Sherlock Holmes, Vol. 4

Starring:Sherlock Holmes
Studio: Alpha Video
Product Type: DVD

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Sherlock Holmes, Vol. 4
Starring: Sherlock Holmes
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
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Sherlock Holmes - TV Classics

ASIN: B000641ZTA
Release Date: 2004-11-23

The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Vol. 4 - The Devil's Foot / Silver Blaze / The Bruce Partington Plans

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The Definitive Holmes
Excellent Holmes, excellent television...

The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Vol. 4 - The Devil's Foot / Silver Blaze / The Bruce Partington Plans
Starring: Return of Sherlock Holmes
Manufacturer: Mpi Home Video
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Similar Items:

The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Vol. 5 - The Musgrave Ritual & The Man with the Twisted Lip
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The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Vol. 2 - The Second Stain & The Six Napoleons
The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Vol. 1 - The Empty House & The Abbey Grange
The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes Collection

ASIN: B00008YLTJ
Release Date: 2003-07-29

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"The Devil's Foot"
One of the most interesting stories in the Sherlock Holmes canon, "The Devil's Foot" finds the Great Detective's friend and ally, Dr. Watson (Edward Hardwicke), pressuring the exhausted sleuth (Jeremy Brett) into joining him on a vacation on the Cornish coast. Instead of relaxation, however, Holmes and Watson encounter one of the most horrifying multiple murders they have yet come across. Though our heroes nearly die from Holmes's effort to prove the cause of death, they carry on until Holmes finally unmasks the identity of the culprits--and then makes a controversial decision about the fate of one. Brett and Hardwicke excel as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous team, who are under more duress than usual in this fascinating tale.

"Silver Blaze"
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle caught a fair amount of flak for getting a lot of details wrong in this story about the training and racing of horses. Nevertheless, it is one of his most popular yarns and makes a fine basis for this vigorous 1988 episode from the Granada Television series about Sherlock Holmes. The Great Detective and Dr. Watson hurry to Devonshire, following the murder of a trainer and the disappearance of Silver Blaze, a swift horse heavily favored to win the big-money Wessex Cup. Holmes takes some snarly barbs from Blaze's rich owner in stride--though he has his revenge on the arrogant fellow later. The mystery is a keen one and the solution is among Doyle's most inventive. Brett and Hardwicke are at their best as the dynamic duo.

"The Bruce Partington Plans"
A junior clerk working for Britain's defense planning dashes off in the middle of a date with his fiancée, and turns up dead along some railroad tracks--apparently having been pushed from a train while carrying several secret documents related to England's development of a submarine warship. Was he a traitor? If so, who killed him? The case is brought to the attention of Sherlock Holmes and his Dr. Watson, by none other than Mycroft Holmes (Charles Gray), brother of the Great Detective and indispensable repository of government business. Sherlock's conclusions, however, prove there is more to the truth than meets the eye. Brett, as always, is the perfect Holmes while Hardwicke is the ideal Watson for the latter years of their crime-fighting career. A strong story with some of the sleuth's most impressive investigatory work, "The Bruce-Partington Plans" is a worthy part of the long-running Granada Television series, based on Arthur Conan Doyle's famous character. --Tom Keogh

Description

VOL. 4
THE DEVIL'S FOOT

Dr. Watson insists that the nervous and exhausted Holmes should take a holiday in a small Cornish cottage. But there is no rest for the detective when a young woman is found dead, but has no apparent injuries. In addition, her two brothers have become raving lunatics overnight. Holmes and Watson investigate.

SILVER BLAZE
Silver Blaze, a highly prized racehorse, disappears the night before a big race. The horse's trainer is found dead and his owner faces ruin. Sherlock Holmes, with the aid of a dog and some sheep, finds a strange solution.

THE BRUCE PARTINGTON PLANS
A young man is found brutally beaten and murdered on a railway line leading from the Underground. Strange plans of a secret submarine are found in his pocket. Is he a hero or a traitor? Aided and abetted by the master detective's brother Mycroft, Holmes and Watson follow a trail through fog-shrouded London to find the truth, and the murderer.

