#asylum sherlock holmes

[kajaono]

What we can learn from disputed Sherlock Holmes portrayals

After watching Asylum Sherlock Holmes (aka the one with the dinosaur) and The hound of the Baskervilles (the Christmas TV movie, 2002) recently I found out that both Sherlock Holmes portrayals get a lot of hate

And I can totally see why. Because both have a really odd take on Sherlock. Let me give you a short run through :

The hound of the Baskervilles - Richard Roxburgh as Sherlock Holmes

First - and the most obvious reason - his whole look. Blond hair?! BLOND?!

And when we see him after he is hiding in the moor for a few days to spy on Watson, he looks like this:

Unshaved, without a tie... I know what this look was supposed to be but honestly? He looks a guy i can meet in my neighboorhood... in 2024!

I know it is unfair to compare everything with Jeremy Brett but... This is how Brett!Holmes looked when Watsons finds him hiding in the moor

Also Richard Roxburghs' portrayal of Sherlock is kinda… flat. He fails to add anything new or valuable to the character. He is stiff, he is clever, he has a hard time connecting with people… but apart from that he isn’t Sherlock Holmes. He could be the leading detective in every random British afternoon tv show. As Sherlock? Hard pass. No wonder he got replaced in movie 2…

Asylum Sherlock Holmes - Ben Syder as Sherlock Holmes

Oh boy… where to start? This Sherlock is… he isn’t Sherlock. He is tiny, he is extremely affectionate, he dress casual but not in an eccentric way (like RDJ... I know they had no budget left after the CGI dinosaur... but come on! Give him a vest at least!)... and he is named Robert?! I know they had to save budget but you can not tell me there wasn’t a stiff looking tall black haired actor anywhere on London.

While both of them are absolutely mis-casted, they both had moments that stood out to me… and I think that should be featured more in other Sherlock Holmes adaptations.

Let us stay with Asylum Sherlock for a little longer.

What I really REALLY loved about this adaptation was how affectionate this Holmes is with his Watson. Yeah Holmes also plays his games with Watson, yeah he also behaves like an asshole occasionally and is the reason Watson nearly drops to death at the white cliffs of Dover. But the moment he sees that Watson is in real danger he is the first to jump to his rescue. I also like that he tiny. This is an interesting change. But to make that work his Watson has to be HUGE. Tall as a tree. Towering over his Holmes.

Like this here (second one)

art by @paperbagedhead (please tell me if i should remove it).

we can see a glimpse of it in the Sherlock Holmes adaptation "Gosick" but this the only one I can name... Give me more tiny Sherlock!

I also like the idea that Sherlock is only made-up name. I think they have that in Miss Sherlock as well... but much much better handled. Robert... honestly, who thought this was a good idea?!

And for The hound of the Baskervilles 2002 I like that Watson was allowed to set boundries and that Holmes was the one who had to be rescued at the end. (Do you know that this is the main reason people dislike his Sherlock? Because he had to be saved by Watson? People are weird... Thats such an AMAZING turn of events. More wounded Holmes who has to be rescued by his Watson... I am still thinking a lot about Asylum Holmes screaming in pain and begging Watson to not give him drugs after his leg got cut open...)

So in summary. The good input these adaptations gave us and that should be used more (imo):

Affectionate Holmes (with limitations and rules) but allow him to gently touch his Watson

Tiny Holmes

Sherlock as a made up name

Vunerable Holmes who has to be saved by his Watson

The moment Asylum Johnlock nearly kissed mhm... what?

[finalproblem]

Sherlockian Wednesday Watchalongs: AWFUL APRIL 2025

The Asylum’s Sherlock Holmes (2010 movie)

You know it, you… Well, “love it” isn’t quite right, is it? But there are dinosaurs. So. 🦖

We'll watch and chat live at 8:30 pm US Eastern time (click for your local date/time).

Anyone is welcome to join us, even if you've discovered this post randomly out in the tags. See you this evening in the #giantchat channel of The Giant Chat of Sumatra!

[ceruleanmindpalace]

Finally, I managed to post the next chapter of 'The Chemist'. I am not proud it took me this long to finish another chapter.

Hope you are still with me despite the delay.

[maryfranlmes]

I wish The Asylum would make a film like this.

[living400lbs]

“And once again to marry below his station in life.” Sherlock bit on his pipe stem and puffed hard, frowning—most likely because he found it distasteful to talk with a female, me, about such a sensitive topic as matrimonial union. “Enola, has it occurred to you to wonder why he wed Flossie Glover, no matter how pretty and talented she was, when he could have had…” Apparently overcome with delicacy, he failed to complete the sentence.

