New sherlock holmes movie

[miserabelle]

I'm off to see it tomorrow with my gentleman friend... I wasn't particularly looking forward to it, but maybe I'll enjoy it! I'll let you know... x

 

[Harp]

Jeremy Brett spoiled me....nobody can top him...absolutely perfect....

agreed

 

[Feraud]

Saw the film and liked it a lot. Jude Law looked great in his outfits.
Downey... less so.

 

[ScottF]

I saw it today. Half way through the film I thought the plot was becoming a bit shallow, but by the end I saw that the plot was more complex than apparent at first. It was an amazing film and I found it true enough to character as Holmes was very eccentric and made his characteristic incredible deductions. I liked the way it used short flashbacks to show how Holmes came to his conclusions. The plot was fast-paced which I liked, Watson was portrayed very well as trustworthy and intelligent, I liked the costumes and I liked the other characters.

In short, I was extremely pleasantly surprised by the film as I thought it would be some modern rubbish, but I personally think the director didn't take the character too far but kept him both interesting and just book-accurate enough.

I agree - very enjoyable film, and while it was obvious that this film highlighted aspects of Holmes from the books that the old films downplayed (brawling, martial arts skills, etc), as you note - it kept the 'incredible deductions' trait at the forefront enough so that the tie to the old Holmes was still there.

This reminds me of the 007 change from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig - even though the other Bond actors stuck closer to the Connery Bond's characteristics, Craig is a more believable Bond than any of them, because he did a better job acting out the traits that made Bond. Same for Robert Downey Jr. as the new Holmes.

 

[Tiller]

Saw the film and liked it a lot. Jude Law looked great in his outfits.
Downey... less so.

I think that was on purpose. I think they exaggerated Holmes's bohemianism. I think it works, in many ways it makes him the exact opposite of Poirot. Poirot would rather die then have a speck on his spotless patent leather shoes, well Downey's Holmes seems to wonder why one would bother cleaning anything that isn't a disguise or formal wear lol.

I wonder if I could use "I think" a few more times lol.

 

[mrfish]

I suppose I'll adopt the curmudgeon role and just report that I did not like the show. It is Lethal Weapon in spats. I was not expecting Basil Rathbone, but I did hope for something other than rather spastic editing and endless fight scenes.

The deductive reasoning bits were a disappointment and Downey did not convey even a hint of the Holmes character to me. I could live with that but even viewing it as a random period piece leaves it wanting. Sort of reminds me of Mickey Spillane's (I think) old adage: if you get stuck, have someone enter the room with a gun. Poorly quoted and possibly misattributed but you get the point.

A shame because I like Ritchie's other shows. However, I'm beginning to think that he can not do a decent job without a voiceover.

mrfish

 

[R.A. Stewart]

I've greatly enjoyed the many thoughtful responses here and find something of value in all of them. Personally, having seen it with some of the kids Christmas evening, I'd say I'm mostly in agreement with Ephraim, though not quite as enthusiastic--there was too much of the action picture in it for my tastes. But the film did go vividly into aspects of Holmes and his world that other treatments have not necessarily emphasized. Holmes --the Holmes of the canon-- was deeply eccentric, could be difficult, and as I recollect, was a terrible slob in some respects. He was athletic and, as mentioned, a skilled boxer, and familiar with the low life of London--a low life that this film presents with richer and more oppressive realism than I've seen since Sweeney Todd.

And like Ephraim and others, I do appreciate that Watson is portrayed as he is in the stories--not Holmes's equal in deduction, but an outspoken and loyal friend, a moral, thoughtful, and surpassingly courageous man, resourceful in his own right, whose friendship and assistance Holmes felt and acknowledged to be invaluable. In this sense, though I enjoy the Rathbone/Bruce films, this one is truer to Watson's character and to the two men's friendship.

So, not one of my favorite films, but well worth seeing, and I'll be interested in the sequel that is so clearly foreshadowed. And, you know, if it gets a few people interested in Conan Doyle's stories, that's all to the good.

~Rich

I've just come from seeing Sherlock Holmes and found it to be one of the best films I've seen in a long time. Lavish production, wonderful costumes (and yes, for the purists, Holmes' hat is a crumpled homburg - not a fedora - that he dons for a only a few minutes), excellent dialogue; terrific characters.

Downey's Holmes is brilliant, eccentric, physical, flawed. Law's Watson is a strong, no nonsense equal partner rather than an obsequious sidekick.

Ritchie's London is dark and gothic; Holmes is a flawed genius inhabiting a script with plenty of light and shade, gasps and laughs; shock and awe. This is an intelligent adventure story.

If you are wedded to Rathbone and deerstalkers leave this film alone. If you are looking for a dark, rollicking, Victorian action adventure and are prepared to let this movie stand on its own merits then you should have a ball.

 

[Feraud]

I think that was on purpose. I think they exaggerated Holmes's bohemianism.

I didn't realize Holmes was bohemian. The character is highly intelligent and eccentric but not particularly interested in pushing the boundaries of convention. [huh]
And if I knew better I would be making movies..

 

[bobalooba]

And if I knew better I would be making movies..

I don't know, seems to me that some of the fedora loungers could make a good Holmes movie if given a lavish hollywood budget. Start campaigning Feraud!

 

[RBH]

Just returned from seeing it.
I enjoyed it. Great fun for a Sunday afternoon.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

I enjoyed this film as well. It was nice to see Guy Ritchie conducting, Oh, I mean, directing a blockbuster. It was great to see the other side of Holmes that most films miss. For instance, he was the first, or one of the first, martial arts enthusiasts in Western culture, and this is in the books.

