Reviews

"The Triumoph of Sherlock Holmes" recently came out on DVD. First off the copy is quite awful, although from what I have read there aren't very good video sources to take from. Secondly, Arthur Wontner's Holmes is excellent. He looks like Holmes and he acts like Holmes as portrayed by Conan Doyle.

The movie is based on one of the longer length stories, "The Valley of Fear". The story includes a long flashback to Pennsylvania coal country in the US and is included in the movie. It is very well done. As near as I can tell the scenes in America were done with American actors, including the well known character actor Ben Welden, except for Boss McGinty played by Roy Emerton who does a great job.

The movie contains a good many Holmesian aphorisms taken from other stories. While it's always a pleasure to hear them I can imagine if you saw movie after movie and heard the same lines multiple times it could become a little annoying.

I particularly liked the Watson of Ian Fleming as every time Holmes introduces himself and neglects Watson, Watson nudges him with his arm. A small bit but nicely done.

Mr. Wong, Detective, is a standard fare B-movie that is delightful owing to the work of Boris Karloff. One does have to stretch one's sense of disbelief to see Karloff as an oriental but what dominates is Karloff's urbane humanity. It has been widely commented that in private life Karloff was gentle and engaging. It's my guess that Karloff here is mostly acting as himself, slightly stooped, charming, and witty. As such it is a testament to his ability as an actor that he could appear in so many villainous roles. As Mr. Wong one see Karloff as one's cultured uncle, full of good cheer, common sense, and abundant with decency. I only wish that it had been Karloff's better fortune to have acted in more diverse roles giving his range and appeal a wider audience. As he was much beloved in the Hollywood community perhaps Karloff didn't do so badly after all.

As for the movie itself one requires a rather open sense of credulity. A series of partners in a chemical company are being murdered with poison gas and the police are at wit's end trying to determine the how, why, and who of the matter. Mr. Wong is called in early in the game and begins to pick out the pieces, literally, to the solution of the mystery. Grant Withers is the detective captain, Street, on the case and he lends the movie it's deepest dead spots. He is a loud, blustery, nincompoop of a detective, and in way over his head. If he is meant to lend comic relief, or to provide a dopey foil to the brilliance of Mr. Wong, I would have preferred a characterization not quite so annoying. There are other nefarious characters skulking about, providing red-herring dead ends, and a few twists a turns of the plot. In the end Mr. Wong identifies the killer and Street hauls him annoyingly away.

Mr. Wong, Detective is a nice addition for film buffs and a fine example of the film work of Boris Karloff.

I had misgivings about Peter Jackson's King Kong. The original was such a great movie what could Peter Jackson do to top it and I was sure he would want to top it. Would that mean that it would be awful? I was worried. Peter Jackson has not topped the original King Kong. He has fulfilled it.

King Kong is visually stunning with the effects beneath the covers. You do not for a moment have to acknowledge that you're seeing a cool effect. I loved the scenes of New York in the 30's. There has never been a movie, to my knowledge, that has taken us back to the New York of 70 years ago in such authentic detail. Obviously there are dinosaurs and they blend in as well as Kong. Where Gollum was perfect the creatures are perfect-plus if there can be such a thing.

King Kong is intimate and romantic. Kong emerges as a tragic figure, the bully of the neighborhood who discovers his heart when confronted with a woman with spirit, humor, determination, and guts. He more than falls for her; he cares for her, comforts her, and protects her. And she, in her turn, brings out his, now don't shoot me for this, humanity. You don't ever know in real life why two people find the love of their lives. Obviously, you don't know here but it unfolds in front of your eyes.

The action sequences, the fight with the T-Rex, Kong bursting through the wall, the Empire State Building, are all handled marvelously.

As for the actors Naomi Watts is fabulous. A long and happy career to her. I will be greatly disappointed if she ends up with a Brad Pitt clone. Andy Serkis gets to play a more developed human part and it was a pleasure to see him. On the other hand I just don't see Adrian Brody as this type of leading man. He's too gawky. Perhaps Peter Jackson was looking for someone against type. I can see where Ann Darrow and Jack Driscoll could get together but in this case only where the other choice is Jack Black.

Jack Black is more complex to determine. One thing I noticed is that the characters play against each other as people do now, not as was often portrayed in 30's movies. Where Robert Armstrong would say "keep your chin up,kid", no one would say that now. And probably didn't say it back then, either. Carl Denham is today's kind of producer. Jack Black's Carl Denham is a bit of a smart-ass combined other less desirable character traits. I think a different actor would have been better so that you could tell where the Jack Black's Carl Denham smart-ass ends and the Peter Jackson's Carl Denham smart-ass begins. Given the assumption that Jack Black could play Hamlet if Peter Jackson directed him I would say it's all Peter Jackson's but there would have been less ambiguity with a different actor.

All quibbles aside this is one great, great movie. Has there been a better movie this year? Don't think so. Will Peter Jackson get another slew of Oscars. He should but probably won't Hollywood politics being what they are. I hope the gratitude of the public for a job well will be enough.