THE SHERLOCK HOLMES MOVIE COLLECTION [2009 / 2011 / 2012] [2 Film Collections] [Blu-ray + DVD + ULTRAVIOLET Digital Copy] [UK Release] Make It a Double Shot of Sherlock Holmes Excitement!
Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law team up for Two exciting film adventures from the director Guy Ritchie. In the first film ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES,’ Sherlock Holmes [Robert Downey Jr.] and Dr. John Watson [Jude law] plunge into a world of dark arts and startling new technologies, and duel against the ruthless Lord Blackwood [Mark Strong] and the brilliant temptress Irene Adler [Rachel McAdams]. Then in, ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS,’ the duo faces their greatest enemy, Professor James Moriarty [Jared Harris], in a dangerous battle that could alter world history.
FILM FACT No.1: SHERLOCK HOLMES Awards and Nominations: 2009 Houston Film Critics Society Awards: Nominated: Best Original Score for Hans Zimmer. 2009 Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards: Nominated: Rondo Statuette for Best Film for Guy Ritchie. 2010 Academy Awards®: Nominated: Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score for Hans Zimmer. Nominated: Best Achievement in Art Direction for Sarah Greenwood (production designer) and Katie Spencer (set decorator). 2010 Golden Globes: Win: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture in a Comedy or Musical for Robert Downey Jr. 2010 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA: Nominated: Best Action / Adventure / Thriller Film. Nominated: Best Actor for Robert Downey Jr. Nominated: Best Supporting Actor for Jude Law. Nominated: Best Supporting Actress for Rachel McAdams. Nominated: Best Director for Guy Ritchie. Nominated: Best Music for Hans Zimmer. Nominated: Best Costume for Jenny Beavan. Nominated: Best Production Design for Sarah Greenwood. 2010 Art Directors Guild: Win: Excellence in Production Design Award for Period Film for Sarah Greenwood (production designer), Niall Moroney (supervising art director), James Foster (art director), Nick Gottschalk (art director), Matthew Gray (art director), Netty Chapman (standby art director), Chris Clarke (standby art director – second unit), Hayley Easton Street (visual effects art director), Matthew Robinson (assistant art director), Helen Xenopoulos (assistant art director), Patricia Woodbridge (art director – New York), Toni Barton (assistant art director – New York), Bradley Schmidt (assistant art director – New York), Michael Auszura (assistant art director – New York), Eva Kuntz (illustrator), David Allcock (storyboard artist), Temple Clark (storyboard artist), Simon Duric (storyboard artist), Charlotte Leatherland (lead draughtsman), Andrew Bennett (draughtsman), Alice Biddle (draughtsperson), Dean Clegg (draughtsman), Elizabeth Loach (draughtsperson), Chris Lowe (draughtsman), Choi Ho Man (draughtsperson), Sandra Phillips (draughtsperson), Mike Stallion (draughtsman), Lotta Wolgers (draughtsperson), Daniel Swingler (junior draughtsman), Laura Dishington (graphic designer), Susan Bode (set decorator – New York), Sophie Tyler (assistant set decorator), Katie Spencer (set decorator), Kerri McGill (shop person – New York), Jennifer Alex Nickason (assistant set decorator – New York), Jun Xu (graphic artist), Jim Stanes (graphic artist), Greg Williams (journeyman scenic – New York), Yongxi Chen (journeyman scenic – New York), Jamie Lynn Petagna (journeyman scenic – New York), Shauna Kellin (journeyman scenic – New York), Penko Platikanov (journeyman scenic – New York), Lawrence Robinson (journeyman scenic – New York), Christopher Kay (journeyman scenic – New York), Kate Fenton (journeyman scenic – New York), Abe Costanza (journeyman scenic – New York), Stephen Barth (journeyman scenic – New York), Rob Landoll (journeyman scenic – New York), Kristin Emery (journeyman scenic – New York), Ann Harmon (journeyman scenic – New York), Stephen Siersema (journeyman scenic – New York), Iosif Yusupov (journeyman scenic – New York), Alison Gilham (journeyman scenic – New York), David Caudle (journeyman scenic – New York), Julia Goldman (journeyman scenic – New York), Nili Lerner (scenic foreman – New York), Elizabeth Linn (charge scenic – New York), Brian Kontz (plaster foreman – New York), Thomasina Smith (fine artist), Peter Whitney (second shop person – New York), Jessica Kosky (journeyman apprentice – New York), Hannah Price (camera scenic – New York), Alexander James (shop person – New York), Luke Smith (lead shop person – New York) and Liz Colbert (graphic artist). 