It’s just Chinatown Jake: Film Noir movies from our DVD collection

via GIPHY

Following the end of World War Two, French publishing house Gallimard started publishing translations of American crime novels through its Série noire imprint: including authors such as Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, James M. Cain and David Goodis. The following year, French critic Nino Frank wrote the earliest essays identifying a new departure in American film making, the ‘Film Noir’- though the term itself did not come into ‘official’ use until the publication of Raymond Borde & Etienne Chaumeton’s study ‘Panarama du film noir americain’ in 1955, and wasn’t widely adopted in America until the 1970’s. According to Borde and Chaumeton, the ‘Noir’ cycle officially begins with John Houston’s The Maltese Falcon (1941) and ends with Robert Aldrich’s Kiss Me Deadly (1955) – though the style can be traced back as far as Fritz Lang’s M (1931), and forward to films like Memento (2000).

Characterised by fear, mistrust, bleakness, paranoia, fatalism, disillusionment, existential plots and confessional voiceovers, they provided a distinctly pessimistic view of post-war America. However, while the view was American, the ‘feel’ was distinctly European with shadowy expressionistic lighting, stark and skewered camera angles, jarring editing and deep shadows. Due to this style, the best Noirs are in Black and White – with key European directors such as Fritz Lang, Robert Siodmak, and Jacques Tourneur. Noir protagonists were typically anti-heroes: crooked cops, down and out private eyes, war veterans, petty criminals, gamblers and killers; while the women were often unloving, mysterious, duplicitous and manipulative – but always gorgeous.

While the style dropped out of favour after the late 1950’s, its elements were present in several standout films of the 1960’s from The Manchurian Candidate (1962) to Point Blank (1967). It made a resurgence in the 1970’s, and an even stronger one in the 1990’s. Films from this period on are referred to as ‘Neo-Noir’ and, while some are merely an affected stylism, enough original ‘Noir’ runs through them to satisfy purists.

The Maltese falcon
John Huston’s classic adaptation of Dasheill Hammett’s hard-boiled novel (using large chunks of the novels dialogue) with Bogart as Hammett’s definitive private eye, the cynical Sam Spade. When Bogart’s partner is murdered while tailing someone at the request of a beautiful client he sets out to find the killer, even though he was sleeping with his partners wife. His investigations drag him into a byzantine plot that sees him pitted against a sinister fat man (Sydney Greenstreet), an effete European (Peter Lorre), a doped up gunman (Elisha Cook Jr.), and his client (Mary Astor) a treacherous women whose loyalties turn on a dime – all of whom are after a mysterious black statuette in the shape of a bird, and rumoured to be encrusted with gold and jewels…

Double indemnity
Director Billy Wilder and writer Raymond Chandler adapted James M. Cain’s novel into one of the best early Noirs. Smooth insurance salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) meets femme-fatale Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) when he calls to renew her husband’s automobile insurance. Sparks fly and together they scheme to murder her husband and collect a large insurance payoff using the ‘double indemnity’ clause in his life insurance. Narrated by MacMurray to his Claims Investigator boss Barton Keyes (Edward G Robinson) in a flashback, the story is still holds tension right until the last reel, and is full of Chandler’s snappy dialogue.

Laura
Darryl F Zanuck, founder of 20th Century Fox once declared that Gene Tierney was ‘unquestionably the most beautiful woman in movie history’, and ‘Laura’, based on the Vera Caspary novel, more than shows why. Dana Andrews plays a tough Homicide Detective who falls in love with the portrait of career girl/murder victim Laura Hunt (Tierney). But when Laura suddenly returns alive, he has to figure out who the dead girl is, who shot her, and more importantly, if Laura was the intended victim. Full of great lines, Otto Preminger directs this stylish murder/mystery with a great supporting cast that includes Clifton Webb as an acid-tongued journalist who was Laura’s mentor, & Vincent Price as her vacuously charming playboy boyfriend. The DVD also comes with two biographies; one on the tragic life of actress Tierney, and the other on the career of Vincent Price as one of cinemas most versatile villains.