Customer Reviews:

The Definitive Holmes.......2006-02-24

Brett and Hardwicke are the best. These episodes are not the best but you've got the whole set.

Excellent Holmes, excellent television..........2003-06-07

These three Holmes episodes are a good variety of Holmes stories, and possibly might be the best DVD for the starting Holmes viewer. Brett and Hardwicke make the best Holmes/Watson ever seen on screen. The adaption of the Conan Doyle stories to TV work perfectly and are some of the best written, directed and acted television made yet.

Amazon.com

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Sherlock Holmes's older brother, Mycroft. One of the most delightful surprises in the Holmes canon of stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle, the introduction of Mycroft is wonderfully realized in this Granada Television adaptation of "The Greek Interpreter." Charles Gray stars as the larger-than-life yet shadowy Holmes sibling, who rarely leaves his beloved Diogenes Club and, in effect, runs the British government with his long memory for policies and details. The case he brings to Sherlock (Jeremy Brett) and Dr. Watson (David Burke) is unnerving in its suggestion of real brutality, and the subsequent investigation runs afoul of some truly nasty people. But before that happens, we're treated to the memorable moment when Sherlock and Mycroft essentially compete in their analysis of an old soldier seen from a window. Great stuff.

In "The Norwood Builder," a young solicitor, McFarlane (Matthew Solon), comes to Holmes begging for help just before being arrested by the sturdy if obtuse Inspector Lestrade (Colin Jeavins) of Scotland Yard. McFarlane is accused of killing a man who not only asked the attorney to draw up his will, but then left all of his possessions to McFarlane. The ingenious solution to the puzzle is only one of the exciting highlights in this episode, featuring the usual sterling work by stars Brett and Burke and a sound character interpretation by Jeavins. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

"His work is its own reward".......2005-07-13

+++++

This DVD presents two of the 50 minute Sherlock Holmes' episodes that had Jeremy Brett as Sherlock and David Burke as Dr. Watson. Each episode is based on a story written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 to 1930) who wrote 56 short stories and 4 novels about Sherlock Holmes.

(1) The Greek Interpreter (11 scenes; based on the 1893 story).

Sherlock's smarter, older, and rotund brother Mycroft (Charles Gray) whose favorite hangout is the snobby "Diogenes Club" asks Sherlock to investigate a strange case. A Greek language interpreter was asked to translate into English the answers to a series of questions posed to a kidnapped man who only speaks Greek. The kidnappers objective was to get the Greek man to sign some important documents. Once the Greek interpreter's job was done, he notified Mycroft of the incident who then notified Sherlock. Holmes takes on the case because "kidnapping could become murder."

Look for Charles Gray's superb performance as brother Mycroft. Also, look for actor George Costigan's outstanding performance as the strangely laughing leader of this kidnapping ring.

The only minor problem I had with this episode is that we are not told what documents are to be signed and why they're so important.

(2) The Norwood Builder (13 scenes; based on the 1903 story).

A young lawyer goes straight to Sherlock after a client (a builder or carpenter who lives in the small village of Norwood) he saw at the client's home the previous night is murdered and his body burned in a fire. According to Inspector Lestrade (Colin Jeavons) the young lawyer is obviously guilty of murder because it is discovered that he had "a motive for murder." However, Sherlock is not so sure and "smokes" the truth out. The quotation by Dr. Watson that titles this review is found in this episode.

Look for the fine performance of Colin Jeavons as the efficient and stern Inspertor Lestrade who butts heads with Sherlock.

Brett (who made 41 Sherlock Holmes' dramas between 1984 and 1994) is in top-form in these two episodes since they were made before the time of his health problems. He captures the essence of the famous gumshoe in his performances.

The costumes, background music, and cinematography are quite well done. In my case, I found the picture and sound quality of this DVD to be practically perfect.

Finally, the DVD has some extras. Newcomers to the series should enjoy them.

In conclusion, be sure to view this DVD and see why it won a 1988 Swedish Academy of Detection Award!!

