MAGIC-BLOOD-CRIME-FARCICAL TRAGEDY

3RD ROUND

KNOCKED OUT

KAPUTT

Dr. Jacques COULARDEAU

This third round is centered on crime and the police.

1- Benoit Poelvoorde, Dany Boon, Rien à Déclarer. Customs officers are playing carnival.

2- Jeremy Brett, David Burke, Sherlock Holmes, a series and a handful of films.

3- Basil Rathbone, Tribute to Sherlock Holmes with four films, Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapons, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Woman in Green, and Dressed to Kill.

4- Stephen King’s Dark Tower, The Gunslinger, the full omnibus edition of the comic book.

The series with Jeremy Brett and David Burke is probably not a masterpiece but they tried to keep the proper environment for the stories that take place at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The acting is good though it becomes slightly routine-minded towards the end.

The four films with Basil Rathbone are from just before WW2 to just after it. No color, no real special effects, and small budgets. One is mediocre war propaganda. The others are banal with no real plot or suspense. Maybe the fourth one might be slightly in Holmes’ line.

Plus a small magazine with some simple data about Sir Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes, the various stories written for the character, and the various films. But today that’s a little bit meager with the Internet. Google Sherlock Holmes and you’ll see the myriad of pages you will get. So, it is a little bit disappointing.

I kept Stephen King for the end because the comic book is absolutely phenomenal and marvelous. Creative art, multi-layer narrator, piled up universes revealing what humanity is doing to the cosmos. Nothing good at all. The art is by far outstanding. We could discuss a lot the idea that in this phantasmagorical universe, the principle you can achieve nothing good if you do not sacrifice a human being before getting on the road is barbaric, and feudal, but deeply ingrained in all religions in this world, apart from Theravada Buddhism.

So, enjoy these series, films, and comic books in the weeks leading to Twelfth Night…