Now, as we look at the possibility of Holmes and Watson leaving theaters at any moment, the fan of this particular incarnation of the pair can see a golden opportunity appearing. With a Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson seemingly so unpopular, this could be the one opportunity for someone to step up and claim the title of "Number One Fan."
I know that at least two of us, Noreen Pazderski and I, have seen Holmes and Watson three times since it came out, and the clock is ticking on bragging rights for "seeing it most in the theater." I may be done with my attempt to claim that, due to a booked-up schedule and the fact that I really have to see a different movie in a theater at some point. I'm falling behind in my normal viewing habits.
And while there are always those deep-pocket Sherlockians who can waltz in and come up with a prime collection of anything, Holmes and Watson is apt to have a very short window of collecting its best memorabilia. Timing and ardor could be key on this one. (Some of us being post-Christmas broke will also open that window up a bit for the opportunist.)
Sherlock Holmes has, for most of his hundred-and-thirty-some years, been mostly a niche fandom. Sure, the general public likes him, but when 221B Con attendance got around the thousand mark, it was a first that experienced eyes had to marvel at. The lower three digits had been the norm for even the biggest Holmes gatherings forever. We've had folks like John Bennett Shaw or Ron DeWaal or Peter Blau, whose accomplishments you could look at and go, "Yep, that might be the number one Sherlock Holmes fan!"
Holmes and Watson fandom, once can see already, is a niche within a niche (or maybe a niche within a niche within a niche, of you count "Holmes film fans" as a layer). One might have to compete with the Will Ferrell fans for collectables, just like Holmes and Ripper fans have always fought it out for Holmes/Ripper crossover stuff, but we haven't met that group yet, so who knows?
Anyway, we'll soon be in the hiatus between theater and DVD release (and boy, does that DVD hold the potential for some extras), after which point our little Holmes and Watson fandom will get a second wave of new members, so it's still a prime moment in Sherlockian history for getting on board our latest little fad within a mega-fad.
And to all of you who didn't like Holmes and Watson for whatever reason, I say a very sincere "Thanks!" Your disinterest made all of this possible, and we couldn't have done it without you.
(In 2018, our "glass half full" skills really got a workout, didn't they? They were good and ready for this bit!)
I find it strange that you and I, who agree so much on so many things, are so far apart on this one. You know I have a great sense of humor, heck I manage a Bonkerz Comedy Club. You also know I once managed a wrestling troupe, so no story line is too hard for me to accept. However, after approaching this movie with much optimism after reading you blogs, I found myself very disappointed. The first 5 minutes I laughed, at the young Sherlock Holmes segment, but found the laughter stopped when Will Ferrell replaced Hector Bateman-Harden. Perhaps I was turned off by the snips of 21-century political correctness, a subject I'm sick and tired of from Hollywood. But it wasn't just that. I simply did not laugh often, and my only true wish from a comedy is it makes me laugh. It doesn't have to be intelligent humor, slapstick is fine, heck I'm a Three Stooges fan (what guy isn't). Even things like the Billy Zane guest shot, which I understood and found cute, got no laughs from the crowd around me. I'm guessing it was above the average viewer's knowledge to know who Zane is despite most of them having seem "Titanic". I'm happy you & Noreen enjoyed it so much. And yes I've even had a couple of people tell me they thought the Peter Cook & Dudley Moore "Hound of the Baskervilles" was hilarious, but it still tops my worst Holmes films of all-times list. Unfortunately I now must add this film to that list. My dilemma is does it go in the slot above or below Charlton Heston's "The Crucifer of Blood" as #2 o#3. I'll still give you credit for sticking to your guns with your support of the film, but 'Really"... LOL!
ReplyDeleteI completely understand, Howard. My old neighbor Bob Burr maintained to the end that the Dudley Moore Hound was a hysterical romp, but it sure didn't click with me.
DeleteI don't think anything will every dislodge Cook and Moore from the painful position of really bad Holmes films. Or Crucifer of Blood, which really disappointed me, as I loved the stage play. But Holmes and Watson works for me because it is clear that the creators love the material, and actually know it well enough to play with it. (Also, I recently saw "Sherlock's Last Case" on stage, and this movie was such a relief after that.) I'll be one of the folks looking for memorabilia on this one!
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