I endeavored to complete it for him. “When he could have had any available woman from scullery maid to maid of honour. I would respond that he is the sort of man who considers women fungible.”

His eyebrows shot up. “I beg your pardon?”

"Fungible. Interchangeable, one much the same as another, like cattle or clothespins or checkers on a board. Our mother taught me the word to describe a certain kind of womanizer. [...] I daresay the reason Lord Cadogan did not marry a titled woman was that a woman of rank, with a powerful family, would have been much more difficult to discard when he tired of her.”

From Enola Holmes and The Black Barouche by Nancy Springer

[helloliriels]

Rewatched Asylum Holmes and had to share. New art in the works, too. Still noodling on it. How does something so terrible inspire so many new thoughts??? lolol

My 99th Work on AO3!

Hells yeah! I have nearly 100 posts on AO3 and I'm mildly freaking out!

That's almost a post per week for the last 2 yrs, not counting individual chapters??!!! A want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who has reached out to say hi! and dropped a note of encouragement. It means the world to me! Without Tumbles ... I would never have found AO3 or the rest of the fandom. I love this mad hellsite!

Watson Has 99 Problems But A T-Rex Ain't One!

Made in honour of that lovely tight little vest in Sherlock Holmes (2010) the same year of our Lord & Saviour, BBC Sherlock! Only with Dinos ... honestly ... BBC, take some pointers here ... ?

@johnlocky @ohlooktheresabee @fluffbyday-smutbynight @53rdcenturyhero @thedyingdetective @finalproblem @totallysilvergirl @arwamachine @discordantwords @sgam76 @janetm74 @andbreathenormally @7-percent @shelleysprometheus @annecumberbatch @nixxie-pic @elldotsee @devoursjohnlock @jawnn-watson @dinner--starving @lillysliterature @justanobsessedpan @tinchensblog @chinike @rhasima @myriath @wizama @missdeliadili @pocketwatchofmycroft @angrybagginshieldbakery @queerbaitingshouldbeillegal @thequirkyotter @mr-nauseam @mslovet @m-rachlan @kettykika78 @inevitably-johnlocked @glows-n-the-dark @johannadc @margueritesomebodyoranother @sarahthecoat @luciengenic @iwlyanmw @thewatsonbeekeepers @lovemeinthatuniverse @meetinginsamarra @mousedetective @mintivee @glass-rose-paperweight @cheekbones-and-coat-collars

[lauralot89]

upon learning that the upcoming Dracula movie is yet another Dracula/Mina romance, here is an incomplete list of things that would be more interesting in an adaptation than a Dracula/Mina romance:

A romance between Dracula and literally any other character

An origin story for the lady vampires

A feature length adaptation of the Demeter plot (yes, I know this exists already, it deserves more adaptations)

A Dracula origin story set at the Scholomance

Mina and Jonathan going into that "unknown and terrible land" together

Dracula deciding that, rather than just murdering people, he can offer sex in exchange for blood, and chooses to go to London to do this because the locals will not be receptive. He awkwardly tries to ask Jonathan about prostitution in London and Jonathan's proper gentleman sensibilities are affronted

Dracula gets committed to Seward's asylum, somehow

Dracula gets stuck in wolf form and gets adopted by one of the protagonists

Dracula and his ladies go to Van Helsing, expert on the occult that he is, to ask for help trying to conceive

The Crew of Light try to imprison Dracula rather than destroy him, theorizing that, if they can find a way to cure him, everyone he's turned will be cured

Dracula's sexy immortal vampire harem kicking him out of his own castle because they're sick of his shit

Dracula and Van Helsing as bitter exes

The solicitor who gets sent to Dracula is now Gabriel John Utterson, hoping for a nice relaxing vacation after all the Dr. Jekyll business

Sherlock Holmes, somehow

Dracula marries Mrs. Westenra

Dracula is in the Wild West and gets attacked by vampire hunting cowboys

Dracula being so creeped out by Renfield's obsession and vows of servitude that he flees to another country (to which Renfield follows him)

Oscar Wilde fucks Dracula

[2008steamzealot]

Couldn't stop meming abt this with my sister for the past few ages 😭😭

Sherlock Holmes, 2010

[bakerstreetbabble]

Worst Holmes film ever?

