I discovered Starring Sherlock Holmes by David Stuart Davies when I was looking the author up on Goodreads (while doing another review). It has a huge picture of Jeremy Brett as Holmes on the cover, so I was immediately taken with it. And immediately ordered it up via our library's hold system. Got it today and devoured it in one sitting.
An absolutely lovely coffee table book giving the history of Holmes in film (and television) from the earliest silent versions through 2007. Tons of pictures and excellent reviews and synopses by Davies. Of course, now Davies needs to update the book...to add the latest Holmes series with Benedict Cumberbatch (not that I care for it, but lots of folks do) and the 2009 movie with Robert Downey Jr.
I thoroughly enjoyed looking back over the years at all the incarnations of the Great Detective. For me, Jeremy Brett in his prime will always be the ultimate Holmes. With Basil Rathbone running a close second. I only wish that we had kept Holmes in period with the Rathbone films. Updating him and making him a propaganda item against the Nazis may have been patriotic, but it did no favors to Doyle's work. Give me a proper Victorian Holmes any day. Five stars for a wonderful reference book.
Sherlock Holmes was portrayed on screen more often than any other character in history, and this amazing book is the definitive guide to the films shown.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds like fun -- thanks for the review!
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