1182 replies to this topic

[zencat]

I really liked SHERLOCK HOLMES as imagined by Ms Ritchie. It's a gloriously out of tune music-hall piano of a film.

Ha! Well put.

The plot does borrow far too much from YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES for my liking (I could be wrong....Zencat?....but the biggest, newest HOLMES feature should not feel too similiar narratively to the last one everyone remembered, eg. YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES and its theatrical / TEMPLE OF DOOM 'masonry' antics cloaked by chemistry and industrial advancements), but it is a fun romp of a film with enough Ritchie moments to put a stamp on proceedings rather than the kiss of death.

Good point. But Young Sherlock was quite a long time ago. Not sure how many people really remember it that well. Funny, but when I think about it, Young Sherlock was similar to the feature that preceded it, Murder By Decree, in that it also dabbled in masonry elements. Those masons are just irresistible.

[MrKidd]

I agree - I think the whole Masonic theme is overused and it certainly had similarities with the Young Sherlock Holmes movie. With that said I thoroughly enjoyed this new movie. A few bum notes aside, the two leads were excellent and I thought London was captured beautifully. The atmosphere of the movie was spot on, in my opinion. Really good fun - I'd recommend this film to anyone.

Watched an episode of the Granada series on PBS the other night - don't think I've seen one for over 10 years. Now if that isn't comfort tv then I don't know what is!

[Mr. Blofeld]

Here's a rather interesting review of Zero Effect, a 1998 update of A Scandal in Bohemia starring Bill Pullman and Ben Stiller; since I haven't seen the film mentioned here once, here's a link to the review:

http://www.avclub.co...o-effect,37048/

[zencat]

Here's what a Sherlockian over at the World of Sherlock board had to say about the DVD transfers. He's motivated me to put my old sets up and eBay and I'm going to get the big green box. Been wanting to do that anyway as it will also save me shelf space.

Yes, MPI fixed the most glaring issues for the big boxed set by requesting improved transfers from Granada. The quality of those first few standalone releases was shockingly bad. Even the old Simon and Schuster vhs releases, that predated the MPI vhs releases, were far cleaner and of a higher quality than those initial DVDs. Floating digital image elements, warbling sound, all sorts of problems. Quite frankly, I think MPI did a job altogether on their Granada Sherlock Holmes releases. Poor quality, poor packaging, inappropriate menu images, etc...so I resisted buying the big box set for some time since I hated giving them more money for the double-dip. In the end though, I'm a Holmes collector and had to have the improved set even if it rankled to do so, although it still took a Deep Discount sale to force my decision. The packaging, menu images, etc...still suck for the boxed set, but at least the image quality issues had been addressed and that was the most crucial factor.

So I sold my old DVDs on eBay and got $130. Picked up the green box at Costco.com for $99. That worked! Green box set is VERY nice.

[zencat]

Speaking of DVD, looks like Guy Ritchie's Sherlock is coming to DVD/Blu-Ray March 31st. Sweet!

http://www.joblo.com...ex.php?id=30426

[stromberg]

Finally have my complete Granada Holmes in the house again (borrowed parts of it to a colleague), so I can finally start watching them again. Here's a pic of the entire collection:

 Holmes_german.jpg   121.64KB   6 downloads

In the back is the box set with the five movie length episodes by 'Polyband', which is just that: a box with 5 DVDs, and nothing more. In front, it's the three Koch Media sets. Those are all bound like a book, and instead of 'DVD with booket', those could as well be called 'books with accompanying DVDs', as they all have extensive production notes: about 250 pages combined: notes on the history of the entire series as well as several pages on each individual episode, plus lots of pictures.
The notes are excerpts from producer Michael Cox' excellent book 'Study in Celluloid: A Producer's Account of Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes' (translated to German, exclusively for the box set). Guess the only part missing from the book are the notes on the long episodes, as the original book counts 235 pages. Seeing it up on amazon for £299 makes me think that a combined € 95 for the DVDs and the book was quite a good deal.

