Sherlock Holmes

Studio: Genius Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Jeremy Brett's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes is perhaps the best filmed version of Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective, showcasing Holmes's dazzling brilliance without ignoring his unnerving intensity or drug dependencies. First aired on Britain's Granada Television in 1984, the series offered perfect casting (David Burke, replaced later in the run by Edward Hardwicke, played Dr. Watson as Holmes's sturdy companion and chronicler rather than as a buffoon), marvelous period music by Patrick Gowers, and a running time of almost an hour per story, which allowed superior detail and faithfulness to the original source.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes marked the beginning of the long-running series. Highlights of these 13 episodes include "A Scandal in Bohemia," which introduces Irene Adler (Gayle Hunnicutt), whom Holmes uncharacteristically describes as having "a face a man might die for"; the chilling locked-room mystery "The Speckled Band"; the introduction of Sherlock's brother Mycroft (Charles Gray) in "The Greek Interpreter"; and "The Final Problem," in which Holmes confronts his arch-enemy Professor Moriarty (Eric Porter) at Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland. The five-disc boxed set is a great bargain compared to previous VHS releases, although bonus features are limited to English subtitles and galleries of Sidney Paget's famous illustrations. The series would continue on Granada with The Return of Sherlock Holmes, The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes as well as the stand-alone treatments of The Sign of Four and The Hound of the Baskervilles. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

My favorite DVD series. PERIOD........2007-05-13

Words cannot describe the enjoyment I get from watching an episode from this series on a saturday afternoon with a glass of iced tea. It is an amazing series, and the episodes are very well produced. If you like detective stories, you will enjoy Jeremy Brett's interpretation of sherlock holmes! BUY IT NOW!!! (if you like this you will like poirot with david suchet - you'll thank me later).

Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Box Set.......2007-05-07

We've watched the first three episodes and are thoroughly pleased...
The audio/video quality are excellent, true to the series.
A devoted fans of Jeremy Brent version of Sherlock,
I intend to buy the remaining box sets.

If you don't have it ..........2007-04-07

you don't have rights to call yourself a sherlock holmes fan :)

its a cherishable collection

Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.......2007-04-06

For those fans of the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories, this is the most in depth retelling to date. The detail, breadth of scope in production and downright excellent acting (Jeremy Brett as Sherlock), you will be taken to another time with a slow pace and delightful mystery. Brett is the consumate Holmes with a character bordering on the obsessive. Lighting and music are equally fitting. Highly recommended.

Discovering a New Sherlock Holmes.......2007-04-02

My husband is an avid fan of Sherlock Holmes although I can usually take or leave Sherlock films, especially the slow moving black and white films featuring Basil Rathbone. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this boxed set collection featuring Jeremy Brett and David Burk as Holmes and Watson. The stories were intriguing and the settings were impressive. I actually stayed awake through the entire film.

The Return of Sherlock Holmes Collection

Average customer rating:

Timeless
"It's devilish, Mr. Holmes, devilish!"
Very good
Sherlock Holmes with Jeremy Brett DVD collection
The world of deduction

The Return of Sherlock Holmes Collection
Starring: Jeremy Brett
Manufacturer: Mpi Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Boxed Set Collection)
The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes Collection
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes Collection
The Sherlock Holmes Feature Film Collection
Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Classic Collection

ASIN: B00009WVO2
Release Date: 2003-08-26

Amazon.com

Granada Television followed The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes with The Return of Sherlock Holmes, 11 more episodes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective played by Jeremy Brett. After his apparent demise at the hands of Professor Moriarty, Holmes is resurrected in "The Empty House." Brett is outstanding as the famed sleuth, whose return from what Sherlockians call the Great Hiatus is challenged by one of Moriarty's most murderous lieutenants (Patrick Allen), already a killer on the run in London. "The Abbey Grange," a bloody mystery with significant moral and ethical implications, was also an early episode in the new onscreen association of Brett and Edward Hardwicke (who ably replaced the departed David Burke as Dr. Watson), and the two actors seem as perfectly meshed as their allied characters. Arguably the most entertaining and satisfying episode from the entire series, "The Second Stain" finds Holmes facing intertwining problems, each with very different consequences. The look of epiphany on Brett's face when the ever-clueless Inspector Lestrade (Colin Jeavons) tells Holmes about an odd detail in the murder victim's home is enormous fun.

Counselor Troi from Star Trek: The Next Generation--or rather actress Marina Sirtis--is part of the cast of "The Six Napoleons," a wild mystery that suggests that a madman with a grudge against Napoleon Bonaparte is smashing clay busts of his likeness all over London. "The Priory School," one of the most interesting stories from Doyle's Holmes canon, makes for a particularly taut and exciting episode in which Holmes and Watson are summoned by the desperate founder of an exclusive prep school for boys to locate the missing son of a duke. An extreme rarity in the Holmes canon, a policeman of real competence named Inspector Baynes (Freddie Jones), is also on the case in "Wisteria Lodge," making this tale all the more interesting for Holmes fans interested in comparing and contrasting investigative styles. "The Devil's Foot" finds Watson pressuring the exhausted sleuth 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.

Doyle caught a fair amount of flak for getting a lot of details wrong in "Silver Blaze," a story about the training and racing of horses. Nevertheless, it is one of his most popular yarns and makes a fine basis for a keen mystery with one of Doyle's most inventive solutions. A strong story with some of the sleuth's most impressive investigatory work, "The Bruce Partington Plans" also saw the return of Mycroft Holmes (Charles Gray), brother of the Great Detective and indispensable repository of government business. Holmes's methodical approach to the arcane problem in "The Musgrave Ritual" is a lot of fun, and Brett and Hardwicke seem to be having a particularly good time outdoors, pursuing the solution under a bit of sunshine. "The Man with the Twisted Lip" is one of the most ingenious of the Holmes stories, satisfying from beginning to end, with a witty conclusion and unexpected moral about class pressures. --Tom Keogh

Description

THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES DVD COLLECTION The celebrated duo of Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke are back as the masterful Sherlock Holmes and his faithful cohort Dr. Watson. Based on the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the spellbinding adventures of THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES are packed with mystery and suspense. Don't miss a single clue in these deadly games of cat and mouse! Produced by Granada Television and filmed on location in London.
Includes:
Disc One: THE EMPTY HOUSE & THE ABBEY GRANGE
Disc Two: THE SECOND STAIN & THE SIX NAPOLEONS
Disc Three: THE PRIORY SCHOOL & WISTERIA LODGE
Disc Four: THE DEVIL'S FOOT, SILVER BLAZE & THE BRUCE PARTINGTON PLANS
Disc Five: THE MUSGRAVE RITUAL & THE MAN WITH THE TWISTED LIP
DVD Extras:

-"Elementary, My Dear Watson: An Interview With Edward Hardwicke"
- Director's Commentary with John Madden
- Production Notes

Customer Reviews:

Timeless.......2007-06-27

Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke are superbly compelling in their roles. It matters not if you know every story and every line of dialogue by heart - these stories never fail to engross,and transport you to another time and place!

