expect, the villagers do not welcome the return of any Frankenstein and immediately start getting the rakes and farm implements sharpened in preparation for their inevitable storming of the castle. The old castle isn't exactly empty when young Dr. Frankenstein arrives, for Ygor (Lugosi) has made a place for himself there. The son of Frankenstein can hardly wait to see his father's old laboratory (suddenly, we are expected to believe that the big creation experiments all took place in a little round hut in the castle's backyard rather than in some dark, isolated, forbidding castle). Ygor shows him around the place (after attempting to kill him, of course), and lo and behold whom should we find in an underground crypt but the monster (Karloff) himself. He's not quite himself these days, but young Frankenstein immediately sets to work reviving the monster in an attempt to vindicate the family name. Unfortunately for Frankenstein, however, Ygor commands the monster to do his own bidding, although how this all came about is never really made clear. When a number of individuals are found murdered in the village, suspicion naturally falls on the house of Frankenstein. Enter Inspector Krogh (Atwill) and his ridiculous yet entertaining artificial arm; without this fascinating character, Son of Frankenstein would be a wholly forgettable movie.

With no lines and few chances to express any real emotion other than murderous fury, Karloff's monster is a shadow of its former self. Even the makeup job appears second-rate and less than imposing. Lugosi goes through the motions quite well as the deformed Ygor, but he brings no real passion to a role I am sure he could not have enjoyed playing. I found Ygor's character to be much more of a hindrance than a help to the effectiveness of the film (and I say this as a devoted fan of Bela Lugosi). Frankly, I'm really unsure what so many others see in this movie; it really didn't impress me in any way whatsoever. All it did was turn Frankenstein into a big dumb monster that would be forced to stumble and bumble its way through one film after another for decades to come. It's impossible to feel much sympathy for him in this context, and I eventually found myself hoping they would just kill the monster already and get the film over and done with.

No wonder why Karloff didn't want to do anymore.
This is the film that Boris Karloff retired his role as the Universal Frankenstein monster. As a sequal to the legendary Frankenstein (1931) and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Son of Frankenstein has much to live up to, and fails at all. The plot which is Ygor (Bela Lugosi) playing a flute, which is somehow controlling the monster (as if he were a snake in a basket) is lame. It takes nearly an hour before we even see the monster. The monster was a character in the first two Frankenstein films. Now he is basically a walking zombie and an accessory instead of a character. This film, is in no way, up to par with the first two Frankenstein films, it was forever, live in the shadows of Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein. The only reason I even gave this movie one star is because it had Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi in it. This film was just uninspired. James Whale directed the first two films and gave them something. I was literally bored out of my mind watching this film. Just stick with the first two.

3rd Time As Monster For Karloff
This movie is the last of the Karloff monster trilogy. While the movie is good, with plenty of atmosphere, the real star is Bela Lugosi and his portrayal of the monster's friend Igor. For once, Lugosi got to create a character besides Dracula that showed how good of an actor he was.

With Basil Rathbone, Lionel Atwill, Karloff and Lugosi, this film is a classic. Recommended! ... Read more

Description

The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes

Set in the Victorian Age and regarded by many as the finest of the fourteen films in the Sherlock Holmes/Basil Rathbone series, ‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ was originally released in 1939 by Twentieth Century-Fox.

Professor Moriarty (George Zucco) has at long last been brought to trial for murder, but the ‘Napoleon of Crime’ is acquitted after the court finds a lack of sufficient evidence. Moriarty wastes no time in plotting his next crime, but in order to be successful he must divert the attention of the Great Detective.

Intimidating, anonymous letters sent to young socialite Ann Brandon (Ida Lupino) ; the murder of Miss Brandon’s brother; and threats to the security of a priceless gem consume the attention of Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and his companion Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce).

Are these mysterious occurrences simply erroneous distractions? Are they clues to a case irrelevant to the exploits of the evil Professor Moriarty? Or, are these portents of disaster inexorably linked to the master criminal’s plan to commit a crime that will shake the very foundation of the British Empire? It is for Holmes and Watson to sort out these mysteries and, hopefully, eliminate the menace of Professor Moriarty. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Great transfer for good film
Most people either love or hate the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes adventures. Critics always point out that the films bear little resemblance to Doyle's original stories, and this is true of the 12 "modernized" movies that Universal made between 1942-46. But the two 20th Century Fox movies (this one and Hound of the Baskervilles) are different. They were quality productions set during the Victorian era and, even when they altered characters or plots, remained true to the flavor of Doyle's creations. Best of all, Bruce's Watson was not the buffoon that he later became in the Universal pictures.

In my opinion, however, most objections are now irrelevant, thanks to the excellent and faithful adaptations that Britain's Granada television made with Jeremy Brett as Holmes. We can finally approach the Rathbone-Bruce films as typical Hollywood literary adaptations of their era, and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is grand entertainment. The atmospheric photography, the eye for period detail, and the charming performances are things that film lovers should not deprive themselves of simply because of the film's lack of faithfulness to Doyle's stories. (Critics should keep in mind that Doyle licensed out his characters to other writers -- and even incorporated their inventions into his own stories!) I won't give away the plot, but suffice it to say that Adventures is one of the best of the Rathbone-Bruce series. (I also like Fox's Hound and Universal's Scarlet Claw.)

