Always 1895

Friday Sherlock Links Compendium (December 10 - December 16, 2011)

Welcome to the 150th post of Always1895.net!! All I want to say is “thank you!” to everyone that reads this blog and a giant “thank you a ton!” to all those Sherlockians (and a few non-Sherlockians) who have offered their support, wisdom and guidance along the way. Here’s to another 150 posts!

The Baker Street Babes drop their fourteenth (14th!) episode just in time for the release of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. And who better to interview than a credited ‘consultant’ on Shadows and annotator extraordinaire Leslie S. Klinger! There’s not much more to say other than grab an ounce of shag tobacco, arrange the pillows just so and let the voice of the Klinger wash over you. 

[Klinger holds a Collier’s.]

The Great Sherlock Holmes Debate held their very first Monthly Discussion last Wednesday December 14th, 2011 (8pm - 10pm GMT). The topic under consideration was: “The actors that have played Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson on stage, screen and audio, what have they brought (or not) to the roles?” Unfortunately I was unable to directly participate in this event, but from what I’ve read it was another rousing success for MX Publishing and crew. This month’s all-star line-up included Sherlockology, The Baker Street Babes, I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere, author of critically acclaimed novel Shadowfall Tracy Revels, Barefoot on Baker Street author Charlotte Walters, four Sherlockian authors that need no further introduction: Kieran McMullen, Alistair Duncan, Paul R Spiring and Joe Revill; and debut novelist Wilfred Huettel. Stay-tuned for details regarding their next event.

[The Great Sherlock Holmes Debate’s first monthly discussion event as imagined by Punch c.1882.]

Barefoot on Baker Street wrote a nice little pre-GSHD Monthly Discussion post about Jeremy Brett and how he brought tenacity to the role of Sherlock Holmes: “I cannot help but admire the tenacity it must have taken to do this, especially playing such a complex and often dark character when experiencing mental-health issues in real-life. No other actor had to endure so much to play Holmes.” I look forward to hearing Ms. Walters’ arguments once the audio for the December Discussion is released. 

[Tenacious JB!!]

BFRonline reflects on Dartmoor Prison, famous for once holding the convict Selden who notoriously broke out during the events of The Hound of the Baskervilles and lived, for a time, upon the Moor. Paul Spiring writes: “Between 31 May and 2 June 1901, ACD and Bertram Fletcher Robinson stayed at the Duchy Hotel in Princetown. Whilst there they met the governor, deputy governor, chaplain and physician of Dartmoor Prison. On 13 June 1901, two convicts called William Silvester and Fergus Frith made a well-publicized escape from Dartmoor Prison. At around that same time, Conan Doyle was writing the third installment of The Hound of the Baskervilles (Chapters V-VI of XV) and he introduced a character called Selden, a fugitive from ‘Princetown Prison’.

USA Today dedicated an entire article to Jared Harris’ portrayal of Professor Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Noting the fundamental discrepancy between the Moriarty of A Game of Shadows versus the Moriarty of the Canon (i.e. the former has an incredible amount of screen time versus the extremely brief appearances of the latter), the article queries Leslie S. Klinger (who received a consultant credit for the film); “While Moriarty is occasionally mentioned in the series, he comes “on screen” only twice in Doyle’s stories, and in both cases, it’s Holmes talking about him and Watson not seeing him firsthand, Klinger says. That has led to some speculation among Holmes fans that he actually was a figment of the detective’s vast imagination…” Doyle, having done it once, didn’t think he could keep introducing super-villains,” Klinger says. “We know very little about (Moriarty), so we’re free to imagine all kinds of good things — or bad things — about him.”

[Sadly, Downey Jr’s Holmes was not in the habit of fingering loaded firearms in the pocket of his dressing-gown.]

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows was seen by me along with a crew of ASH/BSI-ers last Tuesday in NYC. First off, a big thank you to Susan Rice for procuring an extra batch of free preview tickets. Putting aside my thoughts on the movie itself, the experience of seeing a new Sherlock Holmes movie in a group of dedicated, hardcore Sherlockians is a treat in itself. The communal experience of a group Sherlock outing is an enhancement that surpasses gimmicks such as 3D or whatever and re-prioritizes what going to the movies should be about - at least in part. Obviously, I’m not the only Sherlockian thinking about the new Sherlock Holmes movie. Next week I’ll try to post a comprehensive list of interesting/relevant/etc. reviews but for now here’s Alistair Duncan’s thoughts pre-viewing. 

Baker Street Beat posted a delightful article asking “What are some of the significant and sentimental books in your Sherlock Holmes library,” along with Mr. Andriacco’s own reminiscence about his first few Sherlock Holmes volumes and how he’s promised his eight year old grandson a copy if he continues on a Sherlockian path. A strong incentive! This piece also made me think about any children within my periphery (I have cats) who might benefit from a Sherlock Holmes gift. At the very least, it’s inspired me to purchase a few copies of Castle Press’ The Illustrated Sherlock Holmes (they go for about 10 bucks new, but here’s a copy at Powell’s for $3.) and drop them into Toy donation boxes. Hopefully one will makes it’s way to one of those “bright little seeds” Holmes had such faith. Let’s hope little Vince stays the course!

[The gift that keeps on giving.]

Strictly Sherlock’s Tracy Revels considers just exactly ‘Why Sherlock is like Santa’. Hmm. As Ms. Revels readily admits: “about the only thing that Santa and Sherlock have in common-at least at first glance-is that they both smoke a pipe. But dig a little deeper into these classic characters, and you might find a very important similarity.” You’ll have to click the link and read-on to find out just how similar old Saint Nick and the Great Detective really are.

[My contribution to the Holmes/Santa connection.]

The Napoleon of Crime reminds us just exactly how awesome and bad-ass the Russian Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson really are. “We’re not from Scotland Yard. We are private detectives!”

[Это правда!]

Bookish Adventures re-posted an animated GIF sequence from one of the greatest scenes in Granada history: Holmes/Brett’s brushing off of the villainous Dr. Grimesby Roylott. Click on the image below to see the full sequence.

[Click here for more quotes from Granada’s “The Speckled Band.”]