"It's devilish, Mr. Holmes, devilish!" .......2007-06-08

There is no doubt that this DVD collection is essential viewing for any Sherlock Holmes buff. For me, like many people out there, Jeremy Brett and Sherlock Holmes have always been one. I first discovered the dark and dangerous world of Holmes and Watson as a child during the mid to late-eighties, when Brett and Hardwicke were brilliantly bringing to life the most famous duo in literary history on PBS. Then I did not see these programs for so long, but to have them come out on DVD is truly wonderful. Just hearing the haunting opening bars of the period music composed for this magnificent series was enough to put a mischievous smile on my face!
This dvd collection features many of the detective's greatest exploits, including "The Empty House," which features the emotional reunion of Holmes and Watson, and one of my very favorite tales, "The Devil's Foot," which has one of the most intriguing plots in the Canon. The film sequence when Holmes and Watson experiment with the deadly African root powder is extraordinary, especially when Holmes wakes from his horrifying hallucination and cries out to his companion, "John!" As any Sherlockian knows, this line does not appear in the original story, but Brett says it with such conviction and emotion that it doesn't really matter. Nor can one forget Holmes' unforgettable encounter with Leon Sterndale:
"How do you know that?"
"I followed you."
"I saw no one."
"That is what you may expect to see when I follow you."

Equally powerful is the touching scene when Holmes literally cracks open the case of the Six Napoleons in front of Watson and Inspector Lestrade.

"Well," said Lestrade, "I've seen you handle a good many
cases, Mr. Holmes, but I don't know that I ever knew a more
workmanlike one than that. We're not jealous of you at Scotland
Yard. No, sir, we are very proud of you, and if you come down
to-morrow, there's not a man, from the oldest inspector to the
youngest constable, who wouldn't be glad to shake you by the
hand."
"Thank you!" said Holmes. "Thank you!" and as he turned
away, it seemed to me that he was more nearly moved by the
softer human emotions than I had ever seen him."

To watch Brett choke up during this scene is pure magic.
These episodes remain quite faithful to the stories for the most part, but take a little artistic license at times, for instance in "Wisteria Lodge: and also the Bruce-Partington Plans. Also the end of the atmospheric "Priory School" features a very dramatic scene which significantly deviates from the original tale, and in fact may be an improvement! One of the extra features is a very enlightening commentary with director John Madden and John Stuart Davies about how they made "The Priory School." The interview with Edward Hardwicke on disc 1 is also fascinating. As a whole, these are the finest and most satisfying film versions of the Canon ever produced or ever likely to be. If you follow the original stories as you watch them, as I have done, you'll discover much of the dialogue is taken straight from the horse's mouth! (Sorry about the pun, but I just watched "Silver Blaze"!) So do yourself a huge favor, and get this set today. These dvds offer countless hours of enjoyment and inspired deduction. The game is afoot!

Very good.......2007-05-07

The discs are securely cased. Reproduction is very good, except for a bit of wavy introductory music on one disc. However, this does not affect the video. I consider the set a good purchase.

Sherlock Holmes with Jeremy Brett DVD collection.......2007-03-30

I highly recommend thie set of DVD's.I purchased these as a birthday present for my husband and he LOVES them!He is a big Sherlock Holmes fan and Jeremy Brett is his very favorite Holmes.We also own The Return of Sherlock Holmes and it is very good as well.We were very pleased with the service we recieved from Amazon,we recieved our order in just a couple of days and will definitely be using them again.Hope you enjoy these as much as we have!

The world of deduction.......2007-01-18

The facinating stories of Sherlock Holmes.
If you like the stories-you will love these film productions

The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother

Average customer rating:

A silly little movie, and a bit more.
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
One of Wilder's best.
Wilder
funny movie

The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
Starring: Gene Wilder , Madeline Kahn , and Marty Feldman
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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The World's Greatest Lover
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Silver Streak

ASIN: B000E6ESJ4
Release Date: 2006-04-04

Product Description

The younger brother of the consulting detective tries to steal Sherlock's glory by solving an important case assisted by an eccentric Scotland Yard detective and a lovely but suspicious actress.

System Requirements:
Running Time: 91 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

After co-writing and starring in Mel Brooks' smash hit Young Frankenstein, Gene Wilder graduated to his own directing debut with another spoofy take on a cultural icon. The 1975 Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother gives Wilder some great trademark meltdowns, even if the movie doesn't sustain its initial comic energy. Wilder plays Sigerson Holmes, third (and bitterly resentful) brother to the more fabled Sherlock and Mycroft. Two Young Frankenstein co-stars help bring the game afoot: Madeline Kahn, as an opera singer with a problem in distinguishing truth from lies, and Marty Feldman, as a Scotland Yard man with "photographic hearing." The long early sequence that introduces all three characters to each other--and culminates in a lunatic song-and-dance number, "The Kangaroo Hop"--is truly funny, and Dom DeLuise summons up some broad yoks as a singer with a bad toupee. The British are represented by Leo McKern and Roy Kinnear, as well as a mysterious cameo by Albert Finney. (Mel Brooks isn't around, but you can spot his unmistakable pipes in a moment of voiceover.) Things become routine fairly quickly, and the last half-hour is something of a slog, so you'll have to be a Gene Wilder fan to love this one. Still, the rapport of Wilder and Kahn is something to behold: two expert comedians who always suggested an undercurrent of melancholy beneath their clowning. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

A silly little movie, and a bit more........2007-06-09

On the surface this is a silly Sherlock Holmes parody, courtesy of Gene Wilder and Co. And as a parody it works OK, though at times (several times) it is almost too silly.
However, there are several bonuses here:
1) Wilder is wonderful. Playing a character (Sigerson) who is wildly intelligent and talented. His character would be an absolute standout in any field he might choose to pursue - except his chosen field - following in the footsteps of his brother - Mr. Sherlock Holmes. As such we see this intelligent, talented fellow as a miserable failure who is just smart enough to realize by the end of the show the genius, competence and love of his brother.
2) The Sherlock Holmes of this movie is superb. Here, Sherlock, has a small and mostly behind the scenes role. But the Holmes we see is THE BEST HOLMES ever brought to film. He is simply superb.
3) The ending scene where Sigerson approaches a costumed Holmes and through eye contact conveys his understanding and acceptance of their relationship and acknowledges their relative skills and talents - this is a well done scene. It is worth watching a whole movie for a scene like this.
4) Lots of nice hat tipping to Holmesian lore.
5) The zany Moriarty. Leo McKern does a nice performance here.
6) As do all the "friends" of Wilder (Feldman, Kahn, De Luis, etc).

PS - I am not much of a Wilder fan - but his Sherlock Holmes alone - small as his role is - earns this movie 5 stars.

The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother.......2007-05-06

Always like Mel Brooks movies,, especially with Gene Wilder & Marty Feldman.
If you liked Young Frankenstein type comedy then you will love this.

One of Wilder's best........2007-04-12

This movie was most likely Gene Wilder's best. The story and main characters were clever and enjoyable. At times Wilder makes his movie too silly to the point of nearly insulting the viewer. If you like any of his work, you need to watch this one. Check out his World's Greatest Lover.

Wilder.......2007-03-30

I am a huge Gene Wilder fan and loved Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, The World's Greatest Lover, Stir Crazy, etc. This movie however just didn't work for me. With Kahn and Feldmon I thought this would be a winner, especially with Wilder writing and directing. I love his humor, but I just didn't laugh with this movie. I think this one you should rent first if you haven't seen it. It is certainly not for everyone judging by the wide swing of ratings.

funny movie.......2007-03-29

gene wilder is very funny in the movie--he always seems on the verge of losing his sanity. if you are a fan, you will like it. if not, you will like gene after seeing it.

