Off Topic...maybe

Jeanne here:

I'm a movie lover-- and I seldom look at movies with a critical eye. In fact, I'll look for reasons to like a movie much more often than I'll look at reasons to pan it.

But I’m not sure how I feel about this one--a new Sherlock Holmes movie starring Robert Downey, Jr and Jude Law. From USA Today:

"We are trying to make a fun adventure movie," (Producer Lionel Wigram) says. "My favorites are the Bond films. Raiders of the Lost Ark. I want to make a movie like that."

Familiarity does breed box office. "The word of the day is 'branding,' " says Hollywood mogul Joel Silver, another of the film's producers and a force behind the Die Hard and Matrix series. "We are always looking for branded ideas. Audiences are interested in seeing something they know."

But with a difference, too. This Holmes is as brainy as ever but is a bruiser as well. Bare-fisted boxing, sword fighting and a mastery of martial arts have been added to his arsenal of weapons.


And a second look here.


Okay, my thoughts…Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law as Holmes and Watson?

The first problem for me is that Law is taller than Downey—that’s wrong. And Downey doesn’t have the angular edges to his face that Holmes had. I’ll probably be sparking a war here, but Basil Rathbone was the cinema Holmes for me. Until Jeremy Brett made the PBS series. I had the pleasure of meeting Brett when I lived in Southern California. I belonged to our own Baker St Irregular group called The Grimpen Admirers. We had dinners and dressed in vintage clothing and talked the Canon for hours. Brett was in Los Angeles for some function or another and our group met with him. It wasn’t long after his wife died and I’ll never forget his sad countenance. Still, he was warm and welcoming and I have a wonderful picture taken with him. Someday I’ll have to get it scanned so I can share it.

Anyway, in a wave of nostalgia, I started looking for some pics, depictions of the Master. Here's what I chose.

First a well known Sydney Padgett Drawing.


Next a couple of Rathbone images:






































Jeremy Brett:































And finally, Downey and Law:





















How do you feel about Sherlock Holmes? Ever read Doyle’s stories? Why do you think they still resonate with readers? Any thoughts on the new casting? Tell us.

Images above are from the Sherlock Holmes shop and the website of Sheryl Franklin.

And for this poster, here is the link:




Over at the Biting Edge, Mario and I are holding a contest--your favorite hero. Two guesses who mine would be.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Could've been worse. We're lucky they didn't cast Leo DeCapri as Holmes, with Beyonce as Watson.

It's Hollywood, it could happen and you know it.
Ihave to agree with you. I loved the Basil Rathbone series! They used to show them on Sat mornings here. Along with the old Falcon series. sigh... I loved those old movies.
Gina said…
You know....I'm wondering why they didn't cast Jude Law as HOLMES?? To me he'd be much more true to type.

Though one thing I have to take issue with -- I'm awfully tired of the same old stuff coming out of Hollywood and I'd like to see something fresh. What they are really saying is they are afraid to take a financial gamble.
Falcata Times said…
LOL, yeah I loved Rathbone, he was Holmes for me, the other one I quite liked was Peter Cushing. The current casting seems very mismatched to be honest and Im not sure how well it will come over.

As to who, of the modern actors, I'd have cast for the role, that will take some working out my dear Watson.
Sabrina Favors said…
I enjoy Robert Downey Jr. I like his work. That said, he doesn't scream "Sherlock" to me. Especially with Jude Law as Watson. Holmes has always been a tall, skinny man with an angular face, in my mind. Downey Jr. doesn't seem to jive with that.

And is it just me, or does it look like he's wearing a fanny pack in that second photo?
Anonymous said…
Doesn't look that appealing. Especially after reading there's going to be some sort of brawling action-adventure to it as well. Holmes rarely shot anyone, much less engaged in fisticuffs. Most of the time, his deductive abilities made it so Lestrade was in the right place at the right time to do any dirty work.

Admittedly, I might go see it anyway, just to see whether it's a butchering or not.

I read lots of Holmes, both classic and some reimagined material, and unless they're starting with, say, "The Final Problem", they're probably not going to have a whole lot for material.
Anonymous said…
I'll ignore the obvious cocaine addict connection to focus on something even weirder... is Robert Downey, Jr., wearing a fanny pack in that picture?
Thom said…
I don't know, it could work.

Sherlock Holmes-Eccentric bohemian who is basically brilliant but nuts, plus an adventure junkie and a cocaine addict.

John Watson- Strongly built war veteran who is pretty successful with the ladies.

You could do worse than Downey and Law in those roles.

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