Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Granada Television Series

Granada did a great job of putting together these series of Sherlock Holmes stories. The picture quality is very good as is the sound, especially since this is a DVD package and not BD. There is a BD version available on Amazon, it is from Spain and on Amazon.es it comes with a cheaper price. (you would think England would be first with the BD versions). Jeremy Brett makes a GREAT Sherlock, he really makes the role his own. He whoops and laughs and jumps up in the air when a normal person would do so rather than play the entire time as a reserved semi-human. He also has the famous Sherlock black moods. David Burke plays an intelligent Watson, Edward Hardwicke takes up the part when Burke could not return for the second series and is equally as good and stays for the rest of the series. The stage sets and location work are very good, costumes and set decorations are great (the Brits really do a good job on these period pieces with proper research, when they spend the money). All in all a really nice collection of Holmes. The scripts do not stay with the original stories but rather make some changes but not TOO drastic, mostly for cinematic effect or to fill out the full time allotted for the episode. They are still set in Victorian (and Edwardian) Britain which is why I enjoy them. When they bring Holmes "up to date" the stories lose their punch (in my opinion). Holmes is doing forensic science in the 1890s when it was almost unheard of anywhere in the world and that is what interests me in Conan Doyle's stories. When updated to the 1930s or 40s it is not too bad but for present day they just don't make it. Everybody has their own favorite actor portraying Holmes, to many it is Rathbone (as he was the first one they saw). I enjoy watching them all, but Basil is among the best. I consider Rathbone, Brett and Cushing to be the best in looks and manners. Cushing did an earlier BBC series in the 1960s which would have been excellent but the production was rushed and the cost were kept low, as was the case for Douglas Wilmer (as Holmes) who did the even earlier series for BBC, being replaced by Cushing when he refused to do a second one for the stated reasons. Granada did right by Holmes spending some bucks on these series and it shows. I did a Holmes marathon when I received this set, every evening I was watching episodes of Sherlock until I ran out of discs. Recommended.

I was just thinking Jeremy Brett would be rolling in his grave (cliche) if he knew what a deeply satisfying laugh I get from the various plot twists, especially when the classic throwaway line "The game is afoot!" comes along, almost as historic as "Elementary, my dear Watson" (used by Basil Rathbone, perhaps not so much by Jeremy Brett). When I'm feeling particularly good, I almost get tearful at the pleasure I feel in seeing certain aspects of these dramas, how Holmes literally leaps into action (in "The Redheaded League" he leaps over a couch to answer the door, saving the time - 2 seconds - it would take to walk around the couch), and perhaps it is the thrill I get out of seeing certain character actors use their utmost professional talents to fill their various roles. I think especially of Eric Porter as Moriarty (not Moriarity - the classic villain) with the baleful gazes the camera is set up to catch, and the texture of his face with the makeup that's been applied. It's a most thrilling comparison to the way he filled the role of Count Bronowski in "The Jewel in the Crown". Another favorite is Robert Hardy (Charles Augustus Milverton), of Siegfried Farnon fame ("All Creatures Great and Small") who has had such a prolific career playing such roles as Winston Churchill (and even a small role in the John Le Carre classic "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold", from 55 years ago), who just passed away a few days over a year ago, at the venerable age of 91. I mustn't give the impression that I get the greatest pleasure from the BBC stable of actors, but more from the fascinating character of Holmes, played by Jeremy Brett. He finished the series and then promptly passed away at the tender young age of 61. Wonderful to think of how he could hardly ever be shown walking, much less at a leisurely pace, but always about to burst in to an all out run to get on with the problem he is currently facing, all at an age that would prohibit such action in another actor. Even his slicked down hair-do somehow fits with the age he represents, somewhere in the years leading up to The Great War. I had the first series (with David Burke) 25 years ago and somehow lost track and discovered that the whole set of Sherlock Holmes contains not just 3-4 disks, but a full 12 disks, including "The Hound of the Baskervilles", and "The Sign of Four", and out of 40-some odd episodes, all but about 3 can be found in the writings of Arthur Conan Doyle under the same title (the others under a slight variation). Inevitably this brings back a reminiscence of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, and the long life he led, through all the cataclysmic progressions of British history, World War I, the Depression, the Industrial Age, including an episode of his life seeking communication with his dead son, a casualty of The Great War, through a medium. With all the regulars, (David Burke/Edward Hardwicke as Dr. Watson, Rosalie Williams as Mrs. Hudson, and the rest of the cast) - this will stand as one of the finest mini-series ever created, and other creations of Sherlock Holmes will be measured against this yardstick.

