Sherlock
2-Disc DVD
Buy
Sherlock: Season One
The BBC’s three-movie resurrection of Sherlock
Holmes has made a sort of thunder across the Atlantic. This
brilliant update of Holmes will please aficionados, and, perhaps,
make the Victorian-phobe electronics culture dip in.
Sherlock
has a website, Watson a blog. Yet, Sir Conan Doyle’s lads
– and stories – have everything they need. There are
even nods through out the films to the original stories. You can
tell (feel) the creators love Holmes as much as his followers.
The
DVD kit has the three films in what one hopes is a first season
to be followed by many more. With the films, you get the pilot
that got the producers the high-production-value nod from BBC,
and a doc on how they went about updating Holmes and Watson for
the 21st Century. They’ve properly de-fogged him, but added
a bit of mystery, as you watch in wonder (if you know the works),
how they’ve adapted the tales, and characters.
Study
in Pink is the first film. The pilot on the DVD is Study
in Pink as well - with uncanny Dr. Who music...hmm. TIP:
Watch the pilot after the high-end production. In fact, I suggest
viewing the three films then the doc, then the pilot. Layer the
tastes!
As
I was typing…SIP introduces us to Watson, and Holmes. Holmes
is asked by Lestrade to help on an odd bit of suicides that have
gripped Londontown. Folks without a worry (it seems) are committing
suicide, in random places, in the very same manner – and
they do not have any connections, that the police can find.Enter
Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch). He’s a tall, eccentric fellow
who likes to store severed heads, and whip cadavers in his spare
time to further his deductive skills. This possible serial murder
spree in the guise of suicide is just the sort of thing that gets
him going.
Just
as he’s to jump into the investigation, an acquaintance
has introduced him to Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman). They may
share a central London flat – over at 221B Baker.
Then,
faster
then you can say, “How are they gonna work in a deerstalker?”
the duo take on a clever killer and Sherlock and Watson appear
to have always been here - now. You may well read their web-thingies
daily via RSS.
The
next film isThe Blinded Banker. The way they’ve
spun the tale of – I think – The Dancing Men
to fit into the current era is magical. If it’s not that
update, it’s still freakin’ brilliant; all ciphers
and foreign drug smugglers. Watson gets a gal pal, and Sherlock
manipulates another.
This
one’s very much going to thrill mystery viewers of any sorts.
There’s just a mélange of parts that puff up into
a hearty stew of viewing; rich and robust.
Finally
there is The Great Game. Ah, missing treaty papers do
smoothly reshape into missile plans, sadly. War is the same in
any century.
We
get to meet Mycroft (Mark “co-creator” Gatiss) and
Moriaty (whose name I confess I couldn’t catch within the
speeding credits - sorry sir). It’s the season’s cliff
hanger and it should leave you sufficiently stunned – and
praying there’s another season to come!
The
reason Sherlock works is two-fold really. The
casting of Martin
Freeman and Benedict
Cumberbatch is spot on. It needed to be. This is a bromance
people take very seriously. The players need to be quite spectacular
to work. They do, it does...
Freeman
is known (here in USA at least) for comedy delivered with that
subtle British “thing” they do…Freeman’s
got that everyman look that director’s love. But, he works
his face like a concert pianist (immediately order the under-loved,
absolutely hilarious, “The Robinsons” for a visual
lecture on acting with the face). Little remarks wash across,
and the watcher can read his character’s soul. The man’s
amazing frankly.
Not
too shabby is the lad beside him either. Benedict Cumberbatch,
for all his manly looks, can not escape his deep DNA. He looks
as though he’s walked off a fox hunt, bullied the stable
keeper and could do those fancy ball dances so “in”
back in 1890. Hell, even his name is a tad pompous. That said,
he is scruffed up a bit here (really just the hair), and is perfect
for the eccentric genius. Though, he's as talented as he is tall.
Yummi.
The
two have a chemistry that is rarely found proper these days. And,
they are both swell on the eyes. Not as
pretty as in Guy Ritchie’s ass-biting version, which
had the beautiful Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr., swell, but the
man-loving among us will get it…
Then
there’s the two who bring us the update themselves…co-creators
Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat. They are clever Dr.
Who sorts to begin with. But, honestly, they’ve pulled
off a remarkable feat here. Sherlock is like a sacred character
to many of us. There’s an assumed brilliance, mixed with
a bit of arrogance. Mix the two improperly, and you’ve got
a jerk. The team behind this project mixed like mixologists at
a contest for the best bar tenders of the world. The result is
a cocktail of awe.
And,
you'll see London quite differently then any Sherlock before has.
Watson and Sherlock run around in a 100% now arena. And they use
that "now" in everyway. At each moment you know, this
Sherlock is part of the modern city, and the modern technology.
He uses the apps on his phone to assist him, the way a currently
listed world's only consulting detective would…
Even
the theme and ambience music is worthy!
Snack
recommendation: Chinese Take Away; to be including, lotus
scented rice, and tea from 500 year old clay pots please. Splurge
a bit.
Buy
Sherlock: Season One
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