Sherlock Holmes - The Definitive Collection (7 Discs - 14 Films)
directed by Sidney Lanfield, Alfred L. Werker, John Rawlins, and Roy William
Neill
USA 19
The
character of Sherlock Holmes is to date the character most often portrayed on
screen. According to Guinness, per 1988, he had appeared in 193 films (today its
well over 200), and of all actors ever to portrait Sherlock Holmes, one stands
above the rest: Basil Rathbone. Thus, while the Granada adaptations of Sherlock
Holmes, starring Jeremy Brett, is considered near perfect adaptations of both
the novels and the character, Rathbone remains the iconographic Sherlock Holmes,
not only because he resembles the original Sidney Paget illustrations, but also
because Rathbone brought passion, intelligence and idiosyncrasies to the
character, thereby creating a visual icon of the worlds greatest detective,
which actors only dare dream of.
The great detective was the creation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and first
appeared in the story “A Study in Scarlett” in 1881, and over the next decade
appeared in numerous stories, until Doyle grew tired of him and killed both him
and his archenemy, Professor Moriaty, off, by having them both fall to their
deaths at the Reichenbach Falls. Thus, when Holmes appeared in “The Hound of the
Baskerville” in 1901, Doyle wrote the story to take place before the death of
Holmes.
As a character, the Sherlock Holmes of Doyle suffered from bipolar disorder, had
serious mood swings, was addicted to cocaine, and would break the law if he saw
fit. The latter is largely explained by the Victorian notion of “right”, as a
gentleman could do so, if the purpose was noble. Contra to this, the classic
Sherlock Holmes of the films was far more distinctive, and one might say, that
the Sherlock Holmes of the films was distilled to a few simple trademark: The
deerstalker, the calabash pipe, and above all his arrogant, often erratic,
behavior and deductive intelligence. Yet it wasn’t until Rathbone portrayed
Holmes these elements found a human face.
Rathbone became Sherlock Holmes almost by chance. During a Hollywood party, the
talk fell upon making a Sherlock Holmes film, and when the question, who should
play him, was asked, Rathbone said, “Me, of course”. Rathbone admired the
character to such a degree, that he in his memoirs wrote, “I rather play
Sherlock Holmes once, than ten Hamlets.”
The first Rathbone Sherlock Holmes film became “The Hound of the Baskerville”,
filmed for 20th Century Fox in 1939. Opposite to Holmes, Nigel Bruce was cast as
Dr. Watson. Bruce had made a career out of playing a buffoon and gave Watson a
naïve yet faithful quality, which created a unique dynamic between the two
characters. A grand and authentic production, “The Hound of the Baskerville”
became such a success, that Fox the same year made “The Adventures of Sherlock
Holmes”, this time with top billing for Rathbone and Bruce. But instead of
continuing the success, Fox dropped the series, as the studio felt that the
adventures of a Victorian detective was too anachronistic in a world about to go
to war.
However where Fox left off, radio picked up. Over the next three years, Rathbone
and Bruce made 43 half-hour radio episodes, based upon the novels by Doyle, and
if it hadn’t been for those, Universal might have looked for a new couple to
portrait Holmes and Watson. But Rathbone and Bruce had become such icons,
spellbinding radio listeners for now three years, that it would have been
foolish not to take advantage of their already established fans.
In 1942, having signed a seven year contract with the Doyle estate, Universal
began production of their Sherlock Holmes series, now contemporizing Holmes from
Victorian setting to wartime London, and gave both Rathbone and Bruce above the
title credits. Over the next four years, Universal would make a total of 12
films, each of them classics today. It was not so much for the reasons Fox gave
up the series, but more because it was an unwritten rule when adapting Holmes,
that Universal had the films take place in the same year as they were produced.
And a contemporized setting had many advantages: the audience could easier
identify themselves with period, productions were cheaper and finally freedom in
adaptation of the stories.
