Friday, December 30, 2011

Because it's Friday and you deserve it. . . .


Hey! We (the Harpooners) made it to the big time. . . .

The Harpooners of the Sea Unicorn

Some thoughts on our first Jan.(winter) case, REDC


Although I doubt this makes many favorite lists,(matter of fact, out of the four countries with the largest Sherlockian groups, the highest it ranks is thirty-seventh), it does have some fun points.

Favorite quotes;

"What, indeed? It is art for art's sake,. . . "

"Education never ends, Watson. It is a series of lessons with the greatest for the last. . . ."

You can almost imagine it not being written by Watson (Doyle if you aren't 'playing the game'). But it does come rather late in the Canon so that can almost be expected. I always have trouble with English writers doing American dialog. (Then again, we did talk differently back then, English and American.)



Some discussion points; (Which many people may or may not have covered already.)

Gregson.
Location of the house.
Police lanterns.

While Watson's appearance is often just surmised at times (thanks to many artists) we learn here he sports a mustache.

How much would five pounds a week be at today's standards?

History of the Pinkerton's.

What was playing at Covent Garden in 1902?

Share your thoughts, and I will add any more I have.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Readings for Jan.

All these cases take place in Jan.

REDC (actually stated as winter)
CHAS
VALL
BLAN

For your information. . .

Abbreviations for Sherlock Holmes Stories
In Order by ABBREVIATION
           
In Order by TITLE
Abbrev

Title
           
Title

Abbrev
ABBE

The Abbey Grange
           
Abbey Grange

ABBE
BERY

The Beryl Coronet
           
Beryl Coronet

BERY
BLAC

Black Peter
           
Black Peter

BLAC
BLAN

The Blanched Soldier
           
Blanched Soldier

BLAN
BLUE

The Blue Carbuncle
           
Blue Carbuncle

BLUE
BOSC

The Boscombe Valley Mystery
           
Boscombe Valley Mystery

BOSC
BRUC

The Bruce-Partington Plans
           
Bruce-Partington Plans

BRUC
CARD

The Cardboard Box
           
Cardboard Box

CARD
CHAS

Charles Augustus Milverton
           
Case of Identity

IDEN
COPP

The Copper Beeches
           
Charles Augustus Milverton

CHAS
CREE

The Creeping Man
           
Copper Beeches

COPP
CROO

The Crooked Man
           
Creeping Man

CREE
DANC

The Dancing Men
           
Crooked Man

CROO
DEVI

The Devil's Foot
           
Dancing Men

DANC
DYIN

The Dying Detective
           
Devil's Foot

DEVI
EMPT

The Empty House
           
Disappearance of
Lady Frances Carfax

LADY
ENGR

The Engineer's Thumb
           
Dying Detective

DYIN
FINA

The Final Problem
           
Empty House

EMPT
FIVE

The Five Orange Pips
           
Engineer's Thumb

ENGR
GLOR

The "Gloria Scott"
           
Final Problem

FINA
GOLD

The Golden Pince-Nez
           
Five Orange Pips

FIVE
GREE

The Greek Interpreter
           
"Gloria Scott"