2010 BMI Film & TV Awards: Win: BMI Film Music Award for Best Score for Hans Zimmer. 2010 Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards: Nominated: Critics Choice Award for Best Score for Hans Zimmer. 2010 Casting Society of America: Nominated: Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting in a Big Budget Feature Drama for Reg Poerscout-Edgerton. 2010 Costume Designers Guild Awards: Nominated: Excellence in Period Film for Jenny Beavan. 2010 Evening Standard British Film Awards: Nominated: Best Technical Editing Achievement for James Herbert. 2010 Gold Derby Awards: Nominated: Best Art Direction for Katie Spencer and Sarah Greenwood. 2010 Gran Premio Internazionale del Doppiaggio: Nominated: Film Award for Best Picture. Nominated: Film Award for Best Supporting Voice Actress for Federica De Bortoli for the dubbing of Rachel McAdams. 2010 Hollywood Post Alliance Awards: Nominated: Outstanding Compositing in a Feature Film for Alex Cumming, Jan Adamczyk, Kate Windibank, Sam Osborne and Framestore. 2010 International Film Music Critics Award: Nominated: Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure Film for Hans Zimmer. 2010 Irish Film and Television Awards: Win: Best International Actor for Robert Downey Jr. 2010 Motion Picture Sound Editors, USA: Nominated: Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing and Music in a Feature Film for Bob Badami (supervising music editor) and Peter Oso Snell (music editor). 2010 MTV Movie + TV Awards: Nominated: Best Fight for Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Strong. 2010 Teen Choice Awards: Win: Choice Movie Actress: Action Adventure for Rachel McAdams. Win: Choice Movie: Action Adventure. Nominated: Choice Movie Actor: Action Adventure for Robert Downey Jr. 2010 Visual Effects Society Awards: Win: Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture for Chas Jarrett (vfx supervisor), Daniel Barrow (vfx producer), David Vickery (vfx supervisor) and Jonathan Fawkner (vfx supervisor). Nominated: Outstanding Compositing in a Feature Motion Picture for Alex Cumming (junior compositor), Jan Adamczyk (mid compositor), Kate Windibank (senior compositor) and Sam Osborne (compositor) for the wharf explosion sequence. 2010 World Soundtrack Awards: Nominated: Best Original Soundtrack of the Year for Hans Zimmer. 2010 World Stunt Awards: Win: Taurus Award for Best Fire Stunt for Glenn Foster for full Burn and 80ft fall through window [‘SHERLOCK HOLMES’]. Win: Taurus Award for Best High Work for Glenn Foster for 55ft Head First High Dive into River Thames window [‘SHERLOCK HOLMES’]. 2011 Grammy Awards: Nominated: Best Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media for Hans Zimmer.
FILM FACT No.2: SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS Awards and Nominations: 2012 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA: Nominated: Best Action/Adventure Film. Nominated: Best Costumes for Jenny Beavan. 2012 ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards: Win: Top Box Office Films for Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe. 2012 British Society of Cinematographers: Nominated: GBCT Operators Award for Vince McGahon. 2012 Jupiter Award: Nominated: Best International Actress for Noomi Rapace. 2012 Teen Choice Awards: Nominated: Choice Movie: Action. Nominated: Choice Movie Actor: Action for Robert Downey Jr. Nominated: Choice Movie Actress: Action for Noomi Rapace. 2012 The Operators Award: Nominated: Feature Film for Vince McGahon (camera operator). 2012 Visual Effects Society Awards: Nominated: Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture for Chas Jarrett, Laya Armian, Seth Maury and Sirio Quintavalle.
