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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Bearcat (talk | contribs) at 14:23, 12 April 2022 (if each individual series has its own standalone article that is already independently categorized as a "[Decade] Soviet television series" and a "[Decade] television miniseries", then the franchise overview article doesn't need to be in the same categories next to them.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This photograph of Livanov as Sherlock Holmes is displayed at the Sherlock Holmes Museum on Baker Street.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (Template:Lang-ru) is a series of Soviet television films portraying Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional English detective, starting in 1979. They were directed by Igor Maslennikov. In 2006, Vasily Livanov became an Honorary MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes.

Plot and production

Between 1979 and 1986, Soviet television produced a series of five films at the Lenfilm movie studio, split into eleven episodes, starring Vasily Livanov as Sherlock Holmes and Vitaly Solomin as Dr. Watson. Later, a cinematic adaptation was made based on the 1986 episodes. This film was called The Twentieth Century Approaches. The series ran as follows:

Jauniela street, in Old Riga, doubles as Baker Street in the series.

Unlike some of their Western counterparts, the films are very close to the literary source. Some of the departures include Holmes' easy-going and humorous demeanor, as well as comic relief provided by some of the characters (most notably that of Sir Henry Baskerville and his butler Barrymore in The Hound of the Baskervilles episode).

The series' soundtrack was composed by Vladimir Dashkevich; the introductory piece has become one of the most recognizable pieces of cinematic music in the former Soviet Union.[citation needed] The tune intentionally resembles an hourly musical logo played on the shortwave BBC Russian Service (the Prince of Denmark's March), and Maslennikov later confirmed that he wanted a similar tune which could be identified with the spirit of the British Empire.[1]

A street in old Riga doubles as Baker Street. The same street was used for exterior locations for several Soviet features set in the West.

Regular cast

Reception

The films were positively received by the Soviet audience, noting the actors' masterful portrayal of the main characters and the production's attention to detail. The series became a cultural phenomenon and to this day remain a legendary masterpiece of Soviet television. In the West, the reception of the series was warm, especially in the United Kingdom. British critics have pointed out that the creators of the series have treated the original source with due care and respect, and have successfully transferred the atmosphere of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works.[2][3][4] In 2006, Vasily Livanov became an Honorary MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his masterful portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. Livanov's wax statue is displayed in the Sherlock Holmes museum in London. In 2007, a statue to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, as played by Livanov and Solomin, was erected in Moscow near the British embassy.[5] In 2007, to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the first Sherlock Holmes novel, a New Zealand private coin manufacturer New Zealand Mint produced a limited edition memorial coin series in silver, with the likenesses of Livanov and Solomin, as well as other Soviet actors from the Sherlock Holmes series.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ Игорь Масленников (2020). Бейкер-стрит на Петроградской (in Russian). Litres. ISBN 978-5-04226-805-2.
  2. ^ The Russian Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson ссылка проверена 12 марта 2009
  3. ^ «London visit of Vasily Livanov» 16th Jan 2007, Sherlock Holmes Society of London Archived 2014-10-14 at the Wayback Machine ссылка проверена 12 марта 2009
  4. ^ Kinchin-Smith, Sam; Gryspeerdt, Nancy (2014-07-10). "Curious incidents: the adventures of Sherlock Holmes in Russia". The Calvert Journal. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
  5. ^ Moscow honours legendary Holmes
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