Sherlock Holmes - RDJ

DocWhiskey

Well-known member
I seen it last week. I didn't find it boring or too long at all (as opposed to some friends of mine). I was entertained. I actually liked Watson more then Holmes in this film. Now if I could only understand what they're saying half the time.
 

Joosse

New member
DocWhiskey said:
I seen it last week. I didn't find it boring or too long at all (as opposed to some friends of mine). I was entertained. I actually liked Watson more then Holmes in this film. Now if I could only understand what they're saying half the time.

Now is that because the sound was bad, or is it because the United States and the United Kingdom speak a different language? ;)
 

DocWhiskey

Well-known member
Joosse said:
Now is that because the sound was bad, or is it because the United States and the United Kingdom speak a different language? ;)

I think a combination of both. The theater I seen it at doesn't have a wonderful sound system. But I usually understand British accents for the most part. Or maybe I just understand the "Hollywood" British accent. For instance the film "Layer Cake", I had NO idea what they were saying the whole time. I'll give Holmes a rent when it comes on DVD.
 

Peru1936

New member
roundshort said:
Have not read the thread, but wasn't Holmes a hell of a Bare Knuckle boxer in the original books? If I remember correctly form ready these years ago that Holmes was kinda of a bad ass . . .

That's correct. Holmes is described in Sir Doyle's original stories as being very proficient in armed and unarmed combat. Holmes is a skilled stick fighter and bare knuckles brawler. I thought it was about time this original trait of the character was given some screen presence.

I thought the film was decent, good fun. I really enjoy Sherlock Holmes; got seriously into Sir Doyle's originals in my late teens. Remarkable stuff. The first time I read "A Study in Scarlet" I was flabbergasted at how damn good the writing and storytelling was.

I watched the films with Basil Rathbone as Holmes, which are good fun, and I grew up watching Jeremy Brett's passionate and manic portrayal of Holmes (so manic that it indicated his mental illness). To me, then - and I suppose it's a generational thing - Brett is Sherlock Holmes (like to others my age, Reeve is Superman, or Ford will always be Indy for our generation). Just the same, I don't find it hard to see someone else in the role (life goes on, after all), and I do think Downey, Jr has the required talent.

The film was weak on Holmes's difficulties with socializing; it's depicted, but not strongly enough. I thought it interesting to include Irene Adler, and the way they did. Also, using Moriarty the way they did is interesting. I quite enjoyed the story itself (the film's strongest point), but think Ritchie may not have been the right director to envision it.

Overall, not bad, but I doubt I'll be picking it up on DVD.
 

Montana Smith

Active member
Peru1936 said:
That's correct. Holmes is described in Sir Doyle's original stories as being very proficient in armed and unarmed combat. Holmes is a skilled stick fighter and bare knuckles brawler. I thought it was about time this original trait of the character was given some screen presence.

I thought the film was decent, good fun. I really enjoy Sherlock Holmes; got seriously into Sir Doyle's originals in my late teens. Remarkable stuff. The first time I read "A Study in Scarlet" I was flabbergasted at how damn good the writing and storytelling was.

I watched the films with Basil Rathbone as Holmes, which are good fun, and I grew up watching Jeremy Brett's passionate and manic portrayal of Holmes (so manic that it indicated his mental illness). To me, then - and I suppose it's a generational thing - Brett is Sherlock Holmes (like to others my age, Reeve is Superman, or Ford will always be Indy for our generation). Just the same, I don't find it hard to see someone else in the role (life goes on, after all), and I do think Downey, Jr has the required talent.

The film was weak on Holmes's difficulties with socializing; it's depicted, but not strongly enough. I thought it interesting to include Irene Adler, and the way they did. Also, using Moriarty the way they did is interesting. I quite enjoyed the story itself (the film's strongest point), but think Ritchie may not have been the right director to envision it.

Overall, not bad, but I doubt I'll be picking it up on DVD.

I'm intrigued by this new film and will get the DVD at some point. I keep meaning to read the stories - I have a 1934 edition of the 'Complete Short Stories' which is stamped up as a copy from the Regimental Office of the Shropshire Yeomanry (17th October 1940) - so they must have thought Holmes and Watson would be good for the war effort.

On the first page of the first story, 'A Scandal in Bohemia', Watson writes of Holmes: "All emotions, and that one [love] particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise, but admirably balanced mind. He was, I take it, the most perfect reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen: but, as a lover, he would have placed himself in a false position. He never spoke of the softer passions, save with a gibe and a sneer...Grit in a sensitive instrument, or a crack in one of his own high-power leses, would not be more disturbing than a strong emotion in a nature such as his."

Already on the second page Holmes is said to spend his life "...alternating from week to week between coacaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the drug, and the fierce energy of his own keen nature."

