Sherlock Holmes (2009)

[Nesacat]

Sherlock Holmes Movie

This on Variety:

Guy Ritchie on Sherlock's case: New take to 'reinvent' Holmes and Watson

By DAVE MCNARY

Guy Ritchie has come aboard to direct Warner Bros.' "Sherlock Holmes" for Lionel Wigram and Dan Lin.

Ritchie's also working on a rewrite/polish of Tony Peckham's script, based on Wigram's upcoming comicbook "Sherlock Holmes." Studio's eying a 2010 release.

The logline remains under wraps, but execs at Warners are aiming to reinvent Holmes and sidekick Dr. John H. Watson. Wigram's noted that the new Holmes would be more adventuresome and take advantage of his skills as a boxer and swordsman

Arthur Conan Doyle's stories about Holmes, written in the late 19th century, emphasized the detective's intellectual brilliance and power of deductive reasoning. The pipe-smoking character has been portrayed in more than 200 film and TV shows.

Lin and Wigram are both former Warner creative execs who have first-look deals at the studio. Wigram worked on the "Harry Potter" pics while at Warner while Lin worked on "The Aviator" and "The Departed."

Ritchie is directing "RocknRolla," for which he also wrote the screenplay, for Joel Silver's Dark Castle Entertainment. Pic will be distribbed by Warner Bros.

.... and there is a need to this why exactly? More adventurous? Sword-fighting? I can't get images of musketeers out of my mind. I love Sherlock Holmes.

 

[Tillane]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

Guy Ritchie directing a Sherlock Holmes film? Two words. God. No.

Can't they just leave us with the happy memories of Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett? Why, why, why does Hollywood feel the need to remake everything?

Grr. Arg.

 

[Lady of Winterfell]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

I do believe that Hollywood is incapable of coming up with their own storylines. Look how many movies recently are based on books and/or comic books.

I remember when I was younger, there was a Sherlock Holmes show on TV that I would watch with my Dad each week. We really really enjoyed that series, but I can't remember who was is in it. I must do some research, perhaps I can find the series on DVD and rent it....

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

A new take on Holmes and Watson, directed by Guy Ritchie?


They're not going to get Madge to play Watson, are they?

 

[Nesacat]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

Lady of Winterfell - If they are the ones with either Basil Rathbone or Jeremy Brett, they are definitely on DVD because I bought a boxed set recently.

Well Ursa if Holmes is going to become some sort of swashbuckler then we might as well go the whole nine yards and have Madge as Watson.

 

[Lady of Winterfell]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

Thanks Nesa! I checked and I can rent those. From the pictures it looks like the series I am thinking of. I am going to add them to my rental list, and hopefully I am correct. Perhaps I'll ask my Dad if he remembers, he has a great memory for things like that.

 

[Tillane]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

They're not going to get Madge to play Watson, are they?

Terrifying thought.

And it'll probably be Vinnie Jones as Holmes.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

I always marvel at those who feel the need to "reinvent" something -- book or character -- that has been successfully translated from page to stage to screen so many, many times.

Yes, books and movies are two different media and in some cases changes are necessary, but when it's been amply demonstrated again and again that in this case they aren't necessary, the arrogance of the movie makers who think they can improve on a classic characters is altogether breath-taking.

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

Although it's silly and a bit of a romp, I do rather like "Without a Clue", with Michael Caine as Sherlock Holmes (well, almost) and Ben Kingsley as Dr Watson.


(And at least only the certifiably stupid will see the film and think they are seeing Arthur Conan Doyle's creation brought to life.)

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

Although it's silly and a bit of a romp, I do rather like "Without a Clue", with Michael Caine as Sherlock Holmes (well, almost) and Ben Kingsley as Dr Watson.

I'd call that more of a parody than a reinvention, wouldn't you?

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

To say the least, Teresa. (And I'd hope its makers wouldn't claim that it was an improvement on the original.)

 

[Talysia]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

Guy Ritchie directing a Sherlock Holmes film? Two words. God. No.

Can't they just leave us with the happy memories of Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett? Why, why, why does Hollywood feel the need to remake everything?

Grr. Arg.

I couldn't agree more. There are too many remakes around as it is, and a Sherlock Holmes remake is just too much.

 

[ravenus]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

Can't they just leave us with the happy memories of Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett?

Maybe they can have a "pay ticket prices for the movies you DON'T want to see, and we won't make 'em" kind of scheme.

 

[Tillane]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

Actually, I would almost be prepared to pay Ritchie to not make a Holmes movie. Or any movie. Ever again. And that goes double for his missus.

If studios want to make money from Holmes films, why don't they just buy the rights to the old ones (which would surely cost peanuts compared to making a new film) and re-release them? I'd happily pay to watch Rathbone playing Holmes at the local cinema, because I've only ever seen those films on TV - and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

 

[Wiglaf]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

A swashbuckler? I was expecting a gay drug addict. Holmes did do drugs. He also never married and for a long time with Wason who even after marrying seemed to ditch his wife and practice to acompany Holmes. I could easily image Holywood coming out with the "Real Story of Sherlock Holmes". Everything else has been tried (including implying Holmes and Wason were a couple but sans narcotics).

 

[Ursa major]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

So you've never watched "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes", Wiglaf. (It's another parodic treatment, by the way.)

 

[Wiglaf]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

So you've never watched "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes", Wiglaf. (It's another parodic treatment, by the way.)

I don't think so. The one that I was thinking of was actually serious; they even used the correct pipe described in the books not the famous one used by Basil Rathbone.

 

[Nesacat]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

I've seen the Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley one, which was a hoot. Holmes with famous magnifying glass to Watson ... What am I looking for

Watson replies ... "Clues."

Or they could do the one where he has married The Woman and has a child.

I don't have a problem with there being Holmes movies. It would wonderful to have some. However, I would like him to be as he was created not some prize fighter cum adventuring swordsman, which is about as far from Holmes as you can get.

I'd have thought that Holmes as he is would be colourful enough even for Hollywood.

 

[Connavar]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

Its so typical of hollywood and only they can think of doing an action movie of a classic story with a main character known for his sharp mind.

Making Sherlock Holmes a boxer and a sword fighter whats next....

How about a sandal action feast with Plato as the heroic fighter of Greek wars

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Re: Sherlock Holmes Movie

He also never married and for a long time with Wason who even after marrying seemed to ditch his wife and practice to acompany Holmes.

Watson didn't ditch his wife; she died. And he eventually married again.

(I read an article somewhere that postulated four or five Mrs. Watsons, but that was just silly.)