That the success of this series rests on Brett's shoulders is apparent when you watch these. Segments are not drowned in music telling you what to feel thereby shortcutting character and scene development - so much of these stories are told through movement, expression, reaction, dialogue and modulation of voice; I'm really in awe of the man. So many minute details animate this series and the period it artfully suggests: no capped teeth, streets full of horse manure, references to the trends and fashions of the time - and again, music used sparingly. The Watson/Holmes relationship is beautifully done and both David Burke and Edward Hardwicke make of Watson a great foil full of understanding, affection, exasperation, and the patience that a real life Holmes would surely require. Hardwicke is a perhaps a little more natural and avuncular - but i like both. The change comes at a perfect time at the Final Problem/Empty House episodes. A who's who of British TV and film, scores of actors who go onto series of their own or who appear in other heritage type productions, providing unerring support - it's fun to try and figure out where you've seen them. I'm also impressed by how skillfully these were adapted - you're left with the idea that the writers were given great fundamental material in the original stories. I'm thinking in particular of Charles Augustus Milverton which becomes The Master Blackmailer in the series. The dialogue that is retained from this super short story is retained verbatim, albeit given hyper skillfully to other characters, but the writer fills it out with an in-character back-story that left me gaping at the skill and professionalism of the whole thing. The complete creation of each character's world. The beauty that is in details. Norma West ["Mrs. Le Bloody Strange"] as Lady Swinstead is incredible and she makes this extended show my favorite - her performance is cathartic and convincing - a tour de force of character- it is violent and very beautiful all choreographed to Debussy's ravishing Beau Soir. So rich, so perfect. I bought the non blue ray edition of the series and it looks, sounds, and plays well.

Jeremy Brett makes occasionally flawed stories not only fun but the series addicting. I think I expected a little more from the Upstairs/Downstairs writers. But I don't care overmuch because so much works so well. Brett plays Holmes as someone almost giddy from "the game" like what we see in a video game enthusiast. And his sport is contagious to the viewer. The old stories seem to be merely tunes he dances to. He's exaggerated in the most wonderful way, using close ups and long shots equally well. His presence full bodied and quirky, light though not absurd. It's if Brett's Holmes just stepped from the drawings of a graphic novel. And it leaves me wondering how he can get away with playing Holmes this way because I don't think anyone else did. But it is wonderful. The sets and settings get better and better to the point at which I marvel at those alone considering when it was made. It's fairly well cast for the most part, and sometimes I see performances and shots that are so good I look forward to more and more. The change of actors playing Dr Watson after the first season, while the first actor was a more dynamic Watson, he was good. But the second actor is perhaps even better as he is perhaps aspected to Holmes more classically, as more of a support. But I liked both. I've come to really look forward to relaxing behind an episode or two in an evening. It makes me feel smart without making me prove my worth - something drama often aims for with broad audiences. Whether or not I actually can solve the mysteries, which may or may not contain enough clues, I feel like at the end of the day it's a job well done and all's right with the world. For the minor flaws, I still can fairly give it 5 stars.

Great show in the 1980s. It's nice to watch the entire series at my leisure.

Some of the episodes are more enjoyable than others, but it's worth buying the series because the good ones are soooo good. Wonderful acting and character!

The series itself is great and worthy of five stars. Some of the chapters are better than others but not by a great deal. This series is widely regarded as the best portrayal of Sherlock Holmes to date. If you were raised on the original Basil Rathbone / Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes series you may miss the charm of the old black and white prints plus the idiosyncrasies both Rathbone and his sidekick brought to the stories, especially Basil Rathbone's articulate and sonorous voice. He set the standard for later Sherlock Holmes. Jeremy Brett and the two actors who played Dr. Watson did a wonderful job, and the portrayal of Watson as a serious figure that actually adds to the detective enterprise instead of playing the absent-minded and sometimes confused windbag as Bruce often did, is a welcome addition. Filmed from 1985 to 1994, you can tell that Jeremy Brett is beginning to fatigue toward the end, which was supposed to go for 65 chapters instead of the 42 that were completed. Brett died of congestive heart failure at the age of 61 in 1995. Hopefully, Granada will decide to continue this project with other actors until it is done, although it's been 22 years since the last one. This is, I fear, not a likelihood. As is usually the case in British drama, the character actors were uniformly wonderful throughout the series. The sets were well done, although they sometimes lacked the charm of the Rathbone/Bruce series. There's something about black and white movies that enhances the detail and adds to the mystery. There have been only a few attempts to recapture that in modern films and they didn't go over well with the audiences, however. My only reason for downgrading my review from a 5 to a 4 has to do with the unfortunate case the DVDs come in. Most people who take pride in the physical aspect of their movie collections want it to look good. I would have much preferred a vinyl cases for each pair of two DVDs, or better yet for each one, with its own insert front and back. It could have come with thin cases enclosed in a larger cardboard case, but not the flimsy configuration my set came in. This appears like a cardboard book with plastic pages, each holding two DVDs. If this were dropped to the floor it would likely break apart. With two DVDs on each “page,” it’s often necessary to remove one to get to the other. If one of the pages were to crack, break, fail to hold the DVD or come undone, the entire case would become far less functional. It appears to have been a means to cut costs. I would have much preferred to have paid the extra few dollar for a set of individual DVD cases. This last aside, this is a great collection of Sherlock Holmes stories and I highly recommend it.

