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Andrew Kwok
Dr. Lynda Haas
Writing 39B
20 May 2014
The More Things Change, the More Things Stay the Same
When something has been around for a long time, it stands to reason that people will
become comfortable with it, and perhaps even start to make jokes about it. Sherlock Holmes and
the detective genre have been part of Western literature and media for over 200 years. What first
developed and blossomed as a result of middle-class Victorian men having the education but not
the time to read (Panek 9) eventually gave way to parodies and adaptations in other media, such
as film or television. Doyle became successful as a writer because he wrote about Victorian era
malaises in a manner that appealed to Victorian era readers Arthur Conan Doyles most famous
character has enjoyed a renaissance as of late, thanks to the BBC TV series Sherlock and Guy
Ritchies 2009 and 2011 Sherlock Holmes movies, amongst other adaptations. Since the early
days of the detective genre, where Holmes was as British Victorian gentleman as could be,
authors and directors have molded and shaped the detective character into one that appeals to
contemporary audiences. For example, Holmes as depicted by Robert Downey Jr. in the movie
adaptations is perhaps less detective and more action-adventure hero. Guy Ritchie, the director of
the two movies, is also known for Snatch and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, both films
about the criminal underground in London. He is known for his distinctive style, which combines
clever editing and action sequences with witty humor. Movie audiences see less of him sleuthing
and more of him slugging henchmen in the gut. Benedict Cumberbatchs portrayal of Sherlock
Holmes is more faithful to the original, but that is not to say that he is completely unchanged
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from the source text either. Steven Moffat, the creator of the BBC series, intentionally
modernized the show, fearing that earlier attempts were too slow-paced. One particular episode,
The Empty Hearse, sees Sherlock and Holmes on a motorcycle chase, which is inherently
linked to the action-adventure genre. Thus, elements of the action-adventure genre and the
superhero genre such as the fight scene and the chase scene have been incorporated in both
adaptations in order to appeal to the 21
st
century audience.
The action-adventure genre of film as defined by Yvonne Tasker is, by nature of its
hyphenated name, a pastiche that is, action presents the story events of adventure in a
particular (thrilling) way[while] adventure bears more explicit narrative expectationswe
will follow the protagonist or protagonists on a journey or quest (7). In other words, action-
adventure movies provide a story through action and spectacle. In Sherlock Holmes: Game of
Shadows, Holmes largely trades his big brain and deductive reasoning for something more up
Teddy Roosevelts alley a big stick and witty banter, which seems to resonate more with the
cinema audiences of today. An example of this, where Holmes becomes more of a prototypical
action hero a la John McClane or T-1000 and less of the analytical, Victorian gentleman weve
all grown to love is during the fight scene with the assassin sent to kill Simza towards the
beginning third of the film. Simza is the intended recipient of the letter that Irene Adler sent, but
Adler is murdered by Moriarty with poison for becoming emotionally attached to Holmes.
The scene in question is textbook action-adventure; in fact, Robbie Collin argues that while it has
lost many of the detective story elements that made the original Conan Doyle stories so popular,
it makes no difference. It is a Boys Own adventure through and through (Collin par 3). The
fight scene is dimly lit, allowing us to focus on only Holmes and the assassin. Ritchies
trademark editing style is also apparent where Holmes uses a voiceover to explain how he will
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fight the assassin before he actually does it, all the while using slow motion to enhance visual
effect. Tracking shots are used throughout to follow the two characters as they fight. A
particularly interesting shot where the camera films from above and the assassin performs a
backflip off a wall also allows the scene to be more dynamic and fluid. The non-diegetic
soundtrack increases in loudness when the action gets particularly frenetic, like when Holmes is
nearly stabbed in the chest by the assassins sword. Additionally, the camera changes focus every
couple of seconds, which heightens the sense of action and suspense. Key elements of an action
film include but are not limited to chase sequences, combat of various kinds, an accelerated
sense of timeand pace (through editing) (Tasker 7). By adding these action-adventure
elements, Ritchie has transformed Holmes from an ordinary detective, getting his hands dirty
only occasionally, to a full on street brawler genius capable of immense striking and brain
power.
