A Study in Terror/Murder by Decree

**Richard_in_wales** · 27-10-11 04:07 PM

I'm equally happy watching either.

**stevenmtaylor** · 23-12-11 05:33 PM

A Study in Terror is on one level a gaudy, sub-Hammer exploitation picture but somehow ends up being a very good Sherlock Holmes film (largely thanks to John Neville, I think). Murder by Decree on the other hand is an 'interesting' Ripper movie but a poor Holmes one, IMO (despite Plummers best efforts, it's cliche all the way); it has some nicely atmospheric set-pieces but the script falls apart in the second half - probably not a popular opinion around here but I think From Hell told this story much more effectively.

**Honestman** · 24-12-11 01:03 PM

Murder by Decree everytime for me.

**MikeB** · 31-12-11 08:07 PM

Much as I like Study in Terror (I remember watching it on late night telly when I was about nine, which is a bit worrying, thinking about it..), Murder By Decree is a better film. Its true that the actual plot is basically wrong (Stephen Knight's source being a complete fantatist), but the performaces and atmosphere are very good. Plummer is a very human Holmes (the scene with Bujold is very moving), and Mason is an excellent 'old-style' Holmes, who gives the character some depth ('you've squashed my pea!').

I'm a big fan of Sutherland at this time (he went on to do 'The First Great Train Robbery' the next year), and his Robert Lees (a real person of course) is very well portrayed. Overall, a good film with a very good soundtrack (never released, sadly).