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Bellanira Puentes Professor Haas Writing 37 20 February 2014 Rhetorical Analysis: Modern-Day Homes (Final) The mystery genre is a fiction story which involves the investigation of a crime. Conan Doyle, mystery genre writer, has written the famous Sherlock Holmes stories. These stories have been represented in many different ways; his characters have been portrayed differently in every TV show or movie. Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows are two films that were made in order to bring Conan Doyles stories to the 21st Century in a way people today can enjoy them. The Sherlock Holmes representations all keep the same characteristics and the genre conventions because they are based on his original qualities. Most of the genre conventions have to stay the same in order to keep the originality of the stories. Some main genre conventions that are kept, are Holmes observation, knowledge, and deduction. Guy Ritchie, the director of the Sherlock Holmes movies, may portray these conventions in a different way as the book, but they are still present. Ritchie also incorporates the genre convention of having criminal and there being a crime committed. Guy Ritchie does this well in the two films. One other important genre convention is Watson as being the side kick. Ritchie does a good job in portraying his character as it is supposed to be, but Ritchie does add some characteristics that are new to the original Sherlock Holmes fans. In the films, Watson has a bigger role than the Watson in the original stories. Ritchie shows Watsons fighting skills and

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more of his intelligence. Analyzing some of these scenes is crucial in order to understand why the director chose it this way. It was in the film A Game of Shadows, that Watson proves his abilities. This film is about the battle between Holmes and Moriarty. Moriarty plans to attack Watson and his new wife. Holmes comes to rescue Watson and then they both have to find Madam Simza Herons brother to capture Moriarty. In a battle between two, Holmes and Moriarty both fall over the falls to their death. In the end we see that Holmes made it out alive. There is a scene in this movie where Watson has to save Holmes life. This is unexpected since the fans know that Holmes should never be getting into trouble. The audience also knows that Watson is there for the assistance to Holmes and not there to do much. Some people see him as the anti-Watson. Watson has more capability in the films than in the books which is noticeable to the viewers and fans of the Sherlock Holmes stories. Sherlock Holmes and A Game of Shadows are a modern-day revision of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, updating genre conventions for its 21st century audience; in particular, the convention of the sidekick, Watson, is an update of Conan Doyle's sidekick as well, with specific revisions such as Watson having more capability of being a hero and saving Holmes life. There is a scene in A Game of Shadows where Watson finds a note. He knows that he has to go save his friend, Holmes. This is unexpected because if Holmes was in danger then Watson would not know exactly how to help him. Watson figures out where Holmes is located but he gets caught up in a small battle with one of Moriartys helpers. We see his war and fighting skills which is also something that isnt emphasized in the stories. It is mentioned that he was in a war but he is never seen in true action. In one of Conan Doyles stories, Hound of the Baskervilles, Watson has a gun and does use it but it is for a few seconds. In the stories it is

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more about planning things out and investigating while in these movies it is more about going out to the action and going along with everything. In the films it is more about Watson being there as a second superhero alongside Holmes. Ritchie shows Watsons military side too strong as explained in this quote I still think he played it so much as the uptight military officer that the rest of the performance (other than his annoyance at Holmes) suffered. (Reviewsbyrussell). This quote agrees that Watson has a different role. In the movie Watson is being attacked and quickly moves out the way to dodge a bullet that was fired at him. The film also shows him using his hat as a diversion to see how quick the one shooting is to respond. In that same scene Watson uses a canon to shoot at the enemy and it make the light tower collapse on the building where Holmes is being tortured. Watson saves his life. He carries Holmes out and they flee. He has many abilities according the baker street website Watson is a highly skilled combatant and is an exceptionally talented boxer, and is able to hold his own against several opponents simultaneously. (Baker Street: John Watson (Law)). The producers do this for Watson to bring his character to life. In that same scene there is one thing that Watson has to do, and that is save Holmes anyway possible. To do this he looks at his surrounding and notices ear muffs to cover his ears. Then he shoots a canon at the building, eventually saving his companion. When Watson is pointing the canon at his enemy the camera gets the view of the canon being pointed at itself. It is pointed at the audience. This gives the audience a strange feeling of terror for a short while because they can see the image that the enemy is looking at while he is trying to flee. After the canon is fired and the building has collapsed Watson runs to go help Holmes. The place is a lot darker than before. There are a few dim lights and it feels unsettling to the audience when he is

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walking toward the direction of Holmes. The audience knows something has happened but they dont know if its a good thing or not. Something so small like diming the lights can make a difference. This is stated by many A small but crucial effect Framestore completed for the Swiss Alps castle scenes was the addition of breath and condensation (A Game of Shadows: More to the Mystery) Ritchie goes through so many thoughts in order to make these small things work. These effects improve Watsons character by showing his dangerous and heroic side. If we compare this scene to the stories we see many similarities and differences as well. In the story Watson has been given an opportunity like this, to help Holmes, and he does not full fill it. This would be similar to the book, Hound of the Baskervilles, when Watson and Holmes both have a gun and they both rush to save their friend from the huge hound. This only goes on for a few seconds and then the action is over. In the scene from the film we actually see Watson thinking and planning out what to do, then later we see both of them escaping. This goes on for several minutes and many different frames and interesting effects. The directors do all of these effects for the audience that will be watching. The audience watching is mainly teens and young adults. This type of audience likes to watch action, horror, and comedy. That means that they need to readjust some scenes to please the audience. Instead having Watson there just to ask questions, the directors make him actually think and have to do some saving. Watson isnt really there to show us what is going on or what Holmes is thinking. He is there to be another main character and to play a role in more action parts. He has to be put in to the movies because he is a main character in the books, so they alter his character to do more things.

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This convention, of Watson being capable of being more than just a sidekick, has been changed to appeal to the audience that the producers were aiming for. The 21st century audience prefers more action and making Watson like that will help. If the directors were aiming for real Sherlock Holmes fans then they would be reaching older people and they would keep it the way the story is supposed to be. They know that the people willing to spend their money and the ones who more free time are teens and young adults that love to go out and distracts themselves. This modern audience loves to watch action and horror too. Many people like comedy too and they also incorporated that part into the movies. Holmes is the one that has humor in his character. Watson does have some of those amusing times too, but for the most part he is serious. Watson stays similar and unique to his character with having that combination of the 21st Century.

Works Cited "Menu." Reviewsbyrussell. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2014. "A Game of Shadows: More to the Mystery." Fxguide. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2014. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://bakerstreet.wikia.com/wiki/John_Watson_%28Law%29>. Doyle, Arthur Conan. The Hound of the Baskervilles. New York: Looking Glass Library; Distributed by Random House, 1961. Print.