Ready for one more "Annotated?"

This month, I know a lot of us are looking at coronavirus news, then ahead to 221B Con, then back to the coronavirus news. But what else can we do by optimistically forge ahead, and perhaps find some lovely comfort in one of those sweet things that we get to enjoy on the road to the con. For me, that means doing something that some might fear worse than the coronavirus: Watching the movie Holmes and Watson for what is at least my twelfth(?) time. Or maybe fifteenth. I lost track long ago.

That movie is one of those darling pieces of cinema that I could just live inside of, capturing much of the essence of Holmes and Watson and also being a beautiful love story with good character arcs. And while there are those who just can't get past their own issues with the film to see what I see there.(What, did you think I'm been kidding all this time?), an evening spent with Holmes and Watson is, to me, a fine evening, even now.

But down to business -- tonight's run was completely 221B Con prep. Notice a panel entitled "The Annotated Holmes & Watson" on the list for the convention? While the list of who gets to be on what panel has yet to come out, I'm really hoping that past experience of suggesting a panel increases one's chances of getting on that panel holds true again. Verbally and visually annotating a ninety minute movie in about fifty minutes or so should prove a worth challenge for the panelists, and pacing is going to be key.

Having already one authoritative deep dive into the movie, "The Greatest Achievement Ever Made in a Holmes and Watson film: Holmes and Watson," for the book No Holmes Barred (Still the best bargain in Sherlockiana for $4.44 from Amazon, or free as a PDF at the group Doyle's Rotary Coffin's website.) I've already explored a lot about the film, but there is so much more still to get into. Like the original Doyle Canon, it's a very thick tapestry of detail and color for us to explore.

Last year at 221B Con, Holmes and Watson was awarded the Best Sherlock Holmes Film of 2018*, so it's well deserving of this "scholarly" treatment this year.

One of these days, my friend Rob Nunn will attend one of these sessions and finally see the clouds part and the Thomas-Kinkade-style beams of light shining Holmes and Watson's true glory down upon him, but until then, the rest of us just have to happily bask in that glow whenever we get the chance, as we hope will happen at 221B Con this year.

There are worse things that can go viral, to be sure!

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* The Best Sherlock Holmes Film of 2018 was not an official presentation of 221B Con, it's organizers, 99.9% of its attendees, or any other official body. Just the guy who placed that sticker on about twenty-five little trophies. Still, it's an award and it was presented.