With the exception of the very first film, “The Voice of Terror” from 1942,
which was directed by John Rawlins, Roy William Neill was the director and the
creative genius of the series. And with the exception of the three first films,
“The Voice of Terror”, “Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon” and “Sherlock
Holmes goes to Washington”, and the somewhat confused “Pursuit to Algiers”, who
dealt with the war and espionage, the remaining eight films were standard
detective films, involving murder and grand theft. Once the films dropped the
war related stories, everything fell into place and turned of the best Sherlock
Holmes films, like “The Scarlet Claw” from 1944. The series was a huge success
and Sherlock Holmes became a household name, a hero, even with his own trading
card series.
But as Doyle before him, Rathbone had begun to feel, that Holmes kept him from
doing other, greater things. Before Holmes, he was respected character actor,
but having portrayed Holmes in, at that point, thirteen films and well over 200
radio episodes, Rathbone decided that “Dressed to Kill” would be his last film
as the great detective. And as Doyle, he didn’t realise that Holmes was his
legacy, the character he was meant to play. Rathbone never managed to
re-establish himself as a character actor and ended his career playing parts he
loathed. The very last homage to the character and the great actor came in form
of a posthumous appearances as the voice of Sherlock Holmes in Disney’s “The
Great Mouse Detective” from 1986, where Disney used recordings from the radio
episodes to simulate Rathbone.
Bruce continued to portrait Watson for another three years in 39 more radio
episodes, this time with Tom Conway as Holmes, as Universal had signed a seven
year contract with the Doyle estate, but after the contract ran out, Bruce also
left the part of his life behind. On a sadder note, 1946 also became the year
where the creative mind behind the films, director Roy William Neill, died.
Today, the Rathbone / Bruce Sherlock Holmes films are considered classics, minor
masterpieces, who despite their limited budgets and series nature, are
surprisingly inventive. However, what really make them stand out is with what
intelligence and passion both Rathbone and Bruce portrayed their characters.
These films are treasures of cinema.
Henrik Sylow
The Hound of the Baskervilles The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon Sherlock Holmes in Washington Sherlock Holmes Faces Death
Sherlock Holmes and the Spider Woman The Scarlet Claw The Pearl of Death Sherlock Holmes and the Hous of Fear
Sherlock Holmes and the Woman in Green Pursuit to Algiers Terror by Night Dressed to Kill
DVD Review: Sherlock Holmes - The Definitive Collection (7 Discs)
Optimum Classic - Region
2 - PAL|
CLICK logo to order |
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| Distribution |
Sherlock Holmes - The Definitive Collection Optimum Classic Region 2 – PAL |
| Time: | Total Duration: 15:55:04 (4% PAL Speed-Up) |
| Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) |
| Subtitles | None |
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Features |
Release Information: Aspect
Ratio: Edition Details: |
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Comments: |
Prior released on Region 1 by
MPI Home Video as “The Complete Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes
Collection” on 14 individual DVDs, Optimum has now released a discount
version of that box set on Region 2 on 7 DVD, two features on each DVD.
Possible differences in the quality of the picture aside, the price of
the Optimum box is less than one third of the MPI box. Dearly missed are
subtitles. Some of the dialogue, especially the mumbling of Dr. Watson,
is hard to hear, and would benefit from subtitles. But they would also
allow those hard-of-hearing or deaf to enjoy the films. Henrik Sylow |
out
of Recommended Reading (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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|
The Bedside, Bathtub & Armchair Companion
to Sherlock Holmes by Dick Riley, Pam McAllister |
Sherlock Holmes (Pocket Essentials: Film S.)
Mark Campbell |
The Ghosts of Baker Street : New Tales of
Sherlock Holmes (New Tales of Sherlock Holmes) by Martin H. Greenberg, Jon Lellenberg, Daniel Stashower |
The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle |
Sherlock Holmes on Screen: The Complete Film and TV
History by Alan Barnes |
Starring Sherlock Holmes by David Stuart Davies, Ian Richardson |
In and Out of Character by Basil Rathbone |
by Anthony Boucher, Denis Green, Basil Rathbone (Narrator), Nigel Bruce (Narrator) |
directed by Alfred L. Werker
USA 19
39Based upon the most famous Sherlock Holmes story, this the first entry in the Rathbone series, tells the story of how Holmes and Watson foils the plans to kill Sir Henry Baskerville by a vicious trained dog.