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SHERLOCK HOLMES Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan, Robert Maillet, Geraldine James, Kelly Reilly, William Houston, Hans Matheson, James Fox, William Hope, Clive Russell, Clive Russell, Oran Gurel, David Garrick, Kylie Hutchinson, Andrew Brooke, Tom Watt, John Kearney, Sebastian Abineri, Jonathan Gabriel Robbins, James A. Stephens, Terence Taplin, Bronagh Gallagher, Ed Tolputt, Joe Egan, Jefferson Hall, Miles Jupp, Marn Davies, Andrew Greenough, Ned Dennehy, Martin Ewens, Amanda Grace Johnson, James Greene, David Emmings, Ben Cartwright, Chris Sunley, Michael Jenn, Timothy O'Hara, Guy Williams, Peter Miles, Sharon Ashton (uncredited), William Atkinson (uncredited), Paul Bateman (uncredited), Kathryn Beaumont (uncredited), Aidan Belizaire (uncredited), Jonathan Bridge (uncredited), Kenneth W. Caravan (uncredited), Alan Carter (uncredited), Kenneth Coombs (uncredited), Radu Andrei Cucu (uncredited), James Currie (uncredited), Paul J. Dove (uncredited), Jasey Ó Dálaigh (uncredited), Andrew Goldfarb (uncredited), Kas Graham (uncredited), Marc Hockley (uncredited), Thomas Kadman (uncredited), Brendan McCoy (uncredited), Terence Pickering (uncredited), Matthew Radway (uncredited), Rocco Ritchie (uncredited), Bryan Samson (uncredited), Robert Stone (uncredited), David Swift (uncredited) and John Warman (uncredited)
Director: Guy Ritchie
Producers: Bruce Berman, Dan Lin, Dana Goldberg, Joel Silver, Lauren Meek, Lionel Wigram, Michael Tadross, Peter Eskelsen, Steve Clark-Hall and Susan Downey
Screenplay: Anthony Peckham (screenplay), Lionel Wigram(screen story), Michael Robert Johnson (screenplay/ screen story), Simon Kinberg (screenplay) and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (novels and characters: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson)
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Cinematography: Philippe Rousselot, A.F.C., A.S.C. (Director of Photography)
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SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Rachel McAdams, Jared Harris, Stephen Fry, Paul Anderson, Kelly Reilly, Geraldine James, Eddie Marsan, William Houston, Wolf Kahler, Iain Mitchell, Jack Laskey, Patricia Slater, Karima Adebibe, Richard Cunningham, Marcus Shakesheff, Mark Sheals, George Taylor, Michael Webber, Mike Grady, Alexandre Carril, Victor Carril, Thorston Manderlay, Affif Ben Badra, Daniel Naprous, Lancelot Weaver, Vladimir 'Furdo' Furdik, Jacques Senet Larson, Nicolas Senet Larson, Sebastian Senet Larson, Alexander Devrient, Fatima Adoum, Stanley Kaye, Thierry Neuvic, Martin Nelson, Mark Llewelyn-Evans, Anthony Inglis, Ian Wilson-Pope, Pamela Hay, Laurence Dobiesz, Peter Stark, Roman Jankovic, Fredrick Ruth, Carsten Hayes, Jonathan Christie, James McNeill, Laurentiu Possa, Maitland Chandler, Joe Egan, Clive Russell, Lasco Atkins (uncredited), D.J. Bailey (uncredited), Paul Bateman (uncredited), Chris Capaldi (uncredited), Kenneth Coombs (uncredited), Gioacchino Jim Cuffaro (uncredited), Lukas DiSparrow (uncredited), Ray Donn (uncredited), Ross Egan (uncredited), Rich Goble (uncredited), Shonn Gregory (uncredited), Marina Hayter (uncredited), Marc Hockley (uncredited), Jefferson King (uncredited), Jeff Lipman (uncredited), Steve Munroe (uncredited), Kerry Rousell (uncredited), Mark Sealey (uncredited), Danny Seldon (uncredited), Alain Stash (uncredited), Tom Swacha (uncredited), Charles Walters (uncredited), Paul Warren (uncredited) and Christian Wolf-La'Moy (uncredited)
Director: Guy Ritchie
Producers: Bruce Berman, Dan Lin, Ethan Erwin, Joel Silver, Juan Ignacio Davila, Lauren Meek, Lionel Wigram. Peter Eskelsen, Susan Downey and Steve Clark-Hall
Screenplay: Kieran Mulroney (screenplay), Michele Mulroney (screenplay) and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (novels and characters: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson)