MPI has really surprised me with the quality of this transfer. Up until now, they've specialized in documentaries and TV shows, so their work here is very promising. (They own distribution rights to Beckett, and I'd love to see them transfer that to DVD.) The UCLA restoration is great, though please note that a 65-year-old film that's been in the public domain for years is going to show signs of age. The transfer is uniformly good, with the foggy streets of London coming alive. I haven't experienced the pausing problem that other reviewers mentioned.

The extras are very good, the main one being Valley's commentary. He sounds a little stiff at times, but his information is interesting and he genuinely seems to love the film. It's well worth checking out. The picture gallery is less spectacular, since it's filmed and doesn't allow you to browse at will. The re-release trailers for some of the later Universal movies are fun; it's just a shame that they couldn't include the original trailer for Adventures. Maybe it doesn't exist any more....

Verdict: Highly recommended as an introduction to the Rathbone-Bruce series, especially if you can grab this one on sale.

Basil Rathbone returns as the Great Detective
Released in September 1939, "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" is 20th Century Fox's near perfect follow-up to "The Hound of the Baskervilles" from the same triumphant year. Though the credits acknowledge William Gillette's famous play as the source, the story pitting Holmes and Dr. Watson against arch-fiend Professor Moriarty is wholly original.

What makes the film so memorable, aside from its successful recreation of the gaslight ambiance of London's Victorian Era, is the perfection of Basil Rathbone in his second go-round as the Great Detective. Rathbone even performs a song and dance (in disguise) in this adventure, and gets to keep company (platonically, of course) with the beautiful Ida Lupino.

Mary Gordon is on hand as Mrs. Hudson, a role she would reprise in all 12 of the Universal films to come, and Nigel Bruce, though not true to Conan Doyle's vision, is a delightful Dr. Watson. And few actors were better equipped to play Moriatry than the devilish George Zucco who would match wits with Holmes again (though not as the diabolical professor) in Universal's "Sherlock Holmes in Washington."

If "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" is not quite as impressive as the preceding "Hound," it is faster paced and generally more entertaining. A good show all-around.

Brian W. Fairbanks

a classic
As a child, my winter Saturday afternoons would not be complete without an old black-and-white murder mystery on TV. Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan, what a treasure trove to have them all coming back out on DVD, as clear as they were when the original audiences fell in love with them in the 30's and 40's. Bruce's Watson is overplayed for today's sophisticated audience, but like the memory of a loveable grandfather I find myself enjoying him all over again. Those too young to know, who are used to explosions and gore, find it difficult perhaps to understand this 'kinder, gentler' era of detective story. And Hollywood did take a lot of latitude with this series, especially when they 'updated' Holmes to the 40's. So this one (and Hound) - which remains in the original Victorian era - remains the best of them: a damsel in distress, a 'creepy' funeral dirge, a family curse, the jewels in the tower of London, Moriarity and his orchids, and Rathbone singing and dancing a music hall number. What more do you want for fifteen dollars?

For fans of Holmes, a must see
Who wouldn't want to share the adventures of Mr. Sherlock Holmes? To live in fog-bound, gas-lit, Victorian London? To hear footsteps coming up the 17 stairs to knock at the door of the world's greatest consulting detective? To ride in a hansom cab to a mystery? This movie, the first of the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce pairing captures all of that. Escapism at its finest.

I Couldn't give it Half a star, so I gave it 1
I would have only given this movie half a star if I could, and that is because I can use the DVD case for my other CDs.
The movie is so irritatingly silly, that I couldn't bring myself to see it again.
Now, I should tell you that, I am a Sherlock Holmes fan and have read all of the stories and have all of the box collections by Jeremy Brett, and that is why when I chanced upon this one I didn't hesitate to buy it.
What a mistake I made.
The movie does its best to portray a man that is as far as possible from Sherlock Holmes, and yet they call him Sherlock Holmes!
From the very first moment that you meat "Holmes" when he is "trying to find the correct note with his violin that would irritate the flies", which is simply against the very simple fact that "Sherlock Holmes never knows anything or does anything, which is not directly connected with his line of work", to the moment that he fails at every step to clearly see the thing that is really going on (this by the way could be related to the incredibly dull plot of the story, but it does little to improve the character of the great detective), we see a figure which is anyone but Sherlock Holmes.
The above description would suffice to realize how Watson may be presented. Yes the local buffoon.
All this is simply against every intellectually interesting point that attracts the reader to Sherlock Holmes.
And at the end, to magnify that which is already a disaster, the plot of the story takes away the only possible surprising feature of the story, (which is one of the intriguing aspects of Doyle's genius in creating each of Holmes' stories), when they reveal to us plainly, what the one, Professor Moriarty, is planning to do, in his own words.

In sum, I wonder if this movie even deserves the half star that I had considered for it, because not only the movie was a complete disaster, it inflicted upon a unique figure in the history of literature such a stain that takes away the shine of even that half star. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Sheer class from Basil Rathbone
Movies are movies .Books are books .So we should not be too suprised when film makers make changes to novels during the process of tranferring them to the screen .Thus it is that all the movie versions of the Bulwer-Lytton minor classic have concentrated on the relatively unimportant gladiatorial sub plot ,bringing it centre stage .
This is so here in this mid thirties version which really only utilises the book's title and its climax ,the destruction by volcanic activity of the titular city.Its centre is an invented tale ,wholly divorced from the novel, of Marcus ,a blacksmith whose obsession with power and wealth leads him to a state of spiritual poverty.Even when ,while on a visit to Judea.his stricken son is healed by Christ ,Marcus is not sufficiently moved to come to the aid of Christ in his hour of crucifixion .It is not till his city is engulfed by lava that he finds his spiritual awakening.
Preston Foster is adequate as Marcus but a towering performance by Basil Rathbone as Pilate dominates the movie.We see him as a clever ,arrogant but essentially decent man tortured by his capitulation over the crucifixion and the realisation that what he did ,or did not do ,may damn his name throughout time.

