Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes the Complete Collection DVD Review
Summary: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes the Complete Collection is the most purist form of Sherlock Holmes to date... Doyle would be proud!
4.9
Perfect Sherlock!
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes the Complete Collection
Distributor: BBC / Roadshow
Genre: Drama
Format: DVD
Running Time: 2355
Rating: M15+
Reviewer: James Wright
The ultimate Sherlock Holmes Collection is now available in Australia with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes the Complete Collection that boasts 16 DVD’s and a running of 2355 minutes! Starring the late and great Jeremy Brett as the enigmatic Sherlock Holmes, this diverse TV drama originally aired between 1984 to 1994 and also starred a myriad actors before they made it big such as John Thaw, Natasha Richardson, Peter Vaughn and a 19-year old Jude Law.
Unlike the modern interpretations of Sherlock, this ITV Studios version is probably the closest to the original works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and even though the video and scenes is slightly dated, it still holds up today. Actor Jeremy Brett should also be commended on portraying Sherlock Holmes like the original character from not just his mannerisms but also his humour and uncanny elitism due to his high intelligence. Also joining Brett are actors David Burke and the late Edward Hardwicke who both shared the role of the grounded assistant to our detective, Dr. Watson.
With 39 hours of Sherlock Holmes, this collection is split into four series that include The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Return Of Sherlock Holmes, The Casebook Of Sherlock Holmes and The Memoirs Of Sherlock Holmes. In terms of favourite episodes, you cannot go past The Hound of Baskervilles, The Adventures of the Speckled Band, A Scandal in Bohemia, The Sign of Four and The Red Headed League which are as faithful as one can get in the TV medium. I’m sure if Sir Doyle himself watched these episodes today, he’d be quite chuffed a the interpretation of this classic character.
Episode Listing
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes:
A Scandal In Bohemia
The Dancing Men
The Naval Treaty
The Solitary Cyclist
A Crooked Man
The Speckled Band
The Blue Carbunkle
The Copper Beeches
The Greek Interpreter
The Norwood Builder
The Resident Patient
The Red Headed League
The Final Problem
The Return Of Sherlock Holmes:
The Empty House
The Priory School
The Second Strain
The Musgrove Ritual
The Abbey Grange
The Man with the Twisted Lip
The Six Napoleons
The Sign of Four
The Devil’s Foot
Silver Blaze
Wisteria Lodge
The Bruce Partington Plans
The Hound Of The Baskervilles
The Casebook Of Sherlock Holmes:
The Disappearance Of Lady Frances Carfax
The Problem of Thor Bridge
The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place
The Boscombe Valley Mystery
The Illustrious Client
The Creeping Man
The Master Blackmailer
The Last Vampyre
The Eligible Bachelor
The Memoirs Of Sherlock Holmes:
The Three Gables
The Dying Detective
The Golden Pince-Nez
The Red Circle
The Mazarin Stone
The Cardboard Box
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes nicely sets up the universe of Sherlock Holmes which is largely due to the quality acting, especially that of Jeremy Brett who plays the aloof and unpredictable Sherlock well. These episodes also set in place Holme’s diabolical and clever nemesis, Professor Moriarty who is played brilliant by Eric Porter. The series did have a hiccup when it moved from Edward Hardwicke to David Burke as Dr. Watson but thankfully each portray of Holmes’ confident is quite professional and pays homage to the stories written by Doyle.
Video, Audio & Special Features
Although this series was produced several decades ago, the video quality is quite acceptable but cannot be compared to what is available today. Colours are a little muted and images are not that sharp. Audio is also mono and given that this is not a huge blockbuster, it doesn’t really deter from the stories. Unfortunately there are no special features included in this release which is a shame because I would have loved if the distributors delved into the actors, characters and making of this superb series.
Final Thoughts?
If you’re looking for the definitive Sherlock Holmes than look no further as this ITV collection from 1984 to 1994 is as pure as Doyle as one can get. The characterisation is perfect as is the wardrobe, sets and locations which really transforms the words of Doyle to TV. Sure there were a few hiccups here and there and the last season was a little rough around the edges but overall, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes the Complete Collection channels these characters perfectly and it’s also quite fun to see a variety of actors who have gone onto bigger and better things.
Highly Recommended!
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