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Cinematography: Philippe Rousselot, A.F.C., A.S.C. (Director of Photography)
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Image Resolution: 1080p (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 and 2.40:1
Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
French: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
German: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
Italian: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
Spanish: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
Japanese: 5.1 Dolby Digital EX Surround Sound
Polish: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
Turkish: 2.0 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English, English SDH, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, Swedish, Spanish, Norwegian, Italian, Italian SDH and Turkish
Running Time: 128 minutes and 129 minutes
Region: Blu-ray: All Regions + DVD: PAL
Number of discs: 4
Studio: Warner Home Video
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: Director Guy Ritchie's version of the great fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, is first and foremost an action hero. Guy Ritchie's ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES’ films aren't anything like the “SHERLOCK” British BBC TV shows, where Sherlock Holmes usually sticks to observing rather than fighting. That's not to say this Sherlock Holmes, played superbly by Robert Downey, Jr., is any slouch when it comes to figuring out complicated dastardly deeds, but he is a Sherlock Holmes for a newer generation of film goers who are used to frantic, helter-skelter action instead of methodical pacing.
Part of the fun with the Guy Richie Sherlock Holmes films is the coy way it plays with the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. These two men are oddly close and Sherlock Holmes usually casts Dr. Watson's, especially in the ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS’ the new bride is out of the picture whenever he finds the time.
The first ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES’ film from Guy Ritchie is centred around a one-off villain named Lord Blackwood [Mark Strong]. The presence of one James Moriarty [Jared Harris] in the second film was only hinted at in the ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES’ film. Here the rivalry is front and centre, and the two foes whose conflict has spanned the test of time, find themselves once again facing off against each other, both of them keenly aware of the other's intellect. James Moriarty is a dangerous sociopath, but so is Sherlock Holmes. The only difference is that James Moriarty doesn't mind if he kills people to get what he wants, whereas Sherlock Holmes is not homicidal.
Robert Downey, Jr. picks up right where he left off with the first film, and with the second film entitled ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS’ and maybe we see him even slightly more manic this time around. Sherlock Holmes isn't dealing with the situation at hand very well. In the film ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS’ Dr. John Watson [Jude Law] is finally getting married, and Sherlock Holmes doesn't like it one bit. He has a deep love for his friend, one that he would never admit to, so he can't really get over the fact that his one and only true friend is leaving him for a woman!
Much like the first ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES’ film, in the second film ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS’ is just as fast-paced and just as action-packed. Even with the flashbacks, Sherlock Holmes works problems out in his mind at lightning-fast speed, are edited in a semi-nauseating way that will remind you of the cut scenes from Guy Ritchie's 'Snatch' and complete with sound effects for camera movements.
