New Sherlock film...

[Adam Went]

Has anybody else seen that episode of Celebrity Deathmatch on MTV where JTR takes on Sherlock Holmes?

I originally thought this show would be awful but it sort of got me hooked. Anyway, watched an episode last night and sure enough, one of the matches was JTR against Sherlock Holmes. JTR managed to kill Watson, and Sherlock Holmes apparently isn't as smart as we think he is, but he managed to get the better of JTR in the end by stabbing him with his own knives....accidentally....gruesome, but somehow slightly funny stuff.

Cheers,
Adam.

[Paul Kearney A.K.A. NEMO]

I love celebrity death match - that one was particularly good - lol

[Howard Brown]

For some reason, I kept rewinding the episode with that woman Anna Nicole Smith.

The one with Saucy and Sherlock was pretty damned good. I have that on VHS...

[Adam Went]

Yes and apparently Jack had his own business cards! "Jack T. Ripper"

Cheers,
Adam.

[The Red Dahlia]

Alan Rickman would be great in this new Holmes series, if not as Moriarty some other bad guy. . .

C

Yes Alan Rickman definately :} Now that man is brilliant whatever character he plays.
Guess he's tied up with other filming at moment ah! Sigh!
charismatic, charming etc etc etc etc etc
Dahlia x
(Alan Rickman worshipper!)

[admin tim]

The wife and I just saw this film. I probably would have liked it more had I never read the Holmes Canon. The wife hated it.

It seemed to be an obvious attempt to win over the critical 18-35 year old demographic; you know - the kind who thinks pointless violence and black magic is 'kewl'. ACD must be spinning in his grave with Robert Downey's interpretation of a slobbish Holmes.

A good thing for Guy Ritchie that these characters are in the public domain.

My final grade, as a ripperologist and a holmesian: C+

[Chris G.]

The wife and I just saw this film. I probably would have liked it more had I never read the Holmes Canon. The wife hated it.

It seemed to be an obvious attempt to win over the critical 18-35 year old demographic; you know - the kind who thinks pointless violence and black magic is 'kewl'. ACD must be spinning in his grave with Robert Downey's interpretation of a slobbish Holmes.

A good thing for Guy Ritchie that these characters are in the public domain.

My final grade, as a ripperologist and a holmesian: C+

Hello Tim

I hope you read the review of the film in Ripperologist 110? Eduardo Zinna told me that the editor of Holmesian newsletter liked it and will be commenting upon it.

You and others might also like to know that in Ripperologist 111 we are publishing an appreciation of the late great Holmes actor Jeremy Brett kindly written for us by JtR Forum's own Jon Rees. Jon plans to follow up in Rip 112 with an article on Rupert Everett in the role.

Chris

[admin tim]

Hello, Chris:

Yes, I had read it and had not planned to see the film, but, astonishingly, my wife wanted to see it although she is not a Holmes fan and has never read any of the canon. I think she was attracted to the presumed Victoriana of the film.

She hated the violence, dark mood, and what she termed the 'evil' of the film. I am a Holmes traditionalist, and the first sight of a disheveled, unshaven Holmes told me how the film would play out. Way too many explosions and advanced Wild, Wild West-type technologies to suit me. And, please, not another shopworn conspiracy plot involving high government officials in a secret cabal intent on world domination. With black magic, yet. At least there were no Masons in evidence.

As I had said, I would have liked the film more had I never read any of the Holmes canon. but I have also read the original Robert E. Howard Conan tales, and they are also far different from (and superior to) the Schwarzenegger films. Hollywood corrupts even in the best of times, and I honestly didn't expect a card-carrying doofus like Guy Ritchie to make a stellar Holmes film that was faithful to the canon. I just didn't expect such pandering to those who weal ball caps backwards and drink Mountain Dew.

[Chris G.]

Hi Tim

You mean you missed the scene in the film where they showed this masonic symbol?



Incidentally, if you want to write an appreciation for the Rip of your favorite Holmes movie other than those featuring Rathbone or Brett (or even those if you offer us a new take)... for example, Christopher Plummer and James Mason in Murder By Decree, let me know and conceivably we could fit it in with what Jon is doing for us.

Chris

[admin tim]

I stand corrected - didn't see that.

Boy, that film sucked even worse than I thought.

The liberties taken with Irene Adler gave me prickly heat, and the character of Mary Morstan left much to be desired, given her importance in the canon. Probably millions spent on unwanted and unnecessary special effects and something like $38 on the script. Fie upon them.

[Paul Kearney A.K.A. NEMO]

Robert Downey Junior mentioned recently that he will be starring in a second Sherlock movie, being filmed later this year

[String]

Watched the dvd recently, didn't get time to go to the movies. The movie was fine, it wasn't really a Sherlock Holmes movie they could have called the characters anything really.
However it was worth watching. The acting was reasonable a lot of fighting, too much really but a decent movie not as bad as it could have been. This was a 'bad boy' Sherlock Holmes film.
If you're a Sherlock Holmes fan as I am this adds nothing to the series.

[Big Jon]

Am I the only Sherlock Holmes fan who loved this movie?

[Magpie]

I loved it!

I've seen it about a dozen times (I throw it on the computer when I'm working nights). I thought Downey was an excellent Holmes and Law was a near perfect Watson.

[Magpie]

I stand corrected - didn't see that.

Boy, that film sucked even worse than I thought.

The liberties taken with Irene Adler gave me prickly heat, and the character of Mary Morstan left much to be desired, given her importance in the canon. Probably millions spent on unwanted and unnecessary special effects and something like $38 on the script. Fie upon them.

I do agree that both Irene Adler and Mary Morstan were the weakest links of the film.