The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Vol. 2: The Crooked Man/ The Speckled Band

Volume two contains THE CROOKED MAN and THE SPECKLED BAND, two of the very best adaptations in the series.The quality of transfer from 16mm on this DVD is superior to the first volume (although still slightly grainy), but there are some problems.THE CROOKED MAN does have some image stability problems, which causes the image to jump very slightly up and down at times (and actually roll on one of my DVD players). There is also a slight greenish tint to the fist few minutes of the episode. THE SPECKLED BAND also has some image stability problems, especially in chapter five (the train sequence) where the right side of the screen shifts slightly, causing the image to "float". There are also sound synchronicity issues in both episodes, very brief, but noticeable nonetheless. Both episodes do have lint (at the top of the frames), scratches and holes intermittently, which could have been cleaned up digitally. The sound is good throughout the DVD--none of the warbling that marred the first DVD in the series occurs here.Jeremy Brett and David Burke are at their best in well-scripted adaptations of the original stories. The supporting players are wonderful as well.There are also a photo gallery, biographies and filmographies, and a list of Sherlockian and Jeremy Brett Societies.In all, a much better quality DVD than Volume One, and, despite the problems, I'd recommend this DVD, especially if your VHS tapes have started to degrade. One hopes that the quality will continue to improve, and I eagerly await the next volume.

Being a big fan of British television in general, the fact that I had never seen an episode of this series was remedied when I purchased the first disc. The four episodes on it made their way onto my screen in less than 2 days so enthralled was I in the acting and production values. The second disc, although it has only two episodes, is still highly recommended. The first episode, The Crooked Man, features Norman Jones (who Doctor Who fans will recognize for his role in The Masque of Mandragora) as a soldier wronged in the past in Afghanistan by his superior officer. Amazing how I watched this episode while news of impending conflict with that same nation appeared immenant. The second episode, The Speckled Band, held my interest more, if only for the wonderful location filming in one of those large houses of which there seem to be so many in the UK. Jeremy Kemp's wild-looking doctor had me enthralled. Calling Holmes an interfering busy-body, indeed! Jeremy Brett simply shines as Sherlock Holmes, always giving the impression that he knows far more than us mere mortals, including an almost constantly bemused David Burke as Dr. Watson. Here's to the next release! Hopefully MPI will eventually release them all...

A gift

Always like to read a story first. The adventures presented in this series by Granada, follow Doyle's stories completely. The dialogue written by him is so complete it's all that's necessary for the actors. Really enjoyed it. All the adventures of Holmes, recorded by Dr Watson, are filled with great characters and much suspense. JA

I was surprised when I saw how high the avarage customer rating was for this DVD. Then I thought, maybe it is a cult favorite among people who like campy, bad acting. But, after reading the reviews, I see that a lot of people really like it.So, why didn't I like it? I thought the way Jeremy Brett plays Sherlock Homes was too strange. I know Holmes is meant to be eccentric, but the way Brett speaks is too choppy, kind of angry, and annoying to me. It seemed very affected and unnatural. Dr. Watwon comes off as really dopey.The scenery and sets were good, most of the other actors were good, but this was not my idea of how Sherlock Holmes should be done.

More great episodes of a fantastic show, getting these volumes one by one until I have them all.

I remember fondly watching this series when it was aired on PBS some years ago. The quality of the production as well as the stories made me go and read all the Sherlock Holmes stories. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the episodes were faithful to the stories. Even the original illustrations from the Strand magazine (where the Sherlock Holmes stories first appeared) were apparently used in setting up scenes in the episodes. Since getting volumes 1 and 2 and eagerly awaiting volume 3, I've fallen in love with these excellent adaptations all over again. They get better with repeat viewings. You pick out little details you missed the first time. I recommend these to anyone who appreciates good mysteries first of all, and those who appreciate dramatizations that are faithful to the author's vision of the story and characters.

This is yet another DVD set featuring Jeremy Brett as the super-sleuth, Sherlock Holmes. This time 2 adventures are featured and the DVD print and sound here are perfect. Another must-have for Holmes' fans and highly recommended.