Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)

I saw this for the first time on video on Christmas Day, 1987. I watched it several times since then as we made a copy. So it's sort of a boyhood memory to watch this again. The film is a fun, though quite tragic, look at what an adolescent Sherlock Holmes would have been like and his first encounter with Dr. Watson.

It is a typical 80's teen adventure movie. The story and unfolding mystery is quite elaborate, unrealistic and very contrived. Fortunately, Watson is lots of fun to watch as a bumbling worrywart and Sherlock is very well played and engaging. The special effects are a little corny, but quite fun too.

An Egyptian sect is carrying out its revenge by murdering some men who wronged them in the past. They carry out their assassinations by drugging them and they die after having fantastical hallucinations. Coincidentally, this all happens in Holmes and Watson's backyard so they have easy access to the mystery and are able to spearhead the investigation.

If anything, it may get you interested in the real Holmes stories. It's also a clean film, though quite a bit of murder, which is heavily sanitized - something I don't like.

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