Customer Reviews

The Return of Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Foot [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A must have for the die-hard fan. In this truly captivating episode, Sherlock reveals a sincere appreciation and respect for his loyal colleague, Dr. Watson. And, in one particularly captivating scene, Holmes reveals an endearing statement of his appreciation for his friend, with a single, unforgettable word. All told, this episode signifies why Jeremy Brett is the superlative portrayer of this legendary character.

This Sherlock Holmes episode was filmed in Cornwall - near the lizard point. By remaining authentic regarding both filming location and script, the mystery and atmosphere of Conan-Doyle's story are well conveyed. There are some interesting scenic shots of action near the Cornish coast, as well as a creative dream type sequence. Solid acting from the whole cast, and Brett is superb as usual. Although this series was critically acclaimed, Brett deserved perhaps even greater recognition for the quality of his interpretation of Holmes. He brings far more psychological depth to the role than any previous screen portrayal. The Holmes-Watson relationship is also much more authentic to Doyle's writing than is the case for any other screen adaptation of the stories. To summarize, the production is excellent in every way. - Lyndon Smith.

This episode of The Return of Sherlock Holmes is one of Jeremy Brett's very best performances. With the very capable Edward Hardwicke as Watson and a fascinating screenplay, The Devil's Foot is riveting. It doesn't hurt that it is filmed in beautiful surroundings, either.

This episode sees Holmes leaving London for a period of extended convalescing at the seaside in Cornwall. Naturally, Watson accompanies him, but a terrible set of murders will soon upset the calm.

Some good does come out of the journey; for example, Holmes is shown burying a syringe on the beach, an apparent triumph over his habit of injecting cocaine. The strongest scene shows Holmes willfully ingesting a poisonous hallucinogen in order to test a theory. The psychedlic scenes that result have been criticized by some as overly graphic -- and they are a bit of a departure from the norm for this series -- but this is a very brief interlude that is quickly concluded.

Brett's acting is brilliant throughout -- after all, he's supposed to be recovering, and so he needs to show a wide range of emotions, from depression to frustration and finally elation. Hardwicke gets additional screen time since Holmes is supposed to be resting under doctor's orders at a secluded cottage. The mystery itself is convoluted and will keep you guessing. If you've never seen Jeremy Brett as Holmes before, this is as good a place as any to see the breadth of performance that he was capable of. This is also one of the earlier episodes -- filmed well before both the production values and Brett's health began to decline noticeably. It's well worth a look.

This excellent story has become an excellent video. It begins with Holmes as a physical and emotional wreck until a very strange mystery interrupts his convalescence. The challenge of the case returns him to his old self, and his old self is quite fascintating. It is an odd story with a deliciously woven end, where Holmes "presumes to take the law into his own hands." A must see for anyone who appreciates Holmes or for anyone who appreciates a good story.

As usual, Jeremy Brett and Edwarde Hardwicke have portrayed the dynamic duo superlatively. Notable events in this show: Holmes kicks his cocaine habit, and is having a breakdown in the beginning. (Don't worry, he gets better.) The best scene is the one where Watson pulls Holmes out of the house after trying the experiment with the Devil's Foot. When Holmes comes to he is hollering and forgets himself for a moment. "John!!!" he screams, and clings to him like a frightened child. Priceless!

This show is not for everyone. Younger children will most likely be frightened by the view of the crazy/dead victims and by the dream sequence. (I watched it when I was 10, and couldn't sleep for days.) Please keep this in mind before showing it to the young ones.

Though rather macabre, this is a wonderful episode.

+++++

This movie is based on the story "The Adventure of the Devil's Foot" (1910) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 to 1930).

Sherlock (Jeremy Brett) and Dr. Watson (Edward Hardwicke) take a holiday in a small Cornish cottage, a much-needed rest for Holmes. Sherlock spends "much of his time in long walks and solitary meditation." As well, he may have kicked his drug habit.

But, alas, there is no continued rest for the super sleuth. The local Vicar and one of his parisioners, a Mortimer Tregennis (Damien Thomas) inform him that something strange has happened. Treggennis' sister Brenda (Christine Collins) has been found dead and in the same room his brothers George (Perter Shaw) and Owen (Norman Bowler) have become raving idiots. Two major questions arise:

(1) How did Brenda die without any apparent injuries?
(2) How did George and Owen become lunatics overnight?

Then the next day the Vicar informs Sherlock that Mortimer is dead. According to Dr. Watson, the dead body displays the same physical symptoms as that of the dead Brenda.

The Vicar is convinced that the Devil has been the agent that has caused all this. He may be right but the agent takes the form, in Latin, of "Radix pedis diaboli."

Sherlock takes his life in his hands in trying to solve this case!

Brett (as usual) does a good job in capturing the essence of the famous gumshoe in his performance.

Finally, the costumes, background music, attention to detail, and cinematography are quite well done. In this episode, the imagery is spectacularly done.

In conclusion, this is a good movie to watch even if you have read the story it's based on!!

(1987; 50 min; British drama; made for TV; full screen)

+++++

I havn't seen all the episodes in this series yet, but so far this is one of my favourites. This is because Jeremy Brett is absolutely PERFECT as Sherlock Holmes ( In all the episodes, not just this one.) This episode reveals his darker, more melancholy side ( one of the things I love so much about Holmes.) He goes for long walks along the beach alone,lost in his own little world.
We also see him shooting up and guiltily trying to hide the evidence when disturbed by Watson, who always shows concerned dissaproval at this habit. However, he cannot keep his secret for long because soon afterwards he starts acting a bit weird-to the surprise of the local vicar who has come to visit.
He is supposed to be on a recouperative holiday but this is soon interrupted by the news that one local person has died and two more have inexplicably gone insane.
This is another reason why I love this episode. It has a strong hint of Victorain gothic horror in it from the scene where the two victims are being driven away to a mental asylum to the scene where Holmes experiments with the drug and has dark, nightmarish hallucinations.
Holmes is his usual, sexy self, with his odd little expressions and always dressed in his smart, trademark black which he never seems to mind getting dirty when he does his usual crawling about on the ground.

I love the Jeremy Brett/Sherlock Holmes, but this isn't that good. Jeremy Brett gives an outstanding performance but it is so slow. This is one of my least favorites. It does have a couple of sceens that are alright. I like the beginning where it shows the drug, The Devil's Foot. This is not that great though I like the performances in the film!