The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes Collection

Average customer rating:

This is a must-have for all the Sherlock's fans out there
Jeremy Brett IS Sherlock!
Low audio signal
Five star production - Two star video transfer
A 19th Century Girl Caught up in the 21st

The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes Collection
Starring: Jeremy Brett
Manufacturer: Mpi Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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The Sherlock Holmes Feature Film Collection
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Boxed Set Collection)
Agatha Christie's Poirot - Classic Crimes Collection

ASIN: B0002HODE0
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Amazon.com

The six episodes of The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes continue Granda Television's excellent series starring Jeremy Brett as as the ideal incarnation of Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional hero, while Edward Hardwicke brings stellar support as the courageous, good-hearted Dr. Watson. The suspense is strong and the acting superb in The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax. Watson is taking a holiday in the English countryside, where he meets the charming Lady Frances and then worries after she vanishes from sight. As in The Hound of the Baskervilles, Holmes puts Watson on the case and instructs him from afar. In The Problem of Thor Bridge, Holmes is approached by an American senator (Daniel Massey, Brett's one-time, real-life brother-in-law) to clear the name of a governess in his employ, the lady having been accused of murdering the senator's wife on his estate and leaving her body on Thor Bridge. The solution is among the most complex and satisfying of the Great Detective's career.

Watson's proclivities toward gambling on horses open the door to the sprawling mystery The Shoscombe Old Place, which finds a famous playboy and equestrian, Sir Robert Norberton (Robin Ellis), in multiple jeopardy. In Boscombe Valley Mystery, Holmes and Watson are brought into an investigation of the murder of a farmer, whose body is found in the woods adjoining land owned by a wealthy property magnate. Holmes's investigation pulls the search in a wide direction, but the revelations are no less ghastly.

In the next story, based on one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's personal favorites from his Holmes canon, Sir James Damery approaches Holmes with a special request from an "illustrious client" (read: King Edward) to intercede in the marriage of an Austrian nobleman who almost certainly murdered his first wife. When Holmes is himself the object of a murderous attack; an outraged Dr. Watson (Edward Hardwicke) has to channel his thoughts of revenge into a bit of undercover work on behalf of the detective.

Finally, Holmes and Watson tackle one of their strangest cases in The Creeping Man, which borders on science fiction. The Great Detective meets an eminent, aging physiologist who has been behaving oddly of late, but the greater mystery concerns who or what may be behind the nocturnal appearances of an ape-like figure that moves rapidly through trees, terrifying the locals. Holmes's pursuit of the solution leads to a stunning revelation in this taut and imaginative thriller that Edgar Allen Poe himself might have appreciated. --Tom Keogh

Description

The celebrated duo of Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke are back as the masterful Sherlock Holmes and his faithful cohort Dr. Watson. Based on the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, THE CASEBOOK OF SHERLOCK HOLMES features six tales of mystery, deduction and suspense. Join the famous sleuth and the good doctor on yet another round of adventures. Quick, the game's afoot!

Includes:
Disc 1 Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax The Problem of Thor Bridge Disc 2 The Boscombe Valley Mystery The Illustrious Client Disc 3 Shouscombe Old Place The Creeping Man Bonus Features: Commentary Track with Director John Madden (Shakespeare In Love, Captain Corelli's Mandolin) 1980?? Interview with Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke Sherlock Museum Short Production Notes

Customer Reviews:

This is a must-have for all the Sherlock's fans out there.......2007-03-28

You must watch it. As a matter of fact, you must watch all the DVDs in the series. I love the performation of Jeremy. He sometimes can be a little too dramatic. Nevertheless he was the only guy who really captured the essence of being Sherlock Holmes. The maker of the series really put a lot of efforts in. You can tell by the elegant design of the rooms and costumes. Even the smallest detail was paid attention to.

Jeremy Brett IS Sherlock!.......2007-02-23

This set makes my Sherlock collection complete, that is, the TV series starring the late Jeremy Brett. Brett was the consummate Sherlock Holmes. Whenever I read anything Sherlockian, I visualize Jeremy Brett. I've seen all of the series multiple times on TV, but never get tired of re-watching any of the shows.

Low audio signal.......2007-01-10

This is great stuff. I bought all of the available Sherlock Holmes DVDs starring Jeremy Brett. However, on this particular one (i.e., the whole set of DVDs in this particular set), and only on this particular one, the audio signal is very low. On my Legacy FOCUS speakers bi-amped at 300 watts rms per side and with the preamp's volume turned all the way up I could hear the dialog. All the other Jeremy Brett DVD sets are just fine. Otherwise the picture quality and everything else is just fine.

Five star production - Two star video transfer.......2007-01-03

All the Sherlock Holmes collections starring Jeremy Brett are THE Sherlock Holmes productions. Jeremy Brett nails the role. I just wish Grenada, the producers had taken more time on the transfer. Although alledged to be "digitally restored" it sure doesn't show at least on a large screen tv.

A 19th Century Girl Caught up in the 21st.......2006-03-01

Fantastic! That is the word I describe Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke together in the Casebook of Sherlock Holmes. My dad and I love these series and I would recommend this to anyone who wishes to sharpen their skills of deduction. I'm speechless on how these great actors can set up a scene together and not to mention, Holmes' ablility to solve the most strangest cases England could come up with.

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes Collection

Average customer rating:

Brett's final performances
"What is the Meaning of It, Watson?"
Born to Play the Part
A Well Purchased Jewel
Excellent!! A must have!!

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes Collection
Starring: Jeremy Brett
Manufacturer: Mpi Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes Collection
The Return of Sherlock Holmes Collection
The Sherlock Holmes Feature Film Collection
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Boxed Set Collection)
Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Classic Collection

ASIN: B0002JP44G
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Product Description

Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke return for their final bow in THE MEMOIRS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES. Closing out the long running Granada series, Holmes and Watson are back on the case with six more arduous mysteries to solve.

The ailing Jeremy Brett completes his portrayal of the Great Detective in style and Holmes' brother Mycroft plays a crucial role in the series.

Produced by Granada Television and filmed on location in London.

Six Episodes:
The Three Gables
The Dying Detective
The Golden Pince-Nez
The Red Circle
The Mazarin Stone
The Cardboard Box

Special Features:

Commentary with Screenwriter Jeremy Paul and Holmes expert David Stuart Davies
An Interview with Adrian Conan Doyle
Production Notes

System Requirements:

Running Time 590 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Jeremy Brett ended his riveting run as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous sleuth in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1994), the final set of episodes in the long-running Granada Television series. In The Three Gables, an old widow receives a suspicious offer of a large sum of money to move out of her depressing mansion and leave absolutely everything behind. Holmes looks into this strange proposition and comes face to face with an enforcer and powerful pugilist, who Holmes cuts down to size with verbal agility. This adaptation may, in all honesty, be an improvement on Doyle's original story. The Dying Detective features Brett in a particularly strenuous and emotionally compelling performance as the Great Detective. Following his uncharacteristically provocative threat to expose a murderer, Holmes becomes mortally ill and delirious. Brett, who was actually suffering from cardiac problems at the time, certainly looks the part of the doomed hero, and his urgency in the role is haunting and poignant.

With Dr. Watson (the also excellent Edward Hardwicke) absent from The Golden Pince-Nez, Holmes is joined by his brother Mycroft (Charles Gray) in an investigation into the murder of a secretary to a chain-smoking, invalid professor. Gray's amusing, inscrutable performance helps supplement that of the valiantly struggling Brett, whose considerable health problems a decade into the series are well known to his devoted fans. The Red Circle draws upon facts related to a one-time, secret Italian terrorist organization. Holmes and Watson investigate a mysterious lodger who tells Holmes of her ties to the Red Circle and of her efforts, along with those of her missing husband, to break free of the Circle's long arm of revenge.

