TV on DVD: The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes: Set 1 (1971)

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I'm just going to go ahead and write what I secretly know that everyone is thinking and that is, if you transport Victorian British detectives to Generation X sitcoms of the 1970s, then Sherlock Holmes is totally Marcia Brady.

And now, courtesy of those intellectual and artistic geniuses at Acorn Media who would never dream of comparing literature's most famous detective to a self-obsessed girl who always had no shortage of dates to the prom, we're given the opportunity to meet several different versions of Jan Brady via the title, The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes: Set 1.

Taken from the first thirteen episode season of the 1971 ITV Network series produced by Thames which garnered the artistic design department a BAFTA for their impressive recreation of forensic laboratories, eerie manors, drawing rooms, shady boarding houses, and intricate costumes from London's Victorian era, The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes was eventually followed by a second and final season which also ran for thirteen episodes two years later in 1973.

With the upcoming holiday release of the big screen adaptation of Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr., timing couldn't be better for British mystery lovers to celebrate all things remotely Holmes related. And although I must confess that I did find more than half of this series entirely too predictable and downright snooze-worthy, it was a great deal of fun to relish in what has become essentially the UK's most prolific output aside from the Bard given their fondness for a wicked, bloody whodunnit.

Obviously Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes is the most respected, heavily influential and analyzed character of the fictitious detectives who would've been his colleagues or "contemporaries" we witness herein, yet the diversity in the style of sleuthing and personality of the various detectives included is definitely worth investigating.

Despite the faded look of the most likely video-captured '70s low-budget series, Rivals benefits immensely by memorable turns from esteemed and iconic acting veterans such as Halloween's Donald Pleasence, John Neville, Jeremy Irons (in his first official onscreen role), Donald Sinden and Peter Vaughan who brought characters including Guy Boothby's Simon Carne, Ernest Bramah's Max Carrados, R. Austin Freeman's Dr. Thorndyke to life.

Inspired by the work from author Graham Greene's older brother and BBC director-general Hugh Greene who'd published anthologies that showcased the lesser-explored detectives in a series of works that shared the same title Rivals creators would employ, the slim-packaged four-disc set gets off to a smart if rocky start with "A Message from the Deep Sea."

Despite the boldness in their decision in selecting a character of whom most readers are at the very least aware and playing with the classic "locked door" structure, "Sea" is bogged down by Dr. Thorndyke himself as his obnoxious God-complex is far too much to handle when presented with it on disc instead of on the page.

Still, despite my dislike of the insufferably smug and egotistical Dr. Thorndyke, Rivals' opener nonetheless manages to establish the same theme that will run throughout the series as the characters upstage the bumbling official investigators at Scotland Yard with their dogged determination to avoid pinning a murder on an individual just because it's the most convenient solution.

Yet ego is one thing, swindling those who hire detective is something else altogether as we encounter a few detectives who steal incriminating documents being held over a client's head and them sell them back to the individuals to avoid larger blackmail (and give themselves double the money with half the ethics) and another character who double crosses everyone in a magician level hoax involving diamonds and other priceless items.

While it's amusing to see the way that private investigators who spend so much time studying deception become masters of the art of manipulation themselves, throughout the set we realize that several stories seemed like they were missing at least one or two vital twists that would've enabled us to-- if not empathize or approve-- then at least feel like we were somehow invested in the experience that otherwise keeps us at an arm's length.

Overall, the series seemed coolly detached and as vain as the individuals characterized at its worst and incredibly fascinating at its best. However, special mention must be given to the standout episode "The Missing Witness Sensation" as our blind amateur detective Max Carrados goes from accidental witness to hostage in a true nail-biter.

In the end while I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet numerous versions of Jan Brady including a few that did inspire me to explore the true source material in literary form, ultimately, Marcia Brady doesn't have a thing to worry about since the Rivals don't come close to the real Sherlock Holmes.

Text ©2009, Film Intuition, LLC; All Rights Reserved. http://www.filmintuition.com
Unauthorized Reproduction or Publication Elsewhere is Strictly Prohibited.

