ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

What was it that Captain America said to Tony Stark in The Avengers?
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"Big man in a suit of armor. Take that off and what are you?"

"A genius, crime-solving, consulting detective."
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Well, I rewrote the line a little, but it still fits, eh?

How does Robert Downey Jr. manage to be so quiet, so cool, and so tough — all at the same time. It ain't fair to the rest of us.

As a devoted Sherlock Holmes fan from way back into the last century (which sounds further back than it really is), I must confess I didn't care for Downey's scruffy appearance in this version of the Baker St. detective. His disdain for fashionable clothes and good grooming was clearly a statement on the part of the filmmakers: This is not your grandfather's legendary London sleuth.

On the other hand, Jude Law's version of Dr. Watson was a wonderful about-face from the bumbling comic relief we got with Nigel Bruce in the 1940s movies. I've always disliked the way Watson — a writer, a doctor, and the best friend of the wisest man in the planet — was portrayed as a blithering idiot.

And then there's . . . The Woman, as Sherlock was inclined to call her. Irene Adler was her name -- and Rachel McAdams was The Woman who played her.

Be still, my foolish heart.

This is a gal to die for, with beauty unsurpassed, and charms that could convince snakes to slither in formation.

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If beauty were illegal, she'd be doing twenty-to-life.

The movie's photography tickled my fancy a bit less, however. In their efforts to create a dim and dingy 18th century environment, the filmmakers seem to have used only three colors; white, black, and brown -- with the exception of Miss McAdam's bright red lips, a kissable oasis in a near-monochromatic desert.

But there's no faulting the story, a worthy challenge for the great detective and a bloody good movie, start to finish.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Pow]

Nope, lost me on this one, Bud.

Turning Holmes into James Bond was a travesty to Doyle.

[orzel-w]

I thought Travesty was Hollywood's middle name.
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...or not...

WayneO
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[Pow]

[Bud Brewster]

I thought it was pretty ridiculous to have Sherlock Holmes beat the crap out of big old professional fighter in a bare knuckle match -- but I was told by a friend and fellow Sherlock Holmes fan that there are references in the books to Sherlock's accomplishments in that area.

I Goggled a question about the movie's accuracy and found this.

http://whatculture.com/film/how-faithful-is-guy-ritchies-sherlock-holmes-to-arthur-conan-doyle.php
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Some people less familiar with the original stories were surprised by the scenes in which Holmes uses martial arts techniques and also by his propensity to engage in bare knuckle boxing. In another scene in The Sign of the Four, Holmes runs into McMurdo, a boxer, and he reminds him that they've met before:

"Not Mr. Sherlock Holmes!" roared the prize-fighter. "God's truth! How could I have mistook you? If instead of standing there so quiet you had just stepped up and give me that cross-hit of yours under the jaw, I'd had known you without a question. Ah, you're one that has wasted your gifts, you have! You might have aimed high, if you had joined the fancy.
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So, if you meant the boxing and fighting scenes, maybe Holmes was a little more like James Bond than we imagined.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Krel]

Just think, the director of this movie has said that he wants to do for "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.", what he did to Sherlock Holmes.

Now do you understand why I think the MFU movie is going to suck wind?

David.

[orzel-w]

Not having ever read any of Doyle's books, I came to this treatment of Holmes with only other movie and TV treatments to compare it with. I did enjoy this version much more than the rest.

Having been a fan of the original U.N.C.L.E. TV series, I have certain preconceived notions. But those are deeply flavored by the naivete of youth. Like other movies and shows immensely enjoyed in my youth, returning to them now I often find it difficult to remember what I ever saw in them originally. Now, just about the only thing I really still enjoy about U.N.C.L.E. is the opening sequence and title theme (first season). I may just find the reboot enjoyable. I have my hopes.
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...or not...

WayneO
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[Bud Brewster]

[Bud Brewster]

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My dear Mr. Powers,

I dare say, sir, that you should perchance give this entertaining motion picture another chance, in view of the information I shared earlier about the more physical skills of that famous individual from 221B Baker St.

Unlike the esteemed Mr. Orlicki, who admits he knows nothing about the literary version of Mr. Holmes, I have read a significant number of Mr. Doyle's fine works involving the famous "consulting detective".

What this version endeavors to accomplish — which prior film versions did not — was give Mr. Holmes much more to do than simply puff on his pipe and make poor Nigel Bruce (the witless incarnation of Watson who has always annoyed me) look foolish for not know his button-hook shoes from his backside!

