.
| Hearsay: |
Who’s the most famous fictional character of all time? Ahem? People? James Frey?
This November, Penguin is bringing out a new edition of its Complete Sherlock Holmes to coincide with Guy Ritchie’s adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved detective stories. “Sherlock Holmes,” it is claimed on the promotional material, “is not only the most famous character in crime fiction, but arguably the most famous character in all fiction.”
Is he?
Ever since Iron Man, I can’t help but want to hang out with Robert Downey Jr. Even when he’s party to eviscerating and feasting on the entrails of a great fictional character. He just seems like he’d be so cool. And where the hell did those pipes come from, bro? I’m starting to feel slightly uncomfortable at your display of intellectually stimulating personality coupled with new muscles and scruffy facial hair… And how sweet are you with your love interest Jude Law? Who not only provides the film with at least one authentic accent, but also one more actor for whom I might be convinced to switch teams. But I digress…
January 2006
December
2005
November
2005
October
2005
September
2005
August
2005
July
2005
June
2005
May
2005
April
2005
March
2005
February
2005
January
2005
December
2004
November
2004
October
2004
September
2004
August
2004
July
2004
June
2004
May
2004
April
2004
March
2004
February
2004
January
2004
December
2003
November
2003
October
2003
September
2003
August
2003
Bookninja © Copyright
The opinions expressed on this site are those of individual participants
and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the site owners,
organizers, or other participants.
[powered by WordPress.]
May 21st, 2009 at 11:04 am
Besides seeming to rather miss the point, the picture looks as awful as it does expensive. Jeremy Brett’s portrayal of Holmes
was definitive. It’s folly for any actor after to attempt the character.
May 21st, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Please help! I can’t get Jeremy Brett to stop rolling around in his grave!
May 21st, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I’ll never forget that story in which Holmes, apparently trained in the use of jo sticks, kicked the crap out of that guy and then looked over the rims of his steampunk shades to deliver a one-liner. Sigh.
May 21st, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Harlan Ellison sez:
“If one of the unarguable criteria for literary greatness is recognition, consider this: In all of the history of literature, there are only five fictional creations known to every man, woman, and child on the planet. The urchin in Irkutsk may never have heard of Hamlet, the peon in Pernambuco may not know who Raskolnikov is; the widow in Jakarta may stare blankly at the mention of Don Quixote or Micawber or Jay Gatsby. But every man, woman, and child on the planet knows Mickey Mouse, Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Robin Hood… and Superman.”
May 21st, 2009 at 1:28 pm
George – Holmes was a practitioner of Bartitus “an eclectic martial art and self-defense method originally developed in England during the years 1898–1902. In 1901 it was immortalised (as “baritsu”) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories.” (wikipedia)
Bartitsu involves extensive training in cane fighting.
May 21st, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Well, I’ll be…I guess it just looks more exciting in a post-Matrix cinematography world…
May 22nd, 2009 at 8:49 am
Shame it died out before the great MMA battle between practitioners of Bartitsu and of Pursitsu – which involved extensive training in hitting someone with a hand bag – could be fought. Coulda been big!
May 24th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
A Victorian Era James Bond?
May 26th, 2009 at 7:54 am
Picklock Holmes!