| PRODUCT DETAILS | | Without a Clue |  | |
Without a Clue
Suppose for a moment that Dr. Watson was the real brains behind Sherlock Holmes? The result is anything but elementary! Academy AwardÂ(r) winners* Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley deliver stellar performances as a delightful duo, an 1890s Odd Couple (Los Angeles Times) in this madcapmystery that's 'the most hilarious Sherlock Holmes adventure of them all ('sneak Previews )! Dr. John Watson (Kingsley) is secretly a crime-solving genius. But to protect his reputation as a physician, he hires bumbling, boozy, out-of-work actor Reginald Kincaid (Caine) to play the part of his fictional creation, Sherlock Holmes. The charade works until Watson mysteriously disappears, forcing the baffled, seriously inept Holmes to crack the biggest case of Watson's career on his own! *Caine: Supporting Actor, The Cider House Rules (1999); Supporting Actor, Hannah and Her Sisters (1986); Kingsley: Actor, Gandhi (1982)
Manufacturer: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT
Price: $6.70
 Without a Clue
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| User Reviews |  | Absolutely Hilarious!
rating: 5
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WITHOUT A CLUE (1988) is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. I love this movie!
That said, I have to wonder why this inventive spoof of Sherlock Holmes was not a huge box-office success when it was first released. Certainly it has garnered a cult following over the years, but the mass audience has never really embraced it.
Perhaps the reason is that Sherlock Holmes appeals to a more intellectual viewer and one needs, at the very least, a basic familiarity with Conan Doyle and the Baker Street sleuth in order to appreciate the humor (often slapstick) in this Thom Eberhardt-directed film.
The basic premise of the script, written by Gary Murphy and Larry Strawther, is brilliant. In their scenario, there is no Sherlock Holmes. He is a fictional character, created for Strand Magazine by genius detective Dr. Watson (Ben Kingsley).
The Holmes stories were so popular that people came to believe that Sherlock was a real person. Thus, Watson hired an out-of-work actor (Michael Caine) to play the role of Holmes while he did the actual detective work. Unfortunately, the actor is also a drunk, a gambler, a womanizer, a coward and an absolute moron.
As much as Watson would like to get rid of the imbecile, he's stuck with him...particularly when the evil Professor Moriarty (Paul Freeman) appears on the scene, planning the crime of the century.
Do not miss this movie!
© Michael B. Druxman, author of ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLLYWOOD (available December 2008)
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Region 2 release is NOT true widescreen
rating: 4
I need to correct the review by "J. Glemby" when he states that the Region 2 release is anamorphic widescreen. It is a "faked" widescreen rather than true anamorphic. The case is correct when it says that the screen aspect is 4:3 Letterboxed. In other words, the actual frame size is 4:3 with the black bars on top and bottom as part of the frame image. With a true widescreen presentation, the black bars are generated by the DVD player/TV with the full screen resolution dedicated to the movie image. When the Region 2 disc is viewed on a 16:9 TV, you will have to manually expand the image to fill the screen. That means that you are zooming in which essentially lowers the resolution. If it had been mastered in true anamorphic widescreen, there would be no loss in resolution. Still, I'd rather watch a "faked" widescreen than a full-frame release.
That said, this is a great movie and it is a shame that this has not been given a decent Region 1 release (or true widescreen release for Region 2).
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widescreen available region 2
rating: 5
There are plenty of reviews that tell what a delightfull movie Without A Clue is.It is a crime that this is not available in widescreen for region 1 dvds.however,for all of you with multi region players the region 2 disc IS ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN.Please note the dvd case cover said fullscreen but it is most definately widescreen,not compessed screen or anything else but the real deal.I will discribe the particular disc I am talking of....it reads''itc entertainment,the silver collection,distributed by carlton video limited,region 2. I beleive this is a australian and great britan version for all writing is english only...Its amazing in widescreen....well i hope this helped someone..good luck.
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Unfunny
rating: 2
The problem here is that the script is simply unamusing. Despite the fine costuming and acting, the director could only do so much with witless dialog. This is a major disappointment for those seeking comedy and an offense to all serious Sherlock Holmes fans.
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Michael Caine is brilliantly thick
rating: 5
Reginald Kincaide was an out of work actor hired by Dr. Watson to play his fictitious detective Sherlock Holmes, from there the humor ensues. As any actor will tell you, comedy is hard, and the cast of this well written script is up to the task. This is one of those marvelous British comedies that only they seem to be able to do. If you liked "Johnny English" or "Keeping Mum" you'll like this film. It's one of my absolute favorites. If you love Sherlock Holmes and don't mind poking fun at him, you'll also appreciate this movie (BTW Basil Rathbone is Sherlock for me.)
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Without a Clue
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