Sam Wrote:Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock. Uh... certainly doesn't fit my mental image of the legendary detective. (I'll still watch the movie though. Looks like a visual treat.)

A few months ago I started reading the complete works of Sherlock and always had 2 actors in mind - Basil, of course, and a young Charles Dance. Who among today's famous actors would better fit the image and role of Sherlock?

webby Wrote:Actually, I think Robert Downey Jr is an excellent choice. I think he has the range and the skill to do justice to the character as Doyle envisioned him. And that is not the distinguished, reserved English gentleman portrayed by Rathbone.

If you read between the lines of Doyle's stories, Holmes was a very complex character. Besides having a genius intellect, he was moody as hell (probably bi-polar), socially awkward, and a drug addict. He needed Watson to help him stay sane more than anything else.

Yeah, Downey is perfect for the role. Now I just hope the script itself is true to Doyle's vision.

sigokat Wrote:If you've never seen the old Sherlock Holmes television series by Granada (British) with Jeremy Brett portraying Holmes then you are missing out. Brett is considered by many to be the epitome of Doyle's Holmes. They are available on DVD and once you see them I would imagine that, like me, you'll never see another actor as Holmes. Jeremy Brett WAS Holmes...its a shame he died so young and before they finished the canon.

Both David Burke and Edward Hardwicke portrayed Dr. Watson throughout the show and while both were excellent in the role, I prefer Hardwicke's Watson just slightly over Burke's.

Kenji Wrote:I saw the trailer, but Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock is NOT typical Sherlock. Very high tension, and violenti action. Oh yeah, director is Guy Ritchie. No wonder.

Sam, did you read Neil Gaiman's "A Study in Emerald"? You'll like it.

Sam Wrote:Don't believe I've ever seen this guy. He does have a great face. As for Watson, I imagine Kenneth Welsh. I always tend to imagine Holmes and Watson as being in their 40's or older. Not sure why.

webby Wrote:Actually, I think Robert Downey Jr is an excellent choice. I think he has the range and the skill to do justice to the character as Doyle envisioned him. And that is not the distinguished, reserved English gentleman portrayed by Rathbone.

If you read between the lines of Doyle's stories, Holmes was a very complex character. Besides having a genius intellect, he was moody as hell (probably bi-polar), socially awkward, and a drug addict. He needed Watson to help him stay sane more than anything else.

Yeah, Downey is perfect for the role. Now I just hope the script itself is true to Doyle's vision.

Webby, I'd agree with you for the most part, except I do not believe Holmes was a "drug-addict". Yes, he was a drug user, but as was stated throughout the stories he only indulged in his 7% solution when he was not on a case. He used it to "escape the commonplace of existence." The cases were his drugs and when he wasn't on a case then he would break out the vials of liquid cocaine. He is also considered an English gentlemen and stated so when he was in a bare-knuckle fight with Mr. Woodley in The Solitary Cyclist. "No, Sir. Only a ruffian uses the back of the hand. A gentlemen uses the straight fist. And I, Sir, am a gentlemen." He then proceeded to send Mr. Woodley home in a dog cart.

Yes, I am a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, as you can see. Hell, even one of my cats is named after Sherlock's brother.

sigokat Wrote:If you are reading the Doyle stories and want to see a very true representation of those stories played out on film, then Brett's Holmes is the way to go. Its even been said that Brett's lanky build is eerily similar to the illustrations in Strand Magazine from when the stories were first published. Some of the special effects are dated, for example the hound in The Hound of the Baskervilles, but it was made in the 80s in England afterall.

Brett's career never really took off because he suffered from severe manic-depression for most of his life, which he attributed to hurting his career. He did have a role in My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison back when he was much younger though as well as a lot of theater work in England.

I'm on the fence about recommending WHEN to watch this series though. If you watch it before seeing this new movie you may be disappointed in the movie, but watching it after is a long time off to really enjoy this Holmes representation.

I'm actually undecided about the film. I know that Robert Downey Jr. cannot live up to the Holmes that I love and some of the clips in the trailers look downright goofy (Watson would never strike Holmes in the face). I'll probably wait for DVD for this one.