Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium (October 1 - October 19, 2014)
Always1895.net is back.....
William Gillette's 1916 film Sherlock Holmes has been the stuff of Sherlockian legend for over 100 years - assumed lost since c. 1918, the film was comprised of the only motion picture recording of William Gillette performing his most famous role, that of the Great Detective, honed on the stage for decades. Then one magical day in early 2014 a remarkable discovery was made deep in the vaults of the Cinémathèque Française. On October 1, 2014 the Cinémathèque Française and the San Francisco Silent Film Festival (SFSFF) issued a joint press release announcing the recent discovery of a complete nitrate duplicate negative of the 'lost' 1916 film entitled Sherlock Holmes. Restoration of the film is being handled by the SFSFF and Cinémathèque Française, and according to the SFSFF, "the European premiere will take place at the Cinémathèque Française’s festival of film restoration, Toute la Mémoire du Monde, in January 2015. The American première will take place at the San Francisco Silent Film festival in May 2015." In less than a year William Gillette and Sherlock Holmes will become as one again. Truth be told, Sherlockian news doesn't get more exciting than this!
Not long after the joint press release announcing the historic re-discovery of Gillette's mythical performance, Scott Monty of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere broke the news to an unsuspecting Sherlockian public, igniting a furry of excitement and disbelief. Recapping events thus far, Monty also managed to secure an exclusive interview with lead film restorer and SFSFF Board President Robert Byrne. When IHOSE asked if Byrne and his colleagues learned anything about the film that wasn't previously known, Byrne replied:
"We are learning that it is a very good film! What a disappointment it would have been to have discovered the holy grail only to find that the acting was hammy and the settings were cheap. Quite the contrary! I predict that audiences are going to be mesmerized with the final result."
It's been half a month since the Sherlockian world found out that this historical treasure, long thought lost, will soon see the light of day for the first time in over 100 years. Not surprisingly Twitter, the Sherlockian blogs and even mainstream media outlets have been ablaze with heady talk of the Gillette lost film miracle. A sampling of responses and reactions can be found at every level of the Internet: Roger Johnson of the Sherlock Holmes Journal; Alistair Duncan of Doyleockian who speculated that this discovery "also means that there is one less 'lost' film and renewed hope that other rediscoveries will happen;" and even the New York Times - ArtsBeat.
For a tiny hint of what we can expect from William Gillette as Sherlock Holmes, here are two very famous audio tracks which capture a few minutes from one of Gillette's many Sherlock Holmes theatrical performances: William Gillette as Sherlock Holmes - Part 1 and William Gillette as Sherlock Holmes - Part 2. Enjoy!
[Original promotional poster for Sherlock Holmes (1916) directed by Arthur Berthelet and produced by the American studio Essanay.]
The Baker Street Babes reach the masses via advanced sonic transmission technology (ie. podcasts) in order to promote their unique perspective on Sherlockian culture. They have also hosted multiple events such as the Daintiest Thing Under a Bonnet which raises funds for The Wounded Warrior Project as well as, from time to time, challenging the status quo when the necessity outweighs the potential hullabaloo that rocking the proverbial boat might create. And they do all this and more for the love of the game, Sherlock Holmes and the unique fan culture that surrounds the Sherlockian world -- but what happens when equipment begins to deteriorate, computer hosting costs increase and new members need to be outfitted with at least a basic technological set-up in order to participate in the regular production of the show?
I suppose the Babes, roughly eleven in number, could have chosen the Baader-Meinhof route and ‘liberated’ the funds needed to carry on their activities, but I suspect lessons gleaned from tales like “The Red-Headed League” persuaded this world-wide syndicate of talented and dedicated Sherlockians to seek slightly more legal means of bankrolling their aims. And what munitions precisely do the Babes need to carry on the good fight? According to their post on Indiegogo - a site similar to Kickstarter but more modest in scope - the equipment most needed to sustain and upgrade their current podcasting situation are…microphones and digital recorders (Were you expecting enriched Uranium 235?).
