*

Yet another vision of James-never-to-be, courtesy of the esteemed Bleak House [that Dickens built] --

-- not particularly easy to get over such uncommon face. 

*

Ach, wouldn't he make a fine, if edgy, James?.. 

____________ * maths in canon, to be sure. 

*

In my emotion, as the esteemed & well-remembered Mr. Manders* would misuse his claimed poetic gift, I proudly present the first [and much desired] deviation from the rule '...a single Soviet [Russian] movie per blog', involuntarily promoting the sensibility over the sense. Not every traitor, or the likes, does have such eyes as he whom I shall name the man who went to Berlin, for there he went, distinctly Sanders-wise, discarding the turmoils of revolution with casual & upper-class disdain; to match the quote --

I will make it through the day And then the day becomes the night I will make it through the night**

-- I give you an uncommon man with an uncommon name which hardly sounds Russian but spells exactly by the book***. 

____________ * alias Bunny. ** R.E.M. UBerlin.  *** Vladimir Robertovich Thalberg (Владимир Робертович Тальберг), The Days of the Turbins (Дни Турбиных), 1976. 

*

...Yet another evidence of laws of dialectics, I presume -- crime-fighting induces crime*. 

____________ * Raffles (1977), 'A Costume Piece'. 

*

To those who took up Hound in the pursuit of the solution to the commonly acknowledged problem of homonymy when certain names are mentioned, I satisfyingly present -- the set of 'Jameses' by K. Newman. 

‘James, James, James,’ I shouted.

*

James, really; you should confine yourself to Peeler and the Goat! 

*

Episode I 'The Acquaintance'

[1]

...with introductions blatantly omitted, we commence the worthy cycle of reviews of the ingenious [no flattery implied!] Russian-or-Soviet series of films known to us all as The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Contributing to the exceptional artistic value and providing a unique and skillful rendering [patriotism, I might suggest, excused] of Conan Doyle's immortal classics, is what is known as individual approach, or a director's touch, clearly evident in Igor Maslennikov's case; not merely an action movie with men & trees blasted to pieces; nor a blank, run-of-the-mill detective story; nor a stage play, as Frank and poor Miss Faulkner do it; but a heartfelt estimation of the British history and culture, people and traditions, as seen from a remote position on the globe. However strange it may seem now, with Internet, etc., but in the good old 1980s ['when things were so uncomplicated'], the series was apprehended as being English to the core; an absolute sensation, it won the hearts of millions of viewers in years to come, even impressing its estimation of Doyle's characters upon the literary source, which breeds confusion but succeeds in stressing points readily forgotten by the modern reviving tendencies; namely, what Percy and Chauvelin would call battle of wits, not altogether fitting in the action/adventure paradigm. 

All compliments aside, the very credits capture our attention, being itself a work of cinematographic art, with each upcoming episode enjoying a fresh design connected with its main theme. Episode I has it this way:

1. 'Lenfilm', the studio, derived from 'Leningrad', which is St. Petersburg.

2. Truly, am at a loss how to interpret 'the creative association of television films'; perchance, it might be filed under 'inherited unconscious idea' or the likes.

3. The title running 'Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: The Acquaintance' (Шерлок Холмс и доктор Ватсон: Знакомство). 

4. The names behind the faces: Vasily Livanov.

...to be prolonged

*

Yet another intermission -- there is a certain made-for-television drama by the name of The Hound of the Baskervilles (1971) which demonstrates, it pleases me to think, the apprehension of the English language common to our nation; ladies & gentlemen, a dictionary is being used! 

...I needn't quote the works, or else?

*

Now, back to the game. It is my firm belief that "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson" ("Приключения Шерлока Холмса и доктора Ватсона") made for the Soviet, or Russian, as you call it, television in 1979-1986 can be fully apprehended only by those who are Russian, indeed. By calling this series of films a 'local cultural phenomenon' he who called it so was absolutely right; it is my aspiration that the gap should be made as narrow as is possible, for the lack of sound reviews, even at the all-embracing Imdb, is evidently clear, and who could tell but those who are the native audience, including my humble self? Thus, the purpose of the blog is to provide a more or less related person with opportunity to write a few reviews, as the artistic level of the series is more than satisfactory for the attempted game to be well worth the candle.  