The ailing Brett largely stepped aside for The Mazarin Stone, a radical reinvention of the Doyle story, which was based on a one-act play also written by Doyle and performed in 1921. Instead of Holmes solving the crime, this time it is his brother, Mycroft (Gray again), ably assisted by Watson. (Sherlock does show up from time to time in a dream-like refrain, thinking through some knotty problem in a moonlighted garden.) Despite the absence of Brett from the main proceedings, the episode is still fun to watch, if largely out of curiosity to see Mycroft in action.

Controversial upon its first publication in 1893, The Cardboard Box confronts some nasty consequences of adultery. Holmes and Watson link the grisly mailing of two severed human ears with a complicated love triangle. Holmes, an expert in ears, naturally, has no problem with the mystery of where they came from. But toward what end mortals pursue "this circle of misery, violence, and fear" is another question. Though still ill at the time and at the end of his Holmes career, Brett gives a focused, remarkable performance while Hardwicke lends strong support. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Brett's final performances.......2007-06-14

Jeremy Brett was a genius and, though too ill to match his earlier Sherlock Holmes, he fought his health problems valiantly to complete this magnificent Granada series. Holmes and Brett fans should have this in their collections.

"What is the Meaning of It, Watson?".......2007-04-15

One of my favorite episodes in the entire Granada Sherlock Holmes series is "The Blue Carbuncle." I only mention it because I feel that in order to truly appreciate this fine production of six stories, you have to view it in light of the context of the entire series. In "The Blue Carbuncle," one of the earliest episodes filmed, you find a classic Holmes story set at Christmastime with a younger, more energetic Jeremy Brett still discovering the promising exuberance of a new role. The story is filled with joy and humor---filmed before days when a beloved wife would die of cancer, before a diagnosis would be made of manic-depression, and before treatments and medication would ultimately deprive all of us of a truly gifted man who died too soon in the prime of life. When we fast forward to "The Cardboard Box," the last episode filmed in the series (and also set at Christmas time), we've come full circle and realize why Jeremy Brett was such a success in a part that so many others believed had no substance. Rather than concentrating solely on the rational, intelligent side of the character, Jeremy Brett gave us over the course of 41 dramatizations of Conan Doyle stories a completely developed emotional man. Of course, the deterioration in his health, particularly in these last six episodes, is shocking. Nothing can conceal it, but also nothing can conceal the fact that this Holmes has become emotionally involved in his cases. He can no longer treat them or the people involved as mental exercises or mere problems to be solved. This is a truly vulnerable Holmes, and as a result he's not a Holmes that we just respect, like the great Basile Rathbone's. This is a Holmes that we love and care for. However, viewers need to be warned that there is a very high emotional price to be paid for becoming involved with this Holmes. By the time he utters his last words in "The Cardboard Box," all of us faithful "Watsons" realize that this Holmes has seen enough horror, enough brutality and cruelty. There will no longer be any more adventures that willingly draw us from our beds in the middle of the night, no more "games afoot," and sadly of all, no more miraculous resurrections from the depths of the Reichenbach Falls. One can easily imagine that in keeping with the spirit of his creator Conan Doyle, this Holmes is ready to go off into permanent retirement on a quiet farm, never to work on another case again. It is heart-wrenching, however, that he had to take with him the very best actor that ever played the role.

Born to Play the Part.......2007-03-15

Jeremy Brett is the DEFINITIVE Sherlock Holmes. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, if he were alive today, would probably not only say Brett was the best actor to play the part, but was honored to see him do so, as I have been.

A Well Purchased Jewel.......2006-10-13

With this box set I have now completed my Brettish Sherlockian set. I am personally well pleased with the quality of DVD's (actually better than the adventures of Sherlock Holmes); and the stagings, and backgrounds are amazing.
Brett; to me has the definitive portrayal of the master detective in each of these box sets, which make up the best of ACD's Baker Street adventures of our favorite sleuth.
Indeed his illness in hind sight does show; but the excellent acting overshadows this as one is caught up in the chase.
Edward Hardwicke simply put "owns" the role of Dr. Watson. He's great, and consistantly delivers his best.
I have just purchased a movie with Rupert Everett as Holmes, and to say the least Everett is no Brett in this role.
This Brett set will be a well purchased jewel for any Sherlockian fan.

Excellent!! A must have!!.......2006-04-20

Jeremy Brett does it again. I am pleased to have this final set which completes my entire Sherlock Holmes with Jeremy Brett collection by Granada. Sad to know that he is no more with us, but he will always be the quintessential Sherlock Holmes.

This final installment is a great completion to the series, although, I would have liked to have more. It is interesting to see how the series portray the progression of technology at the time when the stories were written. Even though the quality of the film is less than state of art, I much rather prefer it this way, because it has a rather vintage and authentic appeal to it.

Average customer rating:

Brilliant
A fun collection
Sherlock Holmes Collection
Elementary, my dear Watson
"Quick, Watson! The game's afoot!"

The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection
Starring: Richard Greene , Basil Rathbone , Wendy Barrie , Nigel Bruce , and Lionel Atwill
Director: Sidney Lanfield , Alfred L. Werker , and John Rawlins
Manufacturer: Mpi Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000EXZFRQ
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Description

The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection stars Basil Rathbone as the legendary Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as the venerable Dr. John H. Watson. The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection is comprised of all 14 classic films on 5 discs: THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES SHERLOCKHOLMES AND THE VOICE OF TERROR SHERLOCK HOMLMES AND THE SECRET WEAPON SHERLOCK HOLMES IN WASHINGTON SHERLOCK HOLMES FACES DEATH SHERLOCK HOLMES IN THE SPIDER WOMAN SHERLOCK HOLMES THE SCARLET CLAW SHERLOCK HOLMES IN PEARL OF DEATH SHERLOCK HOLMES HOUSE OF FEAR SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE WOMAN IN GREEN SHERLOCK HOLMES PURSUIT TO ALGIERS SHERLOCK HOLMES TERROR BY NIGHT SHERLOCK HOLMES DRESSED TO KILL

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant.......2007-05-13

This is a marvellous set of all 14 films that Rathbone and Bruce made together.

The remastering is excellent and the difference is quite dramtic compared with some other versions of the same films that I have. Recently I made a direct comparison between the two versions of "Terror By Night" and the improvement is dramatic.

As previous reviewers have said Rathbone and Bruce work very well together and Dr Watson has some wonderfully funny lines, which if not Conan Doyles original lines, still work very well nevertheless. Some of the acting is occasionally a bit wooden, and sometimes the plots are a bit contrived (again I don't think this is Conan Doyles fault) but even so these are classic films regardless.

This set makes all previous boxed sets of Rathbone and Bruce (of which I own one) completely redundant. Buy this one!!

A fun collection.......2007-04-16

The plots are absurd, the dialogue is corny, and the stories are far astray from the works of Conan Doyle. Dr. Watson is totally out of character.

But I love 'em all! Very entertaining!! Basil Rathbone is the perfect Sherlock Holmes. Nigel Bruce is a bumbling, entertaining and lovable Dr. Watson. Mary Gordon is a very believable Mrs. Hudson.

Yes, the packaging is. . . well. . . cheap. But the films have been beautifully restored, (believe me, I know - I saw the originals. . . yikes!), and watching them is just plain fun.

If you are a Sherlock Holmes fan, or a Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce fan, you will enjoy this collection!

Sherlock Holmes Collection.......2007-03-13

Movies are wonderfully restored and offered with sub-titles and commentaries. Great for Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce Sherlock fans.

