"Baffled All Those Who Have Sought a Solution" [FIVE]

The three-time BAFTA-nominated actor Nicol Williamson has passed away at the age of 75.

To Sherlockians, he'll be most closely identified with the role of Sherlock Holmes in the 1976 film The Seven Per-Cent Solution. The book and the screenplay were both written by Nicholas Meyer, BSI ("A Fine Morocco Case"). Outside of the Holmesian world, he was probably best known for his turn as the wily wizard Merlin in Excalibur (1981).

As Sherlock Holmes, he seemed as if he were cast against type, but he gave a convincing performance as a manic and overwrought consulting detective who was weaned off of his cocaine dependence by a once similarly afflicted Sigmund Freud. With Robert Duvall as his Watson and Alan Arkin as the venerable psychiatrist, the unlikely trio made for a memorable film.

Below, we bring you a slideshow of some of the posters and lobby cards from the film. You can also view them on Flickr.




Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Do you you have a memory or impression of how Williamson's performance (Sherlockian or not) struck you? Leave us a comment.

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"Then He Told the Story" [ILLU]

One of the great benefits of being a member of the Baker Street Irregulars is that we get to meet a lot of interesting and famous people. Chief among them are the literati, such as Michael Dirda, BSI ("Langdale Pike"), the Pulitzer Prize-winning book critic for the Washington Post, who makes his living by writing about the literati.

In this case, Michael himself is the author, having been tapped by the Princeton University Press to contribute to their "Writers on Writers" series with the volume On Conan Doyle: Or, the Whole Art of Storytelling. In it, he takes us through Conan Doyle's life and writings - many of which may not be familiar to the Sherlock Holmes fan - and gives us a perspective on many of them through the Canon.

Burt and Scott had a chance to sit down with Michael at The Players in New York City during the 2012 Baker Street Irregulars Weekend - marking the first time our podcast has been recorded with the two hosts together in the same room.

Rather than give you an Editor's Gas-Lamp in this episode, we asked Michael to read something from his own work.

Links:

• On Conan Doyle: Or, the Whole Art of Storytelling  (Amazon)
• The Baker Street Journal
• Michael Dirda's content in the Washington Post
  

Listen now:

Download this episode by right-clicking the icon and selecting "Save As..." or simply click on the file to listen, or on the nice box above. (File size: 34.7 MB, 37:51)

Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email, call us at (774) 221-READ (7323) or drop by our Facebook page.

And as always, please visit our sponsors Wessex Press.

[This was cross-posted from ihearofsherlock.com - Ed.]

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"Elementary" [CROO]

     "Excellent!" I cried.
     "Elementary," said he.

Of course, any Sherlockian considering him or herself worthy of the name knows that one particular instance in "The Crooked Man" is the only time Mr. Sherlock Holmes uses the word “elementary” in that context. Never in the canon does he actually say “Elementary, my dear Watson.”

Nevertheless, it appears that CBS has hit upon the entirely original idea of updating the Sherlock Holmes stories for the modern day, and will title this show, ahem, Elementary.

Deadline is reporting that CBS has greenlit a pilot that would air in 2012 and would transport the Victorian detective to 21^st century New York.

This news comes, unsurprisingly, after the success of the second series of BBC’s Sherlock, as well as Guy Ritchie’s recent sequel, Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows.

As Holmes would also say, “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data” [SCAN] and so far, data is drastically lacking about this upcoming series. Aside from the screenwriter - Robert Doherty - nothing is yet known, making any speculation about the quality of the series difficult. One hopes, however, that the script and acting will transcend the title and be something rather than “elementary.” 

Anastasia writes at The Itinerant Bookworm. This is her first contribution to the Baker Street Blog.
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"Then On Saturday" [HOUN]

The day after the BSI dinner and Gaslight Gala can be a bit of a paradox for some people. For after the dinners, some attendees gather to celebrate well into the night. It's an unwritten tradition to keep the newest investitured members of the Baker Street Irregulars awake until at least 2:21 a.m. That's not too rare when you're in the city that never sleeps, but with the doors of the Vendors Room opening at 9:00 a.m. sharp (and Jerry Margolin always jockeying to be the first in), it can be difficult to rouse yourself from an otherwise groggy state.

