Thriller & Mystery > R Thriller & Mystery > Rathbone, Basil

The Definitive Holmes and Watson

Advantages: Beautifully restored versions of the greatest Holmes and Watson of all time
Disadvantages: None a single one

...not conversant with the Rathbone/Bruce Sherlock Holmes films, they began as almost A-movies for Twentieth Century Fox first in Hound and then The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. At this point Fox decided not to film any further adventures but Universal, ever desiring to put together B-movie series, which might draw in audiences, negotiated with Conan Doyle's estate to gain the rights. Successfully so, they brought back Rathbone, as an angular, slightly ...
...Baskervilles and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes remained faithful to Conan Doyle's late Victorian, fin-de-siecle, milieu, Universal decided to update Holmes and Watson to the present day, and as such the first few films, including Sherlock Holmes in Washington and Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon were patriotic flag-wavers, where Holmes was pitted against dastardly Nazis but it soon became clear to them that it was fog drenched London and/or ...

No_name 20.01.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Sherlock Holmes - The Definitive Collection (Box Set) (DVD)

Sherlock Holmes in the Second World War??

Advantages: Entertaining
Disadvantages: Not a Conan Doyle plot

Introduction Basil Rathbone played Sherlock Holmes a total of fourteen times. He is probably one of the most famous actors to play the role and, at his best, does a superb job. This film is not one of his best though - this is not completely his fault - much of the blame has to lie with the director, Roy William Neil, for deciding to make a Sherlock Holmes film that is not based on any of the Conan Doyle stories. It was certainly watchable and enjoyable, ...
...and produced all of the Sherlock Holmes films starring Basil Rathbone after this one, the fourth in the series. Neil died in 1946, which effectively brought Basil Rathbone's stint as Sherlock Holmes to an end. The plot Sherlock Holmes is called in to protect a Swiss scientist, Dr Franz Tobel, who has agreed to share his plans for a bombsight (which apparently helps ensure the accuracy of bombs) with the British government rather than Germany. Holmes ...

sunmeilan 09.01.2006 · Read full review
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Review of Sherlock Holmes - The Secret Weapon (DVD)

Shame he came back…

Advantages: Erm…
Disadvantages: Not very exciting storyline, much over-acting

Introduction I love Sherlock Holmes - I was brought up by my father reading Conan Doyle to me - and still enjoy the stories as an adult. It is a hard role to portray successfully on TV, but some actors have done it, particularly Jeremy Brett, whom I adore as Holmes, and Basil Rathbone. Rathbone starred in 14 films as Sherlock Holmes and was particularly good in The Hound of the Baskervilles; unfortunately the directors/screen-writers saw fit to ...
...the original stories. One up-rooted Sherlock Holmes and Watson from the late 19th century to the middle of the Second World War - something that can only be partially explained by the fact that it is a propaganda film with the aim of rousing the British public to victory. This particular film is again based on a non-Conan Doyle story. The director William Neill was born in a ship off the coast of Ireland in 1887. He directed a number of Sherlock ...

sunmeilan 27.01.2006 · Read full review
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Review of Sherlock Holmes - Pursuit To Algiers (DVD)

A Glitch in Time

Advantages: Stylish and cleverly-plotted, an excellent blend of science-fiction and thriller.
Disadvantages: Minimal.

...the verdant woodland of Cantabria, Timecrimes follows two extraordinary hours in the life of Hector, who has just moved into a new house with his wife, Clara. Taking a break from packing, Hector is reclining in his garden with a pair of binoculars when he spots a distressed young woman undressing in the nearby woods. His curiosity piqued and his wife gone shopping, our protagonist heads off to investigate. Half an hour later, Hector is being pursued ...
...cover) and seeks refuge in a silo attached to a nearby property. So far, so conventionally madman-in-the-woods horror. Here, though, the film takes a turn for the much more intriguing. A scientist working in the silo encourages Hector to hide in a vat where his pursuer 'will never think to look.' Fearing he has little choice but to follow, Hector allows his newfound ally to shut him in. When the vat is reopened moments later, he is disturbed to find ...

Puggers 03.12.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Timecrimes (DVD)

Ain't a hard time been invented that I can't handle

Advantages: Acting, directing, camera, special effects
Disadvantages: Nothing

...good as Heat and everything was expecting it to be, because, to be honest, Heat is a brilliant film, one that is worth wtatching over and over again. The DVD is available from amazon.co.uk for £4.38. It's a bargain at that price in my opinion. Recommended. ...

pmcds 01.12.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Heat (DVD)