Nov. 6th, 2014

puppetmaker: (Sherlock Holmes)
November 3rd is Jeremy Brett's birthday. Between this and a couple of other things in the news and personally, I have been thinking a lot about Sherlock Holmes.

My introduction to the character was in one of those children's anthologies of various mysteries by a variety of writers that I picked up at the Library. The story was the Speckled Band. I enjoyed the story a lot.

My next encounter was in high school. I went by the library and checked out the complete Sherlock Holmes for the summer on the last day of school. The librarian let me do it because he knew I would bring it back at the beginning of school next year. I started at the beginning and read my way through.

I got to The Final Problem and I was shocked. I didn't know that Sir Arthur was going to kill his character. I quickly went to the next one but it was a tale before the fall. So I thought he had done it and the rest of the book was tales of Holmes before the fall. I was so relieved at The Empty House. I am sad that there are so many who already know so the end of the Final Problem doesn't have the impact of reading it for the first time and not knowing what is to happen.

In 1984 or 85 I watched, as part of Masterpiece Mystery, A Scandal in Bohemia and was entranced. They got it right. It looked right and it sounded right. As a fan of Holmes I was very happy with what I was watching. I had seen some other interpretations which were fine but this was just heaven for me. Jeremy Brett became my bell weather for Sherlock Holmes.

Since that I have seen a lot of different looks at Sherlock Holmes. From young to old to sideways (House among others).

I had a chance of being part of an official anthology but screwed it up due to not finishing in time for the editor. A thing I regret to this day.

I read through the canon, as it is called, every several years. Like the Count of Monte Cristo, the D'artagnan saga and 20,000 leagues under the sea, it is a comfort to me. I have recently started it up again but this time on the iPad which has proved very convenient.

Peter and I share a love for the character. One of Peter's favorite Disney films is the Great Mouse Detective of which we have a number of cells from the film. I have made his puppet a Sherlock costume.

Recently there has been a resurgence of the character. Between the Guy Ritchie films, the BBC Sherlock, and Elementary, Sherlock Holmes has become a household name again.

It is nice seeing the modern interpretation but there are times I miss the classic look and feel to Holmes, which is when I go back to the original source material.

I am grateful for all the materials at my disposal to read and view about the Great Detective.

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