The destruction of the city is capably done but is not Willis O'Briens best work by a long chalk .
The mixture of decadence and piety is very reminiscent of the Biblical epics of de Mille .
De Mille did this type of thing with more flair but this will do if you like vintage historical drama

I love this movie. . .
This is one of my all time favorite classics! Basil Rathbone plays Pontious Pilate, a man plagued by questions and doubts with his decision to crucify Christ and whether or not Christ was worthy of crucifiction. This movie deals with what really is important in life and it does it tastefully. Preston Foster is the man who has lost everything, including his family; gains wealth as a fighting gladiator, then comes to the conclusion in the end about what is really valuable. I can watch this film over and over again without getting tired of it. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Seductive Spy Thriller!!
In this 1941 film,Illona Massey stars as a breathtakingly beautiful musician and just about every man in the audience has an eye on her especially a duo of American and British Agents who knows that she's actually a Nazi Spy and start chasing her through the cities of New York and London.This movie is an excellent,seductive spy thriller!! ... Read more

Description

CBS-TV. "Pontius Pilate," with GERALDINE FITZGERALD, CYRIL RITCHARD, FRANCIS L. SULLIVAN. 59 minutes. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

GREAT MOVIE!
When I saw Madhouse I thought is was great!I mean that Elizibeth Peters girl was HOT!I got the hole body count:

Ellen-Decapitated with knife
Elizibeth Peters-Pitchfork in the neck
Party Girl-Strangled and hung
Director-Crushed by top of bed
Elizibeths Aunt and Uncle-Both impaled with a sword
Julia-Knife in the neck
Killer-Stabbed to death

Doctor Death Slays His Nay-Sayers
Paul Toombs (Vincent Price) is an actor who was famous for creating an ongoing dastardly movie character called "Dr. Death" - sort of the "Hannibal Lecter" of his day - and on the eve of his wedding to an ambitious starlet, she turned up decapitated after an argument with him. Toombs doesn't remember anything about it, except discovering the body. There was no evidence against him, so he was released - but his career was ruined.

Now, more than a decade later, producer Robert Quarry wants to star Toombs in a Dr. Death T.V. series in England. The press hounds him, a new generation of starlets wants to social climb with him, strangers try to frame him for statutory rape to blackmail him. The poor man just can't get any peace.

That is, until "Dr. Death" shows up, and the body count rises...

This is not a bad little mid-'70s horror flick, from Amicus studios. It has nice atmosphere and a good cast, including Peter Cushing as Price's best friend and writer/creator of the Dr. Death character. It's colorful and creepy, and a bit gorier than most films of the period.

It's essentially a psychological horror story/murder mystery, and for the most part it works. It suffers from only two problems: abrupt and not entirely believable character transitions, and a bizarrely surrealistic ending. But the makeups and murders are distinctly grisly and effective, especially Price's entire Dr. Death getup. And there are some really nice sequences counterpointing Price's actual past horror films with the murder and mayhem occurring to characters in the story.

Odd, but nicely done, and well worth a look. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Perfect viewing on a dark, stormy night
"The House of Fear" is a hugely enjoyable Sherlock Holmes film, perhaps the last truly satisying entry in the 12 film Universal series (of which this is number 8, not counting the two unrelated films made by 20th Century Fox).

This is a good old fashioned haunted house mystery, the perfect companion for a dark, stormy night. There's nothing supernatural going on, only the all too mundane matter of murder, motivated by greed. There's nothing mundane about the way Holmes and Watson go about solving it though, and director Roy William Neill guides them with his usual brilliance, magically creating an ambiance of suspicion, fear, and mystery in gorgeous black-and-white. The plot resembles Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None," the first film version of which was in production when "The House of Fear" was in release, (and the Holmes entry was probably an attempt to steal that film's thunder) but this film is actually superior. After all, it has Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. How can you beat that?

One of the Series BEST!
This selection is one of the Best of the 14 Rathbone and Bruce made. I've seen it countless times and I enjoy it every time. Wonderful feel to the film that will never be duplicated!!!!!
I am writing this pre-review to express my Great Expectations and excitement over the upcoming DVD release of the 14 Sherlock Holmes movies made by Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.
For those of us who have loved and worn out our VHS versions of these films, I am sure that I speak for many of us in expressing incredible anticipation and near shock that someone has finally recognized the need to release a "restored version" of these timeless classics.
We are told that they have been "Preserved and restored in 35mm by the UCLA Film and Television Archive." This is marvelous and I have already pre-ordered Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 from MPI Home Video.
I so hope that the entire 14 movies, are ultimately released in restored condition. Especially the rarest of them, "The Scarlet Claw" which has rarely been shown on televison and only been available on VHS sporadically.
To me and many others I know, Basil Rathbone is the definative Holmes. Not just because he looks alarmingly similar -as much as is humanly possible- to Sidney Pagets drawings of Holmes from the Strand Magazine illustrations, but mostly we love Rathbone because he portrayed the same Holmes that we as readers get through the buffer of Dr. Watson explaining away not magnifying Holmes' shortcomings.
Jeremy Brett chose to amplify every negative aspect of Holmes' personality that in the written versions Watson explained away. Rathbone's Holmes has been demeaned visciously over the past years and hopefully the respect and dignity that he gave his portrayals will be seen in all their accuracy and glory with these new digitally restored releases. ... these will have to be the best quality versions of these classics ever released...so for all of us who have cursed the incomprehensibly awful releases of these films over the years...our time has almost come. Show your support for this effort by ordering a restored version of American Film Histroy.
Much Thanks to UCLA, MPI, and Whoever was ultimately responsible for the idea of doing this!!!!