This year's Vendors Room was packed with merchandise, from the new to the old and rare. The Baker Street Irregulars had its usual range of books available from the BSI Manuscript and BSI International series, as well as The Grand Game Volume Two, the continuation of the first volume edited by Leslie S. Klinger and Laurie R. King. In addition to the Grand Game compendium being completed, there was a very handsome Grand Game Limited Edition being offered for sale; you can order it online after March 30. There will be 100 box sets created, with gilt-stamped volumes, a companion index with an expansion of the origin of the Game and Ronald Knox, and a gold-stamped slipcase.

Read more...

"Today Is Friday" [CARD]

Friday is always a hectic day during the BSI Weekend. From impromptu breakfasts to early pilgrimages down to Tribeca to see Otto Penzler's offerings as the Mysterious Bookshop, there are plenty of mind- and waist-expanding opportunities to be had before running off to...lunch.

The William Gillette Lunch
The Gillette Lunch has been in place for many years, having been first established in the early days of the BSI as an opportunity for those traveling from out of town to gather before the BSI dinner. Susan Rice and Mickey Fromkin have been running this event for a couple of decades, after it was handed down to them from Lisa McGaw.

Susan Rice - all smiles

Guests are welcomed to the quickly overflowing bar area of Moran's Chelsea restaurant (an aptly named or aptly selected venue, as the case may be) and conversation quickly rises, along with the temperature of the facility. But all is well as we wind our way into the substantial dining area and prepare for the welcome from Susan. We remember William Gillette of course, but also the founders and previous administrators. After a quick promotion of the Beacon Society - the group that promotes educating the young on Sherlock Holmes via the original stories - we dine.

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"A Technical Character" [SPEC]

The BSI Weekend is under way, and that means that the Thursday evening Distinguished Speaker Lecture officially kicked things off. In this case, we were honored to have Dr. Lisa Sanders join us.

Dr. Sanders has written a column for the New York Times since 2002 called "Diagnosis" and it is this column that was the basis of her becoming the technical adviser for "House, M.D." She is also the author of  Every Patient Tells a Story. She joined us at the Manhattan Club on January 12 to give the talk "Is Holmes Crazy as a Fox, or Just Plain Crazy?"

Dr. Sanders opened by saying how thrilled she was to be around people who have the same passion that she does, for she has been a Sherlockian for most of her life In fact, it is her interest in Holmes - having devoured all of the stories and everything related to Sherlock Holmes - that led to her fascination with diagnosis, eventually leading to her becoming a physician after a mid-life crisis. She gave a nod to House, saying that he is not her ideal Holmes, but then "neither is Robert Downey. Jr.," to which the audience responded with a round of applause.

Read more...

"Would You Be Afraid to Sleep in the Same Room with a Lunatic..." [VALL]

Viewers in the UK were treated last night to the latest episode of BBC Sherlock's second season, arguably the most anticipated Sherlockian adaptation in years and certainly one of television's most popular dramas. The well-received "Hounds of Baskerville," with a clever--occasionally frenetically clever--script by Mark Gatiss, followed in "A Scandal in Belgravia's" footsteps with cunning modern twists to the traditional canon.

Henry Knight, as played by Russell Tovey, is one of the series' most affecting clients to date, playing a young man whose father was murdered before his eyes upon the moors--slain by, he believes, a gigantic hound. Is the monster, now a thriving local tourist attraction, the mutant product of a nearby secret military lab by the name of Baskerville? Or is Knight the victim of a series of hallucinogenic delusions? Sherlock and John travel to Dartmoor to discover the truth, and experience a number of terrifying impediments in their quest.

Benedict Cumberbatch, who was just named by the Telegraph as the greatest Sherlock Holmes of all time, begins the episode manic and off-balanced--wielding a harpoon and covered in blood, having just taken the tube home, in a satisfying nod to BLAC and the benefits of exercise before breakfast. He is desperate for brainwork and for cigarettes, chewing the wallpaper in ways that called to my mind Brett's animated interpretation rather than the very still, contained Sherlock of season one. But he soon settles into the case, with John--whose opportunity to pull rank at a military base is gut-deep satisfying--at his side, pursuing an elusive horror that in every way tests each man's mettle.

Gatiss's sly references to canon are interwoven effortlessly; a village scene in which Sherlock attempts to draw out the local hound expert by telling John he's lost a bet is a perfect replica of the exchange with the goose vendor in BLUE, right down to the "pink 'un" in his back pocket. Sherlock's reference to John as a "conductor of light" will not go unnoticed by a single enthusiast, to my mind, and the arc of the story as regards Sherlock adapting to the unnatural (for him) sensations of both fear and friendship is deftly executed.

