Hound of the Baskervilles, The (1959) d. Fisher, Terence (UK)

Riding the success of their remakes of Frankenstein and Dracula, Hammer Studios seized upon another opportunity to breathe Technicolor life into a cinematic/literary icon: Sherlock Holmes. Peter Cushing dons the deerstalker with the same intelligent, dedicated authority of his Baron and Van Helsing characters, with Andre Morell’s Watson a decidedly less buffoonish take than Nigel Bruce’s incarnation in the 1930s-40s Basil Rathbone series.

Christopher Lee is perfectly cast as the arrogant yet vulnerable Henry Baskerville and is ably supported by Francis De Wolff, Ewen Solon and Marla Landi as the fiery Cecile.

Of particular note is Miles Malleson’s comic work as the bumbling, sherry-sipping Bishop – the interplay between he and “Props Peter” during the telescope scene is a beaut.

While not 100% faithful to Conan Doyle’s source material, the superlative mystery/adventure yarn was well received by critics and audiences alike – one can only wonder why Hammer did not pursue further Holmes installments.

Twins of Evil (1971) d. Hough, John (UK)

The third, and many would argue, the best of Hammer’s Karnstein trilogy, following The Vampire Lovers and Lust for a Vampire. Well-directed by Hough and scripted by Tudor Gates, the plot opposes a puritanical witch hunter (Peter Cushing, in one of his darkest roles) and the Satan-worshiping vampire Count Karnstein (Damien Thomas), battling over the fate of two gorgeous twins recently come to reside under Cushing’s roof (Playboy centerfolds Madeline and Mary Collinson).

When one of the nubiles takes a liking to Thomas’ darker side, the challenge is for hunky good guy David Warbeck to determine which of them is the goody-good girl and which is just looking for a quick bite. Vampire films often turn on the motif of the sexually active woman versus the virginal love object, and here we have both presented to viewers wearing identical faces – an intriguing and thought-provoking concept...

Unless, of course, you’re too occupied watching Cushing burn up every little suspicious chickie he can find or ogling the array of female flesh on display.

Either way, Twins comes up a double winner.