Gilda
One of the most cynical Noirs, Charles Vidor’s Gilda stars Glenn Ford as Johnny Farrell, a down on his luck gambler in wartime Buenos Aires. Rescued from a fight by mysterious casino owner Ballin Mundson (George Macready), he is recruited to work in his illegal casino where he soon rises to be Mundson’s ‘right hand man’. All is well until Mundson goes on a business trip and returns with beautiful new bride Gilda (Rita Hayworth), a woman from Johnny’s past. Unaware of their previous relationship he assigns Johnny to keep an eye on Gilda, and their mutual dislike produces some of the most scathing dialogue committed to film. Factor in the bizarre romantic triangle that ensues, the mysterious Tungsten (a rare metal) cartel Mundson heads, the Germans who want to control it, the evocative setting, and Hayworth’s famous ‘striptease’ to ‘Put the blame on Mame’ and you have a classic piece of Noir.

Out of the past
Robert Mitchum is Jeff Bailey the owner of a small garage and living an idyllic life in small town California… until his past catches up with him in the form of ruthless gangster Whit Sterling (Kirk Douglas) and his girlfriend Kathie Moffat (Jane Greer). Jacques Tourneur’s brilliantly realised Noir is one of the best examples of the genre. Flashbacks within flashbacks reveal Mitchum’s past as Private Eye Jeff Markham hired by Douglas to retrieve his wayward girlfriend Grier, and the $40,000 of his money she ran off with. He manages to track her to Mexico, but that’s just the beginning of his ensnarement with the nasty pair. Mitchum is at his laconic best as Markham, conveying the characters desperation with the most economic of gestures, and the beautiful Greer is nothing short of brilliant as the remorseless femme fatale. Tourneur’s camerawork and use of light and shadow convey an inky darkness to even the most sunlit scene. The film was adapted by Daniel Mainwaring (using the pseudonym Geoffrey Homes) from his own 1946 novel ‘Build My Gallows High’, and is one of those instances where the film improves on the book, though that may have been due to the uncredited dialogue revisions by Frank Fenton, a B-movie writer whose best known credit was John Ford’s Wings of Eagles.

Continue reading “It’s just Chinatown Jake: Film Noir movies from our DVD collection”

New DVDs for Te Awe

Featured covers of our new dvds

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Here are some new DVDs added to the catalogue over February, that are available at our CBD Te Awe branch and selected other locations.

New Material:
Raphael : the young prodigy.
Venom. Let there be Carnage
Brooklyn nine-nine. Season eight.
How to deter a robber
The hating game.
Ride the eagle.
Young Sheldon. The complete fourth season.
Agatha and the midnight murders
The many saints of Newark
Beginning
Eiffel
Lamb
Only the animals.
Silent night
Charmed. Season two.
The luminaries. Season 1.
Poppy
After we fell
I am mortal
Angela Black.
Last night in Soho
Nitram
Dear Evan Hansen

















 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Staff Picks DVDs

Here is a mix of old and new movies (and a TV show) from our DVD shelves, storage facility, and online-streaming services, that Staff have been enjoying recently.

A beautiful day in the neighbourhood
It’s a Biographical film of Mister Rogers the American TV host of the pre-school television series Mr Rogers. A good yarn of a film with a feel-good factor about kindness, love, and forgiveness. (Maxine)

 

 

It Must Be Heaven
The Palestinian filmmaker Elia Suleiman stars himself in his first feature in ten years and goes out from his homeland Nazareth to Paris and New York as ‘a citizen of the world’. He plays a film director but no one shows the interest in his film just like Palestrina has been often ignored from the rest of the world. The film implies serious messages, but with a touch of Jacques Tati and the unique Swedish maestro Roy Andersson, Suleiman makes it a minimal yet playful comedy. A droll gem. (Shinji)

Rams
Starring Michael Caton and Sam Neill. Marketed as a comedy, this movie is actually the heartbreaking tale of two brothers on neighbouring farms, who have not spoken a civil word in 40 years. Faced with the catastrophic outbreak of disease in the region, and savage bushfires, they are forced to work together to save their tiny flock of rare-breed sheep. (Kath)

 

