There’s no denying thatSherlock Holmesis popular. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle originally wrote four novels and 56 short stories about the famous detective, and many imitators have continued to add to the canon. Even now,movies and TV show adaptations continue to get madebased on the original series.
Related:Best Actors Who Played Sherlock Holmes, Ranked
However, none have been nearly as popular asThe Hound of the Baskervilles. Though it is the third book in the novel series, it somehow manages to get adapted the most. So what was the secret that made this book the most popular or easiest to adapt?
What Is The Hound of the Baskervilles About?
Warning, this part contains spoilers.
The Hound of the Baskervillesis set before Sherlock Holmes supposedly died during his climactic fight with Professor Moriarty. While the stories are always narrated by Dr. Watson, this one was unique as Holmes said he was too busy to go, and just sent the doctor in his place.
The story is given an eerie setting, with an escaped convict on the loose, secret figures dwelling on a sinister moor, and frightening scenes about a monstrous, apparently ghostly hound that make the story almost supernatural.
The legend is that the ghost of a hound is haunting Dartmoor in Devonshire, England, specifically, at Baskerville Hall and Grimpen Mire. Most of the story takes place at night, and there are many scenes of the hound howling for blood.
Before the story starts, a Sir Charles Baskerville is found dead, with fear clear on his face. This is when Holmes is called in. He is tasked with making sure the next heir, Sir Henry Baskerville, is safe.
While Holmes is absent for the bulk of the novel, it is eventually revealed that he has been dwelling on the moor himself for months, unraveling the mystery while not making his presence know to anyone else. This leads to a truly gripping finale as Holmes and Watson race to escape a dangerous, starving dog and catch the true killer.
Why Is The Hound of the Baskervilles so Popular?
Despite being a series of books near and dear to people’s hearts even then, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did not like the intelligent detective. In 1893, he wrote a short story about the final fight Sherlock has with Professor Moriarty.
In the short story, Sherlock actually dies. Conan Doyle thought then that he could abandon Sherlock and get onto other writing. However, he didn’t realize the protest that would come with that. Many followers of Sherlock were deeply distressed and wrote letters to the magazines. About 20,000 people even canceled their subscription toThe Strand Magazinewhere the story was published as a result of the unfavorable ending. All-in-all it was one of the most negative reactions to a fictional character’s death to date.
Arthur Conan Doyle worked to resist public opinions for eight years but finally ended up writing the novelThe Hound of the Baskervilles.It was set before Sherlock’s fight with Moriarty and was meant to just appease the crowds. However, he ended up giving in more, and created another novel and several short stories about how Sherlock faked his own death during that last fight.
It was likely the author giving in and writing another book that first madeThe Hound of the Baskervillesmore popular than the rest of the series.
It is also thought that the way Conan Doyle wrote the book made it stand out. Previous books and short stories about Sherlock focused on the intelligence of his amazing deductive skills.
While readers still got some of that inThe Hound of the Baskervilles, it was a much creepier and more mysterious setting. This is also whereWatson sort of comes into his own, as he thinks he has to solve the problem on his own, and readers had a chance to really try and solve the case using only Watson’s clues.
The story builds up the fear and the sense of the supernatural as we see the plot through Watson’s eyes without the detective there to limit the imagination.
Related:Best Sherlock Holmes TV Series, RankedIt can be assumed that the intense waiting period and fight to get the next book mixed with the unique writing of the story builtThe Hound of the Baskervillesinto one of the most popular Sherlock Holmes stories.
Another theory is that this is where Sherlock comes closest into contact with the supernatural. Moriarty was terrifying in his own way, with intelligence to match the detective, but the hound was nothing more than a starved and obedient dog that relied on instincts, and inhuman brutality, which was a new foe for Sherlock and a good balance to his strict, fact-driven mind.
How Many Hound of the Baskervilles Movies are There?
There are over thirty adaptations of theHound of the Baskervillesinto movies and films. These are from various countries including the United States, Germany, India, Russia, Japan, Ukraine, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
In addition to all of those adaptations designed for the screen, there are several book, radio, and theater adaptations as well. There are even a couple of video games based on the plot, and the book is mentioned dozens of times in other books or was mentioned to be the inspiration for various plot lines.
Which Adaptations Are the Best?
With some of those books going all the way back to the early 1900s, with the first movie adaptation being in 1914, it makes sense that you don’t want to weed through them all to find the best.
These four are widely considered the best based on reviews andfan opinions.
1.The Hound of the Baskervilles(1939).Directed by Sidney Lanfieldand staring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce
2.The Hound of the Baskervilles(1981). Directed by Igor Maslennikov and starring Vasiliy Livanov and Vitali Solomin.
3.The Hound of the Baskervilles(1959) Directed by Terence Fisher and starringPeter Cushingand Andre Morell.
4.The Hound of the Baskervilles(1983). Directed by Douglas Hickox and starring Ian Richardson and Donald Churchill.