I'll send you a download of the movie as soon as you confer with me on the difficulty you're having with WeTransfer.

Sincerely Yours,

Bud Holmes (Sherlock's lesser brother)
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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IMDB has several interesting trivia items for this production.
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~ Watson's line to Holmes, "You know that what you're drinking is for eye surgery?", is an obscure reference to Holmes' cocaine usage. At the time, cocaine was used as a topical anesthetic for eye surgery. In the stories, Holmes injects cocaine.

Note from me: Holmes often stated that if he didn't have a challenging case to work on he would get so bored he had to shoot up with cocaine.

I'm no Sherlock Holmes, but whenever it's been a while since iI've come with of a novel idea for an elaborate post for All Sci-Fi, I get bored, too.

However, a few of these and suddenly I concoct some crazy thing to ponder and then write about!


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~ Robert Maillet (Dredger) accidentally knocked out Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes) while filming a fight scene.

Note from me: Imagine how often that happens to stunt men!

~ Attempting to escape the clutches of wearing a tight corset every morning, Rachel McAdams would trick the costumers by pushing her stomach out or eating a big breakfast of oatmeal before being laced up. However, they eventually caught on to her ruse.

Note from me: I presume the purpose of Miss McAdams' efforts was to cause the corset to seem tightly laced, when in fact she would acquire a bit of breathing room (literally) after relaxing her stomach muscles.

However, the "eating a big breakfast" trick doesn't sound quite logical. It takes several hours for food to move down into the small intestines, so she'd get no relief that way.

And, ironically, it would eventually make her fatter — thus adding to her problem, rather than diminishing it!

~ In the stories, Holmes is described to be an expert in Baritsu. In the film, however, the martial art that Holmes used is the Wing-Chun Kung Fu (famously used by Ip Man Yee and Bruce Lee). Robert Downey, Jr. is a practitioner of the art in real-life, and the fight scene between him and David Garrick at Punch Bowl Pit was coordinated with the help of his trainer.

Note from me: Well, well . . . so much for the critics who thought that a two-fisted Sherlock Holmes was just Hollywood's way of adding inappropriate action to a story which was supposed to be about a character who went around displaying his smarts all the time!

~ Director of photography Philippe Rousselot used a special high-speed digital camera specifically to film the Punch Bowl fight sequence. The key moment where Holmes punches his opponent's jaw was filmed one second in real time, and turned into a seven-second shot without additional post-production aid.

Note from me: Ah, yes — nothing brings home the point that a guy is is getting the shit knocked out of him like showing the whole thing in slow motion so we see the rippling shock waves across his face and the flying drops of spittle that float away like dandelion seeds.

I'm not criticizing the technique, I'm just showing off my awesome descriptive powers . . . eh, Watson?

~ Robert Downey, Jr. read many Sherlock Holmes stories and watched The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984) in order to learn more about the character.

Note from me: The Jeremy Brett versions on BBC are excellent . . . but for some damn reason the picture quality is never very sharp. It's annoying.

~ The bare-knuckle fight between Holmes and McMurdo references the Holmes story "The Sign of Four". In the story, Holmes encounters McMurdo and says to him, "I don't think you can have forgotten me. Don't you remember that amateur who fought three rounds with you at Alison's rooms on the night of your benefit four years back?"

Note from me: Another example of how the fight scenes in this movie are more faithful to the novels than some folks care to admit.

~ The first Sherlock Holmes film to reach U.S. movie theaters in over twenty years since the 1988 comedy Without a Clue (1988) with Michael Caine as Reginald Kincaid/"Sherlock Holmes".

Note from me: Ah-ha! That clever comedy was a brilliant "re-imagining" of the Holmes character. The movie was actually a fine "Holmes" story, and it contained some very funny moments. The cast is excellent.

YouTube has a 943 MB version to watch or download! I've made it available on my WeTransfer account for anybody who wants it. I will be available until August 8th.

https://we.tl/t-12lOO8NY23

Without a Clue 1988 1080p Michael Caine, Ben Kingsley, Jeffrey Jones


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Gord Green]

AH...As much as I love Downeys' Chaplin and Iron Man, and basically respect him as an excellent actor, as an old time Baker Street Irregular and long time Holmesian in general . . I MUST say that these two movies are as far removed from the canon as if it featured Jerry Lewis as The Great Detective!

Jeremy Brett captured the character just right. Downey turned him into a 21st century "super hero". But at least it wasn't as bad as the travesty that Will Farrell inflicted upon us!
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There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child.