Orange Pips Prove Fatal In This Entertaining Sherlock Tale
1945's "The House Of Fear" is the 10th (of 14) Sherlock Holmes mysteries starring the inimitable duo of Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. John H. Watson.

This old-dark-house adventure features Holmes & Watson investigating the mysterious deaths of several members of "The Good Comrades Club".

Despite some obvious plot holes (such as the unusually high number of old geezers who would have to be dropping dead right and left in this small hamlet town in order for enough corpses to be available for the perpetrators' use) this is one of my favorite Rathbone Sherlock entries. But, to be completely fair to the plotters of this story's crime, perhaps (unlike Watson's interpretation of the events) these body snatchers were going out of town to dig up a few.

Another fun Holmes outing. Recommended highly, along with all of the other 13 Basil/Nigel teamings. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Great Spy Flick!!!
I really enjoyed this movie. It went at just the right pace and was very suspenceful. It really does deserve 5 stars. Both Fred and Joan do a super job and work well together. It suprized me it was so good!!!! I highly recommend it!!!

Joan Crawford Versus the Third Reich
"Above Suspicion", was a timely film in some respects coming out as it did in 1943 with America now fully involved in the war overseas. And despite her unhappiness with the direction her career was taking in the early 1940's it was another example of Joan Crawford adjusting herself to the changing tastes of movie goers as this film and her previous effort "Reunion in France", have war focused themes. Critics have complained about the improbable plot and the fact that the story makes it obvious that the Nazi's are the real bad guys, well in real life the Nazi's were the bad guys and while it does have a story that is highly improbable it is still very enjoyable and indeed gripping at times.

Joan Crawford was teamed with Fred MacMurray for the only time in "Above Suspicion", and they make a surprisingly compatiable team as Frances and Richard Myles, two newlywed Americans who are about to depart on their honeymoon when they are approached by a mysterious representative of the British Secret Service to undertake a secret mission within Nazi Germany for the precise reason that as two innocent tourists they are "above suspicion". Their task is to secure through a series of contacts the valuable plans to a new secret weapon of the Nazi's, a magnetic mine. Their travels take them from Paris all the way to Salzburg where they find themselves in more danger than they anticipated when they excepted the assignment. In Austria they run across sinister aristocrat Count Sig von Aschenhausen (Basil Rathbone in another fine performance) who although an old Oxford collegue of Richard's, now has a new strange quality to him and arouses their suspicions by trailing them and watching their every move. With the help of Austrian agent Count Hassert Seidel (Conrad Veidt) the couple make contact with a Doctor Mespelbrunn (Reginald Owen) where they obtain the information they require and then attempt to flee over the border seperately in disguise. Frances is unfortunately captured by the Nazi's and tortured in a remote Castle where Richard and a group of British Agents manage with great difficulty to rescue her and safely cross the border into Switzerland.

Dismissed as a wartime propaganda movie I feel it gave home audiences a feel of what was happening in Europe at the time. Certainly the idea of conscripting civilians for such dangerous missions as this is an absurd one but in the light of the terrors of war the film does convey a message of what was actually going on in Europe with the Nazi's taking control. Joan Crawford delivers a very believable performance under the circumstances, of a young bride who is caught up in the adventure of "being spies" to use her characters words. The rapport between her and MacMurray is very amiable and believable and they handle the numerous twists and turns in the convoluted story very well. Ably assisted by acting veterans Basil Rathbone, Conrad Veidt and Reginald Owen the actors all make something very gripping and enjoyable out of at first glance quite unpromising material.The film adapts a brisk pace and the story never flags for a minute. Backed up by an expensive MGM production the general Germanic feel of the story is well captured and the films other production qualities are well done. One can feel they are actually in parts of Austria on the eve of World War Two.

"Above Suspicion", marked Joan Crawford's farewell to MGM where she had been a star since the late 1920's. She moved on the next year to a long stay at Warner Brothers where among many fine films she scored an Oscar for her work in "Mildred Pierce". While this film is certainly not in the same league it is nevertheless a story filled with exciting story developments, action and suspense,and also a timely message about what was happening in Europe in the period before the start of the war. Take a look at Joan's farewell performance on the MGM lot, while not her best it still stands the test of time and makes "Above Suspicion", an enjoyable way to spend an hour and a half.

JOAN TAKES ON THE NAZIS...
This is a lively, moderately entertaining film with a somewhat implausible plot. Newlyweds, Richard Myles (Fred MacMurray) and Frances (Joan Crawford), are asked by British intelligence to do a little espionage work, while they are on their honeymoon in 1939 Germany. Richard, who is a professor at Oxford University, and his wife agree to do so without a qualm.