The fight scenes in both films, while nicely choreographed, are edited like every other modern action film, but with a lot more panache. There are nearly incoherent bursts of flailing limbs crashing into each other as Sherlock Holmes takes on one attacker after another. I think that since the fight was already shown in slow-motion inside Sherlock Holmes' mind that Guy Ritchie doesn't feel the need for us to watch the entire thing again in regular motion. Instead we get a rapid-fire succession of action shots.
However, like the first film ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES,’ in the second film ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS’ is carried this time solely on the back of Robert Downey Jr. with his panache and charisma as a manic sociopath who may or may not be going completely delusional and delivers his lines as fast as Guy Ritchie delivers the action. Sherlock Holmes mood in the film ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS’ seems much more agitated most likely due to his best friend getting married and leaving him. Robert Downey Jr. is as always a treat to watch. There are certain things he must retain to make it a believable Sherlock Holmes, but he adds something else to the part that makes him so watchable. Robert Downey Jr. has made the character his very own. I hope sometime in the near future they will release a third Guy Ritchie SHERLOCK HOLMES film, as they are fantastic sublime entertainment.
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SHERLOCK HOLMES MUSIC TRACK LIST
German Dance No. 10 in D Major from "Twelve German Dances" (Written by Ludwig van Beethoven) (Arranged by Rick Wentworth) [Performed by The Isobel Griffiths Ensemble]
Adagio from String Quartet Opus 1 No. 3 In D Major (Written by Franz Joseph Haydn) (Arranged by Rick Wentworth) [Performed by The Isobel Griffiths Ensemble]
THE ROCKY ROAD TO DUBLIN (Written by Ciáran Bourke, Ronnie Drew, Luke Kelly and Barney McKenna) (Arranged by The Dubliners) (uncredited) [Performed by The Dubliners]
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SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS MUSIC TRACK LIST
Fischerweise, D.881 (Written by Franz Schubert) [Performed by Irmgard Seefried]
LARKING AROUND (Written by Adam Summerhayes) [Performed by Adam Summerhayes and Emil Chakalov]
L'Ultima Prova from "Don Giovanni" (Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) [Performed by Regina Schorg, Bo Skovhus and Renato Girolami with Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia) [Conducted by Michael Halász]
Ah, Signor Per Carita from "Don Giovanni" (Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) [Performed by Regina Schorg, Bo Skovhus and Renato Girolami with Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia) [Conducted by Michael Halász]
Don Giovanni a Cenar Teco from "Don Giovanni" (Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) [Performed by Janusz Monarcha, Bo Skovhus and Renato Girolami with The Choir of the Hungarian National Radio Chorus abd Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia] Conducted by Michael Halász]
TWO MULES FOR SISTER SARA [Main Title] (Written by Ennio Morricone) [Performed by Movie Screen Orchestra]
Die Forelle (Written by Franz Schubert) [Performed by Ian Bostridge / Julius Drake]
Accelerationen, Op. 234/Wiener Blut (Vienna Blood) (Written by Johann Strauss II) [Re-orchestration by Aleksey Igudesman and Dominic Lewis]
Eine kleine Nachtmusik (uncredited) (Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
THE MAN WHO BROKE THE BANK AT MONTE CARLO (uncredited) (Written by Fred Gilbert)
AND THE BAND PLAYED ON (uncredited) (Lyrics by John F. Palmer) (Music by Charles B. Ward)
ROMANIAN WIND (uncredited) (Written by Hans Zimmer)
Die Forelle (The Trout) (Written by Franz Schubert) [Performed by Jared Harris]
THE GREEN HILLS OF TYROL (uncredited) [Music adapted for bagpipes by John MacLeod from "William Tell" by Gioachino Rossini]
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Blu-ray Image Quality – Both ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES’ and ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS’ is a very shadowy video presentation that features great detail even though much of the films are spent lurking in dark places. Warner Home Video has offered a 1080p encoded transfer that looks, well to my mind, perfect and is of course enhanced with both 1.85:1 and 2.40:1 aspect ratios. These two Blu-ray discs are both demonstration quality image transfer throughout. When you can have films of this calibre as dark as this, honestly, I'm pretty sure that there are only a handful of well-lit scenes, especially with the wedding being one of