Screenings of "Sherlock Holmes": list, selection of the best, films and series in chronological order, plots, motives, actors and roles

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The famous works of Arthur Conan Doyle about an extraordinary detective have been finding their fans in different parts of the world for more than a century. Over a hundred years ago, the first film adaptation of Sherlock Holmes was presented, and since then their number has been constantly increasing. Filmmakers from different countries demonstrated their vision of the history of the famous detective, but what projects are worth special attention?

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939, USA)

If fans of the famous character set out to find out how many adaptations of Sherlock Holmes exist in world cinema, they will know that this mark has long exceeded two hundred. There were many films based on the famous detective story "The Hound of the Baskervilles", and one of them was presented by the American director Sidney Lanfield in 1939. The film with Basil Rathbone turned out to be close to the original version, but the ending deviated fromoriginal source. Many critics note obvious inaccuracies and disorganization in the behavior of a key character in the plot. Nevertheless, fans of Arthur Conan Doyle and Holmes will certainly be interested in seeing the film adaptation of the late 30s of the twentieth century.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939, USA)

Following the mentioned "The Hound of the Baskervilles", the next picture was shot with Basil Rathbone in a key role - "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes". The film, also released in 1939, was directed by Alfred L. Werker. This time, according to the plot, the main opponent of the detective is Professor Moriarty, who planned to steal the precious crown from the Tower of London. An antagonist convinces a gaucho flutist to take the life of a certain person, and all this only in order to attract the attention of Holmes.

Subsequently, Basil Rathbone took part in the filming of 12 more films about a talented detective, becoming for the audience one of the most famous Sherlocks in the world. Despite the fact that the director deviated significantly from the book history of Conan Doyle, his films were among the highest-grossing films in the American box office of that time.

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959, UK)

The visuals of the film, of course, turned out to be quite bright and memorable, but this adaptation of Sherlock Holmes is somewhat different from the original. Leading roles were taken by Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, who have played in common projects more than once. So, what were the main differences from the original? First of all, that Baskervillethey planted not an ominous note, but a tarantula. At the same time, Sir Henry came from South Africa, and not from Canada. The radical differences do not end there, and, perhaps, for some viewers, this only adds interest to the picture. Most critics agree that the film turned out in the spirit of "Indiana Jones", that is, it is clearly far from the classic English detective story.

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970, UK)

Billy Wilder's film tells about a certain case of Sherlock Holmes, which John Watson once described in detail, but never published his notes. According to the story, only half a century after the death of the detective, this manuscript was found, it turned out that it tells about one of the biggest failures of the detective.

Subsequently, Wilder said that he wanted to make the main character a homosexual, but did not dare to take such a step, and as a result, the character of Robert Stevenson limited himself to using cocaine. It is noteworthy that the role of the elder brother of Sherlock Holmes in the film adaptation was taken by Christopher Lee, who played Sir Henry in the 1959 project mentioned above.

"Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson" (1979, USSR)

Most critics and viewers from around the world agree that the most accurate is still the Soviet film adaptation. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson was filmed in 1979 by Igor Maslennikov, who thought he would work on only two episodes of the project. Fortunately, then the director's plans did not materialize, because Central Televisionbegan to insist on continuing filming. The result was a fascinating series that included 11 episodes, and the lead actor Vasily Livanov even received the Order of the British Empire in 2006, thanks to his successful portrayal.

Today, many viewers associate the classic Sherlock Holmes with the character that appeared in Maslennikov's films, and the reason for this, of course, is not only the successful casting, but also the painstaking work of the director himself.

Young Sherlock Holmes (1985, USA)

The film by American director Barry Levinson tells how the famous detective first met John Watson at a young age. From the clothes and belongings of a new acquaintance, he was able to accurately determine his name and previous place of residence.

This film adaptation is notable for being the first film in the world to feature a fully CG character - a knight brought to life in a stained glass window. The leading role in the film was given to Nicholas Rowe.

Sherlock Holmes (2009, USA)

Robert Downey Jr. is widely known for his role as Iron Man, but there is also a place for Sherlock Holmes in his filmography. The best film adaptations of the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, no doubt, include this 2009 picture. The project was directed by Guy Ritchie, who has long won the status of a very extraordinary filmmaker, and Jude became the partner of Downey Jr. on the set. Lowe.

The main villain of the detective thriller is Lord Blackwood, who mysteriously managed to escape the death pen alty. Despite the fact that the plot is based on the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, the script of the film turned out to be completely original. In 2011, Guy Ritchie directed the sequel to the film about Holmes, with the same actors in the lead roles.

Sherlock (2010, UK)

This series undoubtedly occupies a special place in the list of all adaptations of Sherlock Holmes. In 2010, the BBC aired three one-and-a-half-hour episodes of a TV movie about the famous detective.

The main role in Sherlock was played by Benedict Cumberbatch, who became a Hollywood star of the first category after this project. Martin Freeman, in turn, got the role of John Watson. The successful series, which organically moved into the current century, became a free adaptation of the works of Arthur Conan Doyle. By 2018, 4 seasons of Sherlock had been released, as well as several special editions.

Elementary (2012, USA)

In 2012, the collection of Sherlock series was replenished with a new television project. "Elementary" is a free interpretation of the stories of Arthur Conan Doyle. According to the plot, Sherlock Holmes (Johnny Lee Miller) lives in our days, and his assistant in dangerous investigations is a girl named Joan Watson, played by Lucy Liu. Also noteworthy is the fact that the characters do not live in London, but in New York.

The rest of the CBS series is not too far from the original: partners solve mysterious crimes using deduction and modern computer technology. By 2018, 6 seasons of the project were presented, adding to the list of the best television films about Sherlock Holmes.