While in Germany, they follow a series of puzzling clues having to do with music and a red rose. There are many sinister Nazis, however, hot on the trail of the newlyweds, as they bumble about Germany. Through a series of twists and turns they come across an old school chum of Richard, a haughty aristocrat (Basil Rathbone), who turns out to be a lot more than they bargained for. With the aid of a mysterious Austrian agent (Conrad Veidt), Richard and Frances manage to complete their mission, but not before Frances has a hair raising run-in with the Gestapo. The Nazis, however, are no match for Frances.

This 1943 film is definitely a war propaganda movie. There is no doubt that the Nazis are the bad guys. Expect a lot of adventure and witty, highly stylized repartee between the newlyweds. Good performances are given by the entire cast. Although the plot is implausible, the film is still entertaining.

Fans of Joan Crawford will definitely enjoy this film.

Joan & Fred Take on the Nazi's!!
This is an entertaining if somewhat unbelievable movie. Joan Crawford is unusually restrained. The pairing of Joan Crawford and Fred MacMurray somehow works, even though I believe in real life Joan would have eaten him alive. The premise of 2 Americans honeymooning in Europe being recruited to fight the Nazi's is absurd, but the predicaments that the pair gets into hold ones interest. Basil Rathbone (whom I love as Sherlock Holmes) is appropriately sinister as the Nazi chasing the couple. Poor Joan is tortured and Fred has to disguise himself as an old man before the couple escapes the Nazi brutes and live happily ever after. This is at least better than her other World War II propaganda film "Reunion in France"

Even The Nazis Can't Take Down Crawford!
If you're expecting to see Joan Crawford battling the Nazis with her shoulder pads, you might be in for a surprise here. Crawford is quite subdued as a newlywed on her honeymoon with Oxford prof husband Fred MacMurray. They have been recruited by the British Foreign Office to locate a missing man in pre-war Germany. Through a series of (unbelievable) secret messages and rendezvous, they move from one episode to another, since as an American honeymooning couple, they are "above suspicion", or are they? Along the way the get mixed up with Conrad Veidt and a sinister Basil Rathbone, both offering their usual quality performances in underwritten parts. The story is completely unrealistic, the dialogue is not much to shout about, and the direction a bit sluggish. Yet the film is entertaining, since MacMurray and Crawford in their ordinary-people-thrust-into-extraordinary-cirucumstances characters are appealing, if a little bland, and it would be great if something like this really could happen. I guess it's one of those films where you can turn your brain off and just have fun with the harmless story. At ninety minutes long, it's easy to take. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

That's Errol Flynn looking dashing in the trees of Sherwood Forest in this 1938 swashbuckler about the hero who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. As far as the movies are concerned, Flynn is the definitive Robin Hood, and this Warner Bros.film directed by Michael Curtiz(Casablanca) and William Keighley (Each Dawn I Die) is a pulse-quickener with a perfect actor for every role: Olivia de Havilland as a beautiful Maid Marian, Claude Rains as an evil prince, Basil Rathbone as a snotty Guy of Gisbourne. A colorful, rich film that brings all the familiar, key scenes to life.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (140)

The BEST action/adventure film ever made.
Errol Flynn at his best...swashbuckling at its best...action and adventure galore. This film is simply the best of the genre. The casting is perfect, from Flynn in the best role of his career, to Herbert Mundin as Much the Miller's son. The 3-strip color photography remains as vibrant today as when it was released 61 years ago. The dialogue between Flynn and Oliva de Havilland, between Flynn and Basil Rathbone, between Flynn and Claude Rains, is always lively, always fun. And Miss de Havilland's costumes are absolutely gorgeous, as is she.

The film moves, never stops, and you are never bored. If you watch this movie alongside Kevin Costner's ill-advised Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, you realize why one should never try to improve on perfection.

As the New York Times said in its original review in 1938, this film entertains everyone from 8 to 80. No argument here!

The Greatest Robin Hood ,Flynn now a fantastic WB DVD set!
Warner Brothers (WB) Studios has begun meticulously digitally restoring its action classics of the 1930's & 40's under the "Two Disc Special Edition" Series. This 1938 TECHNICOLOR (awesome) film "The Adventures of Robin Hood" starring Errol Flynn, Olivia deHavilland, Basil Rathbone & Claude Rains is still the best rendition of this fictionalized English tale.

Warner Brothers has given us with this 2 Disc set the complete movie theatre experience circa 1938. DISC 1 - First we get a complete "Night at the Movies" program. Introduction by film critic Leonard Maltin explaining for your 10 cent investment what you got in a 1938 movie house. Next the entire continous show with; coming attraction, news reel, Bugs Bunny Cartoon, short subject feature and then the main feature, "The Adventures of Robin Hood". This is a totally ingenius idea!!! Also on Disc 1 - you have 12 Errol Flynn movie trailers and finally an indepth feature commentary by film historian Rudy Belhmer.

Disc 2 - Includes 3 hours of everything about Robin Hood, the movie, the stars, documentaries, cartoons, and a most informative documentary about TECHNICOLOR and why even today it still was the best color process ever.

I love this fun filled DVD set. My hat is off to Warner Brothers for their dedication to the golden age of Hollywood and bring back the grandest of movies for us to see again & again better than their original release. Enjoy.

great movie ....second DVD is amaaazing!
This is more a review of the package than the movie , which is a classic and extremely well presented on disc one....vivid colors , crisp images....not a complaint there....and the bonus features are very good....a comprehensive set of Errol Flynn movie trailers...WB night at the movies....(an exhausting Rudy Belmer commentary track that will have you gasping for air).
the SECOND disc is just ridiculous in its amount of archival coverage..
a wonderful documentary on the movie
a great feature on the history of Technicolor....
two very fun looney tunes cartoons with a Robin Hood theme...
outtakes from the movie!
home movies shot during filming!
a long lost Errol Flynn movie about yachting..
and a positively thrilling short film about archer Howard Hill...
and more.
HOURS of fun and informative viewing on disc two alone!
Warners should be congratulated for such a comprehensive set ....buy this and encourage them to keep this type of content coming!!!