Elementary, my dear Watson.......2007-02-17

There have been only two long-running Sherlock Holmes actors who were really memorable: Jeremy Brett, and Basil Rathbone. And Rathbone is showcased at his best in "The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection," which collects all the excellent Sherlock movies (although the ones not cased on Arthur Conan Doyle's stories aren't quite as solid).

It opens with "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," which introduces us to the main characters. Sherlock Holmes (Rathbone) arrives at the courthouse a minute too late, and angrily watches his nemesis Professor Moriarty (George Zucco) go free because of a lack of evidence.

Sick of Holmes' investigations, Moriarty decides to utterly ruin Holmes with the most dastardly crime ever -- by distracting him with a bizarre threat to a young woman. Holmes becomes wrapped up in the potential murder, as the stressed-out police try to get him to pay attention to a threat to the Crown Jewels.

And after that, Holmes and his pal Watson (Nigel Bruce) solve all sorts of mysteries -- a string of bloody murders in a Canadian village, the theft of music-boxes, a stolen diamond on a train, the Hound of the Baskervilles on a lonely estate, World War II spies and kidnappings, a cursed pearl, the suicides of gamblers, castle murders, and a bizarre serial killing where the fingers are being removed.

Some of these Holmes movies are based on Doyle stories, and some aren't. Unsurprisingly, the ones that are based on Doyle stories ("Hound of the Baskervilles") tend to be a bit stronger than the ones that aren't ("Dressed to Kill"), and it's a little weird to see Holmes and Watson doing their patriotic duty in... World War II? Okay, whatever.

But even the least of these stories are enjoyable mysteries, usually with some convenient crimes for Holmes to solve, whether it's a straightforward mystery or a Agatha-Christie-style whodunnit. The sometimes gruesome crimes are softened with some fun comedy like Holmes as a gaucho, or Watson getting drunk.

The settings are colourful and varied -- misty forests and moors, trains, castles -- and the stories are fast-paced and energetic, even when there's been a murder or theft. But the filmmakers didn't cut out the creepier moments as well, such as the grimpen mire of "Hound of the Baskervilles," or the Musgrave ritual story.

Rathbone's Holmes is the cerebral side of the Great Detective -- cool and slightly languid, as if he's always lying back to ponder the mystery, but he shows a warm side when confronted with a victim. He even fits Doyle's descriptions of Holmes -- tall, skinny, big nose. Nigel Bruce does a good enough job, but the portrayal of Watson is seriously flawed. He's basically literate comic relief.

"The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection" has a few weak links, but even the weakest is entertaining and suspenseful, with excellent acting by Rathbone and Bruce. Definitely worth getting.

"Quick, Watson! The game's afoot!".......2007-02-01

If you remember the old Sherlock Holmes films with fondness, you're sure to enjoy this DVD set. It contains all 14 films made by Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, nicely restored, with an introduction, four commentaries, trailers, and still photos. I like all of the films, but my favorites are the gothic thrillers dealing with legends and superstitions in creepy, rural settings: "The Hound of the Baskervilles" (set in the original Victorian period), "The Scarlet Claw," and "The House of Fear." Here Holmes is at the top of his game, single-handedly solving crimes with his brilliant powers of deduction. His comic sidekick, the always-foggy Dr. Watson, is the perfect balance to Holmes' arrogance and severity. Watson is charmingly dim, unfailingly loyal to Holmes, and even, once in a while, manages to be helpful. Blustering, helpless Police Inspector Lestrade pops up occasionally and is always fun.

The least engaging films for me are those in which Holmes battles spies during WWll: "The Secret Weapon," "The Voice of Terror," and "Sherlock Holmes in Washington." I think Holmes is more effective in intimate settings dealing with one protagonist and one villain. The most dastardly villain of all, of course, is evil Professor Moriarity, who is in three of the films, played by three different actors. There are a handful of others who appear in almost all of the films, rotating from small to important parts and it's fun to spot them.

Rathbone and Bruce are such a pleasant pair to watch, providing puzzle-solving panache and sweet comedy relief. The dialogue is always sharp, the costumes elegant, and the films short (just over an hour long), which keeps the action brisk. This collection is indeed a feast for Holmes fans.

Average customer rating:

Flawed Directing Ruins Drama
Far fetched story line
Wish there were sequels.
A Great Mystery Flick for Young Sherlock Readers
Three quarters of a terrific picture

Young Sherlock Holmes
Starring: Nicholas Rowe , Alan Cox , Sophie Ward , Anthony Higgins , and Susan Fleetwood
Director: Barry Levinson
Manufacturer: Paramount
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ASIN: B0000AUHPC
Release Date: 2003-12-02

Amazon.com

This 1985 adventure directed by Barry Levinson (Rain Man) and written by Chris Columbus (Gremlins) may not have much to do with the Sherlock Holmes of Arthur Conan Doyle's invention. But it is a delightful and somewhat unexpected combination of exciting elements: Victorian-era, foggy-London mystique, Gothic horror, and Indiana Jones-like exotica. Nicholas Rowe plays Holmes as a schoolboy at a boarding academy for young men. Paired with the owlish, reticent young Watson (Alan Cox), Holmes embarks on the solution of a mystery that involves a hallucinatory and lethal drug, and a religious cult celebrating ancient Egyptian rites of mummification. Levinson makes handsome and crisp work of this Steven Spielberg production, without a trace of the treacle that often found its way into other Spielbergian projects at the time (The Goonies). Rowe is wonderfully convincing as a teen incarnation of the Great Detective, and while Cox mostly maintains Hollywood's traditionally unflattering idea of Watson, he does bring warmth and comedy to the role. The cast includes Freddie Jones as an eccentric inventor, Anthony Higgins as the villain, and Sophie Ward as Holmes's love interest. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Flawed Directing Ruins Drama.......2007-06-30

Since Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson meet each other for the first time as adults in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Sign of the Four", the story in this movie is distinctly extra-canonical. And yet, aside from that one minor continuity glitch, everything else in this movie lines up very well with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. If the first few chapters of "The Sign of the Four" can be temporarily forgotten (or ret-conned, as us comic book fans say) the story in the movie not only works well with the rest of Sherlock Holmes continuity, but helps to explain a lot of things Conan Doyle never got around to explaining, such as the origin of Holmes's distinctive deer-stalker cap, coat, and pipe, the beginnings of Holmes's relationship with Inspector Lestrade, the origins of Moriarity and his rivalry with Holmes, and finally the reason Holmes has maintained a distance from women all his adult life.
This last reason, the death of a true love, turns out to be remarkably similar to the reason Ian Fleming gives for James Bond inability to stay monogamous, but since Ian Fleming was inspired by the Fu-Manchu series, which in turn was inspired by Sherlock Holmes, I suppose its not altogether inappropriate that the characters share this link.

The story in this movie, about an Egyptian cult of the dead in an underground temple, is at points very similar to "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom", particularly a scene with a human sacrifice, lots of chanting, and the young heroes looking on horrified from their hiding place. I'm going to have to double check the dates, but I suspect this movie came out after "Temple of Doom" and was trying to cash in on the Indiana Jones adventure craze.

Again, this is not entirely inappropriate, since Indiana Jones was based partly on the adventure movies of the 30s, which in turn were based off of stories like "Sherlock Holmes" and "Fu-Manchu". In fact the real sin is not that they attempted to rip Indiana Jones off, but that they failed so horribly in doing so.

Which brings me to the flaws of this film...
I'm told this film has been criticized because the story involves Holmes and Watson more or less stumbling onto the bad guys, instead of using Holmes characteristic deductive reasoning. However some of Conan Doyle's original stories also follow this pattern, so I don't hold that against the film. Also in the movie, like Conan Doyle's stories, Holmes does not share all of his information with Watson at the time, but only once the case is all over does he reveal how he solved it.