them, the rest of the scenes play out in lots of darkened clubs, alleyways, balconies, parties, and forests. This is a very dark film with a colour palette dominated by greys and blacks. It could've easily been a movie fraught with crushing and banding, but it isn't. Blacks are some of the inkiest you'll ever see on this format. Shadows are perfectly delineated. Just check out the close-ups during the scene in ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS’ where Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson sneak into the weapons factory. Even though it's under thick darkness, shadows still accentuate facial features like lines, pores, and stubble. These are easy features to lose in a really dark film, but they aren't lost here. The same holds for textures as well. The woven texture of Dr. Watson's suits stand out no matter what the lighting situation the person finds themselves in. To sum up both films, they are well-lit scenes sparkle with clarity. Skin tones appear to be genuinely natural. This is just a great presentation all around. There wasn't one instance of source noise, not one instance of banding that I saw and both Blu-ray discs look one of the best looking image presentations to come out in years.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – Both films are present in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and is just as impressive as the image presentation. Seriously, this is a heavy, thundering audio mix that will grab your eardrums. Booming bass rolls through the soundtrack during many of both film's intense scenes. Especially like the towering structure in ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS’ that comes crashing down in a weapons factory you'll notice the entire room shake like something is falling down on your house. Sound effects are used with great frequency, especially during the slow-motion action scenes in the SHERLOCK HOLMES films flashback scenes. With any Guy Ritchie's films, his signature is always "wham, bam," sound effects take over they are localised perfectly in the speakers that they need to be in. The slow-motion scene with Dr. Watson, Sherlock Holmes, and others running away from the weapons factory in the ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS,’ being fired upon, features some wonderful directionality. Bullets whiz by, the camera stops and watches a bullet splinter a tree trunk as the sound is produced with perfect clarity in the front channels. Explosions happen in front of, to the side of, and behind the characters, each time with the heft of the sound coming from the necessary place in the sound field. The audio in both films will easily impress. Guy Ritchie's soundtracks have always been chock full of special sound effects and there's no difference here. The entire track, from front to rear, is alive with action and doesn't stop until the credits have finished rolling.
Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
SHERLOCK HOLMES
Special Feature: Maximum Movie Mode [2009] [1080p] [1.85:1] [131:40] With this very special feature, we get an interactive viewing experience, in which the whole film is examined and includes a Walk-on throughout with Director Guy Ritchie where he talks in-depth Focus on all technical aspects on the making of the film, and we also get to view Picture-in-Picture, Storyboard Comparisons, Still Galleries and much more. Contributors include: Steve Clark-Hall (Co-producer), Mark Strong (Lord Blackwood), Sarah Greenwood (Production Designer), Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes), Katie Spencer (Set Decorator), Jude Law (Dr. John Watson), Giles Edleston (Location Manager), Susan Downey (Producer), Lionel Wigram (British film producer/screenwriter), Rachel McAdams (Irene Adler), Nick Jeffries (Armourer), Mark Somner (Location Manager)
Special Feature: Focus Points [2009] [1080p] [1.78:1] [31:17] Here we get to view another interactive viewer experience in which again the film is examined, but this time we get to view an in-depth look behind-the-scene of what went into creating a Victorian experience for the film ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES’ and here is what you get to view:
Drawbridges & Dollies: Designing a late Victorian London, where Production Designer Sarah Greenwood and Company, confess to the challenges of creating a “real” 19th century London.
Not A Deerstalker Cap in Sight: Costume Designer Jenny Bevan, plus cast and crew reveal privilege information on updating an icon that is of course Sherlock Holmes.
Ba-Ritsu: A Tutorial: Learn about the imaginary mortal art form developed for Sherlock Holmes that incorporates elements of Wing Chun, Jujitsu and plain ‘ol movie magic.
