Murder by Decree

UPC: 012236106814

Studio: Lionsgate

MPAA Rating: PG   Contains:[Violence, Not For Children]

Summary: The murders by the infamous British criminal, Jack the Ripper, catch the attention of Sherlock Holmes (Christopher Plummer), but he does not receive the expected call from Scotland Yard because he is being purposefully excluded from the investigation. Instead, Robert Lees (Donald Sutherland), a psychic who volunteered information to the police about the murders, provides the Great Detective with the necessary incitement to action. As the murders proceed, it becomes clear to all concerned that it is more important to stop them than to announce their solution, and Holmes enters the fray with the help of his trusty aide, Dr. Watson (James Mason). The former mistress of a "prominent personage," Annie Crook (Genevieve Bujold), provides crucial information leading to a final confrontation on London's docks. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Category: Mystery

Awards: Best Actor – Genie Awards Best Supporting Actress – Genie Awards Best Cinematography – Genie Awards Best Director – Genie Awards Best Editing – Genie Awards Best Score – Genie Awards Best Score – Genie Awards Best Sound – Genie Awards Best Sound – Genie Awards Best Sound Editing – Genie Awards

Features: Audio Commentary with Co-Producer /Director Bob Clark

Behind-the-Scenes Stills Gallery
Poster and Stills Gallery
Theatrical Trailer

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Murder by Decree

Format: DVD

Release Date: 12/15/2009

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: DD2 Dolby Digital Stereo

Runtime: 124 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Disc #1 -- Murder by Decree
1. Main Titles [3:36]
2. Murder In Whitechapel [6:49]
3. Mysteries [4:47]
4. The Game's Afoot [6:45]
5. Information Please [6:34]
6. Invisible Writing [3:56]
7. Robert Lees [4:53]
8. Secret Signs [5:28]
9. Blood Ritual [2:51]
10. Intuitive Reasoning [5:18]
11. A Helping Hand [6:09]
12. The Puzzle [3:49]
13. Funeral [6:22]
14. Hospital Search [5:13]
15. In The Madhouse [3:03]
16. Annie Cook [8:18]
17. She Must Be Saved [4:11]
18. Into The Fog [5:39]
19. The Informant Unmasked [4:44]
20. Holmes And The Ripper [4:14]
21. The Star Chamber [7:53]
22. A Case of Conscience [6:59]
23. 221-B Baker Street [2:31]
24. End Titles [3:38]

Derek Armstrong

Murder by Decree is an unusual take on both a Sherlock Holmes movie and the Jack the Ripper murders. Unfortunately, unusual is not always good. What's strangest about Bob Clark's film is that it abandons everything viewers have come to expect from a portrayal of the world's most famous detective. Christopher Plummer is a fine actor, but his Holmes is everything the iconic version of the character is not -- emotional when he should be detached, impetuous when he should be rational, morally indignant when he should follow the evidentiary path with neutral disinterest. Instead of cerebral, this Holmes is a man of action, getting into numerous dust-ups and even lunging to strangle a character he considers unjust. When Murder by Decree is not taking itself too seriously, it's taking itself too lightly, framing the relationship between Holmes and Dr. Watson (a passive and ineffectual James Mason) as whimsical fodder for a weekly buddy television series, something like Magnum P.I. The film's small scale also mimics that of TV -- Clark's team floods his locations with fog, ostensibly creating an air of mystery, but actually trying to cloak the fact that his London is just three streets on a small set, shot from different angles. Excepting a few sudden action scenes, the film is basically two hours of turgidly paced talking-head sequences, capped by Holmes prancing around a courtroom, dramatically pointing the finger of blame at every British official short of the Queen of England. Since John Hopkins' script does a poor job generating sympathy for the victims or establishing any sense of London torn asunder, it's hard to understand why Holmes is so agitated. ~ Derek Armstrong, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Ken Jones  Actor 
Tedde Moore  Actor 
Hilary Sesta  Actor 
Chris Wiggins  Actor 
Peter Jonfield  Actor 
June Brown  Actor 
Ron Pember  Actor 
Terry Duggan  Actor 
Bob Clark  Director 
Robert A. Goldstone  Producer 
John Hopkins  Screenwriter 
Paul Zaza  Composer (Music Score) 
Carl Zittrer  Composer (Music Score) 
Len Herberman  Executive Producer 
Christopher Plummer  Actor 
James Mason  Actor 
Donald Sutherland  Actor 
Geneviève Bujold  Actor 
David Hemmings  Actor 
Susan Clark  Actor 
Anthony Quayle  Actor 
John Gielgud  Actor 
Frank Finlay  Actor 

Country: Canada,UK