The Game Is Afoot: For all things Sherlockian

[Iron Maiden]

I saw some of the Basil Rathbone movies when I was a kid but I don't remember much about them. I really need to go back and check out the classic B&W movies to get an adult appreciation for them. Finding the time to do so is the problem.

Oh and I'm in the middle of a rewatch of the Jeremy Brett series.

I watched the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce string of film often over the years. The Hound of the Baskervilles was fairly well done version of the work and one of my favorites is an original script, the Scarlet Claw. But in retrospect I wish they had made Watson's character less buffonish, a trait that was frequently inserted for comic relief. I can only guess that TPTB wanted such a dynamic between the two actors since in got more exaggerated over the series.

Here's an interview with Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke that popped up on my YouTube the other day. I was intrigued to hear that they were promoting a stage production called The Secret of Sherlock Holmes that they were going to take out on tour. He mentions the possibility of an American Tour. I don't think that ever happened or it must have somehow escaped my notice.

[Greg Hatcher]

The radio shows with Rathbone and Bruce are tremendous fun. They also have considerable Sherlockian cred; a great many of them were written by Baker Street Irregular Anthony Boucher, for whom BoucherCon is named, and Leslie Charteris, creator of the Saint.

Boucher also wrote this, which is a fun sort of sideways pastiche:

[foxley]

When I did the Sherlock Holmes Walk with London Walks several years ago (recommended if you ever get the chance), our guide mentioned that Basil Rathbone had portrayed Holmes in more mediums than any other actor: having played him on film, radio, stage, television, and spoken word recording. I realised afterwards that you can add animated film to that list as an archive recording of Rathbone provides the voice of Holmes in The Great Mouse Detective.

And your bonus trivia question: Judging by Holmes and Watson's dialogue, The Great Mouse Detective occurs during which Holmes case?

[Deathstroke]

By the way, here's the website link for the Sherlock Holmes Magazine.

[Greg Hatcher]

And your bonus trivia question: Judging by Holmes and Watson's dialogue, The Great Mouse Detective occurs during which Holmes case?

Ha! A challenge! It'll give us an excuse to pull the DVD out.

By the way, has anyone read the original books? They are charming but I have to say I prefer the movie version.

[godisawesome]

Ha! A challenge! It'll give us an excuse to pull the DVD out.

By the way, has anyone read the original books? They are charming but I have to say I prefer the movie version.

I still tend to think of Ratigan as a top tier Moriartu portrayal, simply for the sheer fun of it... and because of how absolutely hateful and vicious Ratigan gets after being foiled.

[foxley]

Ha! A challenge! It'll give us an excuse to pull the DVD out.

By the way, has anyone read the original books? They are charming but I have to say I prefer the movie version.

I did read the original as a kid, and I seem to remember enjoying it. I should reread it, and maybe the rest of the series (our local library only had the first book).

But, like you, I absolutely the movie. And it's little wonder that Vincent Price considered Rattigan his favourite role.

[foxley]

By the way, here's the website link for the Sherlock Holmes Magazine.

Thanks for this. I've ordered a single issue to see if I like it. If I do, I'll either get a subscription or see if my LCS can get it in for me.

[Deathstroke]

Thanks for this. I've ordered a single issue to see if I like it. If I do, I'll either get a subscription or see if my LCS can get it in for me.

I'm going to pick up an issue and then see if my magazine shop can get the magazine in regularly.

[Deathstroke]

I found the Peter Cushing version of The Hound of the Baskervilles on the free movies section of my On Demand. I tried to watch it last night but it was late and I fell asleep. But I'll watch it today.

AAAA4th10.jpg

[Greg Hatcher]

I found the Peter Cushing version of The Hound of the Baskervilles on the free movies section of my On Demand. I tried to watch it last night but it was late and I fell asleep. But I'll watch it today.

AAAA4th10.jpg

It's a good time. Purists might be annoyed but I kind of like how they blended Doyle with the Hammer horror sensibility.