Elementary English: Perfecting Sherlock’s Accent: Robert Downey Jr. voiced Sherlock Holmes in “received pronunciation” with the help of celebrated Dialogue Coach Andrew Jack and witness a master at work, devising an English voice for Robert Downey Jr.
The One That Got Away: In “A Scandal in Bohemia,” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle hinted about a woman who had gotten the better of the sleuth. Rachel McAdams and others testify about the female character in this film.
Powers of Observation & Deduction: Producer Lionel Wigram imbued the story with hundreds of details tying the film to the Sherlock Holmes “canon.” We discover a few hidden gems of information.
The Sherlockians: Here we get to view the experts who meet once a year at a “Sherlockian” Conference entitled the “Baker St. Irregulars Weekend” in New York City who explain why Sherlock Holmes is one of fiction’s most enduring characters. Contributors include: Lionel Wigram (Story/Producer), Carol Fish (Fan Gathering Organizer), John Lescroart (Author), Peter Blau (Baker St. Irregulars Secretary), David Stuart Davies (British Writer/Editor), Otto Penzler (Mysterious Bookshop), Steven T. Doyle (Baker St. Irregulars) and Roger Johnson (Editor).
Future Past: Here we take an in-depth look inside the process of re-creating a London Victorian past that no longer exists. We also get to see Director Guy Richie and his team who were able to magically make old time London a reality and one of the main focal points in the film ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES.’ Contributors include: Lionel Wigram (Story/Producer), Joel Silver (Producer), Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes), Guy Ritchie (Director), Sarah Greenwood (Production Designer) and Jude law (Dr. John Watson).
Special Feature: Behind The Story: Sherlock Holmes Reinvented [2009] [1080p] [1.78:1] [14:06] Here the cast and crew are giving their comments on how wonderful it was to work with each other and on this film. It is also loaded with a plethora of clips from the film. With this excellent feature, we find out the conscious decision to make the film the way they did. While not taking the main plot from any book in particular, they very wisely kept the flavour of Sir Arthur's writings. For me, the most memorable moment in "Focus Point" was where Dialect Coach Andrew Jack talked of how he had worked with Robert Downey Jr. on Sir Richard Attenborough's ‘Chaplin’ [1992] and ‘Restoration’ [1995]. Contributors include: Guy Ritchie (Director), Lionel Wigram (Story/Producer), Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes), Steven Clark-Hall (Co-Producer), Joel Silver (Producer), Susan Downey (Producer), Jude Law (Dr. John Watson), Rachel McAdams (Irene Adler), Franklin Henson (Stunt Coordinator), Eric Oram (Fight Consultant) and Mark Strong (Lord Blackwood).
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SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS
Special Feature: Maximum Movie Mode of Sherlock Holmes [2012] [1080p] [2.40:1/1.85:1] [128:43] Here once again we have an amazing interactive viewer experience in which the entire film is examined, but this time the host is Robert Downey Jr. It also contains Focus Points, Picture In Picture, Storyboard Comparisons, Still Galleries and much more. Contributors include: Rachel McAdams (Irene Adler), Susan Downey (Producer), Guy Ritchie (Director), Jude Law (Dr. John Watson), Eric Oram (Fight Coordinator), Lionel Wigram (Story/Producer) and Jenny Beavan (Costume Designer).
Special Feature: Focus Points [2012] [1080p] [2.40:1/1.85:1] [34:59] Here once again we get to view another interactive viewer experience in which the film ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS gets an in-depth examination, but this time we get to view seven individual special features and they are as follows:
Holmesavision on Steroids: With an arsenal of high-tech gear, a truck full of explosives and cast are willing to get dirty, and Guy Ritchie takes the action to a whole new level: Contributors include: Lionel Wigram (Producer), Stephen Fry (Mycroft Holmes), Guy Ritchie (Director), Jude Law (Dr. John Watson), Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes), Joel Silver (Producer) and Susan Downey (Producer).