Just for fun (I sometimes have a bizarre notion of what constitutes "fun"), I've been watching the Asylum Pictures "mockbuster" called Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, which came out the year after Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes film. In case you didn't know, Asylum is the film company that brought us the Sharknado films, among other bizarre offerings. So it's not like I expected any sort of quality from the film, but it was on Hoopla Digital, which is a service through our local library that enables users to check out digital entertainment for a limited time. Still, as bad films go, this one exceeded my expectations, by which I mean, it's worse than I could have imagined.

[ogsherlockholmes]

The Dying Detective is the short story in which Holmes is... shall we say, at his peak irritability (the man hadn't eaten or drank for three days, so he has a good explanation for why his character had shifted), which is a trait that has been seen in different stories (for example, Watson describing his investigations in The Retired Colourman, only for Holmes to order him to 'cut out the poetry') but isn't as pronounced. It is however the most emphasised element of his character in adaptations, but we don't need to get into that.

Holmes is strangely callous (if that's not too far to say) in the opening dialogue between him and Watson, telling Watson that he was 'enough to drive a patient into an asylum' and he 'fidget[s him] beyond endurance'. Again, malnourished/hangry, but it is odd. And, an important point to mention, Holmes is largely acting here, he's telling the truth when he says he hasn't been eating, but Holmes says it himself, his 'habits are irregular'- working during a period of starvation is his natural state. There would be no need for him to be this cruel to Watson... unless he's not acting.

Holmes orders Watson to sit still and allow him some rest, giving Watson a while to inspect his room (like he's not been there before...) which mainly erves the purpose to allow ACD to introduce the ivory box that Culverton Smith sent to Holmes, and for Holmes to tell Watson to stay away. So, this is how Watson describes the state of Holmes' room: 'pictures of celebrated criminals with which ever wall was adorned... the mantelpiece. A litter of pipes, tobacco pouches, syringes, penknives, revolver-cartridges, and other debris was scattered over it'.

Messy guy.

But look at that list- 'syringes'. When has Watson brought up a syringe before?

'Sherlock Holmes took his bottle from the corner of the mantelpiece and his hypodermic syringe from its neat morocco case... He adjusted the delicate needle and rolled back his left shirt-cuff... Finally, he thrust the sharp point home.'- The opening paragraph of The Sign of the Four.

Syringes have many uses (the sun rose this morning, if you want to hear any more obvious statements) and Holmes doesn't just use them for drug use, surely. He has his science experiments, which he'll use syringes for, but why are these syringes in his room?

Look at the rest of the list, amongst the syringes, there's pipes and tobacco pouches, so, Holmes smokes, we know this. Penknives... to stab something? Opening letters, more likely. Revolver-cartridges, we know Holmes uses his revolver inside, so that makes sense.

There isn't anymore mention of any other science equipment.

Looking at this from the perspective of ACD, or any other writer, it's important to know that anything you write is there for a reason. ACD didn't look at his own mantelpiece and write what he saw there (at least, I doubt he did)- he's creating a picture of Holmes and his space, and everything he's listed there should suggest something about him and form connotations in the reader's mind. So, yes, you read how he has pipes on his mantelpiece, and how often is Holmes depicted without a pipe? ACD included a throwaway term in this list 'other debris'- in other words, more shit that isn't important to highlight. So why tell us about the syringe? Is Holmes using drugs here? It's not unreasonable to think this.

In The Missing Three-Quarter, Watson briefly refers to how he 'weaned [Holmes] from that drug mania', probably due to the fact that the Victorian public had recently learned that drugs aren't great, so ACD was quick to take his protagonist off cocaine/morphine without further discussion. TMTQ was published in 1904; TDD in 1913, and we know how ACD was like with chronology so I'm not even going to bother trying to place the stories in order, but those publication dates are still important. ACD has rid Holmes of his addiction in a few words, and so has his narrator, Watson... but did Holmes?

Circling right back to the introduction (all the way back, I do have a reason for writing all that) and Holmes' out-of-character shortness (okay, not wholly out-of-character, but more pronounced) I think it's possible to suggest that drugs are an explanation. But, this opens the door to more than one explanation:

Holmes is high, so he's snappier than usual

Holmes is high and Watson is pissed at him, so he's using his authorial privilege to depict Holmes in a negative light.

There's no need for me to divulge into how the first theory would manifest in Watson's narrations, since you only have to read TDD with this in mind to understand, but the second is quite interesting.

