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Sherlock Holmes - Complete Collection [DVD]

Sherlock Holmes - Complete Collection [DVD]

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Directors: David Carson, Alan Grint, John Bruce, Paul Annett
Actors: Jeremy Brett, David Burke, Edward Hardwicke, Eric Porter, Charles Gray
Studio: ITV Studios Home Entertainment
Category: DVD

List Price: £119.99
Buy New: £30.18
as of 30/7/2010 13:13 CDT details
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New (16) Used (2) from £30.18

Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars 100 reviews

Format: Box set, Colour, PAL
Languages: English (Unknown), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region: 2
Number Of Discs: 16
Running Time: 2356 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.6 x 2

EAN: 5037115320537

Release Date: August 24, 2009
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days

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5 out of 5 stars Excellent DVD, superb content   July 19, 2010
Fotios Stamatelopoulos (Greece)
In my opinion the best Sherlock Holmes TV series. Jeremy Brett *is* Sherlock! Excellent transfer to DVD.


5 out of 5 stars Sometimes better than Doyle   July 15, 2010
Lars S
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I have read the short stories in parallell with watching this series, and I must say that sometimes the DVD's are an improvement on Doyle. I know this is heresy, but there you have it. Brett is of course fantastic and so are the other actors. Even small roles are brilliantly cast. I would give it ten stars if it weren't for the obnoxious piracy message you get every time you want to watch an episode.


5 out of 5 stars The games' afoot!   July 8, 2010
Helen Kelley (Pleasantville, NY United States)
First, I want to qualify that I am an Anglophile from the US, and a lover of Sherlock Holmes. I have seen Holmes played by: Peter Cushing; Ronald Howard; Christopher Lee; Roger Moore; Reginald Owen; Christopher Plummer, Basil Rathbone and The Young Sherlocke with Nicolas Rowe. However, Jeremy Brett is the ultimate Holmes. Brett almost becomes Holmes in this production, taking on the many eccentricities of the character. I received the complete set, and spent an entire two days of quality time enjoying each episode. My eyes were tired, but I was inspired!

The Granada production is outstanding. Each episode transports me back from 2010 to 1881 to 221B Baker Street, where I find Holmes starved for a case that will challenge his very cerebral mental abilities. There is Mrs. Hudson, the long suffering landlady, who was very fond of him (inspite of his untidiness) bringing him breakfast or serving him a cup of tea; We see his coat flying in the air as he and Dr. Watson (his chronicler and friend) bound downstairs out into a world of intrigue and possibilities. I hear the sound of the hackney carriage across the cobblestones; and the gaslit streets where murder and mayhem are taking place. We discover his elder brother Mycroft, who works for the government. He, too, is also a fascinating character, with a computer-like brain, but laziness of limb. He appears in both the The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter and The Bruce Partington Plans. Then we find Irene Adler--called The Woman in A Scandal In Bohemia --the one woman who he felt most keenly about! There was a point when Arthur Conan Doyle tired of this character, however, his audience was so insistent that he was pressed to continue writing stories about this dynamic and enigmatic character!

Here we are over 100+ yrs later still being intrigued with Sherlock Holmes. The Sherlockian societies in the USA are about 175+ in number. Do not hesitate to purchase this set for your DVD Library. You will not be disappointed.


5 out of 5 stars Definitely worthwhile!   July 7, 2010
Catherine Chang (London, UK)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Conveniently and glossily packaged box set of the complete Granada series, perfect as a present. The only thing I'd say was missing is a disk or booklet with cast and production team interviews, as it would have been nice to see how it was all brought together. What is evident from watching the episodes is:

The hard graft and sheer amount of detail that went into every single scene. I'm not just talking about the interaction and on-screen portrayals of Holmes and Watson (of which plenty is said, and more elegantly so by other reviewers) - what makes the series 'great' as opposed to 'very good' in my view is the work that went into crafting relationships with more intermittent or minor characters. My particular favourites:

Brett and Rosalie Williams' Mrs. Hudson: Conan Doyle gives us relatively little information on the relationship between landlady and lodger. The fullest depiction we have (courtesy here, of Wikipedia), is from the short story 'The Dying Detective,' in which Watson states:

