The Sherlock Holmes Collection (23 Disc Box Set) [DVD] [1988]

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Product Description ------------------- Sherlock Holmes is the greatest of all fictional detectives, as famous for his deerstalker and pipe as his legendary powers of observation and deduction. He is an aloof and private man driven by a fierce intellect that gives him astounding brilliance and unhomable eccentricity in equal measure. The late Jeremy Brett, the definitive Holmes, stars in these beautiful adaptations taken from the classic ITV1 series. The complete collection, includes 5 feature length episodes (2 brand new to DVD) and 36 one hour episodes (2 episodes per volume). Featuring guest appearances from stars such as John Thaw (Morse), Robert Hardy (Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets), Natasha Richardson (Maid In Manhattan), Joss Ackland (Lethal Weapon 2), Peter Vaughan (Remains Of The Day) and many more. .co.uk Review ------------- The Sherlock Holmes Collection is a comprehensive box set containing all 36 hour-long episodes plus the five feature-length specials of Granada TV's classic series starring Jeremy Brett. Originally screened in 1984, the series ran intermittently until the mid-1990s, when the leading actor's chronically failing forced a final end (he died in 1995). Still hailed by many as the definitive Holmes, Brett presented the great detective as a solitary, nervous and depressive personality whose brilliant flashes of inspiration were interrupted by long bouts of introspection and drug-induced lethargy. In the later feature-length episodes, the actor's own ill- added a poignant extra dimension that both deepened and darkened his portrayal of Holmes. In a welcome departure from earlier adaptations, Dr Watson (originally played by David Burke, then by Edward Hardwicke) is a thoroughly sensible, pragmatic--if rather unimaginative--companion, not at all the bumbling sidekick made famous by Nigel Bruce in the Basil Rath era. Aside from impeccable central casting--bolstered by a host of distinguished thespian guest stars--and scripts that remain remarkably faithful to Conan Doyle's original stories ( /exec/obidos/ASIN/0517220784/${0} ), the series also boasts lavish period production design and a haunting music score from Patrick Gowers. Although latterly they both err too far on the side of melodrama, overall both the series and Jeremy Brett's tour de force performances are likely to remain unsurpassed. On the DVD: The Sherlock Holmes Collection DVD box set might be complete, but the individual discs themselves are disappointingly spartan, with no additional features of any kind nor any attempt to clean up the rather scratchy 4:3 picture quality or the dull mono sound. --Mark Walker