Less known onscreen embodiment Sherlock Holmes

Disputes which movie or TV show can be called the best adaptation of the books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, often limited to two options: the Soviet screen version of Vasily Livanov or TV series "Sherlock" with Benedict Cumberbatch. However, in the world already, there are about a hundred of the adventures of the great detective films, and their number is growing every year.

A new wave of popularity in the XXI century raised the full-length movies Guy Ritchie Robert Downey - junior and already mentioned the BBC TV series. After that, Russia began hastily to shoot a new TV version, and in the United States released its version of the modern Sherlock called "elementary".

Those who have already watched all of the above, Layhfaker recommends the most interesting screen adaptation of the famous detective stories.

Classic Sherlock Holmes

first detective

Painting "Sherlock Holmes Baffled" appeared as early as 1900. Timing was quite small - less than a minute, as it was meant to be viewed on mutoscope (device, in which the viewer manually scrolls printed on individual cards, frames). But the name of Sherlock Holmes in the title makes this film the first detective stories.

Basil Rathbone - Sherlock Holmes against the fascists

The first really famous adaptation of Conan Doyle books has become an American film series that began with "Hound of the Baskervilles" in 1939. The main role played Englishman Basil Rathbone. The filmmakers plan to shoot only one picture, but deafening popularity has forced them to continue shooting. As a result, 14 feature films were produced.

But if the first scenes were pretty close to the source, the more the authors have replaced the detective to spy game, Sherlock Holmes, turning into a kind of James Bond. The reason is quite clear: the movies released in the midst of World War II, the authors would like to support the anti-fascist sentiment.

Therefore, for example, in the film "Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror" the heroes are looking for a place where the broadcast radio frightening reports of sabotage and bombings. In the plot there is a reference to the book "His Last Bow"But this film is much more connected to the real events' 40s, when in London really was saying," The voice of terror. "

Dr. Watson in this series has played an Englishman Nigel Bruce, but his character was quite comical: he often falls into the absurd and dangerous situations, and rescues him, of course, Sherlock.

Jeremy Brett - one hundred percent Conan Doyle

If you want to see the most classic and is close to the original source of Sherlock Holmes, you need to look for in the UK. The series "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" came out on British television for 10 years. Total was launched 41 series, with each episode was based on one particular work of Conan Doyle with only minor changes.

The main role went to Englishman Jeremy Brett. What is ironic, he thought, that is not suitable for this role, considering himself an actor of romantic and heroic role. However, even though he was much older than his literary a prototype ofHis Sherlock was closest to the original. Brett played Sherlock almost until his death. Last season came in 1994, and a year later the actor was gone.

At Watson as the history of the series has changed not only the appearance but also the behavior of the character (he became more calm and wise), he nevertheless remained true Watson of the books.

Sherlock Holmes in the USSR

Of course, speaking of the domestic film adaptations of books about Sherlock Holmes in the first place all remember the classic films Igor Maslennikov with Vasily Livanov and Vitaly Solomin.

However, the history of Sherlock began in the Soviet Union much earlier - in 1971. Then the film was released "Hound of the Baskervilles", where a detective played by Nikolai Volkov. This picture is not very well known, because in a few years, banned a film to be shown due to the emigration of actor Leo Round, who played Watson. The only copy was found in 2003, after which the film for the first time in many years, was shown on television.

I was in the Soviet Union and the comic version - musical movie "Blue Carbuncle". The plot as a whole repeats the product of the same name Conan Doyle, but represents all the events more like a parody of a detective under the wonderful songs Julia Kim.

In 1986, in the wake of the success of movies Maslennikov came very experimental "feminized" version under titled "My dearly beloved detective", starring Shirley Holmes and Jane Watson, played by Ekaterina Vasilieva and Galina Schepetnova.

In the story of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson - fictional characters. However, an employee of a private detective agency with a very similar to the names of their idols are not inferior to them in intelligence and taken for investigation of the most complex cases, applying not only deductionBut purely feminine charm.

comedy Sherlock

A separate item worth mentioning various comedy and parodies. Like many classical works, the book of Arthur Conan Doyle times are brought to the screen in a humorous vein.