Even though BBCs Sherlock isnt strictly in the action-adventure genre, the show still
manages to integrate elements of the genre with elements of the detective genre. All Sherlock
Holmes stories follow the same general plot it starts at 221B Baker Street, a case is presented,
Sherlock and Watson discover more about the case, and eventually Holmes explains how the
case was solved to Watson back at 221B (Binyon 12). The TV show is less structured in that
respect, but all of the key elements are present. In addition, new twists have been added; Tasker
argues that modern audiences expect a degree of spectacle and incredulity in film and television
(12) so in order to fulfill that need, Sherlock must be updated accordingly. One such way is by
incorporating traditional action-adventure conventions, like the chase scene, into the plot. In
The Empty Hearse, it is revealed that Sherlock faked his death from The Reichenbach Fall
and had worked for two years to remove all traces of Moriartys criminal cells. When Sherlock
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reveals himself to Watson, and the doctor cannot believe it, and generally avoids contact with
Holmes. Mary then receives a text message stating that Watson has been kidnapped, and will die
if not rescued in time. Mary and Sherlock then chase after him on a motorcycle and eventually
rescue him. The scene begins with a slow motion zoom onto Sherlocks helmet and dramatic,
intense music plays over everything. The camera is positioned in front of the motorcycle and
tracks it, allowing the viewer to see both Mary and Sherlock. It then cuts to an extreme close up
shot of Watson, who is franticly trying to escape from the pile of wood he is trapped underneath.
At the same time, haunting piano music takes over from the previous soundtrack. The scene cuts
back to the motorcycle in slow motion and the drums resume play. They happen upon a police
blockade and Sherlock rides the motorcycle through an alternate path down a flight of stairs.
Then the camera cuts behind the two characters as we see them ride off into the distance after
Watson. The music stops and the scene shifts to the bonfire, where an extreme close up shot of
Watson is used again. The camera is canted and angled low, and not much natural light is in the
shot, so the audience feels as though they are trapped underneath with him. Then the camera
zooms out, keeping Watsons right eye centered, as the bonfire is prepared for lighting. A cello is
synchronized with every jump zoom. Slow motion shots of the crowd, blissfully unaware of the
person underneath their effigy, are crosscut with the helpless Watson. The camera jumps back
again to the motorcycle, and this time the camera is low to the ground, highlighting the sense of
urgency and speed. The scene shifts once more to the burning effigy, where many jump cuts are
used. Eventually Watson is pulled out of the fire and we view him from above. Ultimately, the
decision to incorporate this scene and film in this manner is as much a stylistic choice as it is a
practical one. The original texts were largely dialogue, and there is over 200 years separating the
two adaptations. Therefore it would be difficult to make a compelling crime drama that consists
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solely of talking, especially since audience tastes have changed so much. According to Nielsen
Holdings, a group that performs research on what consumers buy and watch, 61% of US
moviegoers [in 2012] indicated that action/adventure movies are the ones they like to see the
most in theaters (Newswire). It seems logical, then, that Moffat would choose to incorporate
traditional action-adventure elements in a traditional detective show as well.
It is not difficult to see why Sherlock and the detective genre has become fashionable
once again. In the words of Irene Adler in A Scandal in Belgravia, smart is sexy. Audiences
no longer crave the formulaic, antiquated Sherlock Holmes of the Victorian era, or even the
countless parodies and pastiches that developed when those stories were no longer in vogue.
Todays literary culture is rife with adaptations and mashups, fusing known characters and
entities with unknown destinations or situations. In the case of Guy Ritchies Sherlock Holmes
movies, they may still take place in the time period that Arthur Conan Doyle envisioned them to
be, but no longer is Holmes the awkward sociopath (even though many of those traits still carry
over) Robert Downey Jr. has somehow managed to transform such a character into a witty
genius. The same is true for Benedict Cumberbatchs performance as Holmes. Although he may
have a difficult time interacting with other human beings, he makes it funny, almost charming in
the way he does it. This is all thanks to shifting audience tastes and the increasing popularity of
the action-adventure genre. By combining these two, storytellers are able to blend together the
clever game of deduction with the fast-paced feats and grandiose locales of the action-adventure
genre. It is difficult to say what will happen next to the detective genre. One thing is for certain,
though: It will remain popular for years to come, even if it is in a form we no longer recognize.


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Works Cited
Binyon, T.J. "Murder Will Out": The Detective in Fiction. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
1989. Print.
Collin, Robbie. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011), Review." The Telegraph.
Telegraph Media Group, 13 Dec. 2011. Web. 19 May 2014.
"Newswire." U.S. Moviegoers Can't Get Enough Action. Nielsen Holdings, 21 Feb. 2013. Web.
21 May 2014.
Panek, Leroy. An Introduction to the Detective Story. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State
University Popular Press, 1987. Print.
Tasker, Yvonne. The Action and Adventure Cinema. London: Routledge, 2004. E-Book.