A Few Words About A few words about...™ Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Granada TV Series -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[bigshot]

Pick by price.

 

[William R. Weiss]

Wow...I've just A/B'd the Spanish and MPI sets with The Three Gables. No matter which way around I do it, in my BD players (Oppo BDP-83 and Panasonic DMP-BDT500P) I get the same results....the MPI version hops, skips and jumps all though the episode. Some people may not notice it, but I'm pretty sensitive to this, as well as flicker on PC monitors, and it drives me crazy. Oddly, this is happening when I watch them both at 24 frames. How could this happen if they were both mastered/made from the same HD transfer that ITV Global did? And I'm sure they are from the same transfer, as the whole "day for night" issue in The Sign of Four, and the aspect ratio on this episode bears out, as well as the ITV Global HD splash screen at the end of each episode. Whatever the Spanish company (Track Media) did, they did it right. Had I known about this before I bought the 5 US MPI sets, I probably wouldn't have double-dipped. It's not a definite deal breaker, but almost (for me anyway).

This episode is one where the little bit of extra DNR on the Spanish set pays off...the grainy, edgy (dare I say even jaggies?) on the US set (for this episode) are tamed on the Spanish set.

Bottom line is I can't recommend the MPI set any more, I was leaning toward that one. I'm glad I have the Spanish set now. Anyone wanna buy the 5 US MPI sets?

 

[JohnMor]

Hopefully, MPI will correct the mastering error and reissue replacement discs.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Is there any better depiction of the Victorian era Sherlock Holmes than Jeremy Brett? I don't think so. Benedict Cumberbatch is the best contemporary version. Basil Rathbone and Peter Cushing were fine in the films. But Brett just captures that petulant nature I remember from the actual stories more vividly than any other actor.

The presentation is fantastic. All this talk about the Spanish versus the domestic. Wow, the look of the domestic is beyond my expectation down to the tiniest detail. It seems impossible this was shot on 16mm the detail is so fantastic.

I've just been going through the feature set I got separately at Costco, and it's been a joy to revisit. A couple things come to mind about the actual stories. As a child, The Hound of the Baskervilles was always the most compelling story idea, but having revisited the Cushing movie recently and watching the Brett version, it dawns on me how incredibly boring the story really is. It's just not a great Holmes story.

Now, The Master Blackmailer is quite the opposite - a great compelling version on the Brett version from beginning to end. I had some "Really?" moments though. Holmes and Watson using grappling hooks and ropes to storm Milverton's estate at night. Was this in the original story? Seems so un-Holmes like to resort to cat-burglary. And then Mrs. Swinston suddenly appears to confront Milverton in the same study as the safe. How did SHE get into the estate? Levitation? Oh, well, it's still a terrific version and particularly the very uncharacteristic Holmes at the conclusion.

I'm so glad these are available in BD for potential new Holmes fans to discover (and we aging fans to re-appreciate). Watch them all and you will have a hard time ever imagining anyone else playing the period roles so well (and please, can we all forget about the Robert Downey Jr. ninja abomination?)

 

[David_B_K]

I've just been going through the feature set I got separately at Costco, and it's been a joy to revisit. A couple things come to mind about the actual stories. As a child, The Hound of the Baskervilles was always the most compelling story idea, but having revisited the Cushing movie recently and watching the Brett version, it dawns on me how incredibly boring the story really is. It's just not a great Holmes story.

Now, The Master Blackmailer is quite the opposite - a great compelling version on the Brett version from beginning to end. I had some "Really?" moments though. Holmes and Watson using grappling hooks and ropes to storm Milverton's estate at night. Was this in the original story? Seems so un-Holmes like to resort to cat-burglary. And then Mrs. Swinston suddenly appears to confront Milverton in the same study as the safe. How did SHE get into the estate? Levitation? Oh, well, it's still a terrific version and particularly the very uncharacteristic Holmes at the conclusion.

There should probably be spoiler tags on these comments.

Spoiler

Yes, Homes and Watson burglarize Milverton's estate. I don't remember if they used grappling hooks, but they wore masks and sneakers. Yes, the woman appears and shoots Milverton as in the TV film. The story was severely padded. Holmes did have a phony "engagement" with one of Milverton's servants, and this is done rather flippantly in the story as opposed to Holmes being haunted by taking advantage of the woman in the film.

I think the Granada version of Hound was boring because they did it in a boring fashion. The story has a great sense of atmosphere, which the TV film lacked, IMO. I still like Rathbone's version of The Hound best of all.

 

[Mark Booth]

I've finally finished the first series (through episode 13). The last episode in the series, 'The Final Problem', is superlative! Easily my favorite episode of the first thirteen!

I hope to start on the second series (The Return of Sherlock Holmes) in the next few days, depending on how things go with the holidays.

Mark

 

[Oblivion138]

Is there any better depiction of the Victorian era Sherlock Holmes than Jeremy Brett? I don't think so. Benedict Cumberbatch is the best contemporary version. Basil Rathbone and Peter Cushing were fine in the films. But Brett just captures that petulant nature I remember from the actual stories more vividly than any other actor.

The only other series that really had fantastic period atmosphere was, ironically, the Russian series starring Vasily Livanov. Once you get past the fact that the actors are all speaking Russian in Victorian London, that series is overall, pretty wonderful. Perhaps second only to the Brett adaptations, in my estimation. As for Cushing, I didn't think he was so great in the BBC series he did, but his turn in Hammer's Hound of the Baskervilles is excellent. Almost as much as Brett, he captures the priggish, impatient, egotistical, misanthropic, and generally unpleasant side of Holmes. In the BBC series, he was much too "light," which can especially be seen in that adaptation of The Blue Carbuncle, versus the Brett/Burke adaptation.