'Mrs. Hudson, the landlady of Sherlock Holmes, was a long-suffering woman. Not only was her first-floor flat invaded at all hours by throngs of singular and often undesirable characters but her remarkable lodger showed an eccentricity and irregularity in his life which must have sorely tried her patience. His incredible untidiness, his addiction to music at strange hours, his occasional revolver practice within doors, his weird and often malodorous scientific experiments, and the atmosphere of violence and danger which hung around him made him the very worst tenant in London. On the other hand, his payments were princely. I have no doubt that the house might have been purchased at the price which Holmes paid for his rooms during the years that I was with him. The landlady stood in the deepest awe of him and never dared to interfere with him, however outrageous his proceedings might seem. She was fond of him, too, for he had a remarkable gentleness and courtesy in his dealings with women.'

The scenes between Holmes and Mrs. Hudson in the series are generally very brief, but always hugely entertaining to watch - every one a gem of understated brilliance. Look out especially for:

* In the episode 'The Empty House' (Return of SH) when Holmes presents himself in his old rooms again after an absence of three years. It lasts only a few seconds, yet both the affection and 'remarkable gentleness' are all there.

* In the 'Bruce Partington Plans' when Holmes is trying to spread a large map onto the table, and finds to his annoyance, that breakfast has not been cleared: 'Mrs. Hudson you are hideously in the way,' he snaps. 'I'm sorry Sir, but I've only got one pair of hands,' she replies unflappably. 'Please, just disappear!' he bawls. She makes an unhurried exit.

* In 'The Naval Treaty' when he presents her with a very, very wilted flower from his buttonhole, with the words, 'Ah, Mrs. Hudson, for your many considerations!' She blushes like a girl, simpers, and drops him a courtsey. One is left at once with a sense of how brusque, and possibly dismissive Holmes usually is of her, and how much the odd, rare mark of appreciation means.

* There is of course, also the scene in 'The Dying Detective' when her concern and fondness for him is evidenced by the obvious distress she is in when she tells Watson of Holmes's supposed 'illness', nicely complemented by a scene at the end when, mission accomplished, he miraculously recovers. We seem her serving him a bowl of soup, and a second or two later, flouncing out of the room in a fury with the words, 'You are the very worst tenant in London,' at which Holmes throws up his hands at Watson in complete incomprehension.

Another favourite is Colin Jeavons's Inspector Lestrade. Watch out especially for his incredulous and baffled 'Chiswick?!' in 'The Six Napoleons' and also the 'humbug' scene in the same. For me, the injection of humour and affection are the two elements where the series surpasses the written stories.

Then there's Charles Gray's Mycroft Holmes. Brett and Gray manage to convey a sense of deep affection and sympathy between the two brothers, and especially, the former's respect for his senior's formidable intellect. Gray's first appearance as Mycroft in 'The Greek Interpreter', and the exchange that follows is particularly noteworthy, not least for David Burke's (as Watson) expression of utter bemusement as he watches and listens to the two brothers engage in a piece of deduction (which Mycroft wins). Again, the level of attention to detail is apparent, as in spite of the very different physical appearance of the two actors, one can actually believe, from gestures, intonation, and a similar keenness of expression, that they might be brothers after all. It is likely that without these little details, the films would not have suffered substantively, but having them there raises the bar quite considerably. One would probably notice if future adaptations featuring the two missed omitted them.

Finally, one of the absolute highlights of the entire series is the opening 10 minutes of 'The Red Headed League.' I defy anyone to keep a straight face through Richard Hammond's narrative of the hapless Mr. Jabez Wilson's encounter with the underworld.

I would agree with the opinion expressed by a number of reviewers that some of the best episodes are in 'The Adventures' and 'The Return,' while some of the later essays suffer through Brett's obviously declining health - he looks very ill by the final episode, 'The Cardboard Box.' The early episodes see a more physical, athletic Holmes - he jumps over the settee, leaps onto mantel pieces, climbs up cliffs, throws himself nose down, onto the floor or the ground in search of clues (quite comical to watch actually - see in particular Holmes searching for a bullet casing in 'The Dancing Men. I couldn't quite take that one seriously, but that may have been deliberate on Granada's part). The later episodes, by contrast, are more sedentary - but I thought (given the circumstances), that the transition was well done: we have a more brooding, contemplative Holmes, one who seems sadder too, at the pain and loss he witnesses. Brett allows Holmes to appear shocked or moved. See especially the scene:

* Between Holmes and Kim Thompson's Kitty Winter in 'The Illustrious Client', when she reveals the scars she has from having oil of vitriol thrown at her, then rushes from the room: again, not a long scene - a couple of minutes, perhaps, but one in which one sees Brett portraying Holmes as shocked and horrified, his sudden use of her first name during his initial reaction to her injuries ('But why, Kitty, WHY?') indicative of the fact that human, possibly paternal feelings, have suddenly surfaced, yet still relentless in his pressing her for information, 'Think, THINK!' he cries, gripping her shoulder, while the poor girl is clearly in a paroxysm of distress.