It certainly sets up an interesting character - almost a loveless robot, yet with a human addiction. I think Conan Doyle meant to write opium, instead of cocaine, if he was referring to drowsiness.
 

Peru1936

New member
Montana Smith said:
I keep meaning to read the stories - I have a 1934 edition of the 'Complete Short Stories'...

Nice.

Montana Smith said:
'A Scandal in Bohemia'...

Certainly one of the greatest short stories ever written in the English language.

Montana Smith said:
Already on the second page Holmes is said to spend his life "...alternating from week to week between coacaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the drug, and the fierce energy of his own keen nature."

It certainly sets up an interesting character - almost a loveless robot, yet with a human addiction. I think Conan Doyle meant to write opium, instead of cocaine, if he was referring to drowsiness.

Until later stories, Holmes is addicted to cocaine, opium, morphine, and tobacco. He uses cocaine most frequently, and smokes like a chimney.
 

emtiem

Well-known member
I had a bit of trouble understanding RDJ occasionally. I'm a Brit so it might have been that his accent was slightly off or the sound was a little indistinct in places.
 

roundshort

Active member
Went and finally saw this. I have to say I was really lookign forward to it.

I liked it, it was a good popcorn flick and I will probably purchase it again.
I did enjoy that they made him awkard and went a bit into his "down" periods between cases.
A few issues already mentioned. Adler played WAY to big a part and I just did nto get her.

The period custoemrs were a bit much. I really thought they made Holmes look like a member of Dexy's Midnight Runners. I kept expecting him to bust out "Come on Eileen"
 

bennihana123

New member
Had middle-ground expectations, and they were exceeded. Loved the acting, action, humor, atmosphere, everything.

I thought it had an Indiana Jones-feel to it. Anyone else think the same? The Pirates of the Caribbean films had a similar tone.
 

Goodsport

Member
It's interesting that the title character's traditional arch-nemesis is featured in the second film of the Guy Ritchie series, much like in the Christopher Nolan Batman series. :eek:


-G
 

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
Goodsport said:
It's interesting that the title character's traditional arch-nemesis is featured in the second film of the Guy Ritchie series, much like in the Christopher Nolan Batman series. :eek:

If you're setting up a franchise, that would seem to be a must.
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
A second trailer made itself known to us a couple of weeks back. In case any of you have yet to see it, check it out below.

Adler is back unfortunately. And they've ramped up the sense of spectacle exponentially it would seem.

 

Stoo

Well-known member
Le Saboteur said:
And they've ramped up the sense of spectacle exponentially it would seem.
The new trailer piques my interest but it looks like someone has a hand-held machine gun!(n)

My best friend is in the Canadian made-for-TV film, "The Royal Scandal", which is based on "A Scandal in Bohemia". Parts of it were shot close to where the Indy exhibition was in Montreal. For Holmes fans who don't know, 4 movies were made for CTV starring Matt Frewer as Sherlock. (The guy who used to be Coca-Cola's, Max Headroom.)

(2000) The Hound of the Baskervilles
(2001) The Sign of Four
(2001) The Royal Scandal
(2002) The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire
 

Montana Smith

Active member
Stoo said:
The new trailer piques my interest but it looks like someone has a hand-held machine gun!(n)

Maybe it was a Mauser C96 on full automatic (which didn't happen until the 1930s)? It was so brief I couldn't really make it out.

I didn't see the first film, but the trailers and clips made me think it was Holmes inspired more by The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen than by Conan Doyle. So an Uzi probably wouldn't seem out of place!
 

Montana Smith

Active member
Rocket Surgeon said:
Oh for Pete's sake man! What the hell have you been doing for the past two years? Ditch that Star Wars crap and go get it already!:rolleyes:

It didn't look good enough to pick up. Looked as though it was Holmes and Watson written for a Jean-Claude van Damme/Steven Segal team-up. :sick:

The new one looks like it might be Robert Downey Jr. playing Iron-Clad Man!

I saw it recently for a quid, but didn't bother. I was thinking about it for as long as it took another muppet to buy it.
 
Montana Smith said:
It didn't look good enough to pick up. Looked as though it was Holmes and Watson written for a Jean-Claude van Damme/Steven Segal team-up. :sick:
It's of a greater quality than any of those you, you...you mention, and spell and hyphenate correctly I sadly note.
 

Finn

Moderator
Staff member
Montana Smith said:
Maybe it was a Mauser C96 on full automatic (which didn't happen until the 1930s)? It was so brief I couldn't really make it out.
holmes.jpg


Looks like some kind of Mauser variant to me. And while one might be willing to chow a plateful of anachronism stew with that one, what the hell is the thing Watson is holding. Please don't tell me it's a Sten gun.
 
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