Sherlock Holmes on Screen: The Complete Film and TV History

by Alan Barnes

Sherlock Holmes has appeared on screen more times than any other fictional character. Created just before the birth of cinema, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle€™s famous detective has drawn moviegoers across the world, and this guide covers over a century's worth of his exploits on film and television. This includes films from the silent era through the Basil Rathbone movies of the 1940s; films from France, Japan, Russia, Germany, and Italy; the films of Hammer Studios in the UK and Roger Corman in the U.S.; Billy Wilder€™s 1970 film, Private Life of Sherlock Holmes; and many more. There are also television versions of Sherlock Holmes covered, including one directed by Steven Spielberg. Newly updated and with added material about Holmes productions from every part of the globe, as well 120 photos and a guide to the original stories, Sherlock Holmes on Screen is a testament to the enduring power of Conan Doyle€™s celebrated creation.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mystery, Film, Media Tie In, Classics, Crime, Tv

286 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Alan Barnes is a British writer and editor, particularly noted for work in the field of cult film and television. Barnes served as the editor of Judge Dredd Megazine from 2001 until December 2005, during which time the title saw a considerable increase in the number of new strip pages. Among other strips, Barnes originally commissioned The Simping Detective. He also wrote a handful of Judge Dredd stories involving alternate universes or featuring a young Dredd.

He worked for five years at Doctor Who Magazine and progressed from writing strips to becoming joint editor in 1998 and sole editor from 2000 until 2002. He subsequently contributed the ongoing Fact of Fiction series of articles to the magazine. Barnes has also written or co-written a number of Doctor Who audio plays for Big Finish Productions.

He has written a number of books on cult films (including James Bond, Quentin Tarantino and Sherlock Holmes) and his book The Hammer Story, co-written with Marcus Hearn, was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Best Non-Fiction in 1997.

Reviews

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm writing about the 2002 edition, which I read through the help of my county library system. Although it claimed to be complete, it is not. Has some nice information (such as when episodes were originally broadcast and reviews a the time of release) and large pictures.

My big problem with the book is that Barnes gives his personal opinion about the films he's seen. I didn't think that was appropriate for a reference book. For example -- he likes movie The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. I thought it was horrible. You will not agree with Barnes' opinions. Brings down an otherwise impressive book.

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sherlock Holmes A-Z. A complete listing of TV and film productions. Who could ask for more? What Alan Barnes put together is mind boggling. The chronology starts in 1887 and goes to 2010.
Every plot, background, solution, and cast are detailed. I only wish there were more pictires of some of the lesser known titles. Larry Hagman was SH in 1976. Who knew?

[KP · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing reference source, full of details and rare photos. The only reason it has four stars rather than five is that the entries are listed alphabetically rather than chronologically, and there is no index or table of contents. None of these things would be a problem, except that the colloquial titles of adaptations might be very different from what they were published under, making it difficult to look up specific ones. An index, at the very least, listing which pages adaptations could be found on and who the Holmes and Watson were in those adaptations, would have made this book easier to navigate. Nonetheless, it is invaluable.

[Cory Howell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great reference to Holmes on screen, I have the updated edition, which includes the beginning of the BBC's Sherlock series, but was published too late to include CBS's Elementary. (That's why I only gave it 4 stars...the most recent edition is up-t0-date enough.)

[Meandmy Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is THE book for the true Sherlock Holmes movie fan, I have found so many new Sherlock Holmes movies that I love from it!

[Jason Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sherlock Holmes on Screen-- a New Guide to the Film History of Our Favorite Detective
I love Sherlock Holmes, but I'm not a Sherlock Holmes completist in the way that I am of, say, James Bond or Dracula. (And there's a geek continuum: I'm constantly reminded that there are many fans of those that are far to the left and right of me.) I do have a favorite Holmes-- Ian Richardson, largely because his BBC films were the ones I grew up on, whereas I largely missed the Jeremy Brett version that began the following year. The great thing about true geeks is we have geeky opinions; I remember a megafan of the Doors who could talk for days about what was wrong with the Oliver Stone movie, just as I could about Coppola's Dracula. Even when we're doing it we see the conundrum: we are spending more time on these works than the people who love them do. Sherlock Holmes has such fans.

So I love, love, love books like SHERLOCK HOLMES ON SCREEN, a guide to Sherlock Holmes adaptations of TV and movies written by Alan Barnes, who is a prize geek, opinionated and fussy and possessing a kind of love for even those works he hates. From the first Sherlock Holmes adaptation (1900's one-minute silent Sherlock Holmes Baffled) to the current dueling detectives of the BBC series Sherlock and the Guy Ritchie movie series, and everything in between.
You can spend hours reading this book. I had no idea that Peter Cushing starred as Sherlock Holmes on TV in the sixties, for instance. You can start to line up your own Sherlock viewing party.
I totally recommend Sherlock Holmes on Screen.

[Charles Prepolec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published in 2002 by now defunct Reynolds & Hearn publishing this new updated edition includes coverage of Sherlock Holmes film and television programs released up to and including early 2011. The second Downey film SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS and the second series of the BBC series SHERLOCK are mentioned, but do not have specific individual listings. Alan Barnes (with occasional assists from writers Jonathan Rigby and Andy Lane) manages to provide succinct synopses, cast lists, production notes and insightful commentary to well over 300 individual programs from around the globe that feature the Great Detective. While the book certainly notes areas of fidelity and deviation from Conan Doyle's stories in the various adaptations, this is more about judging the films on their own merits and levels of success in terms of entertainment value, in short, this is accessible to film buffs, not just Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts.

Barnes has a witty, slightly amused tone that makes the book an engaging read even when covering some of the least inspiring entries. It's hard to just dip in to read a specific entry without carrying on to whatever follows. While an index is lacking, it's a minor complaint as this is easily the best written, most wide reaching, informative and entertaining book of its kind. I firmly agree with the comment emblazoned across the top of the cover by writer/producer of the BBC's SHERLOCK - "I love this book." If you only buy one book on the film and television representations of Sherlock Holmes, it should be this one. Highly recommended.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I do not agree with the author on some of the assessments of the myriad on-screen Holmesian interpretations, I did enjoy the minutiae that was included for some of my favorites. All of them are here: from Rathbone to Cushing and Brett to Cumberbatch and others who I did not know about and their entries inspired me to find and watch the movies/shows no matter how grand...or terrible.

The authors included movies from other countries outside the US and Britain, TV pilots that never made it beyond that first episode (anyone else remember 1994 Baker Street: The Return of Sherlock Holmes, where a Watson descendant inherits a frozen-then-thawed-&-miraculously-manages-to-survive Sherlock Holmes?), the two episodes from Star Trek: The Next Generation and the animated versions of our favorite detective.

A great book for those who love to watch Sherlock Holmes on the big and small screen, live action or animated.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes has been featured in more films and television programs than any other fictional character. With each adaptation and performance, different aspects of the beloved character are explored, including Holmes's drug usage and personal relationships. With the these portrayals, it is difficult to keep track of them all. Super-fan Alan Barnes has collated information about his favorite sleuth into an encyclopedia. It features every single Sherlock performance to appear in film and on television. In its third edition, Sherlock Holmes on Screen is an excellent guide to the world of the world's favorite detective. Fans of Sherlock Holmes will not be disappointed.

Sherlock Holmes on Screen(Updated)
Author: Alan Barnes
ISBN: 9780857687760
Titan Books
January 2012
320 pages

[Pages Of Note]

See review here: http://pagesofnote.com/sherlock-homes...