* Between Holmes and Watson in 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' when just prior to Watson departing with Sir Henry Baskerville for Dartmoor, we see Brett staring broodily out of the window in Baker Street and saying, 'It's an ugly business, Watson... I shall be very glad to have you back safe and sound in Baker Street once more,' concern for his friend's safety wrestling with his determination to solve the mystery.

This last is of course one of many scenes portraying the deepening friendship between Holmes and Watson, my personal favourite being the one in 'The Bruce Partington Plans' when Holmes is trying to persuade Watson to be his accomplice in a spot breaking and entering! Hardwicke - initially reluctant, eventually gives a resigned, slightly exasperated smile of acquiescence, and Brett, exuberant and delighted, cries, 'I knew you would not shrink at the last!' his inflection and expression portraying the momentary 'something in his eyes which was nearer to tenderness than I had ever seen,' described in the story.

Again, as other reviewers have commented, it is all but inevitable that in a long run of over 10 years, comprising 41 episodes / films, there will be a few oddities or duds. Try as I might, I could not like 'The Last Vampyre.' Nothing wrong with the acting - probably just a step too far from Doyle. I also found Natasha Richardson's Violet Hunter in 'The Copper Beeches' a little too timorous - quite a far cry from the brisk, gutsy young woman with whom Holmes was so impressed (and of whom Watson indulged in such hopes) in the printed story. Again, nothing wrong with the production or the acting, all of which (including Richardson's) was very good. I simply couldn't quite square this Violet Hunter with Doyle's.

Of the later longer film adaptations, 'The Eligible Bachelor,' adapted from 'The Noble Bachelor' explored the thin and often blurred boundary between genius and madness, of dream as fantasy, and dream as prophecy. I found it perfectly watchable so long as one did not think of it as Doyle. The locations were stunning and the photography beautiful. And the principal actors all very good, and none of them two-dimensional or simplistic portrayals, and the plotlines effective - just not Doyle.

'The Master Blackmailer,' adapted from 'The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton,' I thought did a very good job of dramatising what was otherwise a very, very short short story - and was in that sense, no mean achievement. It was also sumptuously shot, but what really carried the day were the actors - less Holmes and Watson, who were as usual, but more the others: Serena Gordon's desperate, vulnerable Lady Eva, trying to keep up appearances of pre-marital bliss while confronting the possibility that she may be ruined; Norma West's heartbroken but vengeful Lady Swinstead, full of sad beauty and suppressed fury; Sophie Thompson's warm-hearted housemaid (watch the scenes between her and the dog, Maximilian), and Robert Hardy's spine-chilling, smooth-tongued, glassy-eyed villain, who for me, absolutely stole the show. This is the story where Holmes gets engaged - in order to infiltrate the villain's household and obtain information, of course, nothing to do with love. But one senses (as one sees Brett portray Holmes as being at a loss as to where to put his arms when Sophie Thompson's Aggie throws hers around him), that the Master Detective suddenly finds he has strayed into rather deep and for him - unknown waters. Up until then, 'Holmes' had been pitch-perfect as the rising young 'plumber' with the raffish smile and an eye for the ladies, yet just as he has all the cards in his hands - vital information, the lady's confidence, possibly even her heart, he almost completely bungles it when, in response to Aggie's, 'Gie' us a kiss!' he replies, all raffishness gone, and as 'Holmes' rather than the plumber, 'I don't know how!' It's a very finely layered performance. My only gripe is that the production completely omitted the final scene in the story, when Lestrade asks Holmes to help him solve the mystery of Milverton's murder. Holmes and Watson witnessed this of course, as they had been trying to steal papers, and they had been seen by the servants, running away. Somewhat flippantly, Holmes comments at the description of one of the suspects, 'Why, it might be a description of Watson!' which of course (unbeknownst to Lestrade), it is! Small detail though.

