Rathbone Rocks!
- May 13, 2018
- 1 min read
My second Cursed Horror talk at the Castle Keep centred on the definitive Sherlock Holmes - the great Basil Rathbone, who features in chapter 2 of my book.
As kid I grew up watching the Holmes movies, and to me Mr Rathbone is the personification of the Great Detective, so it was a real privilege to discuss his life and career at the Castle.
I previously did a talk on Rathbone a while back at The Black Gate, so in theory I pretty much knew what I was doing - I hope!
Following my little spot, there was a screening of one of his classic Holmes adventures The Scarlet Claw (1944), one of his better efforts from the series of second features produced by Universal Studios.
Once again we had an appreciative audience and the Castle remains a super venue to screen these marvellous old chillers.
Our next talk at the Castle will be on 9 June. It'll be on Peter Lorre, followed by a screening of his debut film M (1932). For a future blog I'll be doing a piece regarding the origins of Fritz Lang's controversial thriller.
Among the audience at the screening was Michael Glancey, who runs the Friday Film Club at Gateshead Central Library. I will be doing a talk for the club on 18 May at 2:00pm at the library. Its open to everyone so please come along.
Best get rehearsing!
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What a wonderful post, Mark! Basil Rathbone truly is the definitive Holmes for so many of us — there's something about the sharpness in his eyes and that precise, authoritative delivery that no one has quite matched since. Growing up watching those Universal films must have made researching your book feel like revisiting old friends. The Scarlet Claw is such a strong pick for a screening too — genuinely atmospheric for a second feature. It's funny how deep dives into classic figures like Rathbone remind us of the value of thorough research and solid preparation, something students today often struggle to find time for, especially with platforms offering trusted study support for tight university deadlines becoming increasingly popular. Very much…