To explain it, it's important to establish how different TDD is to most of the other stories: it's layout is entirely different, there's no clear-cut client in need of saving, with the largest chunks of conversation in the opening being their explanations (and ACD's wonderful use of speech within speech within speech, i.e ' " '), the victim is not the focus at all, and Watson talks a lot. Yes, he's the narrator, he's talking the entire time, but he has a lot of actual speach, and he not just 'ejaculating in surprise' (get your head out of the gutter) or asking questions so that Holmes can give an explanation which the reader might search for as well, he's arguing with Holmes. (In my edition, TDD is 16 pages long- Holmes and Watson argue/talk for 7 pages, so nearly half). In 56 short stories, 4 novels and 40 years, you could count on one hand how many times Watson (told us he) had an argument with Holmes. He wasn't a lapdog, always agreeing with Holmes' plans/ideas, he did have his own opinions and he told us, the readers how he was one of the long-suffering mortals to deal with Holmes' antics, but saying this:

'Holmes... you are not yourself. A sick man is but a child, and so I will treat you. Whether you like it or not, I will examine your symptoms and treat you for them.'

And-

'I was bitterly hurt.

'"Such a remark is unworthy of you, Holmes."'

Is very different to a complaint about Holmes leaving his papers on the floor. Watson is annoyed. I also think it's worth mentioning that Watson describes Holmes looking upon him with 'venomous eyes', which is a far cry from Watson initial description in A Study in Scarlet: 'His eyes were sharp and piercing', again connoting to snake eyes, but in a more positive and engaging light. Maybe this is a step further, Watson's not just annoyed, he's angry- angry that Holmes relapsed? Or something else- but, is that why he mentioned the syringes? Watson must have looked in that room, and his eyes were immediately drawn to what would worry him most, signs that Holmes might have been smoking too much (pipes, tobacco pouches), if he's in danger (penknives for protection, revolver-cartridges) and- yes, syringes. Not being used for science experiments.

But this is Watson. He's not going to hate Holmes for his drug usage- if Watson was so against it, he would have left the moment he saw Holmes injecting himself in the living room. No, Watson could not be too angry- how could he? As Watson narrates himself:

' "You are not angry?" he asked, gasping for breath.

'Poor devil, how could I be angry when I saw him lying in such a plight before me'

Watson is an unreliable narrator (I'm full of obvious statements today) so everything he tells us, every name, date, plot point, conversation, anything- it must be taken with a pinch of salt. Is he telling us what happened, or what he wants the audience to know? And- who is his audience? Who is he writing for? And what's his state of mind? Maybe, in the heat of frustration after confronting Holmes over his drug use, he sits down to write up a case and his emotions take over, glimpses of early arguments come through, and yes, he's thinking about syringes and smoking and the dangers that Holmes puts himself through. But then he actually thinks of Holmes. High? In withdrawal? And he won't pity him, no, Watson was in the army, he won't pity a man- but he'll worry. And he'll want to help- even if Holmes won't let him, because 'Let him be my master elsewhere, I at least was his in a sick-room'. We know- and Watson knows- that Holmes reads the cases when they're published, since he complains that Watson 'attempted to tinge it with romanticism' (TSotF), so he wants Holmes to read exactly how he feels and feel that anger- but know that it comes from a place of love and concern.

So,the case has been solved, Holmes is close to his usual self after eating a few biscuits and drinking some wine (enough to restore anyone, I should think). He babbles on, explaining why he needed to do this and that and suggests a date a meal at Simpson's. And Watson's quiet. Apart from simple, narrative progressing questions. All is back to the normal structure of a Holmes story and (this might just be me) you can feel it in the text, the shift, the easy tying up of a story with little emotion, all logic, and everything is lovely. Because, how can Watson be angry for long?

This ended up being a lot longer than I expected, because as much as I joke about ACD's mistakes, I really have to give credit to the guy on how much subtext can be derived from these stories and his actual skill as an author, because, I haven't mentioned this already, but Culverton Smith? ACD formulated such an interesting character with Smith. Writing a quote like 'I don't see you in the witness box. Quite another shaped box' is deserving of praise. But anyway, ramble for another time.

[kajaono]

*kicking my feet’s*

Actually I am planing TWO „underlying johnlock themes“ metas for really niche adaptations. That will be fun

Guess I will be stuck in the fandom forever

[finalproblem]

Sherlockian Wednesday Watchalongs: AWFUL APRIL 2025

Is an April with five Wednesdays a blessing or a curse? You be the judge.

All Wednesday watchalong gatherings start at 8:30 pm US Eastern time. (Convert to your local time here.)

Wednesday, April 2 The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire (2002 TV movie) The last, and worst reviewed, of Matt Frewer's turns in the deerstalker.

