Holmes No Longer Allowed to be Gay... No, Seriously...

[starvinbohemian]

From Ritchie's Holmes Sequel Under Threat From Writer's Estate:

"The executors of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's literary estate have threatened to withdraw Guy Ritchie's rights to the Sherlock Holmes story if the director hints at a homosexual relationship between the lead characters in his sequel...

... Downey, Jr.'s comments have infuriated Andrea Plunket, who controls the remaining U.S. copyrights to the Holmes story, and she's threatened to withdraw permission for a follow-up if Ritchie suggests the detective is more than just friends with his sidekick.

She says, 'I hope this is just an example of Mr Downey's black sense of humour. It would be drastic, but I would withdraw permission for more films to be made if they feel that is a theme they wish to bring out in the future. I am not hostile to homosexuals, but I am to anyone who is not true to the spirit of the books.'"


Not "drastic," m'dear, so much as immature, homophobic, foolish, and smacking of undeserved entitlement and control issues. *Sigh* Oh, Andrea. You are my least favorite person right now. Way to harsh on my squee, bitch.

I feel compelled to quote [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] from this thread: "But by focusing on possible homosexual subtext like this, Ms. Plunket is ignoring a far more important issue! There was absolutely no racist, pro-Imperialist, or anti-Mormon rhetoric in the movie at all! Clearly it was an unfaithful adaption, made with no respect to the author's original intentions, and should be pulled from the theaters immediately."

Oh, and as for the supposedly heterosexual "spirit of the books"? HA! I'm almost finished with A Study in Scarlet, and I think Andrea and I are reading a completely different series. And from what I've read about The Sign of Four... yeah, a completely different series. Can't wait to read that one, by the way.

Comments

[einarrd686.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you've got a buff ass Holmes slo mo-ing it up in underground bareknuckle boxing matches set to sprightly Irish drinkin' music but it's the homosexual subtext that's not in the spirit of the books. Man, fuck Andrea Plunket.

No kidding on the racism by the way. I love Sherlock Holmes, but The Sign of Four was probably one of the most racist things I've ever read.

Good review btw.

[starvinbohemian.livejournal.com]

Andrea Plunket is a fool. Boo, hiss.

My eyes are kinda bugging out of my head over the blatant anti-Mormonism in A Study in Scarlet. Ah, nineteenth-century literature. It's been a while.

Did you like the inclusion of a Kate Beaton comic? ;)

[einarrd686.livejournal.com]

Yeah, A Study in Scarlet is pretty hyperbolic. "The Mormons will HUNT YOU ACROSS NATIONS". Part of it is anti-Mormon, part of it is the fact that Doyle was terrified of America. All the American characters are either out to get you, or running away from other Americans who they've crossed. In The Dancing Men it's Chicago Mafia, in The Five Orange Pips it's the KKK, the list goes on. Then of course there's Irene Adler, but her danger comes from her intellect. Actually, Doyle was pretty afraid of colonies in general. Upstanding English gentlemen who have spent time in India or Africa seem to come back either broken or evil (see The Crooked Man, The Speckled Band, The Sign of Four, The Devil's Foot, The Empty House, etc etc etc)

And yeah, Holmes never slept with Irene. "You remember the Grand? They gave us our old room" What'd you do, play chess for five hours?
The Kate Beaton comic was a lovely touch. At least they didn't make Watson an idiot.

[starvinbohemian.livejournal.com]

The fears of literature past are fascinating. Non-PC and inevitably offensive, but fascinating!

"What'd you do, play chess for five hours?"

Haha. Either that or he bored her to sleep while rambling about mathematical theories...

No, they made Watson HOT. Err, smart, I mean. Yeah.

[sparkleloli.livejournal.com]

THIS IS WHERE THE POWER OF FANDOM KICKS IN, Y/Y??? I was pissed, and even my "I-don't-hate-homosexuals-but-I'd-rather-not-read-slash" sister was all, "WTF HOMOPHOBE" when she read the title over my shoulder. >>; Guy Richie (sp?) may not be allowed to, but. Cough. Fangirls and fanboys, anyone? 8DD

[starvinbohemian.livejournal.com]

It's true that the Sherlock Holmes fandom is as old as steam and no one's killing it any time soon.

