Sherlock Holmes | MURDER BY DECREE - Kim Newman Interview 

Saw this when it came out in 1979 at an “art house” type theater because I don’t think it got a very wide release. Excellent film with a truly creepy depiction of the ripper murders. Shots using the killer’s POV as he slithers through dark and misty narrow passages seeking out his prey are very effective in creating a terrifying atmosphere. And the closeup of his black and dilated eyes slowly emerging from the shadows as he closes in on Liz Stride makes for an unforgettable cinematic moment. Very well conceived by all involved with an effectively eerie music score accompanying the mayhem.

Arguably the best version...

I regard this film as one of my favourite Sherlock Holmes movies. It has a great Victorian atmosphere: art direction, costumes, props, and cinematography. And a de-luxe cast. It's a movie to watch infinite times.

Dead wrong on Jeremy Brett. There were signs of compassion throughout the series, and it is impactful when he does so.

Brilliant Movie loved it for years, had it on DVD and now have it on Blue Ray (:

Although i have seen them both before. This reminded me that I planned to do a double bill of A Study in Terror and Murder by Decree.

Superb film version 👌 👏 👍

Hi

I love Kim Newman but I couldn't disagree more. Mason is one of the worst Watsons. He plays him like a half asleep Nigel Bruce. And Holmes in this doesn't do any deducing. The final act is Holmes and Watson wandering around Whitechapel and bumping into the tail end of the vivisection of Mary Kelly by pure chance, aided by a low and illuminated window with the blinds open. The cast is very good but badly used. The scene in the asylum is the high point but would have worked better if Holmes had been the calculating computer of the books up to that point. Holmes in the stories (unlike his author) was very dismissive of the supernatural but Watson had an experience in India which made him less sceptical. In this film the roles are flipped so Holmes accepts without question the skills of a totally wasted Donald Sutherland playing a psychic and Watson is the sceptic. This is "Doctor" Watson, a sometimes police surgeon . But he wants no thought of fatal injury to interrupt his conquest of a pea on his dinner plate. It's a film I remembered fondly. Mostly because of the score and the inaccurate but tangible atmosphere but it doesn't hold up to scrutiny.