Shades of George C. Scott as Holmes with a female Dr. Watson in They Might Be Giants...1972, IIRC.
Posted on 04/04/2004 2:59:39 PM PDT by Long Cut
Over at THIS THREAD, discussing Tom Clancy's movies, one FReeper lamented the lack of threads discussing books we all might like, like Clancy's, or those of Clive Cussler, Matt Reilly, Patrick Robinson...The list is almost endless, as writers with a conservative tilt have long produced works that appeal to a wide audience of Americans, not just conservatives.
So, ever willing to help out, herewith such a thread. I'm not totally motivated by altruism here, as I am working on my first book right now, and opinions matter to me. Also, I love discussing my favorite works. I started reading at the tender age of four, and kept most of the books I read starting with Treasure Island. I married an English Lit major, and even today I attempt to consume as many books as possible.
What say you , FReepers? Let's chew on some books, shall we?
Yeah, I could see one of the "kleine diebische Bergvolk" as a Holmes type. Bavarians are pretty neat people. I think of them as good-old-boys in Lederhosen and we get along just fine. They haven't discovered the wonders of the pickup truck yet, but they do have a proper appreciation for good hunting dogs and good beer! (and I must say your average Bayerischer Kerl has a better taste in beer than your average Bud-drinking good old boy!)
There were plenty of farmers with the flatbed equivalent and the Volkswagen van with an open rear, sort of an analogue to the Japanese Toyota and Datsun mini-pickups. And there are more than a few surplussed-off Bundeswehr Unimog 404 trucks and Austrian Pinzgauers running around, even a few old USAF base pickup trucks. They're getting there.
Shades of George C. Scott as Holmes with a female Dr. Watson in They Might Be Giants...1972, IIRC.
Think of him as a "lad", a bit more "street" than his ancestor. A bit more rough around the edges. Picture him, in fact, played by Vinnie Jones, of the movies Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.
Going for a straight clone of the old one would be a tad boring, IMHO. He'd have to fit in his new time frame and context. You could keep most of the old eccentricities, though, like the pipe and such, and his laboratory. He'd be just as intelligent and driven, but more comfortable moving about in the modern underworlds.
As for Watson, I am adamant that she NOT be some young knockout. Her role would be best served by a middle-aged, proper lady, one offering a marked contrast to the younger, tougher Holmes. I HATE it when lazy writers set up an obvious romance, and one should not be here. I'd picture her as resembling James Bond's Miss Moneypenny in looks and demeanor, if not in her crush on her friend.
SCENE: Tony, seated at a table in an otherwise empty pub, has three goons pointing pistols at him and demanding his surrender. He just keeps at his pint and says...
"The fact that you've got "Replica" written down the side of your gun. (draws his own gun) And the fact that I've got "Desert Eagle point five O" written on the side of mine, should precipitate your ba**s into shrinking, along with your presence. Now... F**k off!"
It's a classic.
Am still catching up on the thread, so if these books have been mentioned, my apologies.
The more good moral/conservative based view points we get out there that are enjoyable to read and also can get people thinking...the better.
That's what I try to do with The Dragon's Fury Series.
I can't believe after over 150 posts, no one's mentioned Patrick O'Brian! Truly the master of historical fiction. I'm on the 12th book in the series, and they really do read as one long saga. However, you can start pretty much anywhere in the series and get a taste for it.
Aubrey/Maturin are as good as Holmes/Watson or Frodo/Sam or Quixote/Pancho amongst great fictional partners. And the movie version of Master and Commander is even good!
If you're looking for a new mystery author, try Michael McGarrity. His novels set in Santa Fe and New Mexico are quite good. I also recommend Nevada Barr and Tony Hillerman.
I am reading "The Contender: Richard Nixon, The Congress Years" by Irwin Gellman. The parallels are ominous.
Next up is John Keegan's new book "Intelligence in War: Knowledge of the Enemy from Napoleon to Al Qaeda."
Think of him as a "lad", a bit more "street" than his ancestor. A bit more rough around the edges. Picture him, in fact, played by Vinnie Jones, of the movies Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.
Sort of what I had in mind for a second-generation Holmes, in which Watson would be an uncle/mentor to the young Holmes heir, who would then develop a partner/sidekick/chronicler of his own...perhaps rather differing from the original long-suffering Watson.
Going for a straight clone of the old one would be a tad boring, IMHO. He'd have to fit in his new time frame and context. You could keep most of the old eccentricities, though, like the pipe and such, and his laboratory. He'd be just as intelligent and driven, but more comfortable moving about in the modern underworlds.
Perhaps in the fashion of the original Holmes in his own younger days. *Uncle Watson warned me about the dangers in this venturesome but necessary phase....*
As for Watson, I am adamant that she NOT be some young knockout. Her role would be best served by a middle-aged, proper lady, one offering a marked contrast to the younger, tougher Holmes. I HATE it when lazy writers set up an obvious romance, and one should not be here. I'd picture her as resembling James Bond's Miss Moneypenny in looks and demeanor, if not in her crush on her friend.
Sorta recalls Steed and Mrs. Peel, Don't it. And to, she might be the criminalist technician, commanding her own *Baker Street Irregulars* in specialized forensic fields....
Developing....
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