Dogfight
This largely unknown little gem from 1991 tells a story of an unlikely but lovely one-night stand. Set in San Francisco in the mid-60s, it unfolds when U.S marines hold a big party before being sent to Vietnam. Featuring brilliant, flesh-and-blood performances by Lili Taylor and River Phoenix, the director Nancy Savoca sensitively crafts a sweet, moving affair. Soundtracks from the 60s folk music including Bob Dylan and Odetta make it even more memorable. (Shinji)

 

Capricorn One.
Another classic 70s deep state conspiracy thriller, along the lines of The Parallax View. Due to an immanent systems failure ‘Capricorn One’ – the first crewed mission to Mars – blasts off without its crew. Another failed space mission would result in NASA’s funding being cut and private contractors losing millions in profits, so the astronauts are taken to an abandoned warehouse fitted out as a TV studio, and blackmailed into filming counterfeit televised footage during the flight. But when the spacecraft burns up during atmospheric re-entry, what happens to them now….Written and directed by Peter Hyams with Elliott Gould as a crusading journalist out to discover the truth, and James Brolin, Sam Waterston, and O. J. Simpson as the astronauts. A good solid old fashioned thriller. (Mark)

Shadow of a doubt
One of Hitchcock’s early American efforts, ‘Shadow of a Doubt’ explores the darkness lurking beneath the surface of an idyllic Californian town. Teenage Charlie is thrilled when her namesake uncle Charlie comes to stay, but soon comes to suspect he might be running away from something horrific. The cosy domesticity of the family home becomes increasingly claustrophobic as Charlie’s suspicions grow more certain, but the rest of the family remain blissfully ignorant, taken in by Uncle Charlie’s easy charm. Hitchcock called this his favourite of all his films and it’s not hard to see why – every element is pitch perfect, from the performances to the atmosphere to the undermining of the seemingly ideal nuclear family. Definitely worth a watch! (Charlotte)

Happy as Lazzaro
In this half social and half magical realism dram, new Italian auteur Alice Rohrwacher creates an enigmatic modern fable by avoiding the explanatory narrative and letting images and sounds talk. With the surprising twist at the middle point, it offers a unique cinematic experience like no other. Bewitching. (Shinji)

 

A chorus line
The classic Broadway musical, brought to the screen. Set at an audition for a Broadway chorus line, a group of young hopefuls share their hopes and dreams. Killer musical numbers and a great storyline. Directed by Richard Attenborough. (Kath)

 

 

The Undoing
Based on the Jean Hanff Korelitz’s novel You Should have known, this highly anticipated HBO’s mini-series follows a wealthy, perfect-looking New York couple who becomes the centre of the high-profile murder case. Although it’s not the best work by director Susanne Bier (After the Wedding, The Night Manager), the superb performances by the starry cast led by Hugh Grant, Nicole Kidman and the great Donald Sutherland make it a more than watchable psychological suspense. (Shinji)

I, Daniel Blake
The story of a 59 year old carpenter who finds himself out of work, trying to navigate the welfare system in the UK with dignity and respect. This film humanises welfare recipients and highlights just how punitive and discriminatory the systems in place are. Pack your tissues for this one! (Kath)

 

 

Caravaggio
I recently had the pleasure of watching Derek Jarman’s Caravaggio, which I borrowed on DVD. I saw it years back, but I went back again as I’d just read through his collected sketchbooks. I found it doubly wonderful to see his drawings and poems rendered into their final form- even more moving than before. I’d enjoyed his other films in the past, but none had made the same impact as this, hot on the heels of his personal writing. It’s a strange and sumptuous feast of a film, unexpected, anachronistic and beautiful- and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. Our collections on his sketchbooks– and the book on his garden– make for wonderful companions! (Alex)

Bill & Ted face the music
William “Bill” S. Preston Esq. and “Ted” Theodore Logan are back, grown up, still married to the Medieval Babes and now parents of daughters that are very like them! Faced with the end of time yet again, they’re tasked with travelling through time to save the universe. And their daughters follow them on their quest. It’s silly, it’s full of call backs to the original movies, and it’s a great way to pass a couple of hours. (Kath)

 