He was also terrifically eccentric and troubled, which fit well into the bohemian disheveled dress the costume director used. RDjr once again proved that he is a compelling screen personality who projects so much.

I am often disappointed at the cinema and this time, I wasn't. It is thoroughly enjoyable and should inspire more interest in Doyle's books. Holmes is alive for a new generation without being dumbed-down, since, although there was a lot of action, he was still shown in all of his troubled brilliance.

 

[Edward]

Do they cover his various dabblings with narcotics - cocaine and diamorphine (both then legal in the UK)?

 

[David V]

... For instance, he was the first, or one of the first, martial arts enthusiasts in Western culture, and this is in the books.

Uhm. Western Martial Arts had been around for a very long time prior to period Holmes was based in.

One of the first western martial arts manuscripts we have is from the 1100's.

 

[High Pockets]

I enjoyed this film as well. It was nice to see Guy Ritchie conducting, Oh, I mean, directing a blockbuster. It was great to see the other side of Holmes that most films miss. For instance, he was the first, or one of the first, martial arts enthusiasts in Western culture, and this is in the books.

He was also terrifically eccentric and troubled, which fit well into the bohemian disheveled dress the costume director used. RDjr once again proved that he is a compelling screen personality who projects so much.

I am often disappointed at the cinema and this time, I wasn't. It is thoroughly enjoyable and should inspire more interest in Doyle's books. Holmes is alive for a new generation without being dumbed-down, since, although there was a lot of action, he was still shown in all of his troubled brilliance.

Nice post, thanks. After reading that,....I may go see it today!

 

[442RCT]

Jeremy Brett spoiled me....nobody can top him...absolutely perfect...

And this looks like a BIG serving of cheese and ham...

I'm a self admitted Sherlockian. When the Jeremy Britt TV series came out, I did enjoy them and thought he was the quintessential Sherlock Holmes. After going to see this new Holmes movie, I rented and watched two episodes of Britt's Holmes, "A Scandal in Bohemia" and "The Last Vampyre". I'm going to rewatch two more episodes, "The Final Problem" and "The Empty House". To be frank, if you watch "A Scandal in Bohemia" with Brett, he and Robert Downey portrayal of Holmes isn't that much different. [huh]

What did I think of this new "Sherlock Holmes" 2009 ? It was absolutely brilliant, I loved it and plan on getting the DVD when it comes out. :eusa_clap

 

[deanglen]

I liked it, too! Didn't expect to, but did. Good show, old boy!





dean

 

[KittyT]

I would have liked to see this film focus more on Holmes' intellectual prowess and less on his physical aspects - it wasn't what I was expecting at all. There was, however, a nice spotlight on his incredible deductive abilities. That said, I enjoyed the movie (and the clothing!) and it has prompted me to go back to those Complete Sherlock Holmes collections I have - as soon as I finish my current book While I loved them in my youth, I imagine that I'll appreciate them even more in my adulthood.

 

[442RCT]

I would have liked to see this film focus more on Holmes' intellectual prowess and less on his physical aspects - it wasn't what I was expecting at all. There was, however, a nice spotlight on his incredible deductive abilities. That said, I enjoyed the movie (and the clothing!) and it has prompted me to go back to those Complete Sherlock Holmes collections I have - as soon as I finish my current book While I loved them in my youth, I imagine that I'll appreciate them even more in my adulthood.

When I rewatched the two BBC Brett episodes, In contrast to the first episode of season one, "A Scandal in Bohemia", where Brett made his debut as Holmes, "The Last Vampyre" was done in Brett's later years and he looked very haggard due to problems with his health. It was very slow moving, no deductions or detective work, it seems the only thing Holmes and Watson did was watch events unfold before them. It was tough slog to get through it.

I looked up Jeremy Brett's bio and found it very interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Brett

" Brett was obsessed with bringing more passion to the role of Holmes. He introduced Holmes' rather eccentric hand gestures and short violent laughter. He would hurl himself on the ground just to look for a footprint, he would leap over furniture or jump on the parapet of a bridge with no regard for his own personal safety.

Holmes' obsessive and depressive personality fascinated and frightened Brett. In many ways Holmes' personality resembled Brett's own, with outbursts of passionate energy followed by periods of lethargy. It became difficult for Brett to let go of Holmes after work. He had always been told that the only way for an actor to stay sane was for him to leave his part behind at the end of the day, but Jeremy started dreaming about Holmes, and the dreams turned into nightmares."

It made it sound like his obsession with the role, along with his wife's death from cancer drove Brett into madness.

 

[MissAmelina]

I loved it too.....I went with very low expectations, as I was terrified it would be one of those dreadful classic storylines.....with rock music.
It's cool that this story began *after* Holmes and Watson had established their relationship; I think a prelude in the future would be interesting.

However, I thought the primary female roles were miscast. If Irene Adler was meant to be Holmes' intellectual superior, you coulda fooled me. And Watson's gal did not have enough appeal.....what about her was striking enough to lure Watson away from the eccentricities of Holmes? Or maybe that was the point......he'd had enough adventure and needed some meek stability...who knows.
Either way...I am looking forward to seeing it again.
Jude Law rocks the 'stache.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Nice post, thanks. After reading that,....I may go see it today!

That made me happy, thanks. Hope you enjoy it.