The Scarlet Claw)

Starring:Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Gerald Hamer, Paul Cavanagh, Arthur Hohl, Kay Harding, Miles Mander, David Clyde, Ian Wolfe, Victoria Horne, Olaf Hytten, Pietro Sosso, Norbert Muller, Charles Francis, Bill Cartledge, Gertrude Astor, Harry Allen, George Kirby, Eric Wilton, Ted Billings
Director: Roy William Neill
Studio: Mpi Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Here are four strong entries (each beautifully restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive) from the peak of Basil Rathbone's prolific, seven-year run as a definitive Sherlock Holmes for the big screen. Three of these films were released in 1944 alone, beginning with the gripping Pearl of Death, a then-contemporary update (set in the World War II years, as with most of the Rathbone-Holmes features) of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Six Napoleons."

A reluctant Holmes agrees to help a London museum recover a stolen, rare pearl. But the investigation takes a strange turn when the great detective and his sidekick, Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce), find their mystery linked to a series of odd murders involving the destruction of porcelain china. Typically, "Pearl of Death" has its share of inside jokes for true Sherlockians, including Holmes's declaration, "If I'm wrong, I'll move to Sussex and raise bees." Of course, that's exactly what Doyle's most famous character did upon retirement.

The Scarlet Claw is an original screenplay with elements loosely inspired by Doyle's "The Adventure of the Dancing Men." A skeptical Holmes and Watson attend a meeting of the Royal Canadian Occult Society in Canada, but are soon looking into a killing spree attributed to a fanciful marsh monster. Fantastic events are soon supplanted by an even stranger horror concerning a master actor bent on revenge.

The Spider Woman employs details of Holmes's apparent death and resurrection between "The Final Problem" and its follow-up, "The Adventure of the Empty House." But the movie takes a different direction when a bizarre series of late-night "pajama suicides" finds Holmes probing the involvement of a femme fatale. Of the quartet of features in this set (all produced and directed by the energetic Roy William Neill) Spider Woman has the most vivacity and familiar textures from Doyle's canon.

Amazon.com

Here are four strong entries (each beautifully restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive) from the peak of Basil Rathbone's prolific, seven-year run as a definitive Sherlock Holmes for the big screen. Three of these films were released in 1944 alone, beginning with the gripping Pearl of Death, a then-contemporary update (set in the World War II years, as with most of the Rathbone-Holmes features) of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Six Napoleons."

The Scarlet Claw is an original screenplay with elements loosely inspired by Doyle's "The Adventure of the Dancing Men." A skeptical Holmes and Watson attend a meeting of the Royal Canadian Occult Society in Canada, but are soon looking into a killing spree attributed to a fanciful marsh monster. Fantastic events are soon supplanted by an even stranger horror concerning a master actor bent on revenge.

The Spider Woman employs details of Holmes's apparent death and resurrection between "The Final Problem" and its follow-up, "The Adventure of the Empty House." But the movie takes a different direction when a bizarre series of late-night "pajama suicides" finds Holmes probing the involvement of a femme fatale. Of the quartet of features in this set (all produced and directed by the energetic Roy William Neill) Spider Woman has the most vivacity and familiar textures from Doyle's canon.

Description

The master detective Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and his faithful cohort Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) are back, preserved and digitally restored in 35mm to original condition by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. This newly restored version of the classic film includes the period war bond tag and studio logo and credits from its original theatrical release. Filled with ominous shadows and interesting camera angles, the visual beauty of the film in 35mm is stunning. Includes: Sherlock Holmes and The Scarlet Claw Sherlock Holmes and The Spider Woman Sherlock Holmes and The House of Fear Sherlock Holmes and the Pearl of Death

Customer Reviews:

Unbelievable.......2007-03-08

Excellent quality. It's unbelievable that such a tremendous improvement could be made to the film. After seeing these and comparing to what I've seen broadcast in the past, the films floored me.

Sherlock Holmes DVD Set.......2007-01-03

These are great! They came within a couple days and were well packaged. I've been greatly enjoying watching these old movies and have ordered more.

Sherlock Holmes Collection, Vol. 2.......2006-03-15

Perfect Holmes. I just ordered more of this genre. Movies that you watch over again.

Major Ripoff.......2005-12-27

For the price they are asking, and the lack of extras, these collections are a major disappointment. Don't believe the packaging. These disks are far from being 'loaded with extras'. There are no extras on 3 of the disks, and the 4th has only a commentary track, and an 8 minute featurette about the restoration. Don't get me wrong, I love the films themselves, I just hate the way they have been packaged and sold. I mean they could easily have put 2 or even 3 of the films on one disk without any degradation, and issued the entire series in one collection for the price of a single one of these 'volumes'. I guess they are trying to recoup the cost of restoration. My advice, wait a couple of years for them to release the entire collection at a much lower price, because that is what they will have to eventually do.

Sherlock Holmes Collection, Vol. 2.......2004-10-21

For all fans of classic mystery films, you should seriously consider investing in this particular set from the 14 original Sherlock Holmes movies starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce during the 1930's and 1940's. Lovingly restored by UCLA and liberally adapted from the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories, there isn't a weak link among the four selected films here.

In "The Spider Woman," Holmes is forced to fake his own demise in order to counter the title character's fiendish plot. Perhaps the best sequence of the film is the circus shooting gallery finale.

In "The Pearl of Death," Holmes and Watson face off with a ruthless serial killer who is intent on recovering a lost jewel by burglarizing the homes of seemingly random victims. Before it is too late, Holmes must realize that he is facing more than one opponent.

Another serial killer is on the loose in "The Scarlet Claw," as Holmes make a rare visit to Canada to attend a convention. In a remote village, a sinister master-of-disguise is at work bumping off a list of unsuspecting victims that he has long sought vengeance on. The mark of death is a gardening tool used as a gruesome claw. I'll note that this particular film is surprisingly violent for the Rathbone series, but it only adds a greater sense of realism to the plot.

Finally, the "House of Fear" may be well the best of the series from the World War II era, as nicely woven humor is added by the befuddled presence of Inspector Lestrade. An insurance company hires Holmes and Watson to look into the bizarre deaths of an exclusive club of recluses known as the "Good Comrades." One by one, the comrades are brutally dispatched by one of their own after they are each left a warning of their impending demise by the receipt of a mysterious packet of orange pips. Holmes, however, is left with too many baffling clues and a narrowing field of suspects. The finale is well worth waiting for.

Of the three available collector's sets, I would recommend starting with this one before making a decision on the other two since all four titles are of a similiarly excellent caliber. I have no doubt that Rathbone and Bruce will likely insure your entertainment for hours to come.

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

Ace Ventura Pet Detective/Nature Call

Werewolf Shadow

Anna Banana, Vol. 4 (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: Gunmen

Classic - Industrial Engines