[Bemafilm only]
Never released on DVD in Australasia ‘Time Lapse’ is an award winning indie-Sci-Fi film that has recently been added to our streaming service Bemafilm. Finn is a painter with a creative block, who lives together with his girlfriend Callie and his best friend Jasper in an apartment complex where Finn works as a manager. When they go to check on a reclusive elderly tenant they discover a strange machine in his apartment that takes Polaroid photos of their living room’s picture window—apparently 24 hours in the future, always at 8pm. Discovering the mysterious charred corpse of the tenant in his storage facility, they decide to use the machine for their own financial and artistic gain. However this means they have to make sure the events depicted in the photos come to pass or the timeline won’t be real… no matter what they show. Intriguing low-key Sci-Fi that digs into the ideas of causal loops, makes clever use of a static location and relies on a ideas rather than effects. Recommended if you like films such as Coherence & Primer. (Mark)

If Beale Street could Talk
Barry Jenkins’ follow up to the Oscar winner ‘Moonlight’ is a faithful adaption of a James Baldwin novel, and is a lyrical portrait of a young black couple who is facing injustice. The deeply rooted racial issue is the undertow of the film, but with his poetic aesthetic, Jenkins crafts a haunting yet beautiful love story. Glorious. (Shinji)

 

Nobody
If you ever watched ‘Breaking Bad’ or ‘Better Call Saul’ & wondered what the shows would have been like if Bob Odenkirk had been cast as Walter White and Bryan Cranston had been cast as the comical lawyer Saul Goodman, then this is the movie for you. This action thriller directed by Russian director Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry) and written by Derek Kolstad (creator of the John Wick franchise) sees Odenkirk plays Hutch Mansell, a seemingly average middle aged office worker, who helps a young woman on the bus being harassed by a gang of thugs, only to become the target of a vengeful drug lord. However, much like John Wick, Hutch is not the mild-mannered guy he is pretending to be, and what follows is a hugely entertaining action-fest full of bonkers violence, absurdly entertaining scenes, and a good deal of tongue in cheek self-awareness. Tons of fun. (Mark)

Hammer Horror

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Human fangs ripping throats – no sawdust can soak up the torrent of blood”

Vampire Circus (1972)

Back in their heyday of the late 60s and early 70s, if you wanted your blood chilled at the cinema, then there was one film studio whose output was almost entirely designed to do the job – Hammer Film Productions Ltd. The company was initially founded in 1934, and up until 1955 their output was more mainstream, including movies such as Dick Barton: Special Agent; a film adaptation of the BBC radio play.

It wasn’t until 1955 with The Quatermass Experiment that they truly ventured into the Horror Genre. The film pushed the boundaries of censorship for the time, which they continued to do. The company then went on to revive horror classic characters such as Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Mummy. Starting with The Curse of Frankenstein in 1957, of which the BBFC censor said “We are concerned about the flavour of this script, which, in its preoccupation with horror and gruesome detail, goes far beyond what we are accustomed to allow even for the ‘X’ category.” They pressed ahead anyway, bringing a new vein of vivid technicolour to the Horror and the rest, as they say, is history.

By the late 70s, due to changes in audience taste and saturation of the market, their days were numbered. In 2007 the studio name was sold and, like a reanimated creature of Frankenstein, the studio lived again, releasing several films such as Let Me In, The Resident, the chilling The Woman in Black, The Quiet Ones, and most recently The Lodge. We have a number of Hammer Horror related books and DVDs old and new available to freeze your soul on these wild, bleak, windswept winter nights; for a small selection, check our list below.