GLOR
HOUN

The Hound of the Baskervilles
           
Golden Pince-Nez

GOLD
IDEN

A Case of Identity
           
Greek Interpreter

GREE
ILLU

The Illustrious Client
           
His Last Bow

LAST
LADY

The Disappearance of
Lady Frances Carfax
           
Hound of the Baskervilles

HOUN
LAST

His Last Bow
           
Illustrious Client

ILLU
LION

The Lion's Mane
           
Lion's Mane

LION
MAZA

The Mazarin Stone
           
Man with the Twisted Lip

TWIS
MISS

The Missing Three-Quarter
           
Mazarin Stone

MAZA
MUSG

The Musgrave Ritual
           
Missing Three-Quarter

MISS
NAVA

The Naval Treaty
           
Musgrave Ritual

MUSG
NOBL

The Noble Bachelor
           
Naval Treaty

NAVA
NORW

The Norwood Builder
           
Noble Bachelor

NOBL
PRIO

The Priory School
           
Norwood Builder

NORW
REDC

The Red Circle
           
Priory School

PRIO
REDH

The Red-Headed League
           
Problem of Thor Bridge

THOR
REIG

The Reigate Squires
           
Red Circle

REDC
RESI

The Resident Patient
           
Red-Headed League

REDH
RETI

The Retired Colourman
           
Reigate Squires

REIG
SCAN

A Scandal in Bohemia
           
Resident Patient

RESI
SECO

The Second Stain
           
Retired Colourman

RETI
SHOS

Shoscombe Old Place
           
Scandal in Bohemia

SCAN
SIGN

The Sign of the Four
           
Second Stain

SECO
SILV

Silver Blaze
           
Shoscombe Old Place

SHOS
SIXN

The Six Napoleons
           
Sign of the Four

SIGN
SOLI

The Solitary Cyclist
           
Silver Blaze

SILV
SPEC

The Speckled Band
           
Six Napoleons

SIXN
STOC

The Stockbroker's Clerk
           
Solitary Cyclist

SOLI
STUD

A Study in Scarlet
           
Speckled Band

SPEC
SUSS

The Sussex Vampire
           
Stockbroker's Clerk

STOC
THOR

The Problem of Thor Bridge
           
Study in Scarlet

STUD
3GAB

The Three Gables
           
Sussex Vampire

SUSS
3GAR

The Three Garridebs
           
Three Gables

3GAB
3STU

The Three Students
           
Three Garridebs

3GAR
TWIS

The Man with the Twisted Lip
           
Three Students

3STU
VALL

The Valley of Fear
           
Valley of Fear

VALL
VEIL

The Veiled Lodger
           
Veiled Lodger

VEIL
WIST

Wisteria Lodge
           
Wisteria Lodge

WIST
YELL

The Yellow Face
           
Yellow Face

YELL

Credit where credit is due.. . .


Which we will use in just a moment.

Took a while to find. . .

Jude Law in 'Shoscombe Old Place." 1991, March.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

For those of you who are slaves to fashion. . . .

Sherlock Holmes A Game of Shadows_Jude Law herringbone front_trailer cap-3











 

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Costume Trailer Arrives


The first trailer for Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows starring Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Noomi Rapace and Jared Harris has hit the net. It seems on track with the first film; lots of action and banter, only this time grimy London has been replaced by snowy Europe. Jenny Beavan returns for costume design; the look is late Victorian with a twist.
A few interesting sartorial notes pop up, mainly attributable to ever dapper Dr. John Watson (Law), though we are given a glimpse of Sherlock Holmes’ (Downey Jr.) nemesis, Professor Moriarty (Harris). New love interest Sim (Rapace) only really gets to showcase a wide brim hat, fringed bodice and long, billowing skirts. Yet there is no mistaking her role in the film; they do not call them ‘gypsy skirts’ for nothing.


Nice to see the return of Watson’s brown bowler hat and the scarf is a fun addition. Not typically wool until the 20th century, in fact cravats were generally known as scarves until this time; if it appears homemade then this was intentional. As Jenny Beavan explains exclusively to Clothes on Film:
“The idea was that Mary had knitted it for him (Watson) and Holmes therefore absolutely hated it! I chose colours she would have thought he would like, and he loves it because she made it for him”.
The design is distinctive but not specific to any particular institution. “No school or university colours intended!” she adds.


Watson getting married in a vibrant silk stock, although eschewing a hat, while his bride Mary (Kelly Reilly) wears an ivory, long sleeve wedding dress edged in lace and full veil. Perhaps something involving Holmes and his cravat, an explosion and/or fight is either about to happen or already has..?


Holmes is in drag, which he claims is necessary, while Watson displays his customary tweed and stiff double collar with necktie. Watson is a somewhat ‘countrified’ gent in Ritchie’s vision, his attire semi-formal but suggestively ready for action.


Our first reveal of Moriarty; he is wearing a double breasted overcoat, likely of the Chesterfield variety, as based on a frock but for use as outerwear, possibly fur trimmed or concealing a scarf. Moriarty’s hat gives credence to the idea that a Victorian gentleman’s social standing could be told by the height of his topper. The next shot of Moriarty shows him in a soft collar, striped shirt and four in hand necktie. This would have been hugely forward thinking for the era – could it be part of a disguise?


Holmes looks uncharacteristically smart in a 3 piece, dogtooth check suit. Later we get a peep of his tweed suit with ‘cutaway’ (morning coat) front, or his jacket has got caught behind Sim’s elbow. That there are two buttons yet to be fastened would suggest the latter. Sim appears to have changed broomstick skirt at this point in the story, from burnt orange stripe to teal.

Who do these pumps belong too? Likely a waiter dropping glasses (possibly in 18th century period garb), though swap the buckles for satin bows and those shoes could be worn for strict male evening dress now.


Definitely Watson’s finest costume moment is this ‘slip on’ raglan sleeve raincoat, seemingly covering his Blues Patrol tunic from Sherlock Holmes 1. The coat appears to be gabardine, which would mean it could only have been made by Burberry, in the context of the film anyway, as they patented the cotton weave fabric and retained exclusive manufacturing rights until 1917. It is amazing how much this garment jumps out of the trailer. Jenny Beavan cleverly mixes old and new, modern and traditional to ensure these movies are era specific, yet easily relatable to a contemporary audience.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is released on 16th December.
© 2011,

Credit where credit is due. Chris Laverty.