Martin Freeman's John Watson strikes a phenomenal balance between loyalty and an unwillingness to deal with weapons-grade Sherlock snark. "Oh, please," he sighs after a Holmesian deduction, "can we not do this, this time? You being all mysterious with your...cheekbones, and turning your coat collar up so you look cool?" His grounded, wry John is a phenomenal counterpart to our hero, and in some ways this episode is laying the groundwork for the next installment; with a title like "The Reichenbach Fall," Sherlockian hearts will doubtless crack worldwide come this time next Sunday.

There is a transcript of the thoughtful Q&A on the episode with Gatiss, Cumberbatch, and Sue Vertue, though spoiler warnings do apply here.

For Europeans, pre-ordering season two is as simple as the click of a button. As for season one, if you haven't yet obtained it, then what are you doing here?

Image credit: andiezoe (Flickr)

When you make purchases from the links we share, it provides us with a stream of revenue to help keep this site running. Thank you for your generosity.
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"We Are, As Usual, The Irregulars" [LADY]

On January 2nd, 2012, The Times of London featured a very special comic insert....one which is of particular interest to Sherlockians and graphic literature fans alike, and helped set a proper tone for 2012

As you can see by the embedded graphic below (click to make larger), the Times featured a junior insert featuring The Baker Street Irregulars - characters who are the centerpiece of a graphic novel series by Tony Lee (who also finished a terrific run on IDW's Doctor Who series) and Dan Boultwood for Franklin Watts/EDGE Books. There are currently four stories available in graphic novel form, and this series has been featured in this very blog (see "With Full Approval" [CREE]")

The Times story - named "The Adventure of the New Year's Necklace" is a great, New Years Day-themed tale, taking place in 1892 between "The Final Problem [FINA]" and "The Empty House [EMPT]". All of Mr. Lee's stories are "in canon", and some well-known Sherlockians provide guidance and input. This is a great all-ages series to engage  the next generation of Sherlockians (including my 9 year-old godson, who received a copy of The Complete Sherlock Holmes from his godfather), and is well worth checking out.

(Some information for this post taken from the Geeky Girls blog).


Editor's note: Gordon regularly covers the intersection of Sherlock Holmes and the entertainment industry. You can also find him at Blog THIS, Pal! and Comic Related.
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"A Very Pretty Hash You Have Made" [LADY]

At this time next week, we'll be in at the Baker Street Irregulars Weekend in New York City, preparing for a few days of interaction with fellow Sherlockians and Holmesians from around the country and a few from around the world.

There are a variety of events (see the embedded guide below - or click through to the post if you're reading this on email or RSS) that will keep us busy throughout the weekend, but if you're not there, we'd like to keep you updated on what we Irregulars experience. After all, we're supposed to be able to "go everywhere, see everything and overhear everyone."

Throughout the weekend, we'll be making updates via the @BakerStreetBlog Twitter handle and we'll be using the what's called a hashtag on Twitter. A hashtag (or #) is placed in front of a word to make it a topic of conversation that anyone can see, regardless of who they're following on Twitter.

Our hashtag is #bsiweekend.  If you're attending and would like to tweet, please use #bsiweekend in all of your tweets. We'll pick it up and make it available to everyone on the BSI WEEKEND NEWS sidebar over at http://bsiweekend.com and in "Every Nerve in a Twitter" [TWIS] in the sidebar here on this site.

We'll also try to bring you photos as quickly as possible as the weekend unfolds. Stay tuned here and on our Facebook page for more information.

And if you're at the event and can provide additional coverage, we'd love to hear from you. In the meantime, if you're planning to attend, download and print this handy one-page reference to keep you on track during the weekend:
The 2012 BSI Weekend


To see previous BSI Weekend coverage on this site, please click here.


When you make purchases from the links we share, it provides us with a stream of revenue to help keep this site running. Thank you for your generosity.
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"He Has a European Fame" [REDC]

If you reside in the U.K., then you undoubtedly tuned in on January 1 for the BBC's airing of the long-anticipated second season of the popular and acclaimed series "Sherlock," which is now available for pre-ordering on Amazon.co.uk (for European-compatible DVD players only).

By all accounts, we're off to another solid start with the first episode, "A Scandal in Belgravia," in which Irene Adler is portrayed as a dominatrix to royalty. It had to be a little saucier than simply a photograph in this day and age, and some sexual peccadilloes would seem to fit the bill this time around.

