Young Sherlock Holmes

Review by: Alysa Salzberg

(AlysaSalzberg@TheCinemaSource.com)

The game is afoot.

The Spielberg-produced Young Sherlock Holmes (released in 1985) presents us with a speculative story: what if Holmes and Watson had met as schoolboys? For screenwriter Chris Columbus, an instant rapport and a wave of mysterious deaths would bring the two boys together, and lead them into danger, destiny, and adventure. But there is more to this film than meets the eye. Though not itself a popular or well-known movie here in the United States, I suspect Young Sherlock Holmes carries within it numerous references to other films. More importantly, this small flick seems to have gone on to influence some of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters.

I shall explain how I arrived at my deduction. To begin, we shall approach the first matter: references to other films that exist within this one. Of course, it bears pointing out that Young Sherlock Holmes is a thing built of references to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, Watson, and their various quarks, mannerisms, beliefs, sayings, and even a bit of exploration into their hypothetical psychological make-ups. Besides these things, there are other, more subtle allusions to the Sherlock Holmes books. Though a viewer doesn't have to be a Sherlock enthusiast to enjoy the film, the more he or she knows about the detective, the richer the experience will be. The same can be said for viewers who've seen a lot of movies. Some of Holmes' references to other films are deliberate. The most striking example for this reviewer is a body-lowering mechanism that seems right out of 1984's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. And no wonder: Steven Spielberg, director of Temple of Doom, produced Holmes, and Temple co-writer George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic supplied special effects for both films. An E.T. visual reference lets us know that these and other allusions are deliberate, a way for Columbus, Spielberg, and Levinson to have fun among friends.

But more interesting is an examination of the latter part of my proposal: that Young Sherlock Holmes has gone on to influence numerous blockbusters of today. First, I call to your attention certain shots and situations (example: girl gets kidnapped and almost mummified) that make us think of Stephen Sommers' The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001). Second, and most intriguing, are the countless similarities (both in mise en scene/cinematography as well as in story) that this film shares a certain popular film and book series. Let us make a brief list:

Item 1. Three young heroes. One is a courageous, uniquely gifted boy. The second is a loyal, often-scared boy who is commonly used to lighten the mood. The third is a long-haired, intelligent girl who, though polite and well-behaved, will break rules when she

must.

Item 2. A boarding school of English Gothic architectural design.

Item 3. A school enemy who is jealous of the first of our three young heroes, and will do whatever he can to make this hero's life miserable. In spite of his determination, though, the hero always bests him.

Item 4. Our three young heroes meddle in a dangerous mystery that must be solved "” yet which is against the rules for them to solve.

Item 5. Our first hero has a strong, complex relationship with a professor who isn't what he seems.

The list could go on, but this reviewer promised to be brief. Already, though, even if the reader has not seen shots of students at long dining hall tables illuminated with candles, or mysterious hooded figures, it should be easily recognized that these are many of the elements found in the wonderful Harry Potter series. Of course, some of this can be logically explained. Hogwarts is indeed based on traditional English boarding schools of the kind Holmes attends in Levinson's film. A trio of heroes is a convention found in stories for centuries, as are heroes who break the rules and try to solve problems they're forbidden to solve. Nevertheless, the echoes between the two tales are remarkable. And in point of cinematography and mise en scène, Christopher Columbus is, of course, the director of the first two Potter films.

Indeed, it appears Young Sherlock Holmes is a fascinating case. In addition to the above matters, it holds further cause for scrutiny. Though a tale that will delight fans of Sherlock Holmes, the Victorian era, and historical films alike, it is also full of then-cutting-edge special effects. The effects serve the story, yet at times it seems the filmmakers have gone out of their way to include them, so that these scenes stand out like showpieces. To some extent, this is quite right. It's interesting to note that this little film has another big place in film history: it is the first movie to have a CGI character. (This does not mean we have a proto-Dobby; the scene with the character, a knight who comes to life out of a stained-glass window, is quite brief.) One imagines Levinson, Industrial Light and Magic, and Pixar (creators of the knight) wanted to show off a bit, and also to prove to cynical, costume-drama-weary viewers that the past can be quite fun. It can also be quite violent and scary, a some of the special effects images attest.

If it seems this reviewer sees Young Sherlock Holmes as worthy of praise only for its place in the world of film, be assured that is not at all the case. The details of the movie's characters, costumes, and sets show a great love for the world Doyle created,

as well. While it is undeniable that there are certain elements of the story that are a bit hard to believe, and others that reach a bit too far for cheap laughs (Watson, who, in the original books, is portrayed as an intelligent albeit often unimaginative doctor, here has one pratfall and idiotic comment too many), the overall nature of the movie makes amends. The film has been made in such a light, yet intelligent tone of wonder, that deducing the filmmakers' admiration and adoration for Sherlock et al. is quite elementary. It is a love that doesn't even end with the start of the film's end credits: don't stop the movie when the music comes up "” instead, wait until the last of the credits roll past, and you'll see something enormously important to Holmes' future.

Like these diligent filmmakers, as you watch Young Sherlock Holmes, you, too, might find yourself ever more intrigued by the perceptive genius who in a few years' time will set up shop on Baker Street.

Movie Grade: B+

DVD Grade: C-

Overall Grade: B-