I have been a Sherlock Holmes fan. I had a 1922 copy of the Complete Sherlock Holmes. It was not in good shape, so at the age of 13 my Dasd took me to New York and bought a fresh copy from the Doubleday Bookstore. I even have the organ separate books with Sidney Paget drawings. So it is no small thing to have watch Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes. The first 2 films THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES and THE HOUNDS OF BASKERVILLE are perfect, the rest of the series is great fun, especially THE WOMAN IN GREEN. Add in THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOMES as another film I really love. When Jeremy Brett started the Sherlock Holmes on PBS it was another perfect Holmes. So I recently went looking for the Jeremy Brett version in complete. I thought it was available to watch on Amazon Prime, but you have to sign up for Britbox. I could watch THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES for free, but I wanted the complete version. I found one DVD set that said multi format, but when I looked at it, it was Blue Ray, which I do not have. A DVD version showed up for $79.99. So I dug deeper and found this on for $59.99. It is complete, but if you want to watch in the original order, you will need to jump around. There are 41 episodes. The means it is missing 15 stories, including A STUDY IN SCARLET. The next story in the books is A SIGN OF FOUR. That is on DVD #7. A SCANDEL IN BOHEMIA starts off DVD #1, but THE RED HEADED LEAGUE is in DVD #3. If you wish to watch it in order of broadcast, it's all there. If you want to watch it in book and story order, then you need to jump around. So overall, I love this complete version. Changing Dr Watson is seamless, but Brett is a classic. He passed away a few months after completing the last episode in the series. He is Sherlock Holmes of a generation.

This is by far the most well produced televsion series to date. All the directors (Peter Hammond, John Madden, etc) skillfully allow the actors to create the ambiance of an age long gone by and intersperse the indoor shots with slow pans, beautifully crafted tracking shots and long panoramic views of the English countryside. Peter Hammond (The Master Blackmailer) uses his camera like a paint brush to create idyllic images of bourgeois life, as the world around is wracked with deceit and thievary. John Madden visually illustrates the claustrophobia of a reputable public school in "The Priory School." Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes is nothing short of brilliant, with his abrupt and often cutting remarks leaving the police and clients bewildered and tongue-tied. He also displays a growing impatience for a world that is not ready to receive his intelligence, skill and deductive reasoning and often cruelly rips into Dr. Watson, his trusted friend and accomplice. Holmes' distrust of the romanticized representation of rural England is apparent in his discomfort at leaving the hustle-bustle of Baker Street. However, we are also shown another side of Holmes' inner persona, not by way of gratutious dialogue but through close-ups of his usually cold and expressionless face, which gives way to tender glances, gestures and the occassional smile, only reserved for his faithful Watson. Edward Hardwicke as Watson is superbly restrained, and is the perfect alter ego to Holmes's impatient bluster and belligerance. I love the series because it is beautifully written, which is a rarity in anything that is produced for television today. The design and production is painstakingly planned and everything from the art direction, costumes, lighting and cinematography is of very high quality. This collection is for anyone who enjoys watching compelling theatre, as the characters do manage to transport you to another world.

前々からコンプリート・ボックスが欲しかったのだけど、高かったので躊躇。 円高になった時に早速、購入しました。 イギリス英語はやはり聞き取りにくい部分があり、字幕が入ってるのはとても便利。リージョンフリーのプレーヤーもこのＤＶＤを見るために購入しておいたのだけど、問題なく再生されて年末はたっぷりホームズの世界を堪能しました。 ドラマ版のホームズの話は原作とちょっと違うというか、独特の演出、脚色、改変をしています。時には陰気臭くなりすぎることもあるぐらい。ただ反対に視聴者サービス？みたいな部分も追加されてて、ホームズのワトソンへの友情を原作よりはっきりと前面に押し出してたりもします。 買って大満足のボックスでした。

The best TV series about the brilliant detective. The ambiance, the actors performance, the photography, the adaptation, everything is perfect!

The reviews posted to date accurately describe the brilliance of this series - the superb performance of Jeremy Brett; the excellent Burke/Hardwicke Watson, faithful to Conan Doyle's original character, unlike almost all earlier portrayals; and the marvelous visual depiction of Victorian England. But nowhere has anyone commented on the piece de resistance of this series - the incredibly clever and evocative music composed by Patrick Gowers. He takes his beautiful opening credits theme, and in every episode adapts it in a style that perfectly complements that particular story. If you haven't noticed the music (and it is by no means obtrusive), watch the series again and pay close attention to it. You will be amply rewarded.

Fantastic set