Hammer horror collection
“The curse of Frankstein” – Victor Frankenstein builds a creature and brings it to life. But his creature behaves not as he intended. “Horror of Dracula” – After Jonathan Harker attacks Dracula at his castle, the vampire travels to a nearby city, where he preys on the family of Harker’s fiance. The only one who may be able to protect them is Dr. van Helsing.”The Mummy” – In the 1890s a team of British archaeologists discover the untouched tomb of Princess Ananka but accidentally bring the mummified body of her High Priest back to life. ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Flesh & blood: the Hammer heritage of horror
“Documentary charting the rise and fall of the world’s most successful independent film company. Includes film clips, trailers, behind-the-scenes home movies, rare photos and in-depth interviews with actors, directors, producers and writers.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Hammer House of Horror
“Hammer House of Horror is synonymous with terror, suspense and the supernatural. These alternative bed-time stories sparked millions of sleepless nights when originally screened and remain as scary as ever! The stories cover a wide range. Thrills and chills. Mystery and intrigue. Suspense and the supernatural. Everything from sheer spine-tingling horror to sinister drama, the occult and the eerie.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Kiss of the vampire
“Honeymooning in Bavaria, Gerald and Marianne Harcourt experience car trouble and are forced to spend a few days in a small remote village. Soon Doctor Ravna, owner of the impressive chateau that sits imposingly above the village, invites them to dinner and the couple are persuaded to go. Their association with Ravna and his charming beautiful family is to prove disastrous as they become unwittingly embroiled with this company of vampires who seek to initiate them into their diabolical creed…..” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Let me in
“Abby, an eerily self-possessed young girl, emerges from her heavily curtained apartment only at night and always barefoot, seemingly immune to the bitter winter elements. Owen, an alienated 12-year-old boy, recognizes a fellow outcast and opens up to her, forming a unique bond. But as a string of grisly murders occupy his town, Owen has to confront the reality that this seemingly innocent girl might be hiding an unthinkable secret.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The quiet ones
“Tucked away in an estate outside of London, Professor Coupland along with a team of university students conducts an “experiment” on Jane Harper, a young girl who harbors unspeakable secrets. What dark forces they uncover are more terrifying than any of them expected. Inspired by true events.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

House of horror : the complete Hammer Films story
“The Complete Hammer Films Story traces the complete history of Hammer from its early origins through to its golden era of classic horror movies and presents a comprehensive view of Hammer’s importance and influence in world cinema. Includes interviews with Hammer stars, detailed analysis of all horror and fantasy films, and dozens of rare and exciting photographs and posters, fully illustrated A-Z of key Hammer personnel, directory of unfilmed projects complete filmography and full film index.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The art of Hammer : posters from the archive of Hammer Films / Hearn, Marcus
“Over fifty years ago, with the release of The Curse of Frankenstein and Christopher Lee’s iconic performance in Dracula, Hammer ushered in a whole new era of blood and barely-restrained cleavage in glorious color, mixing sex and horror with a style and panache that made the small British company world famous. The Art of Hammer collects the very best and most iconic movie posters produced for the Hammer studio. This lavish hardcover brings together rare artwork from around the world. ” (Adapted From Catalogue)

New DVDs for Te Awe

Here are some new DVDs added to the catalogue over June that are available at our CBD Te Awe Branch, and selected other locations. Also included are some of our On Order titles to give you a taste of what’s about to be released. Note: All ‘On Order’ titles are able to be reserved via the online catalogue.

New Material:
Promising young woman
Miss Virginia
The dry
The marksman.
It’s a sin.
Spread your wings.
Nomadland
Joanna Lumley’s trans-Siberian adventure.
Into the labyrinth.
Love, weddings & other disasters
Ammonite.
Sound of metal
Oliver Sacks : his own life
Intelligence. Season 1.
Eighth grade
Zack Snyder’s Justice League
Unforgotten. Series 4.
Nobody
Long story short.

On Order:
Six Minutes To Midnight
Only The Animals
Midsomer Murders: Season 21
His Dark Materials: Complete Season 2
French Exit
Flesh And Blood: (TV Mini-Series)
The Drowning
Triumph
Land
Defending Jacob: ; Season 1
Bram Stoker’s Van Helsing
Judas and the Black messiah
Come as you are.



























 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The many faces of Sherlock Holmes

Ravin' Maven Classic Movies — The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939) Basil ...

“Education never ends, Watson. It is a series of lessons, with the greatest for the last.”
― Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, His Last Bow

Ever since his creation and first appearance in 1887 the character of Sherlock Holmes has been a firm favourite with the public, enjoying widespread popularity.

And one of the most remarkable characteristics about the Sherlock Holmes character has been its capacity to be adapted and altered in just about every possible way imaginable for theatre, radio, television, and cinema. Indeed, the character Sherlock Holmes holds the Guinness World record for the most portrayed literary human character in film and television history with over 25,000 adaptations.

