Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press 2012 - Red Circle of ...

Feb 12 #1 Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press
The Internet certainly makes things interesting (or frustrating) for people
want to be surprised when they see films or television: web-sites have been
flooded with discussion of the BBC's second series, and it's not going to
be easy for American viewers who won't see the series until it is broadcast
here in May to avoid spoilers. And then there are the DVDs, which are now
available to anyone who can play region 2 DVDs on a computer or on a multi-
region DVR. But it will be reasonably safe to read this newsletter, where
you won't find anything about the shocking revelations in Laura Lyons' dia-
ries in "The Hounds of Baskerville".
MovieViral.com is web-site that offers news and analysis of viral and ARG
[alternate reality game] campaigns for films and other forms of entertain-
ment, and they ran a story by Anne Kirn on Feb. 4
about the fan-based "Believe in Sherlock" movement launched after the fin-
ale of the BBC's second "Sherlock" television series.
And sales of Sherlock Holmes books have increased in Britain: a representa-
tive of Waterstone's (the nation's largest chain of book stores) has said,
"The BBC's stunning adaptation has succeeded in making Holmes relevant to a
new generation of readers. Whilst the original books may lack references
to blogging and cyberspace, the stories remain utterly compelling."
THE GRAND GAME: A CELEBRATION OF SHERLOCKIAN SCHOLARSHIP: VOLUME TWO: 1960-
2010, edited by Laurie R. King and Leslie S. Klinger, is a splendid compan-
ion to the first volume (Jan 11 #3), demonstrating how enjoyable it can be
watching experts play the Sherlockian game; Klinger's introduction "Why We
Write" explains the rules and notes correctly that "the Grand Game is alive
and well!" 390 pp., $39.95 to the U.S./$49.95 elsewhere, plus shipping).
The publisher's web-site is at .
Nicol Williamson died on Dec. 16 He began his acting career in repertory
theater and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1962, quickly becoming
a highly-regarded star on stage, screen, and television, and was compared
to Charles Laughton, Laurence Olivier, and Marlon Brando. His film roles
included an appearance as Sherlock Holmes in "The Seven-Per-Cent Solution"
(1976).
The "news" has been reported all over the Internet, but it originated with
the [London] Sun, which is widely regarded as the least reliable newspaper
published in the U.K.: "Guy Ritchie is making a third Sherlock Holmes movie
--but this time it will be based in Hollywood." Needless to say, the story
is credited to "a source."
"The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd" is an audio and video series created by
Grant Baciocco and Doug Price for Dementia Radio in 2004 and now distribut-
ed via podcast; there were three 10-minute Sherlockian episodes, podcast on
Oct. 13, 21, and 27, 2008, that are notable for the actor who played Sher-
lock Holmes: Stan Freberg; the first episode (#708) ends with a set-up and
the story continues in episodes #709 and #710. You can listen to and down-
load the programs at . Bill Anselm gets
credit for discovering and reporting the series.