Sherlock Holmes TV and Movie Adaptations

DATo · Post by **DATo** » 24 Jul 2018, 05:39

Lil Reads wrote: ↑24 Jul 2018, 05:19 The Jeremy Brett series is my favorite; he looks so much like the original Sidney Paget drawings it is eerie, the way he physically acts emphasizing Holmes' physical skills as a skilled boxer as well as how he would push himself while solving cases, and how Holmes relates to Watson,especially how Holmes did care about Watson more as time went on. The sets and costumes are also beautiful.

I'll tell you what's REALLY eerie ... Paget's drawings of Holmes look exactly like PAGET *LOL*

I agree with everyone who has cited the BBC production as the best ever representation of Doyle's Sherlock.

I get very upset with people who try to invent new stories and new themes (think The Young Sherlock Holmes). There is only ONE canon of Sherlock Holmes stories and that is A.C. Doyle's. I hold people who try to capitalize on Doyle's work and inventiveness in contempt. They will never come close to the style and artistry of Doyle's work and I find their attempts to do so egregious and sacrilegious.

Lil Reads · Post by **Lil Reads** » 24 Jul 2018, 05:53

DATo wrote: ↑24 Jul 2018, 05:39
Lil Reads wrote: ↑24 Jul 2018, 05:19 The Jeremy Brett series is my favorite; he looks so much like the original Sidney Paget drawings it is eerie, the way he physically acts emphasizing Holmes' physical skills as a skilled boxer as well as how he would push himself while solving cases, and how Holmes relates to Watson,especially how Holmes did care about Watson more as time went on. The sets and costumes are also beautiful.
I'll tell you what's REALLY eerie ... Paget's drawings of Holmes look exactly like PAGET *LOL*

I agree with everyone who has cited the BBC production as the best ever representation of Doyle's Sherlock.

I get very upset with people who try to invent new stories and new themes (think The Young Sherlock Holmes). There is only ONE canon of Sherlock Holmes stories and that is A.C. Doyle's. I hold people who try to capitalize on Doyle's work and inventiveness in contempt. They will never come close to the style and artistry of Doyle's work and I find their attempts to do so egregious and sacrilegious.

ACD's estate has authorized some novels and short stories, including at least two in a series titled Holmes for the Holidays a collection of mysteries from various authors set during the holiday season.

DATo · Post by **DATo** » 25 Jul 2018, 02:25

Lil Reads wrote: ↑24 Jul 2018, 05:53
ACD's estate has authorized some novels and short stories, including at least two in a series titled Holmes for the Holidays a collection of mysteries from various authors set during the holiday season.

The fact that Doyle's estate has authorized the sale of his character(s) is absolutely meaningless to me. I have known personally and have heard stories of people who had spent their lives building a respected and profitable business only to have their greedy, talentless children run it into the ground or sell it outright for cash. The Anheusser - Bush family is a case in point. The fact that his estate is profiting from his work by accepting anything which puts money into their pockets, considering that they did nothing other than be born into the family to deserve this legal right, is really disturbing to me. Holmes for the Holidays ???? .... Doyle must be turning over in his grave. It probably won't be long before some greedy opportunist creates a comic book series with Jesus Christ as a super-hero who fights crime and space invaders alongside Superman, Spiderman and Wonder Woman. There is no longer any respect. It's all about money. Anything for money.

Lil Reads · Post by **Lil Reads** » 25 Jul 2018, 13:01

DATo wrote: ↑25 Jul 2018, 02:25
Lil Reads wrote: ↑24 Jul 2018, 05:53
ACD's estate has authorized some novels and short stories, including at least two in a series titled Holmes for the Holidays a collection of mysteries from various authors set during the holiday season.
The fact that Doyle's estate has authorized the sale of his character(s) is absolutely meaningless to me. I have known personally and have heard stories of people who had spent their lives building a respected and profitable business only to have their greedy, talentless children run it into the ground or sell it outright for cash. The Anheusser - Bush family is a case in point. The fact that his estate is profiting from his work by accepting anything which puts money into their pockets, considering that they did nothing other than be born into the family to deserve this legal right, is really disturbing to me. Holmes for the Holidays ???? .... Doyle must be turning over in his grave. It probably won't be long before some greedy opportunist creates a comic book series with Jesus Christ as a super-hero who fights crime and space invaders alongside Superman, Spiderman and Wonder Woman. There is no longer any respect. It's all about money. Anything for money.

The complex issue with ACD's canon is, depending of the copyright laws of various countries, sometimes the estate has no jurisdiction. For example, in the UK, everything ACD wrote is not protected under copyright so anyone can republish his work and anyone can adapt his work. However, in the US, the works that were published near the end of ACD's life are still protected under copyright so using ideas from those works, e.g. Holmes retiring to the countryside as a beekeeper,.

The BBC series had a problem briefly since they did use ideas from the later canon and it was going to be marketed to the US. The film Mr. Holmes was another weird example - it is based on a combination of the ACD canon and work from an American author.