TV on DVD: Blue Murder -- Set 4 (2009)

Now On DVD from Acorn Media



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Since the debut of Blue Murder's ITV channel aired pilot back in May of 2003, series creator Cath Staincliffe's unique twist on the U.K.'s beloved "cops and crime" genre (as the website describes it) has consistently proven its staying power, ranking number one in its primetime slot for five successful seasons.

And after the previous three Acorn Media crafted sets of the series satisfied the need of American fans by fulfilling ITV's impressive promise to provide viewers with high-class "global entertainment," Blue Murder has returned once again courtesy of Acorn and ITV in a slim-packaged two-disc set that includes all six episodes of the fifth season which is also airing in the U.K. this year as well. Therefore, it nicely gives us the advantage of being able to keep up in the conversation with our British friends by not being several seasons behind with its stunning release in a cinematic 16:9 aspect ratio and Dolby Digital sound.

Yet, nonetheless, as a newbie to the world of murder investigation squad room unit boss DCI a.k.a. Detective Chief Inspector Janine Lewis (played by award-winning Men Behaving Badly actress Caroline Quentin) and her tight-knit group of Manchester cops, initially I found it a bit hard to get a handle on all of the characters. And this was especially difficult concerning our heroine whom at first I assumed had two kids only to realize by the end of the six episodes, really had four (as the press release explained).

Moreover, I'm additionally still completely in the dark about just what the deal is with her absentee husband who lives overseas and calls to check on the kids but whose role in their lives is never quite defined other than in broad strokes, leading me to wonder about a divorce, a military assignment, etc.

Still, despite my admitted confusion in deciphering the back-story regarding the woman called "Boss" at work (which in itself is a delightful and atypical change to male dominated cop shows especially considering that her superior as well is also a woman) and "Mum" around her kids, I found myself pushing all of that aside rather quickly. And the reasoning behind my acceptance of her character's mystery was simple. Basically, it's because the show's mysteries were so riveting that I admired the way they concentrated more on the psyche of the people involved rather than the grisly details of the crimes themselves... so needless to say I was hooked.

The two part opener to the set titled "Private Sins" is the highlight of the fifth season by far as it's laced with topical issues when the Manchester unit investigates a shady case involving a businessman who exploits foreigners, including an illegal Belorussian immigrant employed as a private detective who is found dead near the show's beginning. Winding up the case with one phenomenal, fast, and unpredictable curve ball-- it's U.K. mystery writing at its finest.

Yet more so-- the show proves far more captivating by taking us into the inner-workings of the officers themselves (a la Cracker) by managing to weave in some daring subplots. The best example of this risk can be found in the misguided affair that DS Tony Shap (Nicholas Murchie) takes part in with a necessary informant he's also hiring in his own sub-investigation which leads to tragic results. Similarly, domestic drama is never far away when the overworked, always-on-call mom Lewis is startled to learn that her son Tom has been truant for most of the school term by forging letters regarding his absentee father.

Once again and similar to Monk-- revealing the double-side of crime solvers who have things so together on the clock but have messy private lives-- we see Quentin's Lewis struggle throughout on her own with various battles involving her (mostly bratty) offspring. And while some of the impromptu, "what's he done now?" or "mum, do I have to?" scenes get a bit repetitive-- another standout episode can be found on the second disc via "This Charming Man" when a local, climbing indie rock lead singer is murdered in his flat.

Obviously she's way out of her depth in Manchester's underground music scene even with her romantic interest-- the flirtatiously loyal colleague and her kids' honorary "uncle," "big brother" "father substitute" Richard (Casualty's Ian Kelsey) going along with her on the assignment. And suddenly instead of causing a problem as a way of adding a bizarre family sitcom style subplot to hide the grim reality of cases filled with bloody murders committed by people who are so blue they see red or are filled with green, Janine Lewis's daughter gives her vital fan based music knowledge that proves to be a key lead to solving the case.

While there's only one ho-hum mystery in the set of six episodes that comprise the 271 minute running time of the set (in the form of "Tooth & Claw" which felt like it was both a step in the wrong direction and a bit too similar to its superior predecessor "Private Sins"), all of the other mysteries are first-rate including one about a cheerleader involved murder (yet with an interesting twist again) and the bravura season-ender "Inside."

