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July 10, 2006

Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes

Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes is an MPI Home Video DVD release featuring the four-part film production shown on BBC beginning in 2000. According to an MPI press release, the story is based on the real life friendship between the mystery author Arthur Conan Doyle and Dr. Joseph Bell, his sage surgery professor at University and Doyle's real-life model for his immortal Sherlock Holmes. Murder Rooms stars Charles Edwards as Dr. Arthur Conan Doyle and Ian Richardson as Bell. This DVD includes four 90 minute TV movies: The Patient's Eyes; The Photographer's Chair; The Kingdom of Bones; and The White Knight Stratagem. The series has good stories, characters with quite a bit of depth, good locations, realistinc sets as well as and good costuming and mannerisms.

However, even though the mysteries are good, to avid mystery readers and fans, they are relatively easy to figure out but because of the detail and the three dimensionality of the characters?all of them, not just the stars, the viewer is carried right along by the actors. My wife is completely turned off by the slow pacing of a couple of the four tales, while I found them compelling and filled with detail, so, I guess it depends what you?re looking for in a good mystery series. In my opinion, this series is tops.

Also, in my opinion, both Richardson and Edwards portray great characters with formidable talent.

Bell, in this series as well, according to MPI, as in reality, was one of the first men to practice and study the forensics, something that Doyle would later transfer to Holmes. In real life, Bell instructed his participation be covered up and this seems to have been the case. Over time, some letters of his and those of the police, many of which are now in the hands of the Doyle estate, have gradually been released or leaked and, according to at least two Holmesian Web Sites, evidence is coming to light of a considerably heavier involvement of Bell's forensic studies in the pursuit of law and order than has previously been realised. This drama takes up that evidence and shows something of what may have occurred in life. There are some superb scenes in which Doyle?s and Bell's ideologies come into conflict and Bell is forced to demonstrate through real application the necessity of using forensics and observation in detection. In my opinion, the backdrops and wealth of characters, young and old, rich and poor, bring life to a piece of Edinburgh's rich history. Unfortunately there is not a great deal in the way of extra features on this disk. In spite of this though, you need to see the series ? it?s definitely worthy of a viewing, and, also of purchase.

Cast: Ian Richardson, Charles Edwards

Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes

Rated (**** out of *****)

Synopsis: ( Courtesy of MPI Home Video) Ian Richardson and Charles Edwards star in the BBC program, Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes, to be released on DVD by MPI Home Video on June 27, 2006. This is the story of the relationship between the young Arthur Conan Doyle (Charles Edwards, Batman Begins) and his real-life mentor and noted forensic scientist, Dr. Joseph Bell (Ian Richardson, From Hell), as they unite to solve the most baffling murder cases in Victorian Scotland. The two-disc set includes four episodes. The Patient?s Eyes -- A beautiful young woman is haunted by a masked cyclist who pursues her through the woods. To Doyle?s surprise, the pursuer is real. And so are the hideous murders connected to a gruesome incident in the Boer War The Photographer?s Chair -- Doyle and Bell investigate a serial killer?s victims, all of whom bare unusual markings. Doyle looks to a spiritualist for answers and is cautioned about his investigation from beyond the grave. Little does he know about the murderer?s plans for his victims in the afterlife. The Kingdom of Bones -- When an ancient Egyptian mummy is unwrapped in public, a recently murdered Englishman is found, involving Doyle and Bell in a bombing conspiracy. The White Knight Strategem -- Two men with knowledge of a woman?s suicide are murdered, setting off a heated disagreement between Bell and an old police rival. At the risk of alienating Bell, Doyle sides with the policeman, but both men prove only partly correct.

Running time: 6 hours

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