Top Films: Young Sherlock Holmes

There are three reasons Young Sherlock Holmes makes the list of top Nonmodern films:

The first is that it is an exciting adventure/mystery set in the Victorian Era. This period in time has got to be one of the best settings for stories ever. The atmosphere is dark and mysterious. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Victorian setting in contemporary stories is the fact that it was the height of Modernist philosophy, and Postmodernism’s critiques are most clearly seen in this setting. There is usually an emphasis on supernatural or seemingly supernatural elements.

Secondly, it was the first case of a fully computer generated character in a movie. Created by John Lasseter of later Pixar fame, the stained-glass knight wasn’t much to look at, but it was the first of greater things to come.

Finally, it does a great job of speculating what it would have been like had Holmes and Watson met as teens. We get to see his development, his formation, and speculates as to events that cemented Holmes strong urge to fight crime. All the elements are there: deductive reasoning, the mistrust of emotion, the hat, the pipe, Lestrade, and ultimately an arch-enemy… but only for those who endure the end credits.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories have inspired a lot of tinkering and speculation, but this film stands out because it is well done, exciting and fun, but it remains true to the feel and spirit of the original.