Movie-Specific : Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

[Stewball]

Ignore the critics, the box office and even the general public's opinion, this one is much better than the first. The script is excellent with a lot of spirited verbal sparing amongst the action. The scene at the end where Sherlock and Moriarty are playing chess without looking at the board while rapid firing their moves interspersed in their confrontational discussion is pure acting and writing genius. It also is more faithful to the tone and characters of the original books, even including a similar climactic event from "The Final Problem" in which Doyle had originally intended to kill off Holmes.

I was glad I was able to wash "Mission Impossible" out of my brain with this. They should have waited and watched this to see how to effectively incorporate humor into an action movie, or just about any other aspect of making one. 9/10

(Not in the Criticker library yet. )

[ShogunRua]

Ignore the critics, the box office and even the general public's opinion, this one is much better than the first. The script is excellent with a lot of spirited verbal sparing amongst the action. The scene at the end where Sherlock and Moriarty are playing chess without looking at the board while rapid firing their moves interspersed in their confrontational discussion is pure acting and writing genius.

This film may or may not be good. The scene in bold may or may not be good.

But as a high level chess player, you calling the script excellent and then mentioning such a painfully idiotic, fucking moronic piece of ignorant drivel as blitzing moves without looking at the board is only going to convince me of the opposite.

[frederic_g54]

painfully idiotic, fucking moronic piece of ignorant drivel as blitzing moves without looking at the board

Blindfold chess

One of the most famous blindfold chess players was George Koltanowski, having once played 56 consecutive games blindfolded, with only ten seconds per move (which is pretty darn fast) as well as 34 games of blindfold chess simultaneously. In this case, it's only 1 game.

Obviously requires logic reasoning and a very good memory, both of which Holmes possess; Being the high level chess player that you are, I'm intrigued as to what you find wrong with it.

[tef]

Obviously requires logic reasoning and a very good memory, both of which Holmes possess; Being the high level chess player that you are, I'm intrigued as to what you find wrong with it.

It's just something I could do when I was 12. I also find most chess in movies cringe-worthy. Like in The Defense, I saw the winning combination in 5 seconds, but in the movie it's some big deal.

[Andrenator]

Well, being a physicist, I realized how impossible it was to have a breathing apparatus that small that produced oxygen, not even filtering air and water, which would also be impossible even by today's technology.

Not to mention the ending, which I won't spoil.

When I watch movies with chess, I'm bracing myself for some cringing. I thought that Sherlock Holmes 2 did a great job of it. I was expecting like, closeup canted frame shots of knights, and Sherlock saying "knight to B4" and a closeup reaction shot of Moriarty. They did it very well though.

I loved this movie because it was unconventional in some parts, and brought up some new techniques in cinematography (following the guys' faces when they're running, and that whole forest scene in general). What I didn't like about it was that a lot of parts were fed to the American public. One example was when Sherlock said something like "I can't ever remember eating a better hedgehog stew". I laughed immediately, because obviously by the look on his face he was making smalltalk and had never had the stew before. It wasn't until Watson called him out on it that people in my theater laughed.

[movieboy]

One of the most famous blindfold chess players was George Koltanowski, having once played 56 consecutive games blindfolded, with only ten seconds per move (which is pretty darn fast) as well as 34 games of blindfold chess simultaneously. In this case, it's only 1 game.

Obviously requires logic reasoning and a very good memory, both of which Holmes possess; Being the high level chess player that you are, I'm intrigued as to what you find wrong with it.

I read that with most high level chess players if they are playing a game & you suddenly knock all the pieces of the board, almost all of them can replace the pieces at the correct position. It's not that they remember the individual positions - they remember how the board reached that position & can recreate the individual positions by replaying the game in their mind.

Chess and Bridge are 2 games which require remarkably high memory & concentration powers other than intelligence and skill.

[ShogunRua]

painfully idiotic, fucking moronic piece of ignorant drivel as blitzing moves without looking at the board

Blindfold chess

Sigh. Yes, I play blindfold chess myself. The thing is, with blindfold chess, you call out the moves, you don't actually physically move the pieces without looking at them.

I have an image of a board in my head, and then call out the moves verbally. "e4". My opponent then responds by calling out "...e5". Aha, now I call out "Nf3", etc. I can't actually make physical moves without looking at the board, or figure out the opponent's moves without looking at the board or have them called out to me.

One of the most famous blindfold chess players was George Koltanowski, having once played 56 consecutive games blindfolded, with only ten seconds per move (which is pretty darn fast) as well as 34 games of blindfold chess simultaneously. In this case, it's only 1 game.

Yes, I had the honor of meeting Mr. Koltanowski back in 1998, when I was 11 years old, and he was a spry 94 years old. He was a hilarious, awesome man. He wouldn't have been able to do the ridiculous shit in that movie ever, despite having a photographic memory.

When he did his legendary simul at the Mechanics' Institute, he called out his moves, and had the moves of his opponents RECORDED for him, not just called out.

I read that with most high level chess players if they are playing a game & you suddenly knock all the pieces of the board, almost all of them can replace the pieces at the correct position.

I wouldn't say this is confined to "high level chess players" even; it's a very simple and basic thing. But again, you either need to look at the board or have the algebraic notation of the move called out, verbally.

[frederic_g54]

The thing is, with blindfold chess, you call out the moves, you don't actually physically move the pieces without looking at them.

I have an image of a board in my head, and then call out the moves verbally. "e4". My opponent then responds by calling out "...e5". Aha, now I call out "Nf3", etc. I can't actually make physical moves without looking at the board, or figure out the opponent's moves without looking at the board or have them called out to me.

I play chess regularly (though not on a high level as yourself) and am well aware of how blindfold chess works. I had assumed this is how it's portrayed in the film (which, according to Andrenator, is not the case); If they're merely playing without looking at the board nor calling out the moves via the standard chess notation, then you're right, it sounds pretty ludicrous.

[Stewball]

Man, I had no idea the can of worms I was opening, especially from those criticizing without seeing it about some purist ideal concerning the etiquette of playing chess by memory. For the record they started out moving the pieces, but as the conversation intensified, they were staring at each other while interspersing their verbal moves in the conversation and not physically moving the pieces. Jeeessh. The chess was an incidental accent on their verbal interplay, and I mentioned it only as a reflection on the staging and rapid fire dialogue of the scene for those who'd seen it--which apparently few have.

I don't think they showed enough of it, and with my limited mental skills I can't be sure. But if anyone who actually sees the film can reproduce the game, it would be interesting and I'd appreciate it.

Otherwise, I resign.

[Stewball]

BTW, there was a third element to the final scene: through flash-forwards, it showed concurrently planning their physical confrontation that would occur at the conclusion of the literal chess game, which Holmes concludes he would loose due to his shoulder injury.

Andrenator, Doyle occasionally used imaginative, slightly advanced, technology such as the cane/dart/rifle. And in the case of the oxygen device, it might have been possible using liquid oxygen. The only pure whimsey, I thought, was the camouflage used at the very end which had been set up by its previous use. I allowed for a heavy dose of artistic license in that case, and I'll be looking at it closely when I watch the DVD.