[Darkspellmaster]

When I did the Sherlock Holmes Walk with London Walks several years ago (recommended if you ever get the chance), our guide mentioned that Basil Rathbone had portrayed Holmes in more mediums than any other actor: having played him on film, radio, stage, television, and spoken word recording. I realised afterwards that you can add animated film to that list as an archive recording of Rathbone provides the voice of Holmes in The Great Mouse Detective.

And your bonus trivia question: Judging by Holmes and Watson's dialogue, The Great Mouse Detective occurs during which Holmes case?

Rathbone's is from a recording of the Red-Head league, it's when he was older in 1966 for Caedmon Records, and I think it's a audio book or radio program. So the movie is taking place during The Adventure of the Red Head League, because it's one of the few times we see them go to the theater to listen to music. However there is one thing that could cause this to be an issue, although not really unless you over analyze this. So Laurie Main, who voices Watson, since they couldn't use the Nigel Bruce lines from the 1940s movie because they would sound so different, had his lines come not from any main Sherlock story, but rather from a CBS TV kids show series called CBS Mystery theater.

In this case CBS took the story of The Treasure of Alpheus T. Winterborn, a kids novel by John Bellairs and illustrated by Judith Gwyn Brown and is part of the Anthony Monday Series, and converted it into "The Clue According to Sherlock Holmes" which used him as a narrator to tell the story of Anthony Monday's case. https://johnbellairs.fandom.com/wiki...herlock_Holmes

The line in question I think about the music being "frightfully dull" comes from early on when Holmes is practicing his violin and Watson is playing a jigsaw puzzle.

So There you have it, it's taking place during the Red Head league, and the two lines are from vastly different locations.

PS. Basil of Baker street has 5 originals and 3 new ones that started in 2018. Also the name Basil is connected to Holmes in a way before Basil Rathbone took on the role of the great Detective. Anyone know what that connection is?

[Deathstroke]

It's a good time. Purists might be annoyed but I kind of like how they blended Doyle with the Hammer horror sensibility.

It was okay. But I didn't think the actor playing Watson meshed that well with Peter Cushing's Holmes.

[foxley]

Rathbone's is from a recording of the Red-Head league, it's when he was older in 1966 for Caedmon Records, and I think it's a audio book or radio program. So the movie is taking place during The Adventure of the Red Head League, because it's one of the few times we see them go to the theater to listen to music. However there is one thing that could cause this to be an issue, although not really unless you over analyze this. So Laurie Main, who voices Watson, since they couldn't use the Nigel Bruce lines from the 1940s movie because they would sound so different, had his lines come not from any main Sherlock story, but rather from a CBS TV kids show series called CBS Mystery theater.

In this case CBS took the story of The Treasure of Alpheus T. Winterborn, a kids novel by John Bellairs and illustrated by Judith Gwyn Brown and is part of the Anthony Monday Series, and converted it into "The Clue According to Sherlock Holmes" which used him as a narrator to tell the story of Anthony Monday's case. https://johnbellairs.fandom.com/wiki...herlock_Holmes

The line in question I think about the music being "frightfully dull" comes from early on when Holmes is practicing his violin and Watson is playing a jigsaw puzzle.

So There you have it, it's taking place during the Red Head league, and the two lines are from vastly different locations.

PS. Basil of Baker street has 5 originals and 3 new ones that started in 2018. Also the name Basil is connected to Holmes in a way before Basil Rathbone took on the role of the great Detective. Anyone know what that connection is?

In "The Adventure of Black Peter", Holmes poses as a sea captain named Basil who is recruiting a harpooner in order to uncover Peter Carey's killer.

[Darkspellmaster]

In "The Adventure of Black Peter", Holmes poses as a sea captain named Basil who is recruiting a harpooner in order to uncover Peter Carey's killer.

Correct! I was actually surprised to find this out. Never made the connection originally when I was younger seeing the movie and then reading the story of Black Peter.