We've been fortunate enough to see the episode and we're satisfied that the series will again be a success. It opens where last season left off, with Jim Moriarty taunting Holmes and Watson poolside until he's distracted by a more important issue. Back in Baker Street again, we see a parade of clients coming through the sitting room and Watson dutifully chronicling the interesting cases on his blog, with titles such as "The Geek Interpreter," which involves a trio of misfits whose comic book tales are coming to life and "The Speckled Blonde," in which a female corpse showed no cause of death other than some spots all over her body.

The two get into a spat about whose web site is more popular - Watson's, that attracts new clients, or Holmes's, that enumerates 240 (note the increase by 100) varieties of tobacco ash. Lestrade calls them "an internet phenomenon," after which the press are seen snapping photos and noting the attraction of "Hat-Man and Robin." In a funny aside, a number of times, Holmes gets flustered about Watson's blog counter being stuck at 1895...

The two are summoned to none other than Buckingham Palace for a client (rather than royalty coming to Baker Street) and find that Irene Adler has some compromising photographs of one of the members of the royal family. As a dominatrix, she routinely blackmails her clients, but in this case, she has the photos for "insurance." Holmes and Watson make a raid on her flat in Belgravia in a scene reminiscent of the kind old clergyman finding his way into Briony Lodge.

We'll leave the synopsis at that for now, as the full 90-minute episode held many twists and turns, with appearances by Mrs. Hudson and quite a bit of Mycroft again. The ending was...well, we won't spoil it. :-)

This first episode was quite well done and really ties to the overall arc of the series, as we can see it developing.

If you're in Europe, you may pre-order season 2 of the BBC series "Sherlock" here. No word on U.S.-compatible availability at this time. We'll be ready and waiting when the U.S. premiere happens. And if you haven't yet purchased season 1, what are you waiting for?

When you make purchases from the links we share, it provides us with a stream of revenue to help keep this site running. Thank you for your generosity.
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"Where All Gossip Is Welcome" [VALL] - December 2011

This is the latest issue of Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press, Peter Blau's ("Black Peter") monthly newsletter of Sherlockian or Doylean gossip, published in print form since 1971, as a text-only digital archive on Sherlocktron since 1985, and a visual archive on Scribd since 2011. In agreement with Peter Blau, we've arranged to publish facsimiles of the print newsletter here, so online readers can see what the newsletter looks like. Below the scan you can find links to the sites mentioned in the text - in most cases, directly to the article, video or publication, to save you from having to search for the terms.

The following is the December 2011 issue; please feel free to share it via email, social network, or embed it on your own site.

Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press December 2011

Links from this issue:

• Brookings Library - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle "A Life Explored"
• Frogwares' The Testament of Sherlock Holmes game
• "Sherlock" violin from Burnett Violins
• Custom Zombie artwork, including Sherlock Bones
• Sherlockian content on Criminal Element
• Kim Newman's Professor Moriarty: The Hound of the D'Urbervilles (Professor Moriarty Novels) on Amazon or Amazon UK
• Kim Newman's Anno Dracula (Amazon) or Anno Dracula (Amazon UK)
• Kim Newman's web site
• "Everything You Need to Know About Professor Moriarty"
• The Pawky Humorists (Facebook)
• Ash-Tree Press eBooks, including The Thames Horror and Other Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
• Alfred Swain Taylor in Google Books
• Wick Theatre Company ("The Hound of the Baskervilles" Jan. 11-14, 2012)
• Shane Peacock
• Bob Schochet's art
• Deerstalker hat from J. Peterman
• Deb Weissler's miniatures
• Arthur Twidle artwork auction (January 4, 2012)
• Long Beach Playhouse ("Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, Feb. 25 - Mar. 24, 2012)
• Sherlocktron's new home
• Sherlockian E-Times
• Box Office Mojo
• "Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure in Good Music" (NPR Deceptive Decadence blog)
• Search results for "Sherlock" on npr.org
• Anthony Horowitz's web site
• Anthony Horowitz's The House of Silk on Amazon and Amazon UK
• Long Beach Shakespeare Company's reading of "The Blue Carbuncle"
• Sherlockology
• BBC's "Sherlock" in a variety of languages
• Text archive of Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press (on Sherlocktron)
• Visual archive of Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press (on Scribd)

When you make purchases from the links we share, it provides us with a stream of revenue to help keep this site running. Thank you for your generosity.
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