I strongly encourage you to check out the cost breakdowns on their Indiegogo page to see precisely how donated money would be spent - but basically they are asking for a total of $2290 which would be used to equip all 11+ members with decent microphones and digital recorders so the Babes can continue producing their unique and sincere Sherlockian podcasts. Of course in the spirit of crowd funding campaigns, those contributing can expect ‘perks’ consummate with the amount donated. For example, if I hadn’t just found out about this campaign today, I would have donated $30 as a way to 1) support the Babes and a very good cause but also 2) acquire an extremely handsome ‘1895 t-shirt’ (cf. below). If I wasn’t unemployed at the moment, I would strongly consider a much higher donation (eg. $600) which would guarantee six months worth of show sponsorship (read: free advertising on a podcast for six months that probably gets a trillion listens an episode) - a fantastic promotional deal no matter how you slice it. For more information, make sure to follow the Babes on Twitter, Babes on Facebook, Babes on Tumblr and the main BakerStreetBabes.com website.
[How awesome is the above '1895' t-shirt? Apparently the back features Vincent Starrett's '221B' - a poem quite near and dear to my heart, as readers of this blog are well aware.]
Studies In Starrett a blog maintained by one of Philadelphia's great Sherlockian treasures Mr Ray Betzner, BSI ("The Agony Column"), celebrates and remembers John Bennett Shaw, BSI ("The Hans Sloane of My Age"), on the 20th anniversary of JBS's passing. Betzner's article should be read by every Sherlockian out there, young and old, novice and old-school, if for no other reason than to briefly sample the undeniable influence Shaw qua Sherlockian; Shaw qua demigod; Shaw qua cool bookish uncle we all wish we had growing up; etc. had on the formative mind of a young Sherlockian (c. 1980) - and clearly still retains on the mind of a now successful Sherlockian responsible for numerous works of scholarship and respected throughout the most exalted of contemporary Sherlockian circles (c. 2014).
Perhaps my favourite part of Betzner's article is the inclusion of a letter Shaw sent to young Ray in April 1980 suggesting in the strongest possible terms that Betzner attend an upcoming Sherlockian workshop in Pittsburgh. Shaw even references a conversation he had with a young Jon Lellenberg where they both agree Betzner's presence is a "MUST" citing "the very many top Sherlockians who will be there." (As a side note, this is an excellent example of the proud tradition within the Sherlockian world of an an older generation of Sherlockians mentoring and influencing the promising younger generation in hopes of, in short, keeping the memory green.) While it might be an easy thing to celebrate the life and achievements of a giant like Shaw and then conclude that the time of the giants is past, Betzner instead speculates on how Shaw might respond to the Sherlockian world in 2014: "Were [Shaw] still with us, I think John would be amazed by the current Sherlock Holmes movement. The internet has drawn folks together in ways he never dreamed of, and I am also convinced that the latest generation of "Sherlockian" influenced fans would have delighted the old boy." Praise Zeus!
[John Bennett Shaw in his natural habitat, surrounded by books as far as the eye cab see. Personally, one of my only real Sherlockian regrets is that I personally never had the chance to meet JBS in person - instead I will happily settle for speaking to Sherlockians who had the good fortune of knowing him, corresponding with him and receiving a personal tour of his legendary Sherlockian collection at his home in Santa Fe prior to its move to University of Minnesota, Library Special Collections.]
It is an undisputed fact that JBS's Sherlockian legacy is still clearly felt today, whether one looks at the enormous Sherlockian collection he bequeathed to the University of Minnesota upon his death or the ongoing tradition of Sherlock Holmes seminars, conferences and the like. One of the most digestible contributions left by JBS is the so-called 'Shaw 100' or "The One Hundred Basic Books, Pamphlets and Periodicals relating to Sherlock Holmes" - a list maintained today by Timothy J Johnson, the E. W. McDiarmid Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Collections. Check out I Hear of Sherlock Episode 67: The Sherlock Holmes Collections with special guest Tim Johnson.
Black Gate, a SciFi/Fantasy site billed as "Adventures in Fantasy Literature", has been syndicating a set of columns by Sherlockian/Solar Pons-ian Bob Byrne. Beginning in March, 2014, Mr Byrne has published at least thirty Holmes-centric posts all of which have been properly indexed under the title "The Public Life of Sherlock Holmes: An Index (So Far)" - plus some non-Holmes articles on Nero Wolfe and Dashiell Hammett. The Sherlockian essays tend to be written for a more general reader but are all worth perusing - though my only real concern is that Byrne promises/threatens to one day post a defence of the Matt Frewer movies".