Wednesday, April 9 The Casebook of Charlotte Holmes / Sherlock & Me (late 70s–early 80s edited anime plus live-action direct-to-video… thing) Did I spend hours reconstructing this to make you suffer in the highest available quality? Yes. Yes, I did.

Wednesday, April 16 Young Sherlock: Mystery of the Manor House (1982 TV series) It's time to finally finish the series we've been watching each April for the last several years! We'll power through episodes 6, 7, and 8.

Wednesday, April 23 Sherlock Holmes and the Seven Dwarfs (aka Sherlock Holmes und die Sieben Zwerge, 1992 German TV series) You didn't really think I'd let you finish one weird eight-episode children's series without starting another, did you? And this one will have our homebrew-iest subtitles yet!

Wednesday, April 30 The Asylum's Sherlock Holmes (2010) You know it, you… Well, "love it" isn't quite right, is it? But there are dinosaurs. So. 🦖

Here’s the deal: Like Sherlock Holmes? You’re welcome to join us in The Giant Chat of Sumatra’s #giantchat text channel to watch and discuss with us. Just grab a copy of the episode or movie we’re watching, and come make some goofy internet friends.

Keep an eye on my #the giant chat of sumatra tag and the calendar for updates on future chat events.

[ravenstargames]

What kind of video game and/or board game do the LIs like ? What would be their favorite ?

✦ The LIs favorite videogames and board games!

✦ Amon: Would love Red Dead Redemption 2 and would pester Xal to play the online version with him! Also Skyrim, he'd be a freak. As for board games, he'd really like Bang! and Munchkin :^)

✦ Raeya: She'd love playing Risk or Cluedo! Videogames aren't her thing but she'd love playing adventure / mystery games like Syberia or the Sherlock Holmes ones!

✦ Gael: Story-driven videogames like Stray Gods, The Wolf Among Us, What Remains of Edith Finch, and the likes! Also Cities Skylines. Board games... he'd enjoy something like Rummikub or Scrabble, or Pictionary!

✦ Envy: To the Moon, The Witch's House, IB—but also horror games like Scratches or Asylum, old-school style. Doesn't quite enjoy board games, but would like Cards Against Humanity or silly games like that.

✦ Ara: Infinity Nikki, Zoo Tycoon / Planet Zoo, Stardew Valley, Fields of Mistria, My Time at Portia, Strange Horticulture... Would play something like Marvel Rivals with Xal. Board games���Uno!, Monopoly, Lobos de Arga (Game of Werewolves)...

✦ Xal: He'd obviously love things like Dark Souls, Elden Ring, Sekiro, No Man's Sky, Resident Evil, Halo—and a bunch of MOBAs and hero shooters. Also Warframe. Board games, things like Mansions of Madness or Arkham Horror!

✦ Father Pride: Err...videogames......not so much? Maybe Age of Empires or Animal Crossing? He also likes playing chess or domino :^)

✦ Cécile: no (but would play Call of Duty or Battlefield just to piss people off in PvP)

✦ Lázaro: Fire Emblem, Silent Hill, Baldur's Gate, Divinity: Original Sin...and a lot of visual novels! The House in Fata Morgana, Steins;Gate, Higurashi & Umineko, Ace Attorney (their favorite)... They enjoy classic boardgames with friends, like Trivial or Parchís.

[alistair-theirins-tits]

Oh Lestrade and Watson are bitchy to each other

Watching movie in Tubi that's just called Sherlock Holmes but it had a dinosaur on the cover

[spoonerwrites]

“That is madness, Watson.”

“How fortunate we are to be in an asylum,” said I.

A Matter of Blood is a full crossover novel with Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson joining the fight against Dracula. Currently a WIP being drafted. Follow for more updates and occasional excerpts!

[staticscreenz]

i can't believe i never posted Bookworm, my friend Bookworm! can you tell i love obscure rogues?

Ian King was a professional storyteller whose small program was suddenly shut down due to embezzlement, and their unemployment withheld due to legal red tape. The other members of the troupe looked to Ian for help, which led him to organize a break-in to get everyone their due pay. Once Ian realized how "easy" it was to get away with crime, however -- and with no other immediate job prospects -- he took up the Bookworm title and began a series of Robin-hood style crimes, using thievery to fund intuitions and forcibly restructure public education / welfare programs. At the same time, Ian was also writing his own series of children's mystery novels, a-la Sherlock Holmes. But to spice up his plots, he included details of his real-life crimes, which eventually led to him being tracked down and arrested by Batman. Due to the nature of his crimes, as well the results of his physical and mental evaluation, Ian was deemed guilty and sentenced to Arkham Asylum.