[Mr. Blofeld]

Just saw Sherlock Holmes today; jolly good fun, what!

[dodge]

Just saw Sherlock Holmes today; jolly good fun, what!

So glad you liked it. Weren't Downy and Law both terrific?

[Mr. Blofeld]

Just saw Sherlock Holmes today; jolly good fun, what!

So glad you liked it. Weren't Downey and Law both terrific?

They were, yes, and I was rather surprised to read later on that Law took the role mainly because he had become a Holmes fanatic since appearing in the '80s Granada TV series, and carried around a little notebook on set with lines from the stories with which to pepper his dialogue with.

Also, wouldn't it have been nice if James Fox's son, Laurence Fox, had played Lord Blackwood? Granted, Mark Strong always gets cast as the heavy, but it would've made Holmes's deduction that Sir James was Lord Blackwood's father that much more truthful.

As an added bonus, I think most of you Holmes fans will enjoy this article: http://uncyclopedia....Sherlock_Holmes

[Arbogast777]

I finally saw it a few days ago and really enjoyed it! I hear lots of people saying that they don't think Downey played Holmes as he was in the book, but I disagree. Physically he was different but his personality was spot on. If anything, I think Watson was the one who was quite different. Loved how they had Watson getting married - it introduced a fun new wrinkle into the Holmes/Watson relationship. And I especially liked how

Spoiler

Moriarty was basically the main villain the entire time.

The last 10 minutes were a let down though

Spoiler

Defuse bomb, fight with villain on high place while damsel is in distress... yawn.

Bring on the sequel!

[Tybre]

Spoiler

fight with villain on high place while damsel is in distress... yawn.

Bring on the sequel!

Spoiler

You had to know this was coming as soon as we saw Tower Bridge under construction. A Granada or Lenfilm type Holmes film would include it simply because it's historically accurate. A film of this nature would include it because it makes for a setpiece.

[Vauxhall]

On the topic of accuracy, Tower Bridge is also a monster of a run from the Houses of Parliament...

In more positive news, a Golden Globe for Robert Downey, Jr. as Holmes. Superb.

[marktmurphy]

Also, wouldn't it have been nice if James Fox's son, Laurence Fox, had played Lord Blackwood? Granted, Mark Strong always gets cast as the heavy, but it would've made Holmes's deduction that Sir James was Lord Blackwood's father that much more truthful.

Yes to that: I think Lawrence Fox is great; hugely watchable.

Mark Strong is a top villain, though; even though he doesn't get much screen time in this. I want him to play Holmes at some point too: not only does he look more like Holmes than RDJ in this (!) but that would then mean that the cast of Our Friends in the North would have gone on to become James Bond, Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes!

[Tybre]

I don't know how accurate this is, but supposedly these are all the episodes of Cushing's turn as Holmes, plus airdates.

The Speckled Band 05/18/1964
The Illustrious Client 02/20/1965
The Devil's Foot 02/27/1965
The Copper Beeches 03/06/1965
The Red-Headed League 03/13/1965
The Abbey Grange 03/20/1965
The Six Napoleons 03/27/1965
The Man with the Twisted Lip 04/03/1965
The Beryl Coronet 04/10/1965
The Bruce-Partington Plans 04/17/1965
Charles Augustus Milverton 04/24/1965
The Retired Colourman 05/01/1965
The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax 05/08/1965
The Second Stain 09/09/1968
The Dancing Men 09/16/1968
A Study in Scarlet 09/23/1968
The Hound of the Baskervilles: Part 1 09/30/1968
The Hound of the Baskervilles: Part 2 10/07/1968
The Boscombe Valley Mystery 10/14/1968
The Greek Interpreter 10/21/1968
The Naval Treaty 10/28/1968
Thor Bridge 11/04/1968
The Musgrave Ritual 11/11/1968
Black Peter 11/18/1968
Wisteria Lodge 11/25/1968
Shoscombe Old Place 12/02/1968
The Solitary Cyclist 12/09/1968
The Sign of Four 12/16/1968
The Blue Carbuncle 12/23/1968

Shame so little of it survived the BBC's little Bonfire of the Vanities.