Errol Flynn: Truly The Sheerwood Forest outlaw
One of the Greatest action/adventure films of the 20th century. The epic swashbuckling adventure of one of history's greatest heroes.the dashing Errol Flynn as Robin Hood or as they also call him "Sir Robin of Locksley" was perfect. He was what a swashbuckler should be and probably the greatest of all swashbucklers. Basil Rathbone and Claude Rains were brilliant as Robin's foes, Sir Guy and Prince John. Oliva DeHavilland was glamorous as the love of Robin Hood, Maid Marian. My Favorite scene was Robin and Sir Guy's sword fight during King Richard's return. Flynn and Rathbone two of cinema's sword fighting experts. I love the sound of sword clangling. If your looking for a classic film or a swashbuckler film, this is a great one. Because this a film that created Pirates of the Carribean, "Long Live King Richard."

The Kids Loved It!
This was one that our boys (ages 7 and 10) watched with their grandfather, who caught it in the theatres when it first came out. It's hard to say who enjoyed it more! A fun, spirited and utterly charming film, this one has aged beautifully. Everyone loved the bonus features, too. The DVD transfer is exceptional. Add some popcorn, and you've got a wonderful mulitgenerational hit that will enchant the whole family. ... Read more

Description

Pursuit To Algiers (1945) begins as Holmes and Watson learn that the King of Ravenia has been assassinated and his son Nikolas is now a marked man.The great detective and his comrade are pressed into service to protect the life of the soon-to-be crowned monarch. The detective and the good doctor take to the sea in order to safeguard the young heir on his journey from London back to his homeland and throne. The soon-to-be king poses as Dr. Watson’s nephew while a number of the SS Friesland's passengers appear eccentric, suspicious and downright sinister.The ship makes an unexpected stop in Lisbon and Holmes is presented with yet three more mysterious passengers. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Collectors Item
This film is really great, for as much as any other reason...the spooky noir-ish atmosphere that permeates every frame.
The story works pretty well although it does not have quite the energy of some of the earlier Bruce/Rathbone collaborations.
The description on the Box of the plot sort of makes it a collector's item.
As with a certain metered degree of the captioning done on these films, the plot description is terribly inaccurate.
Just for the record the King of a Ravenia has been assassinated and his son Nikolas is now a potential target of assassination.
Holmes fools the on-board assassins by having the Future King pose as a Ship Steward.
It is Dr. Watson's Nephew who poses as the Future King.
Nikolas, the Future King never poses as Dr. Watson's Nephew as the box description says.
This glaring inaccuracy is no big deal other than it sort of makes it even more collectable.
I am thinking of compiling a complete list of all the captioning mistakes and omissions and Box Sleeve inaccuracies.
Frustrating only in that it is pure slackness on the part of MPI.
The quality (long believed lost forever) of the films is the over riding redeeming feature overall though.
It is important to remember... that Rathbone and Bruce were a lot like Lennon and McCartney....even when they were not at their absolute best together...they were still 100 times better than anyone else.

The 10th film in Universal's Sherlock Holmes series
"Pursuit to Algiers," the tenth film in Universal's Sherlock Holmes series, is fairly routine overall, but it does have a novel twist in that it sends the Great Detective and Dr. Watson off to sea.

In some ways, its plot is similar to the next film, "Terror by Night," in that Holmes is once again renting out his services as a bodyguard of sorts, this time protecting the son of the assassinated King of Ravenia as he sails home to claim his throne. The future monarch is disguised as Watson's nephew! Aside from Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, what gives this entry its kick are the other passengers, the most eccentric and suspicious bunch ever booked onto a voyage.

Coming at the tail-end of a series whose finest moments were now behind it, "Pursuit to Algiers" is far from the best, but possessing enough suspense and atmosphere to recommend it.

Brian W. Fairbanks

pretty good
This is one of twelve movies of Rathbone as Holmes put out during the war and shortly thereafter by Universal. All twelve stories are newly written and not contained in the originally published series. Holmes is played in the traditional was as a talented person who is always willing to help others while interjecting some humor in the process. This Holmes is very humble and does not suffer from the mental illness of egomania. This is in stark contrast to the Brett version where Holmes displayed arrogance and airs of secret knowledge which is almost exclusively done in real life by people who are marginal performers.

This particular story plot is somewhat less imaginative and realistic compared to the other eleven, but it is still entertaining to watch.

The digital remastering makes the quality like a recently made movie without any visual or audio flaws. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Jeepers !!!!
I can't say anything bad about a movie with Merle Haggard, Joi Lansing, Lon Chaney,Basil Rathborne, JohnCarradine, and Molly Bee. So what if has little or no plot and some bad corny country humor and a man in a goriila suit......I'd sooner watch this than most of latest so-called country music crap

Yahoo
Mix horror-greats Lon Chaney Jr. and John Carradine with the lovely Lansing and some good country music and you have a fun movie. Thanks to miserably poor acting by Ferlin Huskey's sidekick (Huskey is no actor either), a man in a gorilla suit and continuity errors worse than "Plan Nine from Outer Space" and the unintentional humor makes this much more fun. Watch midnight turn instantly to noon and back again. The slender and loopy haunted house/spy plot is all part of the fun. Buy this one for repeat viewings.

