The Solitary Cyclist)

Starring:Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Studio: Mpi Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
"A Scandal in Bohemia"
The very first Sherlock Holmes short story (following the detective's introduction in the novels A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of the Four) was also the first Granada Television production in the long-running Holmes series featuring Jeremy Brett's definitive performance as the famous sleuth. No deerstalker cap, cape, curved meerschaum pipe, or Basil Rathbone mannerisms for this Holmes: Brett's portrayal went straight to the heart of the character Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created, with all the manic-depressive, coldly clinical, drug-dependent, and unnervingly focused brilliance intact. Just as on-the-money is David Burke's Dr. John Watson, who is hardly the loyal puppy of widespread assumption but rather a dedicated ally and determined chronicler of the publicity-wary Holmes. "A Scandal in Bohemia," ironically, is one of the few instances of Holmes being bested by an equally intelligent adversary--an actress by the name of Irene Adler (Gayle Hunnicutt), who has threatened to reveal damaging evidence of her own affair with the king of Bohemia (Wolf Kahler), a ridiculous pseudonym invented by Watson to protect the real royal personage in trouble. It's Holmes to the rescue, going undercover in disguise to take away the blackmailer's trump, though it's he whose head will ultimately be turned by the extraordinary Irene. The cast is wonderful (meet Rosalie Williams as Baker Street housekeeper Mrs. Hudson), and the drama is great fun. (For a contemporary movie reinvention of this story, check out the 1998 feature Zero Effect, starring Bill Pullman as a whacked-out variation on Holmes, Ben Stiller as his long-suffering Watson, and Kim Dickens as an updated Irene.) --Tom Keogh

"The Dancing Men"
What is the meaning of the stick figures that appear scrawled one day on the exterior wall of a Northfolk manor? Why do they so terribly upset the American wife (Betsy Brantley) of the gentleman (Tenniel Evans) who lives there? The case proves one of the most tantalizing for Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett) and his ally and chronicler, Dr. Watson (David Burke). Then it proves among the gravest of Holmes's career when murder enters the picture and the distraught woman is charged with the crime. This is one of those stories from the Holmes canon that practically invites an adaptation; Sherlockians will enjoy seeing the oddly disturbing "dancing men" on screen, while newcomers to Holmes will find the tale particularly compelling. As always, Brett remains the definitive Holmes. --Tom Keogh

"The Naval Treaty"
An old schoolmate of Dr. Watson's, Percy Phelps (David Gwillim), has asked the longtime friend of Sherlock Holmes to intercede on his behalf with the famous detective. Phelps, a member of the Foreign Office, has stolen a copy of a naval treaty with serious international consequences, but the document has been missing for two months. His nerves shattered from worry, Phelps is under the care of his fiancée (Alison Skilbeck), but so far the treaty has not surfaced. Holmes (Jeremy Brett), aided by Watson (David Burke), agrees to take the case, which is handsomely adapted in this episode from the Granada Television series. As usual, Brett is the most fascinating, most complex, and truest of the many Holmes portrayals in film and TV history, Burke is solid as the good doctor, and Rosalie Williams is delightful in her fleeting appearance as the Baker Street housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson. --Tom Keogh

Amazon.com

"A Scandal in Bohemia"
The very first Sherlock Holmes short story (following the detective's introduction in the novels A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of the Four) was also the first Granada Television production in the long-running Holmes series featuring Jeremy Brett's definitive performance as the famous sleuth. No deerstalker cap, cape, curved meerschaum pipe, or Basil Rathbone mannerisms for this Holmes: Brett's portrayal went straight to the heart of the character Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created, with all the manic-depressive, coldly clinical, drug-dependent, and unnervingly focused brilliance intact. Just as on-the-money is David Burke's Dr. John Watson, who is hardly the loyal puppy of widespread assumption but rather a dedicated ally and determined chronicler of the publicity-wary Holmes. "A Scandal in Bohemia," ironically, is one of the few instances of Holmes being bested by an equally intelligent adversary--an actress by the name of Irene Adler (Gayle Hunnicutt), who has threatened to reveal damaging evidence of her own affair with the king of Bohemia (Wolf Kahler), a ridiculous pseudonym invented by Watson to protect the real royal personage in trouble. It's Holmes to the rescue, going undercover in disguise to take away the blackmailer's trump, though it's he whose head will ultimately be turned by the extraordinary Irene. The cast is wonderful (meet Rosalie Williams as Baker Street housekeeper Mrs. Hudson), and the drama is great fun. (For a contemporary movie reinvention of this story, check out the 1998 feature Zero Effect, starring Bill Pullman as a whacked-out variation on Holmes, Ben Stiller as his long-suffering Watson, and Kim Dickens as an updated Irene.) --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