Bob Byrne also manages the excellent Solar Pons Gazette page "the only active newsletter dedicated to Solar Pons, the Sherlock Holmes of Praed Street." When not hanging around Praed Street, Byrne releases a similar Holmesian newsletter entitled Baker Street Essays, the latest issue (#5) employing Vincent Starrett's "Evolution of a Profile" as a jumping off point to explore the classic decades of Holmes illustration, concluding on the enduring legacy of Paget and ending with BBC Sherlock's use of Paget motifs 110 years after Paget's original drawings.
[Tom Richmond's 'The Game is Afoot Limited Edition Print'.]
The above print by Tom Richmond depicts various actors portraying the Great Detective on screen over the years featured on Bob Byrne's page. Click the image for information about ordering the above print by award winning MAD Magazine artist Tom Richmond.
I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere announced/reviewed two recent Sherlock-related DVD releases: the first is a Blu-ray DVD version of Granada's Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Series and the second is the imminent release (November 4, 2014) of all nine BBC Sherlock episodes. Sadly, it sounds like Jeremy Brett's series received nothing but a basic Blu-ray upgrade - same film-to-digital transfer, just presented in higher definition - adding zero content to the 2007 Granada DVD release.
Then there's the opulent Sherlock Limited Edition Gift Set which packages all three seasons worth of BBC Sherlock episodes "on both Blu-ray and DVD, along with the original bonus features released with each season [and] all new commentaries, never-before-seen out-takes and exclusive collectibles including limited edition art cards and busts of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson." If you need to buy a gift for a Sherlockian into mega-packaged DVD sets with tons of special features, then pre-order this ASAP. Personally I wonder if the included Holmes/Cumberbatch bust would pass the Moran/EMPT test, though I've always thought Monsieur Oscar Meunier, of Grenoble, received too much credit for his wax Holmes rendering opposed to Mrs Hudson's dexterous manipulation of said rendering, which is what really tricked the Colonel into taking his final shot as a gun for hire, before being incapacitated by the recently reunited team of Holmes and Watson, and then led away in bracelets by Lestrade himself.
[One can only wonder how well the newest wax figure at London's Madame Tussauds stacks up against Meunier's Holmes wax bust from EMPT. And see this RadioTimes article "Benedict Cumberbatch wax figure in final stages" to judge for yourself.]
The Final Problem re-posted a set of high quality pages from one of the most famous Sherlock Holmes/Batman crossover issues in comic book history: Detective Comics #572 "The Doomsday Book" (March 1987), the cover of which features Sherlock Holmes, adorned in an Inverness cape, deerstalker and (of course, non-canonical) calabash pipe, sitting at a desk while Batman, standing behind him, points to some significant detail in a comic book which has both super detectives completely engrossed. Not a bad cover for the 50th anniversary issue of Detective Comics. "The Doomsday Book" was billed as "A mystery so strange...it takes the greatest detectives of all time to solve it!" The Comics Cube has a decent recap of what the issue is all about, though pertinent plot points involve Moriarty's great-great-nephew, a flashback to an untold Sherlock Holmes case entitled "The Adventure of the Red Leech" - which is I assume a reference from GOLD when Watson reflects "As I turn over the pages, I see my notes upon the repulsive story of the red leech and the terrible death of Crosby, the banker."
[One of my favourite Sherlock and Batman encounters with Batman offering Sherlock a light for his pipe and Homes replying that "Thank you, but I'm afraid the pipe is purely for show, these days." Personally I like to believe that Sherlock is just putting on a show for 'the kids' and that he smokes his mix of pipes and cigarettes with the same relish as when solving the case of "The Man With the Twisted Lip" (1891). Image from Detective Comics #572: The Doomsday Book (March 1987).]