When the police department realizes that an innocent man may have been locked up for fifteen years before he was murdered in the prison washroom-- gruesomely drowned in the sink just before he's due for another parole hearing-- Richard takes it upon himself to go behind Janine's back and get permission from her superior Boss DCS Louise Hogg (Saskia Wickham) to go undercover as an inmate.

Of course, when an inmate manages to sneak a cell phone into the premises and covertly snaps a photo of Richard-- the officer's cover is blown and he must fight to get out alive which is much harder when only one contact on the inside and one on the outside know precisely where he's located.

An exceptional way to close out the season with an episode of emotional daring and yet another explosive twist that makes it quite topical again-- while it was slightly bogged down by a subplot involving-- to newbies what seemed like the new walk-on of-- Janine Lewis's college aged son who finds himself in trouble with the law, it offers another great showcase moment for the show's most valuable female supporting player, Belinda Everett as young detective Cat.

And although I became a bit tired of the domestic dramas at Janine's home-front and think that knowledge of the earlier seasons may have helped better endear the feisty, overworked and therefore sometimes a bit irritating character of Janine (who sometimes seems to miss the most obvious things like watching a DVD of a concert recorded the night somebody died etc.) it's still an inventive British cops and crime series.

Additionally, given its refreshingly female-centric angle, some amazingly well-written and surprising puzzles crafted within its hour long format, and a nice supporting cast of characters like Richard, Shap, and Cat (whom I just discovered is new), it's a highly recommended set for mystery fans. Just don't be surprised if you begin using their favorite slang like "CCTV" a.k.a. closed circuit television for security cameras after you watch.

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Text ©2009, Film Intuition, LLC; All Rights Reserved. http://www.filmintuition.com
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TV on DVD: Murdoch Mysteries: Season 1 (2008)

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A major hit following its premiere in its Canadian homeland-- earning a whopping fourteen Gemini award nominations (our neighboring country's version of the Emmys), Murdoch Mysteries has been steadily building a fan-base in England as well as France where it began airing in syndication a few weeks ago.



And now the series-- which has actually wrapped and broadcast its second season in Canada-- has finally arrived for American audiences to savor both in this Acorn Media 4-disc slim-packaged DVD collection of the first season along with its scheduled run to debut on PBS on the thirtieth of June.



For devotees of author Maureen Jennings' Detective Murdoch series of novels which began back in 1997 with the title Except for Dying that has so far received six sequels in the collection as well as those who aren't fond of waiting for weekly installments of the series-- this beautifully transferred set is presented in its original 16x9 widescreen cinematic aspect ratio, with accompanying Dolby Digital surround, and contains subtitles for the deaf and/or hearing impaired.



Also boasting episodic commentary by its handsome, naturally charming lead actor Yannick Bisson (who portrays the Toronto based Detective William Murdoch) and co-star Jonny Harris (who plays his eager, hardworking constable assistant and protege George Crabtree) along with the production designer and executive producer-- the set additionally features a photo gallery of the Victorian era series, interviews with Jennings and cast members, as well as cast and character filmographies and biographies respectively.



Smartly written and bolstered by the involvement of author Jennings who serves as a creative consultant on the Canadian series to ensure the novels are done justice, her work--which had actually been filmed previously as a series of mystery films called The Murdoch Mysteries-- makes for an intriguing blend of fantasy, historical fiction, police procedural, literary mystery, and period productions.



Set in 1895-- its titular character employs both newly discovered technologies such as early crime scene investigation methods and rudimentary forensic studies in his inventive and highly scientific pursuits to solve whatever crimes disturb his surroundings-- all the while rubbing elbows with individuals such as Nikola Tesla, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Prince Alfred.



What begins as an irresistibly clever gimmick of blending our popular whodunnit and penchant for Law and Order style crime scene series with the influence of Sherlock Holmes however soon gives way as the mysteries themselves become either fairly easy to solve or part of a predictable pattern where the inevitable "a ha" moment occurs in a rushed manner near the end of all thirteen episodes.

Our likable lead along with a terrific supporting cast such as the aforementioned Harris and Murdoch's obligatory tough-minded boss Inspector Brackenried (Thomas Craig) keeps things running smoothly but great credit for its success is due to the show's vintage Scully and Mulder dynamic. This is supplied in the form of the brainy, forward thinking, liberal and early feminist Dr. Julia Ogden (Helene Joy) whose knack for forensics makes her one of the area's top pathologists and a woman who shares a similar fascination for science, medical examination and experimentation to help rule in and out suspects and evidence as Murdoch's most trusted ally.