The Best!.......2007-04-13

In one of my classes at college, our professor made us watch a Sherlock Holmes episode the first day. As a rule, I prefer to read stories as opposed to watching them on TV because usually the TV versions are not as good as the books from which they are derived. However, after watching Jeremy Brett's portrayal of the legendary slueth, I was well satisfied with the excellent job of both the actors and the producers in bringing these extrordinary tales to life. I have since watched every episode, and I can say with confidence that Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes is the best I have ever seen.

There's no better version of the Sherlock Holmes stories.......2007-03-24

I've loved these since I first saw them on television decades ago- Brett delivers, without a doubt, the truest, and most accurate picture of Holmes at Conan Doyle wrote him. Brett's Holmes is detached from humanity- uninterested in other peopel, except insofar as they can provide him with an intellectual challaneg. For him, the case is the thing; if he solves a mystery, he considers himself to have succeeded- even if the client happens to die along the way.

The people and places depicted in this series may not be terribly true to history, but they are very true to Conan Doyle's depiction of the age, and thus very satisfying to any serious Holmsian. The rigid societal roles, the predictable behavior, the overdone stereotypes- this is the world of Sherlock Holmes, where all can be induced from a few clues, where invalids take to divans and fan themselves, and where the criminal always returns to the scene of the crime. If you're Holmes fan- and you must be, to have read this far- you'll absolultley love this series.

Vintage Homes.......2006-11-04

A Scandal in Bohemia is my favorite Holmes story. I bought this to get it but found the other three stories just as well done. The people that write the scripts for this series all do a formindable job and the casting as is usual for English TV is excellent. Would that American TV would learn to cast as well. But most of the actors and actresses on American TV never learned their craft. You're lucky if one of two members of a cast are real pros while in England even the small roles are well done.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Vol. 1: (A Scandal in Bohemia/ The Dancing Men/ The Naval Treaty/ The Solitary Cyclist) .......2006-07-07

HI,
This version of the DVD has helped me to recollect the memories of the old days when I used to view Holmes series in my home TV duiring my childhood. Good and fresh memory.

But I expected a better quality DVD. This one tht have reached me sometimes stops for a fraction of a second and it srarts automatically. I expected a flawless and superior quality. Although I am returning it back but Amazon should take care of this in future.
Thanks,
Sanjib

Technical problems with two copies of this DVD.......2005-11-01

This DVD appears to be encrypted or mastered in a slightly unusual way. My DVD player could not play it, nor could any of the normal DVD players on my computers play it. This was true of two copies of this DVD that I bought.

Eventually I discovered that VLC (VideoLan Client) on the Mac could play it and we did get to see it in the end. The episodes are good, but I agree with most of the other reviewers in saying that the quality of the DVD is far below what is expected. There are sound problems on "The Naval Treaty" and a piece of dirt appeared to get caught in the projector's film gate at one stage during one of the episodes!

The Golden Years of Television - Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Vol. 1

Average customer rating:

The Golden Years of Television - Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Cascadia
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Description

The Case of the Impromptu Performance The Case of the Split TIcket The Case of the Deadly Prophery The Case of the Newrotic Detective

Golden Years of Classic Television: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Vol. 1

Average customer rating:

Golden Years of Classic Television: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Vol. 1
Starring: Christopher Lee
Manufacturer: Cascadia Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

DVD:

DVD