It all started with the genius of silent comedies of Buster Keaton and the film "Sherlock Jr.". Then Sherlock is not a real detective, but only a figment of the imagination projectionist, I love stories about the detective. His falsely accused of stealing a watch, and later in a dream, he presents himself in the place of Sherlock Holmes, solving this case.

The idea unreal Holmes will continue to repeatedly beat in the movie. For example, in "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, clever brother" is investigating the case detective's younger brother. Here he plays a famous comedian Gene Wilder, best known for the role of Willy Wonka in the film adaptation of the classic book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory».

But the most popular comedy about Sherlock Holmes was the film "Without a Clue" in 1988. In the story, in fact all the crimes he investigates Dr. Watson (Ben Kingsley), but can not admit it, because this hobby will not approve the College of Physicians. He hires a hapless actor (Michael Caine) and declares it the great detective Sherlock Holmes. Needless to say, that about any deduction that Sherlock has no idea falls regularly in comical situations because of their own stupidity and clumsiness.

The following year the regiment comedies expected completion. Directed by Ethan Cohen (no relation to the Coen brothers), a film about the detective with Will Ferrell in the starring role. plot details are still unknown, but it has been announced an impressive cast of. Ferrell companies amounted to John C. Reilly (Dr. Watson), Hugh Laurie (Mycroft Holmes) and Ralph Fiennes (Professor Moriarty).

Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper

Quite expectedly, that sooner or later, Sherlock Holmes on the screen had to be faced with one of the most famous criminals of the XIX century - Jack the Ripper. Given that the one who called the first serial killer in history, and was not found, fantasy filmmakers and screenwriters nothing limits.

In the film, "Murder on the orders", where the main role played by the famous Christopher Plummer, the authors very cleverly combined canon image of detective books and real events that took place in London. Sherlock Holmes, who is asked to catch the Ripper, faces obstacles from the authorities. The investigation leads him to the highest circles of society.

Sherlock Holmes in the animal world

The famous Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki in 1984 created another totally unexpected variation. In the anime, "Sherlock Hound", all the characters are dogs of different breeds. Everything that happens is as cute and funny, but much of the stories directly refers to the original works.

And for the little ones there is also a full-length cartoon from the series "Tom and Jerry", where a cat and mouse first help detectives to look for the perpetrator, and after and did themselves take up the investigation.

bohemian Sherlock

Submit a detective in a manner nuarny tried in the film "Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking". Here the emphasis placed more on the visual and atmospheric componentRather than detective. Rupert Everett in the title role - a clear confirmation. His Sherlock watches a fashion, using drugs and highly offended by his close friend, since he decided to marry. But podvorachivaetsja new business - one after the other killing ladies of high society, and the characters take up the investigation again. An air of mystery and almost mystical shades permanent London fog.

aged detective

Age Sherlock Holmes has always been one of the main problems of most adaptations. Investigators, who in the first books was not yet 30, most of the actors have already played 40.

But separately we can distinguish two versions, where Holmes show is not just a mature and grown old. In "Sherlock Holmes: The Golden Years" played by Christopher Lee, who at that time was about 70 years old. These paintings are very free interpretation of various works about Holmes. Despite his age, in the first film, the detective is still fascinated by the opera singer Irene Adler. As in the case of Jack the Ripper, the plot is interwoven with real events. In films there are Sigmund Freud and Theodore Roosevelt.

Christopher Lee and before that repeatedly appeared in films about Sherlock in completely different roles, playing the detective himself, his brother, the Sir Henry Baskerville.

In the movie "Mr. Holmes," based on the novel by Mitch Cullin 'Bees Mr. Holmes"Detective played by Ian McKellen. The main character is already 93 years old. He had long since departed from affairs, and deals mainly with only your favorite apiary. John Watson, brother Mycroft, and Mrs. Hudson had already died.

Sherlock decides for himself to write a story, in many ways, in order to destroy the beautiful, but the artificial image, which once created a Dr. Watson in his works. Sherlock writes about his most recent case, which forced him to leave the profession. But he will have the most difficult - to fight against its own memory.