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Theatrical Release: March 31st, 1939 - USA
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| Runtime | 1:16:31 (4% PAL Speed-Up) |
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• Audio Commentary by David Stuart Davies • Restoring Sherlock Holmes (4:37) • Production Notes by Richard Valley (10 pages) • Photo Gallery |
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directed by Alfred L. Werker
USA 1939
Failing to put his archenemy, Professor Moriaty, behind bars for good, Moriaty concocts a fiendish plan to ruin the reputation of Holmes by sending him on a false trail, in order for himself to do the crime of the century: To steal the crown jewels.
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Theatrical Release: September 1st, 1939 - USA
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| Runtime | 1:18:26 (4% PAL Speed-Up) |
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• Audio Commentary by Richard Valley *(misprint on menu – commentary noted as by David Stuard Davies) • Restoring Sherlock Holmes (4:37) • Production Notes by Richard Valley (14 pages) • Photo Gallery |
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directed by John Rawlins
USA 1942
When “The Voice of Terror” terrorizes the British public by broadcasting events of Nazi terrorism within the UK, the defense ministry is helpless, thus summons Sherlock Holmes to find the voice. Based loosely on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s story “His Last Bow”.
Posters
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Theatrical Release: September 18th, 1942 - USA
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| Runtime | 1:02:40 (4% PAL Speed-Up) |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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• Restoring Sherlock Holmes (4:37) • Production Notes by Richard Valley (8 pages) • Photo Gallery |
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directed by Roy William Neill
USA 1942
On a secret mission for the defence ministry, Sherlock Holmes safeguards the inventor of a bombsight to London, only to discover that Professor Moriaty has stolen the secret and intends to sell it to Nazi agents. Now begins a race to foil Moriaty and to save the inventor of falling into Nazi hands. Loosely based upon the story “The Dancing Men”.
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Theatrical Release: Dec 1942 - USA
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| Runtime | 1:05:40 (4% PAL Speed-Up) |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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• Restoring Sherlock Holmes (4:37) • Production Notes by Richard Valley (8 pages) • Photo Gallery |
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directed by Roy William Neill
USA 1942
When a secret agent, carrying, for the war, vital information, is kidnapped on his way to Washington, the ministry calls upon Sherlock Holmes to retrieve the documents and uncover the Nazi spies.
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Theatrical Release: April 19th, 1942 - USA
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| Runtime | 1:08:27 (4% PAL Speed-Up) |
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• Restoring Sherlock Holmes (4:37) • Production Notes by Richard Valley (7 pages) • Photo Gallery |
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directed by Roy William Neill
USA 1943
While doing volunteer work at a convalescent home for retired officers, Doctor Watson discovers a series of strange murders and calls upon his friend, Sherlock Holmes, to help solve the crime.
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Theatrical Release: September 17th, 1943 - USA
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| Runtime | 1:05:18 (4% PAL Speed-Up) |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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• Audio Commentary by David Stuart Davies • Restoring Sherlock Holmes (4:37) • Production Notes by Richard Valley (10 pages) • Photo Gallery |
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directed by Roy William Neill
USA 1944
When a series of “suicides” haunt London, the curiosity of Holmes leads him on the track of a sinister plot and the female Moriaty. Loosely based on a series of Sherlock Holmes stories, amongst others “The Sign of Four”, which was so successful, that the Spider Woman returned in a film of her own, “The Spider Woman Strikes Back” from 1946.
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Theatrical Release: January 21st, 1944 - USA
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| Runtime | 59:33 (4% PAL Speed-Up) |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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• Restoring Sherlock Holmes (4:37) • Production Notes by Richard Valley (8 pages) • Photo Gallery |
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directed by Roy William Neill
USA 1944
While attending a seminar about the supernatural, Holmes and Watson comes upon a series of killings by what appears to be a ghost. A very liberal adaptation of “The Hound of the Baskervilles”, this is the best of the Universal Sherlock Holmes films.