Moriarty's Master Plan Unleashed: Sherlock Holmes has finally met his match in the diabolical Professor Moriarty. Jared Harris goes toe to toe with Robert Downey Jr. in a battle of wits to prove who is the master of a game of shadows. Contributors include: Stephen Fry (Mycroft Holmes), Jude Law (Dr. John Watson), Susan Downey (Producer), Jared Harris (Professor James Moriarty), Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes), Adam Raoof (Chess Advisor) and Philippe Rousselot (Director of Photography).
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: A Perfect Chemistry: Robert Downey Jr. and Jude law expose how they refined the hilarious secret of their chemistry on and off the set. Contributors include: Jude Law (Dr. John Watson), Susan Downey (Producer), Guy Ritchie (Director), Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes), Leslie S. Klinger (Consultant Author of "The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes”), Stephen Fry (Mycroft Holmes) and Lionel Wigram (Producer).
Meet Mycroft Holmes: Sherlock’s not the only Holmes on the case anymore. Lifelong Sherlock Holmes fan Stephen fry brings Sherlock Homes’ brother Mycroft Holmes to life. Contributors include: Lionel Wigram (Producer), Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes), Stephen Fry (Mycroft Holmes), Jude Law (Dr. John Watson), Susan Downey (Producer), Jenny Beavan (Costume Designer), Guy Ritchie (Director) and Leslie S. Klinger (Consultant Author of "The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes”).
Sherlock Holmes: Under the Gypsy Spell: Noomi Rapace and her Band of Gypsies take Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson out of the drawing room and into a cool, exotic world. Contributors include: Jude Law (Dr. John Watson), Guy Ritchie (Director), Lionel Wigram (Producer), Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes), Noomi Rapace (Madam Simza Heron), Susan Downey (Producer) and Jenny Beavan (Costume Designer)
Guy Ritchie's Well-Oiled Machine: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and the film’s supporting cast reveal the secret of “little things” that makes the group so special. Contributors include: Stephen Fry (Mycroft Holmes), Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes), Kelly Reilly (Mary Watson), Rachel McAdams (Irene Adler), Guy Ritchie (Director), Jude Law (Dr. John Watson) and Susan Downey (Producer).
Holmes Without Borders: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and crew escape the confines of Victorian London and take their adventure to Paris, Germany and beyond. Contributors include: Susan Downey (Producer), Jude Law (Dr. John Watson), Joel Silver (Producer), Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes), Guy Ritchie (Director), Lionel Wigram (Producer), Steve Clark-Hall (Executive Producer) and Sarah Greenwood (Production Designer).
Special Feature: SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS MOVIE APP: With this special feature, you can further investigate the action packed world of Sherlock Holmes and enhance your viewing experience with your mobile device or tablet. Explore interactive scene breakdowns, compare the script of the film and examine the rich characters and the history of the sleuth Sherlock Holmes. Running Time: 128:44
Theatrical Trailer [2011] [1080p] [1.85:1] [2:26] This is the Original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘New Year’s Eve.’
Finally, Director Guy Ritchie the director and actor Robert Downey Jr. interpretation of Sherlock Holmes character is certainly not in adherence with the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle original story genre. In these two film versions, Guy Ritchie and Robert Downey Jr. put emphasis on Sherlock Holmes as action hero as much as his deductive reasoning capabilities. As a result, both films are somewhat convoluted script-wise, but definitely provides a lot of popcorn film action, including a great slow-motion effects chase and battle scenes. No matter which Blu-ray disc release you opt for, both the video and audio elements of the get high marks for it transfer to Blu-ray, making for great demo material for your family, friends, and neighbours. That is why I am so honoured to have this 2 Film Blu-ray package, as it is total entertainment and will keep you well occupied throughout the two Blu-ray discs and is well worth dipping in now and again, as the first time you view these Blu-ray discs, you miss so much the first time round. Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
