MYSTERIES Sherlock Holmes films released in DVD packages

The 12 Universal Holmeses are in three four-disc collections.
By DOUG NYE
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
The fog-shrouded streets of London. The eerie shadows on the English moors. The sound of the carriages and their horses clopping over the cobblestone streets.
All are part of the world of unflappable detective Sherlock Holmes as first imagined by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1891 in the pages of Strand magazine.
All of the characters come to life in "The Hound of the Baskervilles" (MPI, 1939, $19.98) and "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" (MPI, 1939, $19.98), both arriving in pristine prints on DVD this week.
Headlining the cast are Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as his trusted friend Dr. Watson. For many, Rathbone and Bruce are the definitive Holmes and Watson, although fans of the BBC television series starring Jeremy Brett might argue that point.
Still, no one portrayed the characters more than Rathbone and Bruce, who also starred in the weekly Holmes radio series from 1939 to 1946.
Best-known story
"The Hound of the Baskervilles," probably the best known of Conan Doyle's work, has Holmes being summoned for help after Sir Charles Baskerville is killed. It is feared that the supposed centuries-old curse of the Baskerville family will take the life of the next in line, Sir Henry (Richard Greene). It's up to Holmes to thwart what could be supernatural forces at work.
"The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" features George Zucco as Professor Moriarty, Holmes' archenemy. Here, Moriarty sends the sleuth on a false trail while he plots to steal the crown jewels. The re-creation of Victorian England makes it hard to believe that everything was filmed on a Hollywood back lot.
The two films, originally released by 20th Century Fox, appeared to signal the start of a lengthy series. But the studio abruptly dropped Holmes, reportedly thinking a Victorian detective would spawn little interest as war clouds gathered over Europe.
Three years later, however, Universal resurrected the series with Rathbone and Bruce, who went on to star in a dozen more films. There was one change for the famous residents of 221-B Baker Street: They now operated in contemporary times.
Holmes purists weren't excited about the updating, but the presence of Rathbone and Bruce and the fast-paced stories offset any such disappointment.
Three volumes
MPI has packaged the 12 Universal Holmeses in three four-disc collections, each priced at $69.98. All have been beautifully restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive using 35 mm film elements to create new preservation masters. The films have not looked this good since their original theatrical releases. Each collection contains an information-packed, 16-page booklet.
The Universal films included:
UVolume 1: "Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror" (1942); "Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon" (1942)"; "Sherlock Holmes in Washington" (1943); "Sherlock Holmes Faces Death" (1943).
UVolume 2: "The Pearl of Death" (1944); "The Scarlet Claw" (1944); "The Spider-Woman" (1944); "The House of Fear" (1945).
UVolume 3: "The Woman in Green" (1945); "Pursuit to Algiers" (1945); "Terror by Night" (1946); "Dressed to Kill" (1946).
Place your order by going to www.mpihomevideo.com or calling (800) 777-2223.