New Russian Sherlock Holmes TV series

[aely]

Episode 1, with subtitles, is on youtube and seems to be based on "The Adventure of Black Peter"  for those who like to keep track of that sort of thing.

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Good to hear that someone is dramatizing "Black Peter."  I enjoyed reading the story, but Moftiss seem to have no interest in it, other than the opening scene where Sherlock is covered in blood and holding a harpoon.

 

Is that their Holmes that we see before playing the video?

 

[aely]

yup

[Carol the Dabbler]

I think I like him!     (Too bad we have such a slow internet connection -- or I'd watch some of it.)

 

[aely]

could you use a youtube downloader and save it to your own comp and watch later?

[Carol the Dabbler]

If I were desperate to watch this, Alex could download it at work -- but as I don't understand Russian anyhow, my interest is necessarily pretty casual.

 

As I said somewhere around here lately, we're seriously looking into high(er)-speed internet options here.  As web sites become ever more complex, our per-page download speed grows ever slower.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

It does have the English caption options.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Oh!  Well, I'll put that on my library list then (they have wi-fi there).

 

[softmachine]

these are fantastic

 

the interpretation of Holmes is very different... and takes a bit of getting used to... but once you do...! I like the older and more experienced Watson too.

[softmachine]

the series is proving to be a real delight

 

episode one 221b was like a cross between Study In Scarlet and Black Peter, with a dash of Robert Downey Jr for good measure.

 

I just saw from the comments on YouTub though that the actor playing Watson died last year... in fact, was murdered!!

[softmachine]

[Carol the Dabbler]

I've looked up the show on Wikipedia, and it has some interesting departures from the usual -- for example, Watson is deliberately embellishing his written stories at the urging of his publisher.

 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

 

for example, Watson is deliberately embellishing his written stories at the urging of his publisher.

 

  Whoa, shades of Dr. John H. Watson and his "literary agent" SACD?

[softmachine]

I've looked up the show on Wikipedia, and it has some interesting departures from the usual -- for example, Watson is deliberately embellishing his written stories at the urging of his publisher.

 

I like the sound of this

 

I hope in these episodes Holmes gives him a right telling off for that! lol

[Carol the Dabbler]

Doesn't he always?  (Whether Watson embellishes or not!)

 

[Pawse]

The only Russian version I've heard of is one starring some dude called Vasily ... something.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Now that we have high(er)-speed internet service, I finally watched the first episode (see Aely's initial post, above) and really liked it!  It's got just enough humor, the plot is clever (though that's at least in part thanks to Sir Arthur), and the acting is very good as well.

 

I'm glad for the English subtitles, so I feel a bit like an ingrate for saying they're the weakest part of the show.  They were obviously done by someone (presumably a Russian) who does not speak 100% fluent English.  So for example, a number of the's and a's are missing and some of the phrasing is awkward.  Also, the dialog uses quite a lot of post-Victorian slang.  But no biggie -- I just re-translate in my head!

 

Added:  I suspect (see next post) that the subtitles were a fan project, in which case I retract my quibbles, because I am really grateful to them for going to all that trouble.

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Here are two more episodes -- with English subtitles.  I get the feeling that someone is doing the subtitles as a labor of love, for which they have my gratitude.

[softmachine]

i'd love for these to come out on DVD

 

I have just gotten round to watching the first of the previous Russian series DVDs, which are also amazing, although obviously much more 'traditional'

[Pawse]

The only Russian version I've heard of is one starring some dude called Vasily ... something.

Never mind - I found him Vasily Livanov. His screen partner was Vitaly Solomin, who died a few years ago. I have the boxset on order.

[Pawse]

 

The only Russian version I've heard of is one starring some dude called Vasily ... something.

Never mind - I found him Vasily Livanov. His screen partner was Vitaly Solomin, who died a few years ago. I have the boxset on order.

Upon which I now have it and am almost at the end of it. It's amazing!

[Carol the Dabbler]

How would you compare / contrast it with the newer Russian show (assuming that you've seen any of the episodes linked to in this thread)?

 

[Boton]

I watched "Baker Street 221B" last night, and I must say I'm rather charmed -- this is the most delightfully bizarre thing I've seen in a while.  John Watson looks exactly like what you think John Watson would -- if he were Russian.  Which is awesome.  

 

And 221B Baker.  I love it that it's a rooming house more than a series of flats -- Holmes tips John Watson* off that there's a room available, and the two are basically neighbors rather than flatmates.  And there are about 17 other people living there.  

 

*I keep referring to this Watson as "John Watson" in my head, because it seemed that they used his full name an inordinate amount.  So, OK, for me: Sherlock Watson is John, canon Watson is Watson, Elementary Watson is Joan, and Russian Watson is John Watson.  Now I need to figure out how to differentiate RDJ Watson. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Somebody could be "Doctor Watson."

 

I notice you didn't mention Nigel Bruce or either of Brett's Watsons -- but they're all canon, right?

 

[Boton]

Somebody could be "Doctor Watson."

 

I notice you didn't mention Nigel Bruce or either of Brett's Watsons -- but they're all canon, right?

 

I think every version is "Moftiss canon," so I accept that as well.

 

I just haven't yet made it to Bruce or Brett yet.  I expect to have a surfeit of "Watsons" to keep track of in my own mind.  

 

ETA:  There is a terrible danger that RDJ Watson is just "Jude Law."