Footprints of London recently hosted "Literary Footprints" where Sue Bingham led the walk Embankment to Covent Garden – Literary Heroes. "Sue told some excellent Sherlock Holmes stories introducing us to Arthur Conan Doyle’s hybrid London of fictional and real locations. Within a few minutes she introduced the group to a building that was once a Turkish Bath mentioned in one of the stories. It was certainly not a building that you would notice unless you had it pointed out!." I can only assume said Turkish Baths were referenced in "The Disappearance of Lady Francis Carfax" (where Holmes deduces that Watson has been to a Turkish Bath earlier in the day) though more likely she was referring to the start of "The Adventure of the Illustrious Client" where we find Holmes and Watson leisurely discussing a case Holmes had, until now, been reluctant to reveal to the ever curious Watson:
"Both Holmes and I had a weakness for the Turkish Bath. It was over a smoke in the pleasant lassitude of the drying-room that I have found him less reticent and more human than anywhere else. On the upper floor of the Northumberland Avenue establishment there is an isolated corner where two couches lie side by side, and it was on these that we lay upon September 3, 1902, the day when my narrative begins..."
If you're planning a trip to London and interested in a literary-historical tout that appears to go significantly beyond the average tourist fare, make sure to check out their full schedule of walks and/or follow @SherlockWalks on Twitter.
The Sherlock Holmes Pub at 10-11 Northumberland Street [pictured above], Westminster, isn't exactly an authentic canonical Sherlockian map point, but the international Holmesian jet-set crowd finds it to be an irresistible pit-stop for Sherlockians of all stripes - and the 'The Study' does appear to contain a wax Sherlock Holmes post-Moran's air rifle and all among other Sherlockian goodies to inspect and pose for pictures.
Wheaton Public Library is celebrating Sherlock Holmes in all his many incarnations throughout October 2014 with special events, related contests, prize drawings, displays, and more! Unfortunately I'm just finding out about this program now, but there are still plenty of events scheduled including: "Footloose in England" (Thursday, October 16 at 7pm); "Radio Players: 'The Speckled Band' and 'The Scandal in Bohemia'" (Sunday, October 19 at 2pm); The Hound of the Baskervilles - 1939 - Basil Rathbone (Wednesday, October 15 at 1pm); Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (Tuesday, October 21 at 1pm); a book discussion of The Hound of the Baskervilles (Monday, October 20 at 11am) Get updated info from Wheaton's Facebook page. All events are located at 225 N. Cross St. Wheaton, IL 60187.
[There are still 12 days left in Wheaton Library's Sherlock Fest.]
Leslie S. Klinger, fresh off the publication of his latest project the New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft, announced a huge batch of upcoming book signing events taking Klinger from coast to coast and everywhere in between. Mr Klinger was just in Chicago this last Saturday at the Sulzer Library where he read from and signed his New Annotated HPL. Make sure to check out Klinger's page for a full list of upcoming speaking and signing dates from now until March 2015.
[Click the cover of Klinger's New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft for his book signing tour dates from now until March 2015.]
The Daintiest (Bee) Under Your Bonnet Charity Ball 2015 will be held Thursday the 8th of January at 8:00 pm in the storied halls of the Player's Club (16 Gramercy Park South, New York, 10003) as part of the Baker Street Irregulars Birthday Weekend. The theme this year is a Sussex Flapper Party and 100% of all proceeds from ticketing and the auction will once again benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. Admission is $45/ticket and covers buffet, goodie bags, live piano, a quiz & costume competition with prizes and the always exciting live auction. In order for the Charity Ball to succeed, we must implore again that you consider cleaning out your overstocked Sherlockian-oriented closets and bookshelves in order to supply treasures for the live and silent auctions. In the last two years your generosity has raised $8,000 for our war heroes - please bring some friends and join us once again for an evening of canonical fun and Mycroft-sized generosity.
[The Daintiest Thing Under A Bonnet Charity Ball - Proudly hosted by The Baker Street Babes. January 10, 2013. Photo by Melinda Caric (click for more photos.]
The Sherlockian Calendar continues to be maintained with loving care and devotion by Ron Fish - and is still the most useful and thorough listing of Sherlockian events available on the planet. I suggest consulting with the calendar prior to scheduling your event so as to avoid any unnecessary overlap. If you're looking for an event in your area, this is the place to begin your quest.
* As I'm sure you've realized by now, the 'Weekly Sherlock Links Compendium' is back and, as always, I encourage anyone with interesting Sherlockian news, gossip, announcements or suggestions to please contact me at always1895[@]gmail.com *
** I'll be catching up with a lot of Sherlockian news, links, podcasts, articles and essays published over the last 6 months, so please be patient with me and I'll try to get as much material posted as possible in the next few weeks. **