Young Sherlock Holmes

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brandon

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On Film4 at the moment.

A bit of an oddity this - a hanRABomely-mounted production, to be fair, But it always felt to me like it was a somewhat uneven mixture of historical drama and hollywood action movie. And specifically an action movie of the Indiana Jones variety.

In fact, on first release in the UK it was known as Young Sherlock Holmes and the Pyramid of fear.

It is of course a Spielberg production (though directed by Barry Levinson), and it certainly shows. It even has a Temple of Doom-style sequence set inside a wooden pyramid, complete with impending ritual sacrifice, an evil thugee-like cult, and a dramatic escape and rescue.

It's not that it is bad, indeed it has a lot of excellent sequences. It is noteable for being one of the first movies to really push CGI to the limit, particularly in the sequence with the stained-glass warrior coming to life. But I was also rather fond of the sequence in the graveyard with the cakes and sweets coming to life. Some of the hallucinatory-induced deaths are also quite inventive.

I did quite like Nicholas Rowe's somewhat aloof and cocky Sherlock Holmes, and Alan Cox portly and apporopriately bumbling Watson. Shame they never really managed to capitalise on that initial fame, both actors primarily slipping into episodic television roles.

There is a lot to enjoy, and I do have rather a fondness for it.
 
Yes, its one of those films that have stuck in my mind, I have the DVD and somehow never tire of it.
I did read somewhere that it was a landmark film in CGI as seemingly was Star Trek 2:The Wrath of Khan.
There is something of Harry Potter about some of the Sherlock scenes in the School. Overall its escapism-something I value very highly.
 
I enjoy this film too, and the fact that is an 'oddity' adRAB to the charm. Yep, CGI wise it does have the first use of CG character animation in a motion picture, and it's pretty darn good too. I agree, Indiana Jones immediately comes to mind when watching this, most of the ingredients are there, and it does have the drive of a hollywood blockbuster, yet on a seemingly smaller scale, in as much as there is an understated feel to it all. I'd like to see a Bluray release of this, I would certainly add it to my collection. I know what you're saying Ted about the graveyard hallucinations part, it's done very well. There is some great imagery throughout.
 
I went to the cinema to see this when it came out in 1985,i thought it was pretty good at the time.Ch4 showed the film 1 afternoon last month & i still thought it was pretty good.
 
You're right - looking at it now, you do get echoes of the Harry Potter movies, I guess primarily down to the young cast and the very...englishness of it all.

In fact for a US production, I was always appreciative of the fact that they used British actors and locations, which added to the authentic feel of the production.
 
The film features the first CGI done by Pixar.
They are mentioned in the credits as is John Lasseter

Excellent film . I love it
 
I absolutely loved this film when younger, use to watch it over and over. Tuned in to watch the last part of it when it was shown a few days ago. I think it would make a rather good childrens' series on something like BBC, like Sarah Jane Adventures type, well made childrens' series. Could even bring back you know who
since he survived at the end, a different actor obviously.
:)

If it does get a blu ray release, I'm definitely going to get it.
 
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