The Bloody Pit #144 - Radio Sherlock!

Following on our coverage of SHERLOCK HOLMES IN WASHINGTON (1943) we once again dig into the wealth of radio adaptations of the original stories.

Beth has chosen two excellent audio versions of Arthur Conan Doyle tales with the connecting theme being that they involve an American character stirring up trouble. First we present 'The Noble Bachelor' from the long running BBC Radio series starring Carleton Hobbs as Sherlock Holmes and Norman Shelley as Dr. Watson. This program aired from 1952 to 1969 and became the way an entire generation of British listeners became fans of the character. We talk a little about the two main actors known primarily for their radio and stage work including the somewhat controversial work that Mr. Shelley was rumored to have done for Queen & Country. We then check out the CBS Mystery Theater’s 1977 version of 'A Scandal in Bohemia' with Kevin McCarthy as Holmes and Court Benson as Watson.  It’s another fine adaptation and this time I’ve left in several of the commercials from the original broadcast to give you a sense of what it would have sounded like when it aired. I snipped out the ExLax ads for your mental health!

Thank you for listening and if you have any comments thebloodypit@gmail.com is the show’s address. We’ll be back soon with a new episode!

Apple Podcasts LINK 

Direct Download LINK 

Video - Star Trek Warp Jumps Through the Years (1979-2021)

Although I'm more facinated by the changes over time to the transporter effect this look at the way the Warp Jump has altered over the decades is pretty interesting. 

Toys and Games from THE BLACK HOLE (1979)

I'm actually fighting the urge to get a copy of the coloring book!

Poster Art and Lobby Cards for SHERLOCK HOLMES IN WASHINGTON (1943)

I couldn't stop looking at these images even after we finished the podcast on this film!

 

Video - The World Beyond (1978) - TV Series Pilot

I don't know how but I completely missed this when it aired on January 27, 1978. I would have been nine and fully into my obsession with Kolchak: The Night Stalker, so this would have attracted me like a fly to honey. I have no memory of it and, now that I've watched it, this terrifying tale certainly would have haunted my dreams for a long time! This is the second of two pilots made for a series that never got picked up. The first was called The World of Darkness and aired in 1977 but I can't find it on YouTube - yet! I would love to know why this excellent show didn't go to series for at least one season. I guess by the end of the 1970's there was less of an interest in supernatural/occult investigator TV shows. That's a shame because if they had been able to maintain this level of quality it would have been incredible. 

Check this out. It's a fantastic piece of hidden 70's TV history and a fine way to get some creepy thrills for fifty minutes. I wonder if we'll ever see a cleaned up, remastered version of this because it deserves to be seen by more people. 

Classic Pirates of the Caribbean Model Sets!

I really love the artwork on these. 

What I Watched in December 2021

I will fully admit to being a mark for superhero films. I am happier than an eight year old that there are dozens of Marvel and DC comic book films out there and I have enjoyed far more of them than average. I find that I enjoy even the weakest of them to a degree, meaning I can find it difficult to understand why everyone else isn’t smiling along with me. But every now and then one of these big screen blockbusters hits me so perfectly and in so many different ways that I feel almost overwhelmed.

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (2021) might be the best film Marvel has yet produced and I am not ashamed to say that I laughed, I cried and it became a part of me. (Yes, that’s a joke – but also true.) It felt as though the animated Spider-Man film INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE had finally opened the door to fully using every resource available and this film took full advantage of it. By bringing in the best of the past films and rolling them together the filmmakers found a way to make one of the most life affirming stories possible. The combining of so many characters and so much background was handled beautifully letting each action scene carry things forward and have massive consequences. Tragedy and joy comingle with each showing the importance of the other. We like these characters – even the villains – and want them to overcome the damage that makes them dangerous. I doubt Marvel will ever be able to top the accomplishment of this extraordinary film but I will continue to enjoy watching them try.

The List

ALIAS NICK BEAL (1949) – 8 (rewatch on Blu) 

OMEGA SYNDROME (1986) – 6 (competent but clunky action film) 

I BOUGHT A VAMPIRE MOTORCYCLE (1990) – 6 (fun and silly but too long) 

DIAL CODE SANTA CLAUS (1989) – 8 (rewatch) 

THE AMAZING MR. X (1948) – 8 (rewatch on Blu) 

TRAIL OF ROBIN HOOD (1950) – 7 (rewatch) (Roy Rogers vs Christmas tree rustlers) 

SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM (1933) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

DON’T GO IN THE BASEMENT (1973) – 5 (unpleasant asylum horror tale) 

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (2021) – 10 

KRAMPUS: THE NAUGHTY CUT (2015) – 8 

DAYS OF VENGEANCE (1967) – 7 (spaghetti western) 

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIRROR (1973) – 8 (rewatch of this excellent Franco drama)

NIGHT HUNTER (2018) – 7 (solid crime story with strong cast) 

FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN (1973) – 6 (rewatch on Blu) 

A LITTLE GAME (1971) – 7 (sharp evil kid thriller set at Christmas – TV movie)

ROBIN HOOD NEVER DIES (1975) – 3 (dull, threadbare Spanish version of the tale) 

1001 NIGHTS OF PLEASURE (1972) – 5 (Margheriti’s Arabian Nights sex comedy) 

BLOOD FOR DRACULA (1974) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

SEAS BENEATH (1931) – 5 (clunky early talkie from John Ford – WWI tale) 

GANG WAR IN MILAN (1973) – 7 (Lenzi crime film) 

HUMAN ANIMALS (1982) – 7 (bizarre Spanish post-apocalyptic tale)

DEAD SPACE (1991) – 5 (another Corman ALIEN/ALIEN riff) 

80,000 SUSPECTS (1963) - 9 (excellent Val Guest epidemic thriller/drama) 

STAR TREK – THE MOTION PICTURE (1979) – 6 (rewatch of the director’s cut) 

EVIL ROY SLADE (1972) – 6 (very silly western comedy – TV movie) 

THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS (2021) – 6 

I ESCAPED FROM DEVIL’S ISLAND (1973) – 6 

SHERLOCK HOLMES’ FATAL HOUR (1931) – 6