Unfortunately in the movie the viewer gets to see some of the assassinations in the film, and thus has more information than Holmes does, which is unfortunate and takes away from the suspense a little bit. Also the victims are shot with a poison dart which causes them to hallucinate, and (again unfortunately) we the viewer have to sit through these hallucinations, which I suspect were just an excuse to cram some Hollywood special effects into this movie and make it more marketable.

Really, sometimes you have to wonder what in the world Hollywood is thinking. I don't know a single person who likes those weird dream/ Hallucination sequences (unless watching them while high), and yet Hollywood films are often full of them.

Also the directing in this film is terrible. None of the action sequences are choreographed with any sort of suspense, and most of the physical action in this movie doesn't make any sense at all. Examples:
- --the heroine is abducted by the bad guy, and she appears to run off with him without making any effort to resist whatsoever.
- --The bad guys with swords are the clumsiest bad guys ever, and can't seem to hit Holmes or Watson, even though the latter two are making what look like only lazy efforts to get away.
- --A character gets knocked into the ice water, and sinks way too quickly.
---A crash landing, which should have been a dramatic sequence, is almost boring. I could go on and on.

Verdict: Worth watching for Sherlock Holmes fans or 80s nostalgia, but there are good reasons why this film never became a classic.

Far fetched story line.......2007-05-16

I have realized that every spin off of Sherlock Holmes disappoints me greatly (I am an ardent fan of the BBC series with Jeremy Brett as Holmes).
I do not intend to spoil the plot and hence I shall write no more about the mystery.
On the bright side, they have tried hard to do justice to Sherlock Holmes whimpsies, e.g, fencing, the hat, existence of Mycroft et al.
This one simply adds to my big fat collection of Sherlock Holmes DVDs. I wont dispose of it, but I wont be watching it for the second time either.

Wish there were sequels........2007-05-14

I enjoyed this movie so much I wish there were sequels. It's Harry Potter without magic.

A Great Mystery Flick for Young Sherlock Readers.......2007-05-12

I teach 6th grade Reading/Language Arts, and I always do a mystery unit with my students. We read several Sherlock Holmes stories, such as "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" and the unit culminates with the kids writing their own versions of "The Strange Disappearance of Sherlock Holmes". I am always on the lookout for quality DVD's for this unit because the old Basil Rathbone films just don't cut it with the kids. The movie "Young Sherlock Holmes", directed by Steven Spielberg, is fantastic. Holmes is a teenager in the movie, and the audience learns how he first met Dr. Watson and acquired several of his iconic items: his peaked hat, pipe, magnifying class and cloak. The film is as exciting as it is informative and accurate in period detail. It's reminiscent of a Indiana Jones-type thriller. All in all, my students loved it and asked to see it again! I highly recommend this film for classroom use (It's rated PG-13, for some mild violence, I guess.)

Three quarters of a terrific picture.......2007-01-31

I agree with Mr. DeRiemer's comment: "A wonderful film for the most part, until it moves into young Indiana Jones territory", although I am inclined to put it this way: A wonderful film until it goes straight into the toilet in the last half hour.

Holmes faced many exotic foes who were represented in perfectly convincing ways--a Napoleon of Crime, some Scowrers, a Speckled Band, a Sign of Four, multiple Garridebs, a whole League of Red-Headed Men, even an American mezzo-soprano who turned out to be tougher and smarter than he was. There was really no need at all to mess up the ending of the picture with a gaudily witless journey into Indiana Jones-Land.

Some earlier reviewers have commented on a resemblance between this story and the Harry Potter series. At least one reviewer has speculated that the idea (at least) of the books is derived from the film. The fact is that there is a long history of schooldays adventures in England, probably originating in "Tom Brown's Schooldays" and highlighted by Rudyard Kipling's "Stalky & Co." as well as a series of novels by P.G. Wodehouse set at a London school called Wryken.

There is also an undercurrent of disdain from "Sherlockian" (American) and "Holmesian" (British) purists who object to the distortion of the relationship and initial meeting of Holmes and Watson. Well, add me to the purists. Anyone who will take the time to read "A Study in Scarlet," the first published Holmes story--something that I heartily recommend to anyone who thinks THIS film is good!--will find a precise description of how, when, where and why the two men met for the very first time. There is no way on earth that the two could previously have met as boys.

However, for what it is worth, all could be salvaged if the boy in the film were not John H. Watson but a certain "Young Stamford," the mutual friend who brought the two strangers together and promptly evaporated entirely out of the series.

For those too young to have seen the theatrical release of this picture, I will point out that this was the first major film to use CGI effects. In fact, Intel made a major product placement based on that fact. When the film was released, many of us were agog with anticipation of a soon-to-come wonderful new thing called a "Pentium." Boldly placed among the film's credits was an announcement that some special effects had been created with a computer using a Pentium chip (which, I imagine, was running at about 90 Hz in those long-ago days.)

The Sherlock Holmes Feature Film Collection

Average customer rating:

The Best
Jeremy Brett is too hot to handle
a must for your holmes collection
The Definitive Sherlock Holmes
The Sherlock Holmes Feature - Another Fine Collection

The Sherlock Holmes Feature Film Collection
Starring: Jeremy Brett , Edward Hardwicke , Neil Duncan , Kristoffer Tabori , and Edward Romfourt
Director: Brian Mills , Tim Sullivan (III) , and Peter Hammond
Manufacturer: Mpi Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00007H5C8
Release Date: 2003-03-25

Amazon.com

In addition to numerous one-hour episodes, Granada Television produced five feature-length Sherlock Holmes films starring Jeremy Brett, easily the best of all screen actors to play the sleuth, and Edward Hardwicke, a warm and capable Dr. Watson. The 1987 feature version of The Sign of Four, the second Holmes novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is faithful to the original story except in one important detail: Dr. Watson does not get the girl. Otherwise, the familiar tale of the death of Bartholomew Sholto and the theft of the Agra treasure is all here, as is a snappy performance by Brett as Holmes doing some of the finest investigative work of his career.

A thrilling blend of detective yarn and Gothic horror, The Hound of the Baskervilles (1988) concerns the apparent return of an old curse upon the Baskerville family in the terrifying form of a gigantic killer hound. Fans of Hardwicke get an opportunity to see his Watson on a solo mission for part of this story, though Brett is never far from the narrative. The supporting cast is very good, and the beast itself, revealed in a famously terrifying finale, is indeed a spooky revelation.

In The Master Blackmailer (1991), Holmes takes on the reputed king of all blackmailers. Charles Augustus Milverton (Robert Hardy) has made a fortune extorting money from the famous and the blue-blooded, and he routinely ruins others' lives when not pleased. Unable to talk Milverton into turning over letters belonging to Lady Eva Brackenwell, Holmes decides to steal them, going undercover as a plumber and even romancing Milverton's housemaid, Agatha (Sophie Thompson), to gain better access in the house. The story builds to a surprisingly violent finale, but the real hook is Brett's performance as the disguised detective and the startling suggestion that Holmes's close contact with Agatha truly moved the bachelor sleuth.

A little overextended as a two-hour movie, The Eligible Bachelor (1992) was made late in the enterprise. It finds Holmes (the ailing Brett, playing an increasingly darker and more neurotic detective) and Watson called upon to help in a case involving the disappearance of Henrietta Doran (Paris Jefferson). Fiancée of the noble Lord Robert St. Simon (Simon Williams), Doran was last seen with a former lover of St. Simon's, Flora Millar (Joanna McCallum). The unimaginative Scotland Yard instantly arrests Millar on suspicion of foul play, but it is Holmes who has to find the missing woman.

