#schellow holmes

Holmes: "This is Dr. Watson"

Client: "I know, you both are known to be inseparable."

Watson: "That's right."

Client: "I'm happy for you!"

Hey ho, for sure! I have a playlist for that right here. The most extensive German Sherlock Holmes I'm aware of (and probably my personal favorite) is the 1967-68 show with Erich Schellow and Paul Edwin Roth, which depicts six canon stories with some extra side quipping (including various hidden alcohol).

For films, there's the slightly more well known "Der Hund von Baskerville" from 1937, which frames the story a bit differently than other adaptations. From the same year there's "Der Mann, Der Sherlock Holmes War," otherwise called "Two Merry Adventurers," which is a non canonical comedy film about two detectives impersonating Holmes and Watson to get business, and apparently no one knows Holmes is a fictional character. Those are both Nazi era films, though the latter is the one with traceable hints of that. Then there's "Conan Doyle und Der Fall Edalji" from 1966, where ACD kind of becomes Sherlock Holmes, which I'm sure ACD would never resent.

I also just found the 1992 kids series "Sherlock Holmes und die Sieben Zwerge," in which a police officer named Holmes rescues a kidnapped Snow White??

There are other films and show episodes that were made, but either I personally can't find them, like the 1955 "Der Hund von Baskerville," or they're lost to time, like several 1920s silent films and the 1954 "Sherlock Holmes Liegt im Sterben," of which only a fraction remains. Many English language versions were and still are popular for German speakers, particularly Rathbone and Cushing, and East Germans are also likely to be Livanov Holmes enjoyers.

And nope, no one is going to convince me that this is the German remake of Wilmer/Cushing!Holmes'. Oh boy, Schellow!Holmes is like Howard/Whitehead!Holmes aka eyeliner!Holmes out off the closet and celebrating CSD every f*cking minute.

This adaptation doesn't give a shit.

It's crack, like Watson's umbrella has a secret stach of whiskey? Or bashing Scotland Yard, as they're just getting attention and efficience because of Watson and Holmes. Watson as the trivia expert... so let's talk TEA.

Also, let's make it so very much clear that Siezlock from BBC SHERLOCK (2010s) is homophobia at its finest. Because 1967? Homosexuality is a crime but we call each other names, and hell, no Siezlock. Who are we? Flatmates, bussiness partners? Hah! Put your heteronormativity in the closet where it belongs.

Hand-holding. SO MUCH HAND-HOLDING. Let's hold a revolver together. Let's sit on your desk while you sit on said desk. Let's grab arms. Let's direct Watson. Let's get touchy-feeling ALWAYS.

Sassy Watson. Mrs Hudson taking NO shit. Sherlock Holmes and a horseshoe.

Priorities are important: there's a case? There are clients waiting. There's been a possible murder? Mrs Hudson, how dare you, don't you see that Watson has a HAT!

Go watch it. The queerest whatever-that-is, and I've seen peepolykus!Holmes live, aka "And Watson, I love you too" and the stage light up in rainbow colours.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CspXHcNztro

One of my favourites is by the way "The Bruce Partington Plans" (TV, 1967).

Holmes and Watson playing with toy trains <333 So precious (and they even make the noises <333). And when Mrs Hudson dares to interrupt the hubbies/playmates/serious investigators, Holmes retorts: "We're buying dolls next."

And Holmes' joke about the telegram that announces Mycroft: Three shilling for the boy as it's a true accomplishment that he managed it to bring by in three hours --- when taking in consideration that the post office is around the corner!

Which is contered by Mrs Hudson: Old joke, Mr Holmes, yet not remotely funny anymore as you've used it three times already.

Let's remind everyone entering Baker Street forever that it's Sherlock Holmes AND John Watson --- forever. Also, let's remind Watson of it by sharing an ounce of shag in a shared chair, both smoking a very phallic pipe.

There's an excellent comparison of BBC's 1964 "The Speckled Band" with WDR's 1967 "Das gefleckte Band" in Joseph P. Willis (2019): Threatened Masculinity from British Fiction to Cold War German Cinema.

Basically, how Paul May (1967) fixed ACD (1892) as well as BBC adaptation (1964). The biggest differences are: (leit)motif usage, mise en scène, the characterization of Helen Stoner, Dr. Roylott and Percy Armitage, and most importantly, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson and their relationship.

1. Leitmotif: luck

Which is neither in the BBC nor in the original short story, alas in the German remake its vital: most evident in the horseshoe that happened to be a poker. Sherlock Holmes might be a genius and a brilliant detective, however, he needs luck like all human beings from time to time. As Watson states, "Lots of luck for all of us!"

The "speckled band" is in the title, yet sorely underused as a red herring in original and British adaptation. Here, the "gypsy" gets screentime. Alas, here even more prominent regarding cultural bias. Schellow Holmes' is taking no rascism, "obvious".

2. Mise en scène

In the German production it's a 221b set that's a castle. Weaponery on display as if it's a museum. You should act with reason and kindness, not with foolish tools (or a guillotine blade!).