To ask, use the 'bookmark' link in the top left corner of the page, then use the query mark, enter your text and send it. Anonymous questions are allowed as yet. The guidelines to asking (the 'Lecture Notes'), will be presented shortly. I cannot promise to update on regular basis, but rest assured that I will. 

*

...Some people are incurable romantics indeed (see: Dr. Watson), while some of them enjoy the privilege of being the incurable, self-centered and odious composers of the Romantic school. The grandeur and the gilt, as Ms. Hepburn [unkindly] puts it in the movie, does not escape Franz Liszt whose fame our dear Henry Daniell does share while giving one brilliant performance. To think of him as suitable for the historically more or less correct Professor Moriarty [I'd rather argue for the 'more'] is not a mere wandering of the reviewer's mind but, rather, an attempt at reconstructing possibilities. A [very] thin, poetic, self-assured, reptilian-featured, sleek and snaky, highly theatrical, high-strung composer; a would-be Moriarty of great authentic depths and acting skills. Observe! [I do hope the gifs work; if not, there is a certain 221b inhabitant who, probably, will take the blame]

1. The snake-like features as imprinted upon our minds by the esteemed primary source.

2. The smugness of proportions fitting a veritable genius.

3. Affective; haughty.

4. The hand performing motions which fail at suitable descriptions.

5. Never judge a mastermind by a presumed lack of emotion. 

6. Ah, the waist...

7. Theatrical as any man mixed in the Reichenbach affair would be.

A useful intermission -- the very Genius of Evil of 1894. The origin of printed letters & the bloomer in the private diary lies solely with the responsibility of Mr. Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) of 1939. 

*

While talking Russian Holmes, I cannot but extend my ramblings about other versions of our mutual beloved characters, that is, Professor's clique. Although familiar with versatile portrayals of the votary of science & crime, I seem to constantly employ a single actor for my [sometimes indecent] creative needs; his name is Henry Daniell (Генри Дэниелл), a wonderful and very much attractive -- in spite of being very unattractive -- old Hollywood performer.

Younger Henry:

Older Henry:

Dear Henry was, indeed, cast as Professor Moriarty in Basil Rathbone's epic series of films, precisely, The Woman in Green (1945), a modernized [that is, for 1945] screen version of the canon: 

Me, though, prefers him in the older setting where Henry, as we all can judge by the magnificent, one-of-a-kind French Baron de Varville of Camille (1936), could give a stunning, visually rich performance while gratifying the aesthetic lust with fancy costumes fitting his exciting, bony frame. Next entry be the sudden, if reasonable, drawing of parallels between Professor and Franz Liszt of Song of Love (1947); a wonderful nemesis both make for Mr. Holmes! 

The legendary 1966 Soviet edition of Sherlock Holmes stories and novels in III volumes, fondly remembered by those [myself included] whose fascination with the Great Detective sprang from this very set of books. ____________ * The Final Problem, Vol. II, pp. 224-225.

Finally, the two -- an incurable romantic, a loyal friend, Doctor John Watson, and the eminent detective, a thinker and the wisest man the former had ever known (see: ACD), Mr. Sherlock Holmes; the younger brother of the smarter Brother Mycroft; the nemesis of the late [lamented, Mr. Rathbone!] Professor Moriarty and his loyal tiger-hunting friend, Colonel Moran. Vitali Solomin (Виталий Соломин) & Vasily Livanov (Василий Ливанов), whom I only mention to fit the pattern, for I'm sure you know. 

The resolute, unshakeable, old-fangled British hunter Sebastian Moran, as performed by Nikolai Kryukov (Николай Крюков). 

Strikingly imposing, impersonal, imperious Professor Moriarty, as performed by Viktor Yevgrafov (Виктор Евграфов).  

My oldest flame in Conan Doyle's and Russian Holmes', the evidently charming and unquestionably suave Mycroft Holmes, as performed by Boris Kluyev (Борис Клюев).