'Sherlock Holmes' Footage

Big ups to both Coming Soon & Latino Review!

ShoWest is on at the moment and so the COO of Warner Bros, Alan Horn decided to pop in for a visit.

Test footage tucked under one arm and Robert Downey Jr under the other, they both took some time to give some background on Guy Ritchie’s new project, Sherlock Holmes.

Downey explained that after Iron Man he was able to basically pick and choose what he wanted to do next (and rightly so) He heard about Ritchie wanting to direct a new Sherlock Holmes film and after some discussions, managed to convince Guy to cast him in the lead role with Rachel McAdams as Holmes love interest, Irene Adler. Add Jude Law to the mix as Watson and the project was ready to roll.

The footage began and the audience saw Victorian London through its trademark haze followed by their first glimpse of Holmes smoking his pipe. A brief introduction to Inspector LeStrade provided enough clues to the audience showing that their relationship is somewhat strained.

Earlier Downey had said that the budget and technology allowed Ritchie to create a film that was based closely on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels rather than the work of Basil Rathbone as the great detectiv

It appears we are getting an origins story as the footage went on to show the introduction of Jude Law’s Dr Watson to the detective and the teething problems they go through before becoming the recognised pair they are today.

The film takes us back to the description of Holmes from the source, a physical man who would fight if required to get the job done, no matter the cost. Whether it’s just Downey’s influence or not, it also appears that Holmes is quite a hit in the bedroom as well.

There will be the usual complaints on this film, so-called experts saying it doesn’t follow the source material, or those who want an exact remake of what has gone before. I’m willing to give Guy a chance on this one, there are some big changes to the pop culture mythos of the character. Nothing that makes me cringe though.

After you’ve had your Christmas lunch and you need that excuse to escape the family gathering, go to the cinema and see Downey embrace a literary giant of a character and be prepared to be impressed.