regarding Sherlock Holmes

[xparrot]

The Holmes movie inspired me to go rereading certain key scenes (my collected edition is still packed away, so I've been trawling this site for links). There's a lot of little details in the movie that are from the canon but I'd forgotten them (Watson mentioning owning a bull pup in the first novel, and such.) RDJ's Holmes doesn't quite look the part, but his manic brilliance is perfect. And Jude Law's Watson is maybe a bit snarkier than the original, but I love him that way. Really the movie's total fanfic - good fanfic, taking the best bits of canon and running wild with them.

And, lest anyone regard the movie as excessively slashy, may I note for the record the canon's subtext. For example, take all these lines from a single story ("The Final Problem", possibly the original cliff-hanger?)

Watson on believing Holmes dead:

It was my intention to have stopped there, and to have said nothing of that event which has created a void in my life which the lapse of two years has done little to fill.

On Holmes & Watson's relationship, pre- and post-Watson's marriage (emphasis added):

It may be remembered that after my marriage, and my subsequent start in private practice, the very intimate relations which had existed between Holmes and myself became to some extent modified.

(And then Holmes calls Moriarty "the Napoleon of crime", which first made me think Solo, and really, what does he have to worry about? Now, if it were Illya...)

And then Holmes invites Watson on a vacation - "It would be a great pleasure to me, therefore, if you could come on to the Continent with me." - well, okay, it's to pursue/escape Moriarty, but Watson cheerfully agrees to come along, never mind that he's married and has a medical practice to run.

Then there's this:

"Have you seen the morning paper, Watson?"

"No."

"You haven't seen about Baker Street, then?"

"Baker Street?"

"They set fire to our rooms last night. No great harm was done."

Note the "our rooms" - even though Watson's been moved out for over a year.

Then Holmes's logic cannot prevail over Watson's loyalty:

"I think that you had better return to England, Watson."

"Why?"

"Because you will find me a dangerous companion now. This man's occupation is gone. He is lost if he returns to London. If I read his character right he will devote his whole energies to revenging himself upon me. He said as much in our short interview, and I fancy that he meant it. I should certainly recommend you to return to your practice."

It was hardly an appeal to be successful with one who was an old campaigner as well as an old friend. We sat in the Strasbourg salle-a-manger arguing the question for half an hour, but the same night we had resumed our journey and were well on our way to Geneva.

Then they have a charming vacation together!

For a charming week we wandered up the valley of the Rhone, and then, branching off at Leuk, we made our way over the Gemmi Pass, still deep in snow, and so, by way of Interlaken, to Meiringen. It was a lovely trip, the dainty green of the spring below, the virgin white of the winter above; but it was clear to me that never for one instant did Holmes forget the shadow which lay across him.

Then there's the end, when Watson deduces Holmes's final moments (after "a minute or two to collect myself, for I was dazed with the horror of the thing.") and Holmes's final letter concerning his satisfaction at being able to take out Moriarty, with only one regret:

I am pleased to think that I shall be able to free society from any further effects of his presence, though I fear that it is at a cost which will give pain to my friends, and especially, my dear Watson, to you.

And then Watson concludes his account of Holmes, "whom I shall ever regard as the best and the wisest man whom I have ever known."



...I swear that I once came across an online compilation of all the slashy quotes in the Holmes canon, but have had no luck finding it...

Comments

[innueneko.livejournal.com]

I've never read any of the sherlock holmes books (i know shame on me) but I watched the movie for the gayness. It was UNBELIEVABLY GAY. :D I cannot remember any lines in particular except for them sharing things and living together and angsting about moving out and then falling back into old habits again. A real romance they have there, oh those two.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

*laughs* I read the entire Holmesian canon back in high school in about a week, and have reread choice bits here and there since. I've been excited about the movie since I saw the first previews, and it thoroughly met all my expectations. Most especially with the gay - so nice to see one of my oldest OTPs given such on-screen recognition! ^^

[innueneko.livejournal.com]

I have a weakness for gentelman dandies. T__T; And Jude Law. And Mr. Jr.
The thought of doing fan art of those two came to me during the movie. SEVERAL TIMES. It is horribleeeee haha. Well I am expecting a flood of slashy fanfic based on those two once the dvd is out so I am not alone really.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee, one of the major reasons I've been looking forward to the movie is that with this cast, it can't help but inspire slash - and this movie especially, fandom, you better not disappoint!

(...though really, me being me, I don't even crave slash so much as extended h/c epics. Preferably with bad things happening to Watson. Sorry, Watson! ^^;)

[innueneko.livejournal.com]

Yeah I am happy about that but I kinda feel shallow being one of those people who even bothered to get into the series just because Jr and Jude are in the movie. ToT;;

...will you be writing anything because I will read it I WOULD SO READ IT. o__o

[ezazahaz.livejournal.com]

You and your pretty pretty new movie and your canon subtext trying to seduce me into a new--er, rather, old--fandom! I even checked out Hound of the Baskervilles from the library today, entirely because the movie made me really happy. :)

[epicycles.livejournal.com]

I definitely need to revisit the books -- I didn't have slash goggles the last time I read them, but the movie certainly changed that! I would add my vote to the call for extended h/c epics for this pair.

the Napoleon of crime", which first made me think Solo Dammit, I do not need any more fic/art bunnies!