Although the involvement of a woman of her position in the time period seems a bit anachronistic-- Joy is a consistent bright spot in the series and along with Harris, helps sustain the sense of fun and excitement the opening episode promises before Murdoch's rather bland personality and over-abundance of Catholic guilt and ritual find you struggling not to hit the snooze button.



While budget does appear to be a problem in the filming of such a high concept period series as certain locations seem simply re-dressed throughout, the show hides this very well with a superlative usage of camera trickery by incorporating what the crew calls "Murdoch Vision" as we're given a doorway inside his overworked mind while he tries to use his own sense of logic blended with an overactive (yet always scientific) imagination to recreate crime scenes or explain things while we literally see what he's thinking.



It's a cool style that adds much needed flavor to the show when it threatens to become far too gimmicky (for example when Doyle arrives to help with a seance mystery?) and Murdoch begins to wear on the nerves for his pretty bland personality as he seems about as fascinating as a doorway when next to the flirtatious and bold Ogden and constable version of the boy scout Crabtree.



Still, despite a few clunks and the fact that possibly like its ITV cousin, one where the decision to film even fewer episodes (maybe six or so as seems to be popular in England) would've resulted in less obvious repetition, production challenges, and an over reliance on gimmicks-- it's still an entertaining set sure to appeal to fans of literary and historical mysteries.

DVD Review: Labou (2007)

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As a child, I was a sucker for Amelia Bedelia author Peggy Parish's tales of mystery and youthful treasure hunting found in the Lisa*, Bill, and Jed series via books like Keys to the Treasure which managed to blend excitement with history and adventure.

And while as an adult, I'm not quite as up on my children's literature since film is my line of knowledge-- nonetheless, it's a bit worrying to discover the very slim range of worthwhile titles offered for adolescents since instead they seem as though they're divided strictly down the gender lines.

However and perhaps in a nice way to balance out this mess, it's been truly refreshing to see the worthwhile adaptations of young adult prize winners and favorites such as Holes, Nancy Drew, and Kit Kittredge make their way to the big screen.

Likewise, thanks to organizations such as the Kids First! Film and Video Festival, Dove's Seal of Family Approval and the Heartland's Truly Moving Pictures Awards having become the cinematic equivalent of Lisa, Bill, and Jed's Keys to the Treasure, awareness of overlooked family gems is growing more and more everyday. Despite this, sadly, it's often hard to actually locate the titles since they're usually independent or lower-budget.Moreover, the off-the-beaten path works that sneak onto shelves usually aren't given the same great marketing push of say, the latest family feature extravaganza from a major studio with Happy Meal tie-ins and action figures.

Determined not to let these works get overlooked, I eagerly tackle as many films as I can and a few weeks back, Paramount released a small gem of a film called A Plumm Summer which-- initially derived from a true story-- took a nostalgic view of coming-of-age in the 1960's as a few kids band together to solve the mystery of a missing beloved marionette from the number one rated television show in the area. A sweet charmer of a movie that nonetheless managed to work in some mature plot-points as well-- the film which came highly recommended here at Film Intuition-- makes an ideal double feature or companion piece to this great new family release from writer/director Greg Aronowitz.

While Plumm's target demographic perhaps skewed a few years older and didn't take a gentle fantasy approach, longtime special effects, prop-maker, and art department veteran Aronowitz (who worked on everything from Spielberg's Minority Report and A.I. to the family hits The Country Bears, The Haunted Mansion, and Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed) utilizes his years of art experience for his first feature length film, Labou.

An official selection of the Kids First! Film and Video Festival that additionally earned the "Best of the Fest" award from Chicago International Children's Film Festival, and "Best Feature" at New York's 10th Annual Brooklyn Academy of Music Kids Film Festival as well as Dove's "Family Approved" seal opens with a fantastical prologue that sets the stage for this atmospheric, jazz-infused ghost pirate adventure set in the New Orleans swamplands.