I really don't know how much power this woman has over Guy Ritchie, but it seems unlikely to me that there wouldn't be a contract floating around somewhere that says she has no real say.

[dawnie1970.livejournal.com]

Oh lord, some people. *rolls eyes at foolish, angry woman* Go away now Andrea!

[starvinbohemian.livejournal.com]

If only she would! :(

[green-amberjade.livejournal.com]

Wow. Over drastic much?

Honestly, this woman... Is it wrong that I find myself amused by the fact that her house is going to be egged and her car keyed?

Although, perhaps we should respond by giving her an adaption of the books that is completely faithful and watch as the world blows up as a result.

[starvinbohemian.livejournal.com]

Haha. Yeah, I don't think even she really wants a "true" adaptation of the books. Love to see her face, though, when all the protesters show up at her door.

She really just doesn't want Holmes and Watson to be gay. *Sigh* I really wish I understood more about copyright laws, because there have been other movies and books that have gone way further on the gay issue than the mere subtext of Guy Ritchie's movie, and she obviously couldn't stop them. Which makes me wonder if she really has any control at all over any sequels.

[kaysa3.livejournal.com]

wait what? what anti-mormon rhetoric?
*is prepared to be angry*
:s

[starvinbohemian.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Doyle was not a fan of the Mormons. In A Study in Scarlet, the Mormons are the bad guys.

[kaysa3.livejournal.com]

ugh. I take back my objection to the movie. Doyle deserves a re-make that's not like what he wrote. the jerk.

[kaysa3.livejournal.com]

and I hope they have a secret sex scene with Holmes/Watson just to stick it to the hateful old cow.
grrr.

[starvinbohemian.livejournal.com]

No objection here. ;)

FRitchie's Holmes Sequel would do anything it want, because this woman has not legal right

[floratang.livejournal.com]

(Plunket is the ex-wife of the late TV producer Sheldon Reynolds, who produced a Sherlock Holmes TV series in the 1950s. According to Holmesian.net, her claims that she owns the rights to the characters have been rejected in federal court, and her attempt to trademark the name Sherlock Holmes was likewise rejected by the U.S. patent office. Officially the Estate of Dame Jean Conan Doyle is registered as the owner of the Sherlock Holmes copyrights. In response to an email inquiry from Studio Briefing, Jon Lellenberg, the attorney for the estate said, "Her claims to own U.S. rights to Conan Doyle's protected works and characters are entirely bogus, and we are continuing to collect on several judgments against her for attorneys fees and costs in those federal court cases despite her attempts to evade.") »
　　　　
　　　　http://www.imdb.com/news/ni1372749/
　　
　　Andrea Plunket? THE Andrea Plunket? 4-times married Ex-Lover of Claus von Buelow? Hostess of the Catskills B&B 'the Guest House'? When did she become an expert on Doyle's spirit? And didn't she actually lose several cases over her claim to 'own' the copyrights on ACD's work in the US? All copyrights on ACD works in the UK ceased in 2000. Her permission may not be needed to get Sherlock 2 going.
　　She is definitely NOT the "copyright holder." From Sherlockian.net:
　　
　　===
　　
　　A recently created web site for "the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Literary Estate" represents Andrea Plunket, the former wife of Sheldon Reynolds, producer of the 1954 television series starring Ronald Howard as Holmes. Reynolds controlled the copyrights in the 1950s.
　　
　　Plunket is proprietor of a guest house in Livingston Manor, New York. Her claims to rights in the Sherlock Holmes stories have been repeatedly rejected in U.S. federal court decisions (including Plunket v. Doyle, No. 99-11006, Southern District of New York, February 22, 2001; Pannonia Farms Inc. v. ReMax International and Jon Lellenberg, No. 01-1697, District of Columbia, March 21, 2005).
　　
　　She has also filed a claim to the name "Sherlock Holmes" as a United States trademark, and it too has been turned down
　　
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