November 15, 2005

Basil Rathbone: Master of Stage and Screen. The definitive Sherlock Holmes?.
  • Too bloody right he is! "Watson, the needle." That's, as far as I know, only reference to his opium habit in those ealy films, and comes at the end of The Hound of the Baskervilles. 'Ave it Large, Holmes!
  • Basil Rathbone is fantastic, as both Holmes and elsewhere, but no discussion of the defintive Holmes would be complete without a mention of Jeremy Brett in the role. It may also be worthwhile noting that the collection linked to in the FPP via amazon.com is available on amazon.co.uk for £25 rather than $225. Not bad for 14 films, never mind extensive features. I'll be ordering right after posting this - good work Zanshin.
  • Ah, the Brett-meister. My chum and I have had a few discussions about hime verses The Rathster...They're both good, but nothing beats the black and white charm of those old films...My first exposure to Holmes, I suppose.
  • Basil Rathbone will not only always be Holmes, he will also, at least for me, always be the teddibly evil Guy of Guisborne as well. It is folly to attmept to recreate, let alone one-up, a Platonic Form, Hollywood! FOLLY!
  • Rathbone is the definitive Holmes. Now shut this thread down.
  • "So, Watson, by examining Skrik's short-tempered outburst, I can deduce that the weather is slightly overcast where he is, his breakfast wasn't all he'd hoped it would be, and at this very moment there is a small, brown dog walking past his house" "Extraordinary, Holmes! How do you do it?" *Bluster* "Elementary, my dear...yadda yadda, yadda"
  • It's all about the Bone-meister, that's fo shizzle. Brett is awesome, but that crackly-black and white is forevercool. Check out the radio plays available. You can download a ton, and some are (not Rathbone) wackity - like Sherlock Holmes and Batman versus the Nazis. There have been other *cough* threads for us fans - as the search reveals. Thanks for the post!
  • just finished the italian secretary by caleb carr. it was commissioned as part of a compendium of conan doyle "tribute stories" to be published next year, but has been issued separately. it's okayish... i really liked carr's the alienist and the angel of darkness and i'm a big fan of conan doyle's writing. unfortunately, carr writes better for himself than when imitating another.
  • Actually, it was Nigel Bruce as Watson that did it to for me.
  • Case of the Silk Stocking I enjoyed it, great sets & costumes, very good Watson, not so much on the Holmes. Just . . too young I think.
  • JEREMY BRET IS AWESOME AS HOLMES SUCK MY BIG TOE LOSSERS
  • Come Nickdanger - the thread's afoot!
  • For me Jeremy Bret will always be Holmes. This is mostly the product of watching the BBC productions while growing up and never actually watching Basil Rathbone in the role. Weirdly enough, I associate Bret with the role so strongly that I remember him being Holmes in the Seven Percent Solution while, in actuality, he wasn't even in it.
  • Just how old are Holmes and Watson exactly? I don´t think it is explicitly mentioned in Doyle´s works. My guess would be late twenties, early thirties in the time "A Study in Scarlet" takes place. Watson has just returned from military service, which would probably put him in that age group. Also - even accounting the renowned English spleen, Baker Street 221b has a distinct student´s dorm feel to me. Holmes is patriot enough to pistol practice a bullet-pocked "VR" [Victoria Regina] into the wall of his flat...
  • I've seen that noted before elrick - I think the portrayal as a middle-aged duffer is down to the films only.
  • They are fine, firm, upstanding young men with bags of staminar! 'Watsdon, the lube!"
  • Watson, obv.
  • A lemon entry, dear kitfisto?
  • The Case of the Ring of Sting...
  • Brett was the definitive Holmes.
  • Have at you, Sir!
  • Sherlock Holmes music vids for all you mis-guided Brett freaks. Yeah, yeah, it's from Boing Boing, but hey, they did me a favour...
  • Razzle Bathbone -- the best Holmes run.