(1984/1985; 100 min; British drama; made for TV; full screen)

+++++

It's great!.......2004-02-02

Every once in a while, an actor comes along who not only plays the role of Sherlock Holmes, but actually redefines the role. In 1984, veteran actor Jeremy Brett (1933-95) actually did it yet again! This marvelous DVD contains two of the fifty-minute episodes of the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes:

The Greek Interpreter - Series 2, episode 2 (September 1, 1984) - When Sherlock's smarter(!) brother Mycroft summons Holmes and Watson to the Diogenes Club to investigate a problem, they know it must be a deep one indeed! Mr. Melas, a Greek interpreter tells them of an adventure he had, when he was practically kidnapped, and forced to translate threats and demands to a fellow Greek. The man is obviously in great danger, and only Sherlock Holmes can save him. [I loved Mycroft's involvement in this story!]

The Norwood Builder - Series 2, episode 3 (September 8, 1984) - When a young solicitor arrives on Holmes' doorstep, barely in front of the police, and protesting his innocence of murder, Holmes agrees to save him from the noose. Why did this strange builder from Norwood suddenly approach a strange barrister, and offer to leave his fortune to him? There's more here than meets the eye!

This is a great DVD, one that I highly recommend to anyone who loves Sherlock Holmes, or even just likes a good mystery. It's great!

"Working the Room...".......2003-08-15

While many famous actors have portrayed the detective quite well over the years, it cannot be denied that Jeremy Brett captured the very essence of the Sherlock Holmes character.

Christopher Lee, Christopher Plummer, Ian Richardson, and of course, Basil Rathbone all put their own spin on Holmes. For the most part, these interpretations are satisfactory and entertaining, but no one other then Brett had seriously attempted to portray the character as written by Doyle.

Here we have two of the very, very best of the Granada series (1984). Both "The Greek Interpreter" and "The Norwood Builder" have much to recommend them, including a fine performace by Charles Gray as Mycroft in the former, and an insufferable, never more smug Lestrade shown in the latter.

Incredible cinematography permeates "Interpreter," with excellent use of shadows aboard a blazing red, fire-lit train, in the Scotland Yard offices, and in the closed mansion that serves as a prison for a hapless Greek citizen.

"Builder" has other singular elements, such as the aforementioned smug Lestrade (Colin Jeavons putting his stamp on the character, just as David Burke and Edward Hardwicke did Watson, and Brett did Holmes). We also have a frustrated and depressed Holmes, desperate to solve a case where Lestrade seems to hold all the cards.

However, one element I would like to illuminate which bears out my sentiment of "true-to-Doyle" is how Brett "works the room."

In "The Resident Patient," (available in Volume 5 of this collection), Brett truly displays what it must have been like to actually see this amazing detective in his element, as he "works the room" in Blessington's home, decucing the facts that occured when that character met his death.

Never more brilliantly portrayed than in "The Resident Patient," we nonetheless have an excellent example of Brett using Holmes' methods here in "The Norwood Builder," while investigating the remnants of the fire, the upper floors of the house, and the surrounding grounds.

We see the intensity and frenetic energy of the famous consulting detective, crouching, scurrying, examining in minute detail the invisible evidence, hunting up the clues unobserved by others.

We also have samples of Holmes (and Mycroft) deducing the lives of people they observe both on the train and in Mycroft's club.

For those unfamilliar with the Granada series, this may not be the best place to start, because the cases are more obscure than the more famous "The Speckled Band" or "The Crooked Man." However, for those familiar with Brett & Co., this disc is indispensible.

Anothe classic and fitting tribute........2002-07-09

One must give Granada Television credit for taking the time and especially the care to bring these DVDs of Jeremy Brett's excellent portrayal of Sherlock Holmes to the market.

Given that this is, at best, a rather specialist market, it is a huge investment by the makers of good faith. To take the time and money to produce these with the bonus material is fantastic.