These and other weird cases have been covered by academics and raised some questions about how the ACD estate deals with future works. Some of these academics have theorized that the ACD estate is trying to control something that is in the public domain or will be soon; other academics argue that the loopholes in copyright law are the main problem especially because other canons have to deal with similar legal issues.

I mentioned Holmes for the Holidays in particular because most of the stories allude to or reference one of the more well known stories in the ACD canon, The Blue Carbuncle, which had a holiday setting and had Holmes letting the criminal go free since the case against the innocent man was flimsy due to weird circumstances.

It showed that Holmes did care about people, even when he usually denigrates people - usually the officers of Scotland Yard - for being less intelligent than him.

It also helps explain part of his moral code, as he was more concerned with solving the case and understanding the mystery rather than putting the repenting criminal in jail, especially when the main goal - letting the falsely accused man go free - could be accomplished right then.

Holmes was not concerned with police procedure, he just wanted answers.

jdy · Post by **jdy** » 25 Jul 2018, 14:56

I have to be honest I haven’t ever read any of the Sherlock Holmes books. That being said however watching the show has made me want to read the books. I really liked the series with Cuberbatch.

DATo · Post by **DATo** » 28 Jul 2018, 01:17

jdy wrote: ↑25 Jul 2018, 14:56 I have to be honest I haven’t ever read any of the Sherlock Holmes books. That being said however watching the show has made me want to read the books. I really liked the series with Cuberbatch.

You really, REALLY, need to get into the literature. Reading A.C. Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories for the first time was one of the most satisfying experiences of my reading life. I would suggest starting with The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes which is a series of short stories. Many will tell you to begin with the novel A Study In Scarlet because it contains how Holmes and Watson meet and the first case they work on together, but I disagree. By reading the short stories contained in The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes you quickly become immersed in Holmes and Watson's world of the late 1800s as well as the little things which have become sacred facts to fans of Holmes such as the arrangement of their living quarters and Doyle's manner of constructing the stories. Reading A Study In Scarlet later serves as a beautiful flashback and in my opinion has a greater impact on the reader because now, being fully vested in the world of Holmes and Watson, the impact of their early association and back history prior to meeting is especially intriguing and satisfying.

The third thing to read (again, in my opinion only) is the novella, The Hound Of The Baskervilles in which Arthur Conan Doyle is at the height of his powers - one of the most enjoyable and entertaining reads of my life. Again, I think to fully appreciate this book it is important that you have some prior knowledge of Holmes and Watson's life together before the novel begins. It's not essential, but in my opinion it makes the story better.

Do not wait. Get into the books. You'll thank me later.

/

jdy · Post by **jdy** » 07 Aug 2018, 16:07

Thanks I do plan on taking you up on it. I am currently looking for copies of the books you suggested and plan on reading them.

Jennifer Fernandez · Post by **Jennifer Fernandez** » 07 Aug 2018, 16:54

I've read all the Sherlock Holmes stories and my favorite adaptions are the movies with Robert Downy Jr. I don't like Sherlock (TV Series) because I feel that taking Holmes out of his Victorian setting diminishes him as a character. I saw some episodes and didn't like it.

jdy · Post by **jdy** » 09 Aug 2018, 07:46

I am so excited. I have downloaded my first set of Sherlock Holmes books on my Kindle App. I cant wait until I have a chance to start reading them.

DATo · Post by **DATo** » 09 Aug 2018, 09:12

jdy wrote: ↑09 Aug 2018, 07:46 I am so excited. I have downloaded my first set of Sherlock Holmes books on my Kindle App. I cant wait until I have a chance to start reading them.

Let me know what you think about them. For me half the love of these books is the way Doyle writes - the style. I'd be interested in learning if you agree.

sam_jennifer_may · Post by **sam_jennifer_may** » 13 Aug 2018, 11:35

Whilst I haven’t seen all of the Sherlock adaptations, I think Benedict Cumberbatch’s portrayal of Sherlock is the best I’ve seen. The modern twist on such an old beloved character keeps you engaged in the character. Although waiting for the next season over the past couple of years has been tiresome.

juliamenez · Post by **juliamenez** » 13 Aug 2018, 21:54

I really enjoyed the BBC version. I thought it was well-written and entertaining.

Also, I agree with Lil Reads about the Great Mouse Detective-- such a fantastic Disney movie from childhood!

jdy · Post by **jdy** » 17 Aug 2018, 07:32

I have downloaded and began reading the Sherlock Holmes books. I am greatly enjoying the reading and finding it hard to put down.

Bluebird03 · Post by **Bluebird03** » 09 Feb 2019, 11:41

I enjoyed the recent Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey, but really prefer the series that was on PBS. The character Sherlock Holmes was completely different on each of those mediums.- but I found the PBS Holmes to be a little more believable.

Taylor Danvers · Post by **Taylor Danvers** » 11 Feb 2019, 16:28

Sherlock Holmes is such a popular and familiar title that I thought I know this film but unfortunately, I don't I'd love to watch it and know once and for all what Sherlock Holmes is about.