Basil the Best but no Subtitles
I would agree with most reviewers. Basil Rathbone is head and shoulders above any other depiction of Holmes. The films have wonderful atmosphere, foggy streets, moonlight moors and eerie mansions. Rathbone's wonderful voice alone is the very personification of Doyle's creation. Bruce's Watson is played somewhat for comic relief but the warmth of the relationship between the two leads is an endearing element to the films. Yes, some of the films are unashamedly war time propaganda but notwithstanding the settings, the qualities of Rathbone's Holmes elevate the films.
My only criticism and the reason for the deduction of one star is that the hearing impaired are NOT considered, there are no subtitles!!!!!

outstanding
what joyful viewing does it come any better?virtually anybody can enjoy these 2 greats playing the parts they have amazing chemistry and are a treat to watch.one of the all time great film collections , add it to your collection now .

Snap it up - this is hours of entertainment
Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce were in a league of their own as Holmes and Watson. This collection contains every film in the series, beginning with The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, which I regard as the perfect Holmes mystery - all swirling fog, chases through the streets of London, dastardly villains etc. None in the series is less than fun and entertaining, and you won't find a better release on R2 than this one - the prints are mostly in pristine condition, unlike some cheaper, tattier versions out there.

An absolute gem!
I must confess, I didn't wait for the boxed set. As soon as I heard about UCLA's work on these movies, I imported them from the States. Let's get one thing straight, most of these were essentially propaganda B-movie fillers released during WWII and have no relation to the original Conan Doyle mysteries. Yet, Rathbone plays Holmes with complete conviction - he IS the Great Detective. Let's ignore for the moment the technical quality of this release and look simply at the movies. They are fantastic quality, superbly directed, with wonderful camera-work making the most of the B&W medium. The dialogue is well crafted, the mood music stunning, and the quality of the supporting actors belies the B-movie categorisation of most of these classics. But the quality of the prints was generally very poor until UCLA got to work. The results are astounding. I've been watching these films for 40 years and these are the best versions I have seen. The sound quality, in particular, is probably better than the original. The prints are not perfect, there are limits to the restorers art. They cannot create something out of nothing. I look forward to getting my hands on more of UCLA's work. The job they do is nothing short of miraculous!

Spots
I must admit i was a bit let down with this set,i know they are old,but with all the reviews i thought i would get copies like the ultimate james bond set,all the white dots taken away.but the white dots and lines are still there,i suppose they do explain this in the restoration docs(i have still to watch these),however,to get the films with scenes put back in and the added 'war bonds' extras,it will be good to see them as they were first shown.these are great films for all to watch.we are having a sherlock holmes weekend,these will be projector shown and it will be a great fun weekend.even if you are not a fan try these you will love the fims.

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