A Study in Celluloid

Review 1: This is a producers account of the filming of probably the finest incarnations of Sherlock Holmes, known to fans as the 'Granada Series' and played with great elan by Jeremy Brett and his two fine Watsons.

Mr Cox gives a good but all to brief account of each episode, the problems encountered, changes made, anecdotes and the like. I was left feeling he had so much more to share with us but for whatever reason he holds back. It is clear he was distressed by the changing fortunes of the series he fought so hard for.

If only Granada had given a little more cash after the series' initial success, if only Michael Cox had stayed in charge, if only Brett had not been ill. What does stand as a testament to the series is that all these years after the series has long gone it still attracts so many fans. Books like this only add to our understanding of the behind the scenes wrangling and also to our frustration over what might have been.

Thank you Mr.Cox

Reviewed by: Eve Sanders, 2003

Review 2: This book expanded from Michael Cox's series in Sherlock Holmes: The Detective Magazine. The TV series was Michael Cox's idea, and he was involved as producer or executive producer for nearly all its ten-year run.

Only Jeremy Brett could have given us as full an account, and he probably couldn't have told us why things went as they did - why Mrs Barclay and ex-Cpl Wood meet in a social hall, not in the street, why Professor Moriarty appears in The Red-Headed League, why The Reigate Squires was scripted but not filmed . . .

Michael has given, as only he could, what must now be considered the definitive story of a vital episode in the dramatic career of the great detective even including the final, sometimes unwatchable, series, in which he played no part.

A Study in Celluloid is an important, enlightening and immensely enjoyable book. Read it!

Reviewed by: Roger Johnson, [District Messenger 195, 1999]