For example, there are acclaimed television adaptations of Sherlock Holmes to be found in Japan, Poland, Russia and Canada to name just a few. Indeed, a case could be made that several other iconic characters such as Spock in Star Trek or Tom Baker era Doctor Who are thinly veiled versions of the Sherlock Holmes character.

Below are just a few Sherlock Holmes variations we have in our collections. So, go watch as Sherlock would say himself  “It’s elementary.”

 

Sherlock Holmes : the complete collection.
“Basil Rathbone portrays the deductive genius, Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce his mystified colleague, Dr. Watson in these fourteen classic films. Regarded by many as the definitive cinematic version of the characters. The films range from classic reworkings of some of the Arthur Conan Doyle stories to transplanting Holmes to contemporary times  ( i.e. the 1940’s)  where he puts numerous fiendish Nazi plots to rest .    ” (Catalogue)

 

Elementary. The first season
“A contemporary take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. Sherlock Holmes investigates crimes in modern-day New York City as a consultant to the NYPD and is assisted by Dr. Joan Watson, a former surgeon, who is hired by Holmes’ wealthy father to help keep the eccentric detective sober.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

We also have seasons two, Three, Four, Five, Six and the Seventh and final season.

 

Star Trek, the next generation. Season 2
“A new Captain, a new Enterprise, but still the same mission. To go where no man has gone before, seek out new life and discover new frontiers. This season includes  Elementary, Dear Data the episode where Data and Geordi take  time out to play Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson on the Holodeck. The story arc for this episode was continued in the season six episode ” Ship in a Bottle  ” (Adapted from Catalogue) We also have all the other Next Generation Series including Season Six.

 

Sherlock Holmes. Volume one
“One of the most acclaimed Television versions of the Sherlock Holmes stories  was the 1980s Granada TV version where Holmes was played by  Jeremy Brett.  Like Rathbone before him Brett was regarded as the actor who created the generation defining version of the role . This season includes the following episodes . A scandal in Bohemia , The dancing man, The hound of the Baskervilles,  The naval treaty and the The solitary cyclist. ” (Catalogue)
We also have seasons two, three and the final fourth season.

 

Mr. Holmes
“In 1947, an aging Sherlock Holmes returns from a journey to Japan, where, in search of a rare plant with powerful restorative qualities, he has witnessed the devastation of nuclear warfare. Now, in his remote seaside farmhouse, Holmes faces the end of his days, with only the company of his housekeeper and her young son, Roger. Grappling with the diminishing powers of his mind, Holmes comes to rely upon the boy as he revisits the circumstances of the unsolved case that forced him into retirement.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The hound of the Baskervilles
“Sherlock Holmes comes to the aid of his friend Henry Baskerville, who is under a family curse and menaced by a demonic dog that prowls the bogs near his estate and murders people. In this lush Gothic Horror tinged version of the most famous Holmes story of them all. Peter Cushing  and Sir Christopher Lee  star as Sherlock Holmes and  Sir Henry Baskerville in this  Hammer Film Production from 1959.  ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

Murder rooms : the dark beginnings of Sherlock Holmes. The complete television series
“The story of the relationship between the young Arthur Conan Doyle and his real-life mentor and noted forensic scientist, Dr. Joseph Bell, as they unite to solve the most baffling murder cases in Victorian Scotland. This unusual take on the Holmes myth takes the real life relationship between Arthur Conan Doyle and  mentor the  noted forensic scientist, Dr. Joseph Bell ( the inspiration for Holmes ) as the starting inspiration for these fictional tales filmed on location in Edinburgh  ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

Murder by decree
“Christopher Plummer and James Mason take on the roles of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in this gritty, dark  murder mystery thriller about Jack The Ripper’s series of  murders in the 1880’s. The style and tone of the film is more of a  homage to the horror films of  the Hammer film Studio. The pairing of Plummer and Mason as Holmes and Watson is inspired and the idea of Holmes being in conflict with British Government black-ops is fascinating. It would have been interesting to see Plummer and Mason in other Holmes stories, but sadly this was their only outing. ” (Adapted from Catalogue)