THE MT VOID
07/12/24 -- Vol. 43, No. 2, Whole Number 2336
Co-Editor: Mark Leeper,
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Topics:
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (Part 1) (film comments
by Evelyn C. Leeper)
THE EDGE OF PHYSICS by Anil Ananthaswamy (book review
by Gregory Frederick)
This Week's Reading (KEN BURNS'S THE CIVIL WAR: HISTORIANS
RESPOND) (book comments by Evelyn C. Leeper)
===================================================================
TOPIC: THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (Part 1) (film comments by
Evelyn C. Leeper)
I recently watched many (but not all) of the film and television
adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle's THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES,
and here are my random comments:
MURDER AT THE BASKERVILLES (1937) is a bit of a mess. It's not
the first of the adaptations--in fact, it's not an adaptation of
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES at all. There were two
English-language adaptations before this: 1921 with Ellie Norwood,
and 1931 with Carlyle Blackwood. (There were also several
German-language ones.) But this is basically an adaptation of
"The Adventure of Silver Blaze" (and in fact, its original title
was SILVER BLAZE). When it was released in the United States in
1941, it was retitled MURDER AT THE BASKERVILLES to capitalize on
the success of the 1939 Basil Rathbone version of THE HOUND OF THE
BASKERVILLES.
At the beginning, Holmes and Watson are invited to Baskerville
Hall ten years after the events in THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES
(so clearly there was a plan to tie it to the more famous story
even before the Rathbone film). There is also a subplot with
Professor, who did not originally appear in either story. This is
not unlike more recent filmmakers adding Hercule Poirot or Ariadne
Oliver or Miss Marple to stories that did not originally have
them. Moriarty shows up in the opening sequence, then disappears
for over two-thirds of the film. He is the brains behind the
plot, rather than Straker, and the film even incorporates the air
gun from "The Adventure of the Empty House". The film also
reveals at least part of the secret halfway through the film.
The film also stars Ian Fleming as Doctor Watson, but this is not
the same Ian Fleming who wrote the James Bond novels. Wotner
starred as Sherlock Holmes in four other films: one of which is a
lost film. Fleming played Watson in four of these; Ian Hunter
played Watson in THE SIGN OF FOUR (1932).
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1939) was the first of Basil
Rathbone's portrayals of Sherlock Holmes,, which explains why he
received only second billing after Richard Greene (as Sir Henry
Baskerville). It also sticks moderately closely to the book,
although in the film Beryl really is Stapleton's sister.
The film histories of Lionel Atwill and John Carradine would make
their characters played appear suspicious even without the shots
of them with shifty eyes and their delivery of lines in an
ambiguous or heavy-handed manner.
Nigel Bruce's Dr. Watson is not totally incompetent in this film,
but often seems out of his depth, with expressions of confusion or
surprise. I think these characteristics were built up in future
Rathbone-Bruce films.
Due to the Production Code, Sir Hugo's companions speak of him as
chasing the girl to wed her, rather than to rape her. And
probably due to the prominence of the Barrymore family in
Hollywood, the butler's name has been changed from Barrymore to
Barryman.
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1959), twenty years after
Rathbone's portrayal, was the first color version. The opening
sequence with Sir Hugo probably inspired the opening sequence of
CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF two years later. (Having Sir Hugo kill the
girl rather than have her die of fright is a Hammer touch not in
the original, as was the spider.)
Andre Morrell as Watson is (to me, anyway) a vast improvement over
Nigel Bruce's rather bumbling portrayal. Peter Cushing (as
Holmes) is always a delight to watch. Christopher Lee as Sir
Henry Baskerville, however, is often quite annoying.
Barrymore is once again named Barrymore, whether because the
acting family was not as well known twenty years later in England,
or because Hammer saw no reason to stray from Doyle in this area.
This didn't stop Hammer from straying in many other ways: the
Stapletons' relationship, history, and motivation; Selden's role
vis-a-vis Holmes; etc,
Holmes is very preemptory with Watson, basically ordering him to
Baskerville Hall, and at the end directing Watson to write to Sir
Henry thanking him for the check (which was sent to Holmes) and
the invitation (ditto).
[Part 2 of this article will appear next week.]
