The Sherlock Holmes Collection BBC Series [1968]

[John Johnson]

Five of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most riveting stories are finally available in this historic collection from the BBC archives. Sadly, the rest of the episodes are mssing from the archives. This has been out on R2 for years now, but it's nice to finally see it get a R1 release. The rarely seen series since their original 1968 transmission is a gem of a series. For me, almost on a par with Adam Adamant.

http://www.bbcamericashop.com/dvd/the-s ... 15293.html

[John Johnson]

Further information regarding the BBC televison series of Sherlock Holmes, due out on DVD 15th December. This release includes all five surviving episodes from 1968.

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Sherlo ... tion/12953

[Eric Paddon]

I picked this up at a discount at our local Borders which is closing due to the fact that all other stores in the complex have been forced to go out of business. "The Hound Of The Baskervilles" may well be the best adaptation I have ever seen of this classic tale in terms of fidelity to the source material (with just some minor abridging). It's great to see Cushing doing the part in a more authentic setting than the Hammer film was, and IMO he even surpasses Brett in terms of nailing down Doyle's version of the great detective.

[Eric W.]

I'm eyeing this and I'm eyeing both the Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett sets.


If I had to choose one set to buy, which should it be? Rathbone?

[Eric Paddon]

That is really a tough call if you can only pick one because both have their merits. With Brett you get more authentic versions of the Conan Doyle stories (save for their decision to disregard Watson's marriage to Mary Morstan) and with the Rathbone movies you have to adjust to the concept of Holmes set in the modern 1940s period (save for the first two films produced at Fox) and Bruce's increasingly bumbling Watson, but watching Rathbone as Holmes is always a pleasure to watch. Ultimately I think it's worth having both sets but if you have to pick one it depends on whether you're more interested in actor (Rathbone) or story authenticity (Brett).

[Eric W.]

That is really a tough call if you can only pick one because both have their merits. With Brett you get more authentic versions of the Conan Doyle stories (save for their decision to disregard Watson's marriage to Mary Morstan) and with the Rathbone movies you have to adjust to the concept of Holmes set in the modern 1940s period (save for the first two films produced at Fox) and Bruce's increasingly bumbling Watson, but watching Rathbone as Holmes is always a pleasure to watch. Ultimately I think it's worth having both sets but if you have to pick one it depends on whether you're more interested in actor (Rathbone) or story authenticity (Brett).

^^ I bought this through an Amazon Z-shop with a nice track record and a 100 percent positive feedback for $120. The whole family will enjoy it.

[Eric Paddon]

I finished the Cushing set. "Boscombe Valley Mystery" didn't come off too well, and "Study In Scarlet" and "Sign Of Four" at one hour were a tad too condensed. However, "The Blue Carbuncle" was outstanding, along with the two-part "Hound" perhaps the best Holmes adaptation I've seen. There were some witty adjustments in "Carbuncle" that didn't detract from the story and allowed Holmes to be less than infallible without losing his overall mystique. It's a pity that was the last episode in that particular series because Cushing and Stock had really clicked by that point.

I'm only sorry the rest of this series was wiped from existence but they at least left behind some gems. And for those who only knew Cushing as Holmes from the Hammer Hound they need to see this set.

[John Johnson]

Speaking of Warner and the BBC, they also have Sherlock Holmes: 1964-1965 coming on DVD on 9/14 (SRP $19.98). This the classic BBC series starring Douglas Wilmer.

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/mytwocent ... tml#051910

Douglas Wilmer, of course, played Holmes in 13 episodes of the BBC TV series "Sherlock Holmes" in 1964-5 and again in 1975 for Gene Wilder's spoof "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother." He has also given voice to Holmes, and well all the other characters too, in a series of audiobooks.

Wilmer was unhappy about the production of his series. He declined to do another and eventually Peter Cushing was enlisted.
Two edited episodes of the Wilmer Holmes were released in the UK by the BBC on VHS a few years ago. Apparently they only did this under pressure from the Sherlock Holmes Society. Sales were not good enough to justify further releases, sadly.

The episodes are listed in the Imdb. I believe that 'The Abbey Grange' and 'The Bruce-Partington Plans' are incomplete. The others have survived intact as 16mm film recordings of the original video masters (long gone).

Sherlock Holmes BBC 1965 (Douglas Wilmer)

Season 1, Episode 0: The Speckled Band
Original Air Date: 18 May 1964
Season 1, Episode 1: The Illustrious Client Original Air Date: 20 February 1965
Season 1, Episode 2: The Devil's Foot Original Air Date: 27 February 1965
Season 1, Episode 3: The Copper Beeches Original Air Date: 6 March 1965
Season 1, Episode 4: The Red-Headed League Original Air Date: 13 March 1965
Season 1, Episode 5: The Abbey Grange Original Air Date: 20 March 1965 ~ missing the first reel
Season 1, Episode 6: The Six Napoleons Original Air Date: 27 March 1965
Season 1, Episode 7: The Man with the Twisted Lip Original Air Date: 3 April 1965
Season 1, Episode 8: The Beryl Coronet Original Air Date: 10 April 1965
Season 1, Episode 9: The Bruce-Partington Plans Original Air Date: 17 April 1965 ~ missing the second reel
Season 1, Episode 10: Charles Augustus Milverton Original Air Date: 24 April 1965
Season 1, Episode 11: The Retired Colourman Original Air Date: 1 May 1965
Season 1, Episode 12: The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax Original Air Date: 8 May 1965

Two episodes of the Douglas Wilmer series in the BBC archives are incomplete - "The Abbey Grange" is missing the first reel of two, "The Bruce-Partington Plans" is missing the second reel of two. Technically "The Speckled Band" is incomplete, in that it was first transmitted in "Detective" and all episodes of that series (its first series) had an introduction by Rupert Davies (as Maigret) - the version that exists of "Speckled Band" has the "Sherlock Holmes" series titles and is minus the intro.