Julia Stoner's room is so much closer to canon than the BBC adaptation. The deduction about Reyclott's plot as well. If you're a purist, this German production is your show of choice.

3. The characterization of minor characters

Basically, they make more sense in the remake. Here, it's not isolated woman as damsel in distress. It's not Roylott pure evil because we said so; here, the flashback are woven into Helen's account - show, don't tell at its finest. Further, this crime solving duo actually inquires about the events, sure, Watson might switch places from time to time, but - at last - the focus is on the unfortunate sisters.

A big change is one of the previous victims of Roylott: BBC it's a "servant", here, it's a POC. Thus, the British version makes it merly a crime against a colonial of a socio-economic class, while the German remake adds racial elements and adresses them.

The German version makes it very clear that Sherlock Holmes and John Watson are independent investigators. It's an insult to be associated with Scotland Yard. They don't consult for the police, hell, the offical forces should be glad if they are willing to share their insight with them.

4. Holmes and Watson, akaan equal (!) partnership

There's an extended scene that's neither in the original nor in the BBC adaptation. It shows the heart of this so called remake: a hat of Watson's patients has found its way to 221b, and while there's a possible case with a possible murder (and a threat of another young woman dead soon) aka clients waiting, announced by Mrs Hudson --- Sherlock Holmes doesn't give a fig about it. John Watson is the most important, the rest can wait!

Watson is the partner of and to Holmes.

They are both thinking about the case, Holmes is never belittling or patronizing him, and Watson is an expert in his own agenda (and let it be tea).

In the BBC version Holmes discovers bruises on Helen's wrists,- here, she has her fiancé and Holmes has is dear Watson.

There's another extra scene in which both (!) men are almost waltzing through 221b, pondering about the case and smoking similiar pipes, totally in sync.

"Which one of you is Holmes?" - "The one without the weapon."

This Watson doesn't needed to be handed a revolver by Holmes but presents it proudly [which doesn't mean that hand-holding and gun!kink isn't a thing btw]

Roth!Watson has an umbrella with a secret vessel for Whiskey.

"If I can be of assistance" (BBC) >>> "Then I'm defintely coming along." (WDR)

While waiting in the inn, Stock!Watson is eating and drinking, barely paying attention to Holmes' deductions. Roth!Holmes does no such thing: he's no Nigel Bruce incarnation, this Watson his a partner.

Overall, this is a parntership that's center stage. And if Watson as the narrator hasn't much action in canon? Then HELL NO to a bumbling idiot. While this Holmes is shown more in action, the camera shows (!) his deductions, drawns out the final encounter with the snake, and yet, shows the most human Holmes possible.

[6. Unnentioned but a huge difference to BBC (1964) as well: a fully fleshed out Mrs Hudson who is sassy as f*ck. When she brings in the hat of Watson's patient, announcing that she has brushed it recently. Holmes replied that she has a late career in crime (because she's destroying evidence), to which she retorts: And you, Mr Holmes, would never caught me.]

I have many shelves full of Sherlock Holmes pastiches, adaptations and canon. And because some were confused (?) about German Sherlock Holmes… I took some photos of my favourites.

Sherlock Holmes für den deutschen Film/ Fernsehen existiert seit mehr als 120 Jahren. Mein Favorit ist und bleibt aber Schellow! Holmes. Ist vom Stil her etwas für Fans von Howard! Holmes und Whitehead! Holmes. Gibt’s auf DVD, ich habe die Ausgabe mit noch weiteren Sherlock Holmes-Fällen. @flammentanz is the go to source!

Ich bin Kassettenkind. Hörspiel hat eine lange und äußerst erfolgreiche Tradition in Deutschland. Gefühlt hat jede ARD Rundfunkanstalt mindestens einen Sherlock Holmes. Egal ob Maritim, Europa, etc. jedes Label hat seine Sherlock Holmes Multiverse. Christian Rohde, Sascha Rotermund, Detlef Bierstedt, Till Hagen und Andreas Fröhlich sind da sicherlich die ganz großen Namen. Und Peter Passetti, natürlich. Basically, Deutschland deine fünf Tatort-Schauspieler und deine fünf Hörspiel-Sprecher.

Egal welche Streaming-Anbieter… Sherlock Holmes? 100 Reihen mit mindestens 30 Folgen ist ein Understatement. Die „Klassiker“ sprechen es seit mehr als zwei Jahrzehnte und mehr als 100 Folgen.

Ich habe mal die bessere BBC SHERLOCK mitgebracht: Sherlock & Watson — Neues aus der Baker Street. @buttercup-bard and I have strong opinions about it. Bis jetzt sind es drei Staffeln. Ja, auch die Wartezeit ist wie beim “Original”.

Last but not least: meine Nischen-Leidenschaft. Theaterstücke (und das Musical, was ich überlebt habe). Ja, manche sind Übersetzungen… aber dafür queer as f*ck. Du willst Regenbogen? Du willst genderbent? Du willst Sherlock Holmes and John Watson canonically in love? Geh ins Theater. Und da Deutschland Sherlock Holmes liebt… wirklich überall in der Bundesrepublik.

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