The Last Vampyre (1992) was perhaps the most ill-advised of the series. Entirely contrary to the tone and spirit of Doyle's short story "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire"--which finds Holmes victoriously pitting his well-grounded deductive powers against irrational fears of a rise in bloodsucking--it's something of an embarrassment to the largely wonderful legacy of Granada's earlier efforts. (For the record, most of the creative executives who had worked on the beloved series in the 1980s had been replaced by the time this film was made.) In this version, Holmes does battle with a Dracula-like fellow who may or may not be the real McCoy. There is a great deal of padding to fill out the story, and it is mostly silly, but the ailing Brett gives an ever-fascinating performance, which deviates from Doyle's vision of the detective toward something darker and more personal. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

The Best.......2007-05-07

These films are a must-have for any serious collector of Brett's version of Holmes. Accept no substitutes.

Jeremy Brett is too hot to handle.......2007-05-06

I absolutely LOVE and ADORE Jeremy Brett. I put these movies on at bedtime so I can doze off the the smooth sound of his voice each nite. He is, as usual, excellent in these films. Brett's movements, his facial expressions, his utterances - my goodness, words do not do justice! He is such a natural Holmes in these films and there truly is no one like him. He simply becomes Holmes - he's the essence.

a must for your holmes collection.......2007-03-31

jeremy brent puts a different twist to the famous sleuth. basil rathbone would be proud.

The Definitive Sherlock Holmes.......2006-11-03

Jeremy Brett is undoubtedly the definitive Sherlock Holmes. Having read all the stories as a child, this television adaptation is the closest anyone has come to capturing the brilliant, yet eccentric sleuth in a video format. The feature film collection is an excellent addition for anyone who owns most of the other episodes. The production values and acting are excellent. The only thing that prevents me from giving this a 5 star rating is the fact that some of the features tend to deviate from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's source material (e.g. The Last Vampyre). Otherwise, the feature film collection should not be missed.

The Sherlock Holmes Feature - Another Fine Collection.......2006-02-23

The Granada production is incredible. The sound track is crystal clear. Jeremy Brett is the definitive Sherlock Holmes.

Average customer rating:

A factory defect on the two DVD sets I bought last year.
On a 1 to 10 scale, this collection is rated: 6.8
simply wonderful
GREAT FIND!
Great Shows/ Great Price

Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Series
Starring: Sherlock Holmes
Manufacturer: Mill Creek Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection

ASIN: B000BBOUGI
Release Date: 2005-09-01

Customer Reviews:

A factory defect on the two DVD sets I bought last year........2007-06-14

Disk 1 "texas cowgirl" episode has a factory defect. DVD slows down and stops and the screen goes to black.

On a 1 to 10 scale, this collection is rated: 6.8.......2007-04-27

The SHERLOCK HOLMES TV series was an American-made program, filmed in France. The show originally aired from October 18, 1954 to October 17, 1955. Regular cast members were Ronald Howard (son of Leslie) as Holmes, Howard Marion-Crawford played Dr. Watson, and Archie Duncan was Inspector LeStrade. Additionally, a company of regulars made frequent appearances, each time as different characters. There were occasional guest stars as well, like Paulette Goddard and Natalie Schafer.

This MILL CREEK ENTERTAINMENT box set of 5 DVDs runs 19.5 hours, and includes all 39 original episodes. The 1 to 10 score for SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE COMPLETE SERIES was obtained from data maintained by a TV archive website. Poll respondents there rated this series an overall: 6.8.

The following in-order program list includes original airdates and supporting actors for each episode.

(_#1) The Case of the Cunningham Heritage (10/18/54) - Ursula Howells/Roland Bartrop
(_#2) The Case of Lady Beryl (10/25/54) - Paulette Goddard/Peter Copley
(_#3) The Case of the Pennsylvania Gun (11/1/54) - Maurice Teynac/Frank Dexter
(_#4) The Case of the Texas Cowgirl (11/8/54) - Richard Larke/Lucille Vines
(_#5) The Case of the Belligerent Ghost (11/15/54) - Lou Van Burg/Gertrude Flynn
(_#6) The Case of the Shy Ballerina (11/22/54) - Natalie Schafer/Eugene Deckers
(_#7) The Case of the Winthrop Legend (11/29/54) - Ivan Desny/Peter Copley
(_#8) The Case of the Blind Man's Bluff (12/6/54) - Eugene Deckers/Grégoire Aslan
(_#9) The Case of Harry Crocker (12/6/54) - Eugene Deckers/Harry Towb
(#10) The Mother Hubbard Case (12/20/54) - Amy Dalby/Delphine Seyrig
(#11) The Case of the Red-Headed League (12/27/54) - Alexander Gauge/Colin Drake
(#12) The Case of the Shoeless Engineer (1/3/55) - June Shelley/David Oxley
(#13) The Case of the Split Ticket (1/10/54) - Harry Towb/Margaret Russell
(#14) The Case of the French Interpreter (1/17/55) - Charles Brodie/Bob Cunningham
(#15) The Case of the Singing Violin (1/24/55) - Arnold Bell/Delphine Seyring
(#16) The Case of the Greystone Inscription (1/31/55) - Eric Micklewood/Martina Mayne
(#17) The Case of the Laughing Mummy (2/7/55) - Barry Mackay/June Shelley
(#18) The Case of the Thistle Killer (2/14/55) - Richard Larke/Richard Watson
(#19) The Case of the Vanished Detective (2/21/55) - Richard Larke/Cecil Brock
(#20) The Case of the Careless Suffragette (2/28/55) - Richard Larke/Dawn Addams
(#21) The Case of the Reluctant Carpenter (3/7/55) - Pierre Gay/Roland Bartrop
(#22) The Case of the Deadly Prophecy (3/14/55) - Nicole Courcel/Jacques François
(#23) The Christmas Pudding (4/4/55) - Eugene Deckers/June Rodney
(#24) The Night Train Riddle (4/11/55) - Roberta Haynes/James Doran
(#25) The Case of the Violent Suitor (4/18/55) - Eric Micklewood/Brookes Kyle
(#26) The Case of the Baker Street Nursemaids (4/25/55) - Roger Tréville/Yves Brainville
(#27) The Case of the Perfect Husband (3/2/55) - Michael Gough/Richard Larke
(#28) The Case of the Jolly Hangman (5/9/55) - Alvys Maben/Philip Leaver
(#29) The Case of the Imposter Mystery (5/16/55) - Richard Larke/Basil Dignam
(#30) The Case of the Eiffel Tower (5/23/55) - Martine Alexis/Sacha Pitoëff
(#31) The Case of the Exhumed Client (5/30/55) - Alvys Maben/Alan Adair
(#32) The Case of the Impromtu Performance (6/6/55) - Richard Larke/Patrick Shelley
(#33) The Case of the Baker Street Bachelors (6/20/55) - Alvys Maben/Pénélope Portrait
(#34) The Case of the Royal Murder (6/27/55) - Lise Bourdin/Jacques Dacqmine
(#35) The Case of the Haunted Gainsborough (7/4/55) - Cleo Rose/John Buckmaster
(#36) The Case of the Neurotic Detective (7/11/55) _ Richard Larke/Russ Caprio
(#37) The Case of the Unlucky Gambler (7/18/55) - Richard Larke/Richard O'Sullivan
(#38) The Case of the Diamond Tooth (9/19/55) - Roland Bartrop/Charles Brodie
(#39) The Case of the Tyrant's Daughter (10/17/55) - Basil Dignam/Zach Matalon

simply wonderful.......2007-03-18

I found two DVD's of series in the dollar bin at WalMart and fell in love with it. I'm only through about two of the DVD's in the full collection, but I haven't seen any problems with quality. Or at least no more than would be found with a TV series this old and far fewer than many I've seen. Ronald Howard plays a very funny and ironic Holmes and H. Crawford is great as a Watson who is both competent and amused by Holmes antics.

