A comic about Sherlock Holmes should come from someone British, don’t you think? I do. That’s why it worked out so perfectly for our friend Jon Scrivens to provide us with one!
Jon is the creator of a macabre web comic called Little Terrors! and if you want to see how they do thing across the pond, then you should check it out!
Thanks, Jon!
Part of me wonders how British people feel about American actors playing classic characters of British literature. I know there was a lot of hub-bub about using ANY American’s in the Harry Potter films, but I’ve heard no such uproar about Sherlock Holmes. Weird. Movie producers would catch hell if some British production company had Kenneth Branagh play Davy Crockett.
I didn’t get a chance to see Sherlock Holmes over the Christmas weekend, but hopefully I’ll get to see it in the new year. Critics kind of seem to hate the idea of taking a literary character known for combating his enemies with his intelligence and turning it him into a squalid brawler. But of all the friends I know who have seen it, most have come out of the film feeling very positive about the experience.
I was kind of disappointed that I didn’t make it to the theater this weekend for another reason. Apparently it was the largest box office weekend in history with $270 million in tickets sold and I missed it. What really astounded me is that Avatar only lost 2% of it’s business from the previous weekend and since that time, it’s been bringing in $15 to $20 million daily. That’s nuts. That’s pure blockbuster right there.
I was kind of suspicious of Avatar’s ability to be a long-term earner. But this thing has a “gotta see it on the big screen” vibe stamped all over it. Certainly an event.
Not much else for me to talk about today. Due to New Year’s there’s nothing really interesting coming out in theaters this weekend.
I suppose I could mention the Kickstarter fund raising campaign for Theater Hopper: Year Three one last time. As of this writing, there are 28 hours left in the campaign. It ends on December 31, so by the time I update on Friday, it will be over.
As you know, we’ve met goal. So I’m not aiming for more money. But if there are any rewards you would like to take advantage of by pledging, this is the 11th hour. I won’t be offering these incentives in the future. So if you want to take advantage of them now, this is the time to do it.
That’s all I have for now. Has anyone here seen Sherlock Holmes? What did you think of it? How was Robert Downey Jr. in the role? Would you recommend it? Leave your comments below!
I dunno. It IS Robert Downey Jr.
If it's half the film Iron Man was, it'll be great!
Sherlock Holmes was able to build this in a cave! With a box of scraps!
Yes, Professor Moriarty...
Elementary my dear Watson
SHERLOCK HOLMES
Ruining Jude Law's career December 2009
I thought Sherlock Holmes was a great 4th of July movie. The timing was just off.
I loved Sherlock Holmes and I think RDJ did a great job.
I would also love to see Kenneth Branagh as Davy Crockett.
What do you think of the rumored Abe Lincoln movie starring Liam Neeson?
I saw Sherlock Holmes this weekend and I absolutely loved it. I thought the occasional fight scenes did bring a little something to it. It did not really detract from his intelligence. I did like where it showed him contemplating the moves he would use “hit them here and this will happen, a punch there and that…” so he was not just a brawler. I went into it thinking that I would come away disgusted with what they did. I was surprised to come out of the theatre with a good feeling and eager for the sequel. That does not happen often.
I am planning to see Sherlock next week. RDJ could act in ANY role (Tropic Thunder anyone?) and I think the Brits understand great acting no matter which country they are from.
Got to see Avatar last night & it knocked my socks off! I did keep my expectations in check going in and I was thoroughly entertained. What surprised me was how crowded the theater was. One+ weeks after opening & showings are still selling out (including the one that I was in)… so, Tom, it doesn’t surprise me that it is still raking in the cash every day.
Tom-
I know that alot of people consider Holmes to be just this detective guy who sits in his office contemplating, however He was skilled in the Martial Arts and even fought Moriarty to the death over a waterfall, in hand to hand combat. I think that’s what guy ritchie was going for was the original holmes, the multi-faceted detective. I always viewed batman as a form or sherlock holmes, as they seem to be alot alike, except for the whole bat obsession of course lol.
Saw Sherlock Holmes last night and have to say it was fantastic. The fight scenes were done in such a way that it showed Holmes using his intelligence rather than just his brawn.
The Only problem I had was that Rachel McAdams was not in a corset and stockings like she was in the advert. Curse false advertising.
Jon Scrivens rocks my socks. It’s great to see him doing something different from Little Terrors. Fantastic guest strip!
Kenneth Branagh would do a damn fine Andrew Jackson, though.
I can’t see the “squalid brawler” issue. Holmes was a nut bar with a closed door policy. He wouldn’t even look at you if you weren’t presenting a bizarre challenge. Can anyone say bare knuckle boxing wasn’t a challenge? The martial traditions of the east weren’t something worth exploring? My only issue is guy ritchie, there is a man worth pushing down a flight of stairs.
On a side note, an intellectual watson was a good choice. It never made sense for him to be a bumbling sidekick.
Kenneth Branagh can play any one. He would have made a great Nelson Mandela. or Ghandi. He’s that good.
Well, it did turn out far better than the previews, advertising, etc led me to believe… and yes, martial combat and anatomy does go with Holmes encyclopedic knowledge of, well, anything; and there is pleanty of chase type action and fisticuffs in the original stories. My real issue, was how unevenly the “western martial arts” was handled. One minute he’s beating some boxer senseless, the next, he’s getting his anatomy handed to him by another bloke the same size? Consistency is too much to ask?
kudos to a non- bumbling, non-blustering watson, and using a real Holmes woman instead of inventing one for the movie though.
The movie is Casino Royale for Sherlock Holmes. That is in no way a bad thing. I would have liked more of a sense of mystery from the movie, though, it seemed a little too fantasy world at times.
Saw it on Christmas day, and was pleasantly surprised that Ritchie made it based Holmes and Watson off the books and not the other adaptations. An intelligent Watson who is capable of making his own observations, a multifaceted Holmes (fighter, detective, actor, master of many subjects, completely devoid of knowledge in others) and he smoked a straight pipe, not the fancy curved one (though it would have been nice to see Holmes in a deerstalker).
Waaaay late on this one too but consider it a post script
Sherlock Holmes, an amazing view the first time. Not so much the third or fourth but RDJ acts his socks off, Law performs pretty admirably but (and believe me, it pains me to say this) McAdams was weak. They totally shouldn’t have bothered fitting her into the movie at all.
As for the person who brought up the observation about the similarities about Sherlock Holmes and Batman, I came to the realization while watching this movie that Batman, Sherlock Holmes, and the Doctor from Doctor Who are all pretty much the same person. They’re all infinitely smarter than the people around them, they figure their way out of tough situations with knowledge and their observational skills, and they’ve all got sidekicks whose primary purpose is to ground them.