Speaking of which, I did watch The Blue Carbuncle this Christmas, as always, and also threw in The Cardboard Box, the final episode of the Brett series. A story which did not originally take place at Christmas, but the decision to move the Granada adaptation to the holidays was inspired, adding much to the story, from plot twists to wonderful interplay between Holmes, Watson, and Mrs. Hudson. It is one of the stronger episodes from the Memoirs, and a fitting farewell to Brett's Holmes.

And yes, the current BBC series is an excellent modern take on the character, and dare I say, features the best Holmes/Watson pairing since Brett and Burke/Hardwicke.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

After watching some of these again I had to immediately dump the abomination that is the Robert Downey Jr. film versions. In my defense I can only say it was a temporary case of insanity trying to introduce a young son at the time to the character. Unfortunately, the damage was probably done and Downey will always be his first version of Holmes like Pierce Brosnan was his introduction to Bond.

 

[Oblivion138]

The first Ritchie/Downey movie wasn't all bad. As a pastiche, it was okay. A bit juvenile at times, yes, but it had its good points. Particularly Jude Law, who is actually a VERY good Watson. And at the end of the day, while it takes its liberties, it's mostly respectful of the canon, and some silly-looking CGI aside, the period recreation is often quite atmospheric. And it was just nice to see Holmes on the big screen again for the first time in nearly 20 years.


The second movie...well, Law is damn near the ONLY good thing about it (talk about wasted potential in Stephen Fry as Mycroft...perfect casting, squandered on a terrible film), though Jared Harris was a suitably chilling Moriarty (much better than the posh schoolboy sociopath portrayal on the otherwise excellent BBC series, Sherlock)...but he too was wasted, with nothing to do. The most shocking thing about the sequel, though, was that there was literally no mystery to it at all. I don't know how one makes a Sherlock Holmes film that is devoid of mystery, but they managed it.


As time goes by, I think that the Ritchie films will be remembered less and less, but that Jude Law will be remembered as an excellent Watson. Of course, he had the resume for it, having already appeared with the greatest Holmes of all in 1991.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Anyway, I couldn't stop messing around with the replacement covers I made for the Spanish set (the ones that came with them couldn't go out in the trash fast enough!) and I think I got the "old book" feel about right. Getting what's in my head onto the screen is the hard or time consuming part, and there's a lot of trial and error involved, as well as test printing.


Here are some preview images of them:

Here are the links to the actual images saved as jpegs:

http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab177/misterweiss/01Adventures.jpg
http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab177/misterweiss/02Return.jpg
http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab177/misterweiss/03Casebook.jpg
http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab177/misterweiss/04Memoirs.jpg
http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab177/misterweiss/05Films.jpg

Feel free to download them if you'd like. Be sure to click on the "download" link on the right side of the screen, DON'T save the image on the screen by right clicking, you won't get the full resolution that way.

Enjoy!

William thanks so much for these. They make the set look so awesome!

 

[William R. Weiss]

William thanks so much for these. They make the set look so awesome!

You're welcome. Glad you like them.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

I'm curious if there was ever any reason(s) given as to the order in which the episodes were filmed as they do not follow the story publication order.

 

[bigshot]

The publication order doesn't follow a logical chronology. The stories jump around in time a bit.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

The publication order doesn't follow a logical chronology. The stories jump around in time a bit.

So the filmed order is done in a chronological order then I assume.


Wished they had filmed the first meeting between the two...ie - Reprint from the Reminiscences of John H. Watson.

 

[Oblivion138]

There is no rhyme or reason to the order of the episodes. They adapted whatever they felt the best stories to adapt would be. Which is why most of the really iconic Holmes stories were covered in the first two series. I believe there was an intention to film the entire canon, prior to Brett's death cutting the series short. Though if they did Study in Scarlet, they would have obviously had to omit the early scenes where Holmes and Watson first meet, and take up residence together...because Brett and Hardwicke were far too visibly old by the mid-'90s to play that first meeting.

 

[David_B_K]

The book ''the Annotated Sherlock Holmes'' attempts to put all the stories in chronological order; however, I always preferred to read them in publication order.

 

[Matt Hough]

The book ''the Annotated Sherlock Holmes'' attempts to put all the stories in chronological order; however, I always preferred to read them in publication order.

That pair of volumes, incidentally, is indispensable for anyone with more than a passing interest in Sherlock Holmes.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

That pair of volumes, incidentally, is indispensable for anyone with more than a passing interest in Sherlock Holmes.

Absolutely right .. it was a marvellous publishing endeavour ... and its actual physical design, with the splendid slipcased volumes, is just wonderful. The annotations are right to the point and it is always possible to read in publication order .. though I must say I follow the chronological order....

 

[David_B_K]

Absolutely right .. it was a marvellous publishing endeavour ... and its actual physical design, with the splendid slipcased volumes, is just wonderful. The annotations are right to the point and it is always possible to read in publication order .. though I must say I follow the chronological order....

I keep the Annotated version as a reference, but I prefer to read the Strand Magazine facsimile edition. But, yes, the Annotated Holmes is a must-have.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Got the annotated Holmes collection version for my Kindle. Very useful resource. Love how you can jump to an annotation and then back to where you left reading from.


Watched the first 3 episodes. Picture quality easily the best I have ever seen these episodes in. Brett rocks it as Holmes. Got the Spanish set for a steal - EUR 36,26.