It appears that the original series was shown live as there are several minor 'bloopers' but they add interest rather than detract. It's also rather fun to watch a show that had such a small cast that the actors were probably running the cameras and sewing costumes as well. (You'll soon get to recognize all the actors) This is a fun, fun series that I undeservedly recommend even if you had to pay twice what Amazon is charging.

GREAT FIND!.......2007-03-16

I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND ALL THE ORIGINAL EPISODES TOGETHER UNTIL NOW. DVD's were perfect and played just fine. Great addition to anyone who is a Sherlock Holmes fan.

Great Shows/ Great Price.......2007-03-15

39 - 30 min. shows. I enjoyed the ones I've watched so far.
A little different from Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. Watson is a little "quicker" in these shows than Nigel Bruce's Watson. And Sherlock is a little more laided back than Basil Rathbone's Holmes. Over all a nice change. :)

Sherlock Holmes - The Hound of the Baskervilles

Average customer rating:

The Ultimate Version
Hound of the Baskervilles
Hound of the Baskervilles with Basil Rathbone
Great!
The film that introduced Basil Rathbone in the part of Sherlock Holmes...

Sherlock Holmes - The Hound of the Baskervilles
Starring: Richard Greene , Basil Rathbone , Wendy Barrie , Nigel Bruce , and Lionel Atwill
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Manufacturer: Mpi Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001DCYBE
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Amazon.com

Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce star in this 1939 adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's frequently filmed novel, and the result is one of the most atmospheric and purely enjoyable versions of The Hound of the Baskervilles. Except for minor changes, the script is true to Doyle's enthralling mystery about a centuries-long curse against heirs to the Baskerville estate, situated within the haunting and deadly Dartmoor in the southwest of England. With the arrival of a new master, Canadian Henry Baskerville (Richard Greene), Sherlock Holmes (Rathbone) and Dr. Watson (Bruce) are called upon to solve the strange case of the "gigantic hound" that may be readying to savage the poor fellow. Wonderful sets, crisp performances, and Rathbone's accessible but no-nonsense take on the Great Detective make this a real delight. Typical of the 20th Century Fox Holmes pictures, there's an in-joke, a final line of censor-defying dialogue alluding to Holmes's little problem with cocaine. --Tom Keogh

Description

The Hound Of The Baskervilles

The most celebrated tale of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's canon, `The Hound of the Baskervilles' is set in the Victorian Age and was originally released by Twentieth Century-Fox in 1939. It is the first of fourteen Sherlock Holmes films starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.

When Sir Charles Baskerville is killed outside of Baskerville Hall, his good friend Dr. Mortimer (Lionel Atwill) fears that the curse of the Baskervilles has struck once again. Mortimer enlists the help of Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone), before yet another Baskerville can succumb to the evil legend.

Sir Henry Baskerville (Richard Greene) arrives in London to claim his inheritance. Mortimer takes Sir Henry to 221b Baker Street and expresses his fear for Sir Henry's life. Baskerville soon learns that along with the grand mansion on the moor, comes a devilish curse, a curious butler (John Carradine) and a cast of bizarre neighbors.

Holmes, pressed with "other business," sends Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) to accompany Sir Henry to the dreary moor to protect the young Baskerville from the legend of the wicked hound. Of course, with danger afoot, Sherlock Holmes may not be so far from the scene as is assumed.

Special Features
-Audio Commentary with David Stuart Davies
-Selected Theatrical Trailers
-Production Notes By Richard Valley
-Photo Gallery
Run Time - 80 minutes

Customer Reviews:

The Ultimate Version.......2007-06-27

Many remakes have been done of The Hound of the Baskervilles. None equal this version--not just because of Rathbone and Bruce, but because of the incredible supporting cast: Richard Greene, Wendy Barry, John Carradine, et al. The atmospherics are perfect; the dog is scary and the grimpen mire is practically a character in its own right. This is the Hound against which all others are measured.

Terror by Night is also excellent, if you don't mind the miniaturization scenes of the train, which are a tad cheesy.

Hound of the Baskervilles.......2007-06-21

Arthur Conan Doyle's greatest creation--and the world's most famous detective-- comes to sparkling life in this chilling, quasi-supernatural whodunit, thanks to the wonderfully talented Basil Rathbone. Of course, there are snappy performances all around from an excellent supporting cast that includes Bruce, Greene, Lionel Atwill (as a family friend), John Carradine (as a queer butler), and Wendy Barrie (as Henry's love interest). Rathbone and Bruce's rapport, however, has come to overshadow all subsequent Holmes-Watson actor pairings. Lanfield's quick-paced "Hound" is one of their most thrilling outings (there are 13 in all!), especially with the foggy English moors providing a splendidly ominous atmosphere.

Hound of the Baskervilles with Basil Rathbone.......2007-03-29

My favorite Sherlock Holmes story, family curse, hound from hell, an old family mansion, deserted moor, an escaped convict, and Sherlock Holmes and his faithful Watson, add a fireplace, and hot cup of tea or coco and you have your evenings entertainment. I prefer this movie over most of them (except for jeremy brett version). They made a couple of changes in the story deviating from the book, and it worked. I will always love Nigel Bruce as Watson, and Basil Rathbone as Holmes.

Great!.......2007-01-11

We have not watched this DVD but have seen it before. We wanted it for our collection.

The film that introduced Basil Rathbone in the part of Sherlock Holmes..........2007-01-02

To select just one representative Sherlock Holmes film from the hundred or so made since Sherlock Holmes Baffled is a virtual impossibility, especially as no one actor (including such famous talents as John Barrymore, Clive Brook and Raymond Massey) has yet managed to successfully transfer the true Holmesian character to the screen... But if one has to be singled out probably the best choice would be the 1939 version of "The Hound of the Baskervilles," the most famous of all Conan Doyle's long novels and the film that introduced Basil Rathbone in the part of Sherlock Holmes...

Although no less a critic than Graham Greene found Rathbone unacceptable, complaining of his good humor and general air of refreshing health, the tall, thin British born actor is still the man most people associate with the role... He played in 14 Holmes movies between 1939 and 1946, two "A" productions and twelve double features...

Set in the correct period, "The Hound of the Baskervilles" follows Conan Doyle closely including only one scene, a séance, not in the original story... Its opening sequence on a deserted moor with a man running in terror from the unseen beast and its climax with Holmes going out alone into the foggy night to track down the "Hell Hound" really catches the suspense and mystery of Conan Doyle's story...

The film is most impressive when it convincingly sketches in the streets and fashions of Edwardian London, a remarkable achievement when one considers that recreation of London and English settings has not been one of Hollywood's strongest points over the years...

The final curtain line makes it difficult to believe that the film was made in 1939 with all the restrictions and censorship of that period... References to Holmes' drug taking have rarely if ever been made in Holmes movies but in "The Hound of the Baskervilles" the great detective stalks out of the room calling to his ever faithful companion, "The needle, Watson, the needle."

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