As the school's over-confident "bully" the Toddster (Bryan James Kitto) chronicles the legend about the Ghost of Captain LeRouge who haunts the Bayou looking for his sunken ship filled with lost treasure, two of his schoolmates shake him out of his reverie. When Marissa Cuevas' cute and practical Emily Ryan and the school's newest student-- the precocious, overly sheltered, brainy nerd Gavin Thompson (Darnell J. Hamilton)-- demand proof for the Toddster's yarn, the three kids set off on a hunt for not just the ghost but his buried treasure as well.

After Emily realizes that two shady cowboy oil men have shown up in town with the intent to travel in the exact direction they're headed, she thinks quickly and steals the map from the public library, promising the boys she'll return it once they've found the treasure. Of course, she makes this pledge right before tearing the map into three parts and handing off a section to both of her partners in adventurous crime yet once they head out to the swamplands, the trio soon encounter more than they bargained for when they come face-to-face with a rather rhythmic adorable, puppy-eyed "mud monkey" also known as Labou.



Drawn in by the sound of Toddster's harmonica and Gavin's cellular phone, soon the kids and Labou engage in an improvised Louisiana swampland jam session before uncovering that the whistles of their new green pal have been said to have served as the impetus for the genre of jazz.

Given Aronowitz's extremely impressive background working in all areas of behind-the-scenes movie-making, the film looks and sounds gorgeous with enviable special effects in crafting not just Labou but the pirate ghosts and other bits of trickery that crop up when the children-- who by now realize they must start to overcome their differences-- join forces to stop the real enemy in the form of the oil tycoons who want to destroy Louisiana's swamplands, Labou's race of creatures, and Earth's natural resources in the name of oil, greed, money and pollution.

Although predictably, our villains are beyond incompetent and don't pose a major threat to the children as in a typical case, after Toddster is compromised, one threatens to tell the kids at his school that he signed up for ballet and the film's conclusion really spells out the morals of the movie and lessons of friendship-- it's a beautifully filmed, positive, and spirited little sleeper.



Managing to capture the flavor of New Orleans especially in the form of its rich natural colors and the sounds of jazz musicians on the street-- the release of the new DVD from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer also ensures that children learn more about the swamplands and surroundings of the fictitious adventures in a series of fun and informative DVD extras (some of which are more geared towards film lovers than children).

A crowd favorite throughout its limited festival engagement, Labou made its premiere on DVD on the same day as its fellow studio child-friendly work in the form of Fox's Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts. And while I can't yet speak for Mutts as I haven't reviewed it-- all I can say is that much like the underrated Plumm Summer, for children ages seven and up, this lively and solidly made family effort is well-worth tracking down.

Overall, it's a salute to children's imagination and the valuable lesson that working together can lead to better success. Likewise and much like Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle's Millions-- the underlying theme of trying to do what's right when faced with the prospect of treasure, Labou is a sure-fire way to kick off summer vacation for youngsters longing to create their very own treasure hunts whether in their imagination, backyards, or in the Louisianian swamplands with the Toddster, Emily, and Gavin.

* or Liza, Bill, and Jed depending on the website since Parish's works are credited with Lisa, Bill, and Jed as well as Liza, Bill, and Jed.

TV on DVD: Pie in the Sky -- Series 1 (1994)

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Although I'm the first to admit to a definite addiction to the Acorn Media sets and BBC/HBO/Warner Brothers releases that have turned me into a budding Anglophile-- honestly the idea of British cuisine or fine English dining has never sounded like an appetizing venture.

Yet move over Chef Gordon Ramsay! Long before Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares and F-Word experiences began another UK culinary wizard was ruling the kitchens of the airwaves. He arrived in the form of Harry Potter and Tony award-winning History Boys star Richard Griffiths as the copper turned restaurateur Henry Crabbe on BBC1's delightful series Pie in the Sky.

Although it's pretty safe to say the title of his famously addictive steak and kidney pie isn't something that instantly causes American mouths to water, his homey and intimate restaurant Pie in the Sky and the eponymous series kept fans delighted for forty successful episodes running five seasons or “series” as they say in the UK from 1994-1997.

Now luckily for us Yanks, it's releasing stateside with the attractively packaged space saving slim design of the first series as a compact three disc set complete with all ten episodes. Preserved in the original 4:3 (or square television shaped) aspect ratio, thankfully those of us who are sometimes accent-challenged will be delighted to learn that Acorn has provided us once again with the added bonus of both Dolby Digital Surround and English subtitles for the deaf and or hard of hearing.