[Arbogast777]

[zencat]

Ooooo...thank you Arbogast777.

[Matt_13]

Will most certainly be picking up the Blu Ray when it becomes available.

[MrKidd]

Went to see it again - this time with my wife. Both really enjoyed it. There's been some good films out recently don't you think? This, avatar, inglorious - quite fancy Daybreakers now - the story seems interesting.

[dodge]

On the topic of accuracy, Tower Bridge is also a monster of a run from the Houses of Parliament...

In more positive news, a Golden Globe for Robert Downey, Jr. as Holmes. Superb.

Yes, for me that takes some of the sting out of THE AVATAR's win.

[Safari Suit]

A medicore performance rewarded in an inappropriate category IMO. Before I get lynched, I do like Downey a lot and think he is one of the most talented actors around, but his "comeback" has left me a bit cold. He was very good in Tropic Thunder natch, but his much acclaimed work both here and in Iron Man strike me as far from career highlights, basically Broz circa TND-style smug but self-deprecating performances that are too manored to be truly charming. Yes, I have become like "that guy" who liked a band before they became big, and I don't like that but that doesn't mean I should deny it.

[marktmurphy]

Nah; I think he's still good, but Sherlock wasn't his best performance. I think he held Iron Man together more: without him that would have been a decent but pretty standard superhero movie. He made the entire movie fly. Sherlock is a less impressive performance and the film itself is a bit more original and probably would have worked without him.

[Jackanaples]

I really think the movie where RDJ's "comeback" began was the movie released before IRON MAN. KISS KISS BANG BANG features a great performance by him, sadly all but ignored because most haven't seen it.

[marktmurphy]

I love Kiss Kiss; rewatched it recently- gives you that wonderful feeling of a top piece of work.

[Safari Suit]

I really think the movie where RDJ's "comeback" began was the movie released before IRON MAN. KISS KISS BANG BANG features a great performance by him, sadly all but ignored because most haven't seen it.

Well that was a comeback in an artistic sense certainly, and perhaps his best work of the decade/post-"troubles", but the one-two punch of Iron Man and Tropic Thunder was his commercial comeback.

[Tybre]

This was on that site zencat linked to a bit back:

Spoiler

And if you look at his twitter, there's some tiny tidbits more of Sherlock to be found.

Nothing really spoilery there I guess, but whatever.

[DamnCoffee]

Just got round to seeing this today, and I wasn't too impressed with the previews before hand. It looked cheesy as hell. But, WOW! Such a great movie, a fun watch. It had it's moments, but most of it was amazing. Though I did burst out laughing at the music track accompanying the slow motion explosion.

I really enjoyed it though, I didn't think it would be that great, I was proved wrong.

[dodge]

I really think the movie where RDJ's "comeback" began was the movie released before IRON MAN. KISS KISS BANG BANG features a great performance by him, sadly all but ignored because most haven't seen it.

Well that was a comeback in an artistic sense certainly, and perhaps his best work of the decade/post-"troubles", but the one-two punch of Iron Man and Tropic Thunder was his commercial comeback.

True, but it's all of a piece, imo. KISS KISS did help get him working again, and good work he did. Equally important, he needed to establish that he was drug and attitude-free. Even so, he had to fight like hell to land the role in IM. Eventually, the commercial success of two franchises will pave the way for him to do more or less what he chooses to do. I predict that we'll be seeing some far more serious work. For the moment, I'm enjoying his current great hits.

[zencat]

Sherlock sequel is on the way.

http://www.monstersa...k-Holmes-sequel

[Vauxhall]

Sherlock sequel is on the way.

http://www.monstersa...k-Holmes-sequel

Super news.

Anyone out there got any preferences for Moriarty, assuming he's in the sequel?

[zencat]

Sherlock sequel is on the way.

http://www.monstersa...k-Holmes-sequel

Super news.

Anyone out there got any preferences for Moriarty, assuming he's in the sequel?

Or Mycroft. That's who I'm hoping to see in the sequel.