I'm glad to see the migration of the whodunit threads onto here. I'm about to start on reading some whodunits and trying to get some of the rarer oldies from my local library stock. Hopefully they will be able to supply me with some they have got on their oldies catalogue from their central archives.I've begun by attempting to order 'The Invisible Host' which I believe is what the 'The Ninth Guest' film is based upon. I haven't seen the 1934 film yet but I know that you are a fan so that is recommendation enough for me.I'll run a few of the 'Poirot' DVDs that I have to see if you like the original Agatha Christie stories. Carry on sleuthing.
Just to let you know that I am currently running 'The Scarlet Claw' DVD as I had forgotten what a good whodunit this story is. It is of course the 1944 Basil Rathbone film which is an unauthorised Sherlock Holmes tale. There is a good sense of the supernatural going on which of course Holmes does not trust. The solution is fairly well-disguised for those who are watching it for the first time.The theme is repeated in one of Hallmark's best TV movies of 2002. 'The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire' transfers the 'Scarlet Claw' story from Canada to the East End of London where it is merged into the Jack the Ripper murder case. Matt Frewer is Holmes in this version. I think that both films are a good creepy watch for those who like detective stories.
I didn't mind Sherlock Holmes being set in the then contemporary 1940s in a lot of the Basil Rathbone films. Because despite of this Universal's gothic feel still seem to come through in them especially 'The Scarlet Claw.' Holmes doesn't work for me in the current day adaptations.I note what you say about the first of the Jeremy Brett Holmes series. I will have a look at them in the near future and let you know which I think is the best episode from that volume. I liked the gothic feel of the final series ('Memoirs') but it is really creepy and torturing to see the ill Jeremy Brett dying before our eyes in that series.
Jeremy Brett was a very attractive man in his younger day. So I'm not surprised that you found him hot in the first series.'Bohemia' would have been the one where Holmes' love interest was Irene Adler if I remember rightly. There was later a very long Holmes version with the Irene Adler character which had Christopher Lee in it. I don't know about you but I found that boring.'The Solitary Cyclist' is menacing and that's a really good one. The story had Peter Cushing as Holmes in the 1960s but unfortunately that episode has now been lost.I am a third of the way through listening to 'More Work For The Undertaker' on audio book. It's a 1948 story by Margery Allingham. Her detective Campion is holed up in a big house full of eccentrics trying to solve a suspicious death. Coffins in the cellar and people going about their business during the night is happening. I am often chuckling at the antics as I listen. It's bizarre and macabre and I recommend it if you haven't already tried that one.
I will look out for 'The White Cottage Mystery.' I've never read any of Margery Allingham's pre-Campion stories. Her Campion stuff didn't transfer to TV very well I must say. I've just had a very busy couple of days so I haven't been able to listen any further into 'More Work For The Undertaker' as yet.Do you like audio books? I have some whodunits CDs stacked away. Some I haven't listened to as yet. All contain Margery Allingham or Ngaio Marsh stories. Both these whodunit writers seem to be popular in the audio book market.