[rosalui.livejournal.com]

XD So agree, on all counts. I've grown up reading the book - Dancing Men terrified me - and watching the Jeremy Brett series every week after Poirot (which is nearly as canon as the books, and this time, it was Speckled Band and Hound of the Baskervilles that scared me. I was only, like, 7).

So I was really against this new movie at first - and God, it WAS too actiony, but I still fell completely in love with it. XD Holmes and Watson were acted surprisingly well, and it was so, unbelievably gay. XD <333

[miscellanny.livejournal.com]

There was an article in the paper the other day about how there is a musical reimagining of the Holmes stories where Holmes is very definitely gay and Watson's... questioning. Apparently it's doing a tour soon. The article then went on to discuss slash fanfiction, and how Holmes' sexuality has been a point of much argument for years.

XD

My mum pointed it out to me, thought it'd be something I was interested in. I love my family.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Heee, my pretty new movie brings all the fangirls to the yard! XD Gotta say I'm pleased.

(Hound of the Baskervilles doesn't have much slash that I recall, it's the stories where it's really at...though everything is fun ^^)

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

I didn't have my slash goggles on when I first read the canon, but a few years back it did occur to me...I admit to being torn about the idea, because I rather like to think of Holmes as asexual rather than gay. But he loves Watson above all no matter how you view it - and I'm tickled the movie made that totally clear ^__^

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

I've only seen a few of Jeremy Brett's Holmes, when I was much younger, though I keep meaning to look the series up. The books I read in high school, swallowed the whole canon in about a week, and while I've reread certain stories since, my memory of exact details is hazy...well, some exact details. OTOH I can practically quote a few passages verbatim... ^^;

The new movie - okay, yeah, it was an action-packed blockbuster, but then Conan Doyle was writing pulp fiction, not classic literature! It's akin to how I feel about popularizing Shakespeare - it may not be true to the exact details of the canon, but in some respects it's truer to the spirit than a more intellectual interpretation!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Ahahah I think I heard of this musical...gnine mentioned it to me. Methinks I need to find a performance...!

"Quick, man, if you love me!"

[attaccabottoni.livejournal.com]

I believe it's "The Sexiest Lines in the Sherlockian Canon" but the link's gone! (If I saved it somewhere, I can't find it.) If we're talking pure slash, then "Decoding the Subtext" is the next best thing as reference, aside from being a comprehensive and incredibly awesome reading. :D (I spent many months going all over this equally awesome site for all my Holmes/Watson needs.)

Reading "The Final Problem" is always heart-wrenching to me, even in a gen perspective. Listening to the audio play brought tears to my eyes, I'm not sure if I have the strength to watch it!

*avoids any mention of the movie, for fear of spoilers* :D

[greyias.livejournal.com]

Preferably with bad things happening to Watson. Sorry, Watson! ^^;

Ahh, a girl after my own heart! XD

Re: "Quick, man, if you love me!"

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

The slash links page I encountered years ago, but Decoding the Subtext is new to me - I'll have to read it in detail, looks like great fun!

"The Final Problem" I love, knowing that Holmes comes back - "presumed dead"-fic always being a special favorite of mine. But if it were in the movies I have this feeling they might end the 2nd with it, and then it would be an awwwful long wait 'til the 3rd movie!

[jadeprince.livejournal.com]

Given my knowledge of your ability to weave fantastic stories of epic hurt/comfort, I wait in GREAT ANTICIPATION for an offering from your exquisitely talented mind.

::hopeful::

I just want to know what happened before Mary showed up in the clinic where Holmes was looking after a shrapnel-torn Watson. <3

[nightwalker.livejournal.com]

Wasn't it awesome? Jude Law had the look down. There were a couple times in the movie where he stopped Holmes cold with just a glance. It was great. (And I'm a geeky book fan, too.)

Party pusher

[beautifuljoe.livejournal.com]

I haven't hosted a party with totally all people who didn't know each other for years but Dec 27 I invited every booky/filmic/strange person I know -- a librarian, a documentary film maker,a scifi writer (who's on contract new Stargate Atlantis book series -- yeah!!) etc. (only one clergy!) to go to the 4:20 show of Sherlock Holmes and then come to the house potluck food and drink.

What a perfect opener -- I had to scrape people out of the house at late hours -- so much fun -- sorry (not really) that your folks were with you because they would have had so much fun!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

They were both great, their chemistry was awesome! I like a Watson who can stand up to Holmes, I can't see Holmes putting up with him for long otherwise...

Re: Party pusher

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Mom mentioned your party, I'm sorry to have missed it - it sounds like great fun!

(that would be Melissa Scott, no? I heard she was going to be doing SGA novels...will be curious about them, she's bound to do a better job than the show-writers, anyway!)