Brett always wished to achieve his personal goal of recording every one of the Holmes stories before he finished his acting career. Sadly he was unable to achieve his ambition but he got most of them. In his first season in the role, he certainly portrayed Sherlock with a seriousness that no other has brought to the part. His fastidious attention to detail and his legendary readings of the original stories and taking voluminous notes gave him a deep insight which he was to inject into the future seasons of the Great Detective.

These two stories are both superb, with excellent perfomances by all concerned. One of the little things that I liked so much about these series is the care which went into details such as keeping the apartment as little changed as possible throught the life of the shows, not changing it like M's office, for every show.

Hopefully, the DVD series will continue until all of the stories are available. This is British drama at it's best and Jeremy Brett is the cream of the crop.

Mycroft, Sherlock is Late & Disguises.......2002-05-05

For my money, Jeremy Brett is the best Sherlock Holmes, complete with the high-strung nervous disposition & tics and eccentricities. David Burke is a solid, capable & intelligent Dr.Watson (no Nigel Bruce type bumbler & fool). The production values of the Granada series excellent & the stories told with fidelity. The 5 stars are therefore for Sherlockians!

The Greek Interpreter is notable for 2 things: the first appearance of Sherlock's older brother, the brilliant but sedentary Mycroft (wonderfully played by Charles Gray) and the fact that in this tale Sherlock is too late deducing and is further delayed in getting the authority to save one of the principles of the story (even Sherlock wasn't perfect).

The Norwood Builder has Sherlock unraveling a crime utilizing all his methods, including disguise, in an effort to save a wrongly accused man (something he does often, as in the Blue Carbuncle).

Customer Reviews:

Horror? Not really. Classics? Perhaps. Worth it? Probably........2002-08-15

SH & the SW- Rathbone and Bruce are THE Holmes/Watson pair, and this is among the top 5 Sherlockian outings, although it is a risible addition to a `horror classics' disc.
In this fast-paced, well-assembled programmer, now set in WWII England rather than in Victorian England, our heroes have to contend not only with Moriarty as portrayed by villainous Universal fave Lionel Atwill, and his minions, but also Nazi agents seeking an experimental bombsight which could turn the tide of the war.
The mystery involves a complex code, plenty of captures and escapes, disguises, deduction, and welcome humor without cheapening any of the characters.
Purists may rightly complain that the ending has more in common with serials than with the writings of Doyle, but, hey, it's fun.

IM- This supremely inexpensive attempt to cross Dragnet with Lon Chaney's persona doesn't quite come off. It's more police procedural than horror; Chaney's back-from-the-dead Butcher character could just as easily have been written to be a normal vengeance-seeking ex-con. At any rate, the basic story idea has been around at least since Karloff's 1936 film, The Walking Dead.
IM is fairly routine and plodding (both as `noir' and as `horror'), although there is amusement to be had from the narration, from Chaney, who looks convincingly psychotic and was probably sauced to the gills, and from all the usual things that make these kind of B-movies fun.
Flip a coin as to whether you think the means of Lon's ultimate destruction is fitting or nonsensical.

DMW- Another PRC snoozer, DMW begins with George Zucco having killed his twin brother because he was practicing the black arts. However, the brother returns as a vampire and sets about destroying all that his good twin holds dear. Of course good wins the day, but not without some tragedy. This film was not badly conceived, and Zucco is a likeable pro, but it was badly executed. While not as glacially-slow as some of its other fare, PRC's stubborn unwillingness to spend any cash, or to show the audience anything they hadn't seen a dozen times before, stakes this one right through its mediocre heart.
Pretty Rotten Crap, as the studio's output was known in Hollywood circles of the time, was hurt by always having monsters that just look like people, yet claiming that they were monsters: a slightly hairier Glenn Strange, a kind of pasty Charles Middleton, or in this case, George Zucco dressed in black. Whooo, spoooky! They couldn't even spring for a set of dime store fangs to make him look the part of a bloodsucker. He is one because the script says he is, and because he sometimes fades from view.
Plus, DMW wastes quite a bit of time assuming no one seeing the movie will have ever heard about vampires before, and picks and chooses which rules it will follow.

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