I'd rather eat green road apples in July than see this again
Hey ya'll. Yessa yessa, this film is scraping the bottom of the cider barrel. Although the voluptious 'Boots Malone' and the Oriental chick with the constant pearl necklace give some great eye candy, this film takes a nose dive shortly after the opening credits. I like the car though, it seems to have been made with over 30 handguns and rifles.

Not much to say here some country singers playing honest to goodness country entertainers wind up staying the night in a house that everyone in town believes is haunted. It's not, it's run by spies or something masterminded by the hot Asian chick, who also has Lou Chaney Jr. (aka The Wolf Man) as a henchman. There is also the skinny, corpse like dude who floats around the movie like a ghastly fart.

The directing is imaginative with the dream sequences. This movie also pulls in country acts by showing them on the television. Yeah right, way to break up a non-existant plot. Even if you like old time country Hee Haw music, this movie is a stretch.

Merle Haggard vs. John Carradine!
"Hillbillies in a Haunted House" is a sequel to "Las Vegas Hillbillies" and is one of the most entertaining Country and Western monster musicals ever made. Ferlin Husky, Don Bowman, and Joi Lansing are an act on their way to the Nashville Jamboree who decide to spend the night in a haunted house, where they meet up with, among others, Linda Ho, Basil Rathbone, Lon Chaney, a Gorilla, and best of all, the always cheery John Carradine. Along the way there are many country songs (including one truly dreadful number by Joi all about the history of gowns...) some of which are good, and some of which aren't. I loved "The Cat Came Back", and was amused by the extremely youthful Merle Haggard cameos.

There is a conspiracy involving an agency named M.O.T.H.E.R. and a villain named Dr. Fu. There is a guy in a gorilla suit (George Barrows, perhaps?) Best of all is the television broadcast that Jeepers watches to help him go to sleep in which the hilariously scowling faces of the villains haunt poor Jeepers while a bad C&W song is being performed. Needless to say, John Carradine wins the contest for chewing the scenery. His scowls and eyebrow twitches never fail to make me laugh. There are silly subplots about spies and the like, and homage is paid to Ed Wood in the 'timeless' day/night location shots (and continuity gaffes of positively Woodsian proportions.)

Finally arriving in Nashville, the last fifteen or so minutes of the film are good old C&W stage acts like Merle Haggard, Sonny James, Molly Bee, and Marcella Wright.

If you like Country music, particularly the vintage stuff, or you just like goofy, nonsensical movies that make you laugh, though sometimes you aren't sure why, this film is for you.

A JOI TO BEHOLD!!
If you don't have a serious bone in your body, you'll love this 'so-bad-it's-good' movie. It's a follow-up to LAS VEGAS HILLBILLYS with some of the original characters. Ferlin Husky is 'Woody Wetherbee' again...but this time around, the beautiful Joi Lansing takes on Mamie Van Doren's role of 'Boots Malone.' This is an update of one of those Bela Lugosi/East Side Kids/Ghosts-On-The-Loose-type old dark house movies but with country music and film making from the school of Ed Wood Jr. There are the Ed Wood 'confusion between day and night' shots, boom mike shadows, a graveyard at the back of the house resembling the one in "Plan 9" as Richard Webb (TVs Captain Midnight) hides behind a very skinny branch to see Lon Chaney Jr emerge from the crypt. We have a gorilla on the loose and Oriental spies/villains with names like Madam Wong and Dr. Fu. Great dialog, too. Example- Madam Wong (after seeing a kidnapped, bound and gagged Joi Lansing in the cellar)to John Carradine:"YOU IDIOT!" John Carradine:"THE GORILLA DID IT!" The last 15 minutes of the movie consist of great country music acts from the mid 60s. Merle Haggard does the classic "Swingin' Doors" and Molly Bee (looking a bit like a young Connie Stevens in a sequined cowboy hat) does "Heartbreak U.S.A." Sonny James appears earlier for a couple of numbers and the delectable Joi sings her heart out with "Full-Time Lover." (Joi can also be found as an extra feature on Something Weirds 'Horrors Of Spider Island' DVD. It's a Scopitone juke box film short called "Web Of Love" and is worth the price of the disc alone). Buy this DVD now and put it on your shelf next to "ROAD TO NASHVILLE" and "LAS VEGAS HILLBILLIES." Good fun at a good price! Thanks Amazon. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A highlight in Holmes' film career
In some quarters, "The Pearl of Death" is considered the best of Universal's 12 Sherlock Holmes films if only because, unlike most of the others, it is generally faithful to one of Arthur Conan Doyle's stories, in this case "The Adventure of the Six Napoleons." But the fact is that it's not as effective as "The Scarlet Claw" which directly preceded it, nor is it as entertaining as several other entries in the series ("Spider Woman," "House of Fear"). Nonetheless, it remains a highlight in the legendary sleuth's film career.

Director Roy William Neill once again turns out the lights and heightens the gloom with his customary dark shadows giving the film beautiful atmosphere, and Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce are as reliable as ever. Cranking out an average of three Holmes films a year, you could expect them to have grown weary of their roles but neither ever showed the slightest hint of fatigue.