And, sure enough-- just like a delectable treat-- it only takes a few minutes once the first episode “The Best of Both Worlds” begins to realize just how different Pie in the Sky is from traditional UK police dramas. Quirky, offbeat, and character driven-- the show is sure to appeal to the same audience who had an appetite for fellow, recent Acorn TV on DVD releases such as the complete collection of The Last Detective and The Beiderbecke Affair.

Striking a nice balance-- it's funnier and less complicated than the beloved Midsomer Murders and one wherein we get an instant sense of the main character's personality more than we did throughout an entire season of Taggart. Yet, all the while the writers ensure we're drawn in by the pleasant charm of all of the characters involved rather than analyzing any gruesome psyches in the otherwise brilliant but dark Cracker and Ruth Rendell Mysteries.

In its premiere episode, Pie in the Sky utilizes a classic cop show cliché set-up to surprising effect. And in going with one of the oldest police cliches in the book, it makes a bold statement that the series isn't going where we think it's going when it takes the premise of a near-retirement copper and moves it into an entirely different direction as we meet our hero, Chief Inspector Detective Henry Crabbe only a little more than a month away from retirement.

Eager to put the twenty-five hard years of life on the police force behind him and move onto his second act as a restaurateur and chef-- much to the chagrin of his accountant and all-things-culinary-related disinterested wife Margaret (Maggie Steed)--he's shot in the line-of-duty by a fellow foodie and upper-class treasury bonds smuggler named Hooperman and played by Foyle's War star Michael Kitchen after he refuses to take a bribe.

While to Henry-- who's wounded in the leg-- this is exactly the right impetus to get out of the hospital and go to work on his dream career. But quickly we learn that the force has other plans for the affable food snob. This occurs after he's unexpectedly duped into innocently accepting an envelope from Hooperman and his manipulative and politically game-playing boss ACC Freddy Fisher (Casino Royale's Malcolm Sinclair) decides to blackmail the innocent Henry with the possibility of losing his pension during an image-ruining inquiry unless he willingly decides to stay on as a detective at Fisher's beck-and-call.

Still able to run the restaurant he then places in his wife's name-- while Fisher assumes that now Crabbe has "The Best of Both Worlds," as the episodes continue-- we watch him strive to solve cases and clean up bureaucratic messes all the while going about the business of starting Pie in the Sky. Thus, he continually juggles crime scenes with wine-lists as Henry wears two hats throughout-- hiring a new staff including some old ex-cons he'd locked up and adding on a hen house and naming the most troublesome chicken after Fisher.

Similar to The Last Detective and indeed Cracker-- as an outsider, Crabbe is often professionally paired with a female partner. This time it's in the form of the brainy, loyal, and supportive Cambridge (Bella Enahoro) and just like the aforementioned shows, the character of the wife takes awhile to develop into one with whom we can empathize and identify. Yet, eventually they make this up to the wonderful actress Maggie Steed as she does more than the wives of the other series to brilliant effect in one of season one's standout episodes "A Matter of Taste."

Changing roles at least temporarily as Margaret fills in for a friend victimized during a wine merchant warehouse robbery, she and her old school chum use their wits and the ridiculous value placed on the vintage wines to out-maneuver the villains with deliciously comedic results. And finally Steed is able to drop the frown that perpetually was written in as the disapproving accountant to become instead a fun-loving, risk-taking wife that only gets stronger as the season draws to a close.

Series creator Andrew Payne and his writing team deftly blend the gentle humor and eccentric characters that populate the restaurant with clever mysteries loaded with red herrings including one that does a complete 360 as Fisher and Crabbe are forced to partner together just as close as they'd been on the force in the old days to investigate a decades old crime.

Also containing bonus notes, a biography of Richard Griffiths, interview with Steed, that famous recipe and more-- it's a spirited and fun set from Acorn that is sure to gain in popularity a la Last Detective as more installments are released in the future. However, while I'm not one for betting-- I'm going to just go ahead and predict that it will Crabbe himself and not the kidney pie that keeps us enchanted on our side of the pond.