[-ecl]
===================================================================
TOPIC: THE EDGE OF PHYSICS: A JOURNEY TO EARTH'S EXTREMES TO
UNLOCK THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE by Anil Ananthaswamy (book
review by Gregory Frederick)
Overview: THE EDGE OF PHYSICS by Anil Ananthaswamy is a unique
blend of travel narrative and scientific exploration. The book
takes readers on an extraordinary journey to some of the world's
most remote and extreme environments, where cutting-edge
experiments in physics are being conducted. Through vivid
descriptions and engaging storytelling, Ananthaswamy provides a
fascinating look at the lengths to which scientists go to uncover
the mysteries of the universe. Ananthaswamy travels to various
extreme locations, including:
- The Atacama Desert in Chile, home to some of the world's
most powerful telescopes.
- The South Pole, where experiments on cosmic microwave
background radiation are conducted.
- The depths of underground laboratories in Canada and Europe,
where scientists search for dark matter.
- The high altitudes of the Himalayas, where studies on cosmic
rays take place.
Each chapter delves into the specific scientific endeavors taking
place in these locations, from the search for dark matter and
neutrinos to the study of the cosmic microwave background
radiation and the quest to understand the nature of dark energy.
Alongside the scientific discussions, Ananthaswamy shares personal
anecdotes and interviews with the scientists working in these
challenging environments, offering insights into their motivations
and the obstacles they face.
The author's storytelling skillfully combines the excitement of
travel with the intricacies of scientific research. Readers are
transported to extreme locations and gain an appreciation for both
the natural wonders and the scientific efforts taking place there.
Ananthaswamy has a talent for making complex scientific concepts
accessible to a general audience. His explanations are clear and
concise, helping readers grasp the significance of the research
being conducted.
By focusing on the personal stories of the scientists, the book
humanizes the scientific process. The dedication, passion, and
perseverance of these researchers are vividly portrayed. The
authorís vivid descriptions of the extreme environments enhance
the reader's experience, making the book not just informative but
also visually and emotionally engaging.
Conclusion: "The Edge of Physics" is a compelling read that offers
a unique perspective on the quest to understand the universe.
Anil Ananthaswamy's ability to merge travel writing with
scientific exploration makes the book both informative and
entertaining. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the
frontiers of modern physics and the extraordinary efforts of
scientists working in some of the most inhospitable places on
Earth. Despite minor pacing issues and the inherent complexity of
the topics, the book succeeds in making cutting-edge physics
accessible and engaging to a broad audience. [-gf]
===================================================================
TOPIC: This Week's Reading (book comments by Evelyn C. Leeper)
In last week's column, I managed to butcher the spelling of *two*
Roman emperors' names: Maximinus Thrax and Elagabalus. The facts
that there was an emperor Maximinius, and that Elagabalus is just
hard to type are my only excuses.
While re-reading the collection of essays KEN BURNS'S THE CIVIL
WAR: HISTORIANS RESPOND (edited by Robert Brent Toplin, Oxford
University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-509330-8), I was struck by this
speech:
"We all declare for Liberty; but in using the same word we do not
all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for
each man to do as he pleased with himself, and the product of his
labor; while with others the same word may mean for some men to do
as they please with other men, and the product of other men's
labor." [-Abraham Lincoln]
Applying this to Florida's claiming it is the "Freedom State" is,
alas, all too easy.
And in keeping with my comments about Thomas Jefferson, I'll quote
Richard Hofstadter, who spoke of him, saying, "The leisure that
made possible his great writings on human liberty was supported by
the labors of three generations of slaves."
However, in the same volume, Leon F. Litwack misses an important
point when he notes that THE BIRTH OF A NATION conveyed such
stereotypes as "The depraved black politician, the grinning Sambo,
and the black rapist" without noting that not only were these
slurs on African-Americans, but that the depraved white politician
was hardly unknown, and that white slaveholders had been regularly
raping their slaves for generations. [-ecl]
===================================================================
Mark Leeper
mleeper@optonline.net If you can tell the difference between good advice
and bad advice, you don't need advice.
--Anonymous
MT VOID, 07/12/24 -- Vol. 43, No. 2, Whole Number 2336
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