Inevitably, fans of Conan Doyle and Holmes will compare Brett's portrayal with those of others: Gillette, Rathbone, Robert Stephens, Vasily Livanov, and others. Is Brett 'definitive'? Difficult to say, as we all have our own, and no actor will tick all the boxes. I think it would be true to say however, that what makes Brett's Holmes stand out is the sheer depth and complexity of the characterisation. This was a performance that plumbed the depths and peeled back the layers - ruthlessly so. There is the well-known fastidiousness, the impatience, abruptness, the formidable intellect, brilliance and genius. There is also the restlessness, the abhorrence of routine and mundanity, the hunger for mental stimulus without which he turns, in desperation for a substitute, to cocaine. But added to this - particularly in the interaction with Burke or Hardwicke during a 'black mood,' is the vulnerability, the need for friendship (if not approval), lest the genius, left idle, spins out of control and into self-destruction. Brett is at his best when portraying the subtle changes of thought or mood that flicker across his Holmes's otherwise rather marbly, ascetic mien. Personal favourites:

* In 'The Six Napoleons' when Lestrade congratulates Holmes upon a case and unexpectedly says, 'We're not jealous of you at Scotland Yard. No, sir. We're proud of you...' And suddenly, the reserve and marble exterior dissolve - literally - and are replaced by surprise, and a hint of tears. A twitch of the nostrils (rather like a thoroughbred's), and a tightening of the lips denote a struggle to regain his expression of cold inscrutability - and he doesn't quite succeed. Magic! 10 seconds or so of consummate artistry.

* In 'The Abbey Grange' when, in a complete departure from the story, the heroine (Lady Brackenstall) impulsively flings her arms around Holmes's neck to thank him. There is an initial shock, an instinctive drawing back (not quite recoiling, but almost), then he removes her arm from around his neck, and in the old fashioned term, quite gently 'puts her from him,' the smallest flick or an almost-smile crossing his lips. The movement might have been one of rejection had it not been for the expression on his face - which seemed to be a mixture of shock and surprise, not unmixed with a certain fear or reluctance to admit physical closeness to a woman. Less, 'I don't like this,' so much as, 'I really can't cope with this.' He then turns away, and stares outside the window. Again, only about 3 seconds long, but worth watching.

* In 'A Scandal in Bohemia' at the very end, when against a backdrop of Watson's narration, we here how Holmes keeps Irene Adler's photograph locked and separate, and refers to her as 'the woman', though of course never, ever feeling remotely romantically inclined. The shot is of Holmes playing a snatch of a song he has heard Irene sing ('Art thou troubled' or 'Dove Sei, amato bene,' from Handel's Rodelinda, for those interested). We see him stop, throw down his bow and violin, and lean forward with his hands clasped, and elbows on his knees, a slight questioning expression on his face and in his attitude which belies Watson's complete certainty that he feels no romantic inclination whatsoever.

All in all, thoroughly recommended.


5 out of 5 stars Jeremy Brett simply dazzles in a gem of a series.   July 1, 2010
Sea Sprite (Yorkshire coast)
Jeremy Brett was the definitive Holmes, his portrayal is a thing of immense beauty and it's impossible to imagine it being bettered. Everything about this series is high quality; the guest actors include Robert Hardy, Natasha Richardson, a very young Jude Law and Tim McInnerny, to name but a few; the scenery and costumes are meticulous, creating and vividly drawing the viewer into late Victorian/Edwardian England without ever upstaging or overshadowing the actors. Although it doesn't say on the product description, the picture quality does seem to have been remastered. In comparison to the older boxset (in the brown slipcase, which I also own)there is a discernible difference in picture quality; the new discs have a sharp, clear image and the old ones are a bit grainy. The packaging is a huge improvement too, much more shelf friendly, being slimmer, sturdier and laminated, so less prone to tears and dog eared corners. It's sumptuously designed, too, in moody, atmospheric storm blue which, intentional or not, is reflective of Holmes's own moods. There are no extras, which is a shame, a few commentaries from contributing artists would have been welcome. It doesn't matter though, as the shows are a delight in themselves. This boxset will give you almost 40 hours of superb entertainment, and you'll watch them again and again.

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