As for the villains, Rondo Hatton steals the show as The Creeper, but he almost inspires more sympathy than dread. Voted the most handsome boy in his high-school class and immensely popular due to his good looks and athletic abilities, Hatton was exposed to poison gas in World War I and left horribly deformed, a condition that Hollywood's ever so sensitive "dream factory" was happy to exploit. After small roles in "The Ox Bow Incident" and "In Old Chicago," he became a star through his encounter with Sherlock Holmes and was publicized by Universal as the "Monster Without Makeup." Whoever came up with that tag may have been more deserving of being called "The Creeper" than Hatton, but...oh well, enjoy the movie. It's a good one.

Ankers, Rathbone Rock!
It's great fun to watch the Queen of Screams--Universal's Evelyn Ankers--finally able to do some acting. In Pearl, she portrays one of her rare villianess' (you should see her strut her stuff as Illona in the camp classic "Weird woman". As Naomi, she portrays a cockney dishwasher, a bookish clerk of antiques, while all the time terrified by The Creeper--played by real-life acrogomaliac, Rondo Hatton. No one can display terror as la Ankers: her blue eyes widen, she uses her palm to press against her temple, her breathing quickens and usually there's a blood-curdling scream. There's plenty of Universal fog-machines at work here with Rathbone deftly solving the murders (along with Dr. Watson-Nigel Bruce). Ankers wrote in her memoirs that the set of Pearl was unusually British and droll. She and Nigel addressed Basil Rathbone--as Rasil Bathbone. The spry but elderly Nigel flirted with Ankers who took it with good humor but terrified her admirer when she brought her new husband on the set, B-movie king, Richard Denning, who had just joined the Navy since this was during World War II. Sharp little gem of a thriller. Wish Universal would put all the Sherlock Holmes movies on tape, or in a boxed series. Especially "Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror' which showcases Ankers talents and beauty more than any other flick she made--with the exception of "The Mad Ghoul."

Good Sherlock Holmes outing with a clever, inventive script
This film and "The Scarlet Claw" are generally considered to be the best of the Universal Holmes series. Rathbone and Bruce are in good form with a clever and resourceful script to back them up and Miles Mander gives a fine performance as Giles Conover,master criminal. ... Read more

Description

SHERLOCK HOLMES FACES DEATH
Digitally Restored in 35mm

The master detective Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and his faithful cohort Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) are back, preserved and digitally restored in 35mm to original condition by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. This newly restored version of the classic film includes the period war bond tag, studio logo and credits from its original theatrical release. Filled with ominous shadows and interesting camera angles, the visual beauty of the film in 35mm is stunning. SHERLOCK HOLMES FACES DEATH (1943) is an intriguing mystery based upon Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s "The Musgrave Ritual." Dr. Watson, tending recuperating soldiers housed at centuries-old Musgrave Manor, summons Sherlock Holmes to investigate strange happenings.What follows is a bizarre series of events, including murders, secret passages, a game of chess and a mysterious family ritual.

Even Inspector Lestrade is on hand, as well as lovely Hillary Brooke as Sally Musgrave.But only Sherlock Holmes, in a race against time and a desperate killer, can decipher the ancient riddle and uncover the treasure it hides.Preserved and restored in 35mm by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not a Nazi in sight in splendid Holmes mystery
After three films in which Sherlock Holmes battled the Nazis, even Universal must have grown tired of their gimmicky attempt to "modernize" the Great Detective. With "Sherlock Holmes Faces Death," Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce are back on more familiar turf and solve a mystery having absolutely no connection to World War II.

For the first time in the series, a film doesn't merely credit a story by Arthur Conan Doyle, screenwriter Bertram Millhauser actually makes use of one, "The Musgrave Ritual," a traditional murder mystery involving an old family curse. The story gives director Roy William Neill plenty of opportunities to pour on the atmosphere that is the series' best attribute, aside from stars Rathbone and Bruce, of course.

With this entry, the series greatly improved, and greater adventures were still to come for the famous detective from Baker Street.

Brian W. Fairbanks

What's Next...Peace in the MidEast?
As I wrote an extensive build up of these movies, prior to their release. I am now pleased to say that about 98% of my anticipation was not misguided.
Overall, these are the clearest and sharpest versions I have seen in my lifetime.
In comparison to some of the non Key Video versions that were out on VHS these offerings from MPI are stunning.
My only letdown was, as others have mentioned, is that there could have easily been more additional material offered.
A short commentary was offered on the restoration of Orson Welles' "The Third Man" by Criterion and was fascinating.
Something similar to this would have been easy to produce and Holmes fans like myself who have put up with public domain trash copies for decades would have eaten up such a documentary.
I also have wondered for years if there are any out-takes from the films that still exist.
How fascinating that would have been, and would still be....hint....hint.
At the very least, Filmographies of Rathbone and Bruce, or trivia facts about the series or the actors, or the productions, or at least even the trailers should have been included.
Little things, such as pointing out the appearance of a young dark handsome Milburn Stone in "Faces Death" who later became "Doc" on Gunsmoke.
There are several instances where the Captioning is lazy. Such as in "Faces Death" when Holmes says "anno Domini" in a sentence and the caption writer just put "Domino."
Even with occasional lapses in the captioning, it was indeed nice to have them captioned.
Of all the films in this Volume, the one I found most curious was "Faces Death."
Even after reading the liner notes, I still wonder why some of the extreme deterioration marks on individual frames could not have been r