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Theatrical Release: May 26th, 1944 - USA
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| Runtime | 1:10:51 (4% PAL Speed-Up) |
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• Audio Commentary by David Stuart Davies • Restoring Sherlock Holmes (4:37) • Production Notes by Richard Valley (10 pages) • Photo Gallery • Theatrical Trailer (1:13) |
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directed by Roy William Neill
USA 1944
When a valuable pearl is stolen, because of Holmes showing-off, his reputation is at stake and he puts all efforts into recovering the pearl, which leads him to uncover a series of brutal murders and “The Creeper”. Loosely based on the story “The Six Napoleons”.
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Theatrical Release: August 1st, 1944 - USA
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| Runtime | 1:05:44 (4% PAL Speed-Up) |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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• Restoring Sherlock Holmes (4:37) • Production Notes by Richard Valley (8 pages) • Photo Gallery • Theatrical Trailer (1:06) |
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(AKA: The House of Fear)
directed by Roy William Neill
USA 1945
When the members of the Good Comrades Club, mysteriously die one by one after receiving an envelope containing the remaining number of members in orange pips, Holmes is called upon to solve the crime.
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Theatrical Release: March 16th, 1945 - USA
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| Runtime | 1:06:21 (4% PAL Speed-Up) |
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1.33:1
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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• Restoring Sherlock Holmes (4:37) • Production Notes by Richard Valley (10 pages) • Photo Gallery • Trailer (1:06) |
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(AKA: The Woman in Green)
directed by Roy William Neill
USA 1945
A series of strange murders haunt London and the Yard seek the help of Holmes, who uncovers a devilish scheme, masterminded by Professor Moriaty. Soon Holmes finds himself within inches of his own life.
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Theatrical Release: June 27th, 1945 - USA
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| Runtime | 1:04:52 (4% PAL Speed-Up) |
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1.33:1
Aspect Ratio Chapters : 8 |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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• Audio Commentary by David Stuart Davies • Restoring Sherlock Holmes (4:37) • Production Notes by Richard Valley (8 pages) • Photo Gallery |
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directed by Roy William Neill
USA 1945
Holmes and Watson are employed to safeguard the heir to the throne of Ruritania to Algiers. But assassins insist on making the task difficult.
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Theatrical Release: October 6th, 1945 - USA
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| Runtime | 1:02:28 (4% PAL Speed-Up) |
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1.33:1
Aspect Ratio Chapters : 8 |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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• Restoring Sherlock Holmes (4:37) • Production Notes by Richard Valley (10 pages) • Photo Gallery |
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directed by Roy William Neill
USA 1946
Holmes is hired by Lady Carstairs to escort her, and the Star of Rhodesia, a 700-karat diamond, from London to Edinburgh. The voyage has hardly begun, before her son is murdered and the diamond is stolen. Along with Watson and Lestrade, Holmes investigates the crime, while the train is passing thru the night, and comes face to face with Moriaty’s second in command, Colonel Sebastian Moran.
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Theatrical Release: February 1st, 1946 - USA
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Purchase link |
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| Runtime | 57:16 (4% PAL Speed-Up) |
| Video |
1.33:1
Aspect Ratio Chapters : 8 |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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• Restoring Sherlock Holmes (4:37) • Production Notes by Richard Valley (8 pages) • Photo Gallery • Theatrical Trailer (1:34) |
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(AKA: Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Code)
directed by Roy William Neill
USA 1946
When one of Watson’s school friends is murdered over a cheap music box, Holmes begins to investigate and soon he is on the track of some stolen £5 printing plates, stolen from the Bank of England. The last entry in the Rathbone series, both its UK and US title is rather cryptic and has really nothing to do with the plot itself.
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Theatrical Release: June 7th, 1946 - USA
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Purchase link |
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| Runtime | 1:08:57 (4% PAL Speed-Up) |
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1.33:1 Aspect Ratio Chapters : 8 |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Extras: |
• Restoring Sherlock Holmes (4:37) • Production Notes by Richard Valley (8 pages) • Photo Gallery • Theatrical Trailer (1:22) |
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Screen Captures
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