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Started By
Message
Harry Potter movies and JK Rowling plagiarized Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:24 pm
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:24 pm
Young Sherlock Holmes is one of my favorite movies of all time. It's a wonderful original story written by Christopher Columbus (Goonies, Gremlins)and directed by Barry Levinson (The Natural, Rain Man).
This past Labor Day weekend I hosted family at my house the entire weekend. Everyone wanted to watch nostalgic movies, so it became a weekend of movies like Dragonslayer, Summer School, Twilight Zone The Movie, School Ties, and finally...Young Sherlock Holmes. I hadn't watched YSH in a few years and was eager to experience it again.
However, almost immediately into the movie I began to notice something extraordinary: The Harry Potter movies (and perhaps JK Rowling) ripped off Young Sherlock Holmes.
Essentially, the Harry Potter story is Young Sherlock Holmes set in a magical world. Not only is the story a ripoff, but the first movie in particular, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, absolutely rips off the Young Sherlock Holmes movie. Everything is a rip off: The story, the characters, the setting, the set design, the musical score....almost everything!
I thought to myself, "Maybe there's a connection." Sure enough, a quick google search revealed a startling connection between the two movies: Christopher Columbus.
Christopher Columbus wrote the original story for Young Sherlock Holmes. He was instrumental in that movie's set design and atmosphere. Christopher Columbus also directed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Therefore, it's not a stretch to believe that Christopher Columbus looked back to 1985's Young Sherlock Holmes as creative inspiration for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
If you don't believe me, just compare images from the two movies:
Three Main Characters
Harry Potter:
Young Sherlock Holmes:
Scarf and Round Glasses
Harry Potter:
Young Sherlock Holmes:
Antagonists
Harry Potter:
Young Sherlock Holmes:
Headmaster of School (who happens to be a close friend to the protagonists)
Harry Potter:
Young Sherlock Holmes:
Female Lead
Harry Potter:
Young Sherlock Holmes
Private School Where Story Takes Place
Harry Potter:
Young Sherlock Holmes:
There's even a few scenes in Young Sherlock Holmes that almost exactly match the Hogwarts mess hall scenes, with exception to the magical floating candles. The only difference? The candles in YSH are sitting on the table. Everything else is the same:
But the similarities between the two movies continue...
In Young Sherlock Holmes there is a fanatical Egyptian cult known as the Rametep that uses blow darts dipped in poison to inflict vivid nightmarish hallucinations upon innocent people which usually result in their suicide. The hallucinations add a Harry Potter-type magical aspect to this film.
Even the character Sherlock Holmes (the Ron Weasley look alike) uses a trick learned in his Chemistry class to turn his school rival's skin white. Therefore, Holmes' character literally uses magic to inflict a spell upon Dudley (the Draco Malfoy look alike).
But perhaps pointing the finger at Christopher Columbus is premature. Perhaps we should assume that JK Rowling was directly influenced by the movie Young Sherlock Holmes when writing her novels.
Sure, sure, we all know what Rowling has said inspired Harry Potter. However, it's not a stretch to believe that other creative works also inspired some of the details of the Harry Potter story specially considering that Rowling was a college student in 1985 when Young Sherlock Holmes debuted at theaters. Most people believe that the college experience is a powerful time of inspiration and creative output.
For example, how odd is it that the three characters in Young Sherlock Holmes almost look identical to the three characters in Harry Potter? Harry Potter and Watson's round eye glasses, scarf, hair, etc. Harry Potter and Watson look like twins. Sherlock Holmes and Ron Weasley look alike, and they both are in love with their female leads, which look exactly alike.
The inside of Hogwarts looks just like the inside of the private school that Watson and Holmes attend. The mess halls are almost exact replicas down to the candlelight. The class rooms, professors, and headmasters all line up. Each story contains a magical fantastical element.
Not to mention that Harry Potter, Ron, and Hermione are essentially Sherlock Holmes and Watson reincarnated. I mean, what do Harry Potter, Ron, and Hermione constantly find themselves doing at Hogwarts?
Answer: They are always trying to solve a mystery.
I suggest all Harry Potter movie fans to watch Young Sherlock Holmes. Not only is it an excellent movie, but you'll have a wonderful time comparing elements of YSH to the Harry Potter movies.
Sincerely,
Killz
This past Labor Day weekend I hosted family at my house the entire weekend. Everyone wanted to watch nostalgic movies, so it became a weekend of movies like Dragonslayer, Summer School, Twilight Zone The Movie, School Ties, and finally...Young Sherlock Holmes. I hadn't watched YSH in a few years and was eager to experience it again.
However, almost immediately into the movie I began to notice something extraordinary: The Harry Potter movies (and perhaps JK Rowling) ripped off Young Sherlock Holmes.
Essentially, the Harry Potter story is Young Sherlock Holmes set in a magical world. Not only is the story a ripoff, but the first movie in particular, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, absolutely rips off the Young Sherlock Holmes movie. Everything is a rip off: The story, the characters, the setting, the set design, the musical score....almost everything!
I thought to myself, "Maybe there's a connection." Sure enough, a quick google search revealed a startling connection between the two movies: Christopher Columbus.
Christopher Columbus wrote the original story for Young Sherlock Holmes. He was instrumental in that movie's set design and atmosphere. Christopher Columbus also directed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Therefore, it's not a stretch to believe that Christopher Columbus looked back to 1985's Young Sherlock Holmes as creative inspiration for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
If you don't believe me, just compare images from the two movies:
Three Main Characters
Harry Potter:
Young Sherlock Holmes:
Scarf and Round Glasses
Harry Potter:
Young Sherlock Holmes:
Antagonists
Harry Potter:
Young Sherlock Holmes:
Headmaster of School (who happens to be a close friend to the protagonists)
Harry Potter:
Young Sherlock Holmes:
Female Lead
Harry Potter:
Young Sherlock Holmes
Private School Where Story Takes Place
Harry Potter:
Young Sherlock Holmes:
There's even a few scenes in Young Sherlock Holmes that almost exactly match the Hogwarts mess hall scenes, with exception to the magical floating candles. The only difference? The candles in YSH are sitting on the table. Everything else is the same:
But the similarities between the two movies continue...
In Young Sherlock Holmes there is a fanatical Egyptian cult known as the Rametep that uses blow darts dipped in poison to inflict vivid nightmarish hallucinations upon innocent people which usually result in their suicide. The hallucinations add a Harry Potter-type magical aspect to this film.
Even the character Sherlock Holmes (the Ron Weasley look alike) uses a trick learned in his Chemistry class to turn his school rival's skin white. Therefore, Holmes' character literally uses magic to inflict a spell upon Dudley (the Draco Malfoy look alike).
But perhaps pointing the finger at Christopher Columbus is premature. Perhaps we should assume that JK Rowling was directly influenced by the movie Young Sherlock Holmes when writing her novels.
Sure, sure, we all know what Rowling has said inspired Harry Potter. However, it's not a stretch to believe that other creative works also inspired some of the details of the Harry Potter story specially considering that Rowling was a college student in 1985 when Young Sherlock Holmes debuted at theaters. Most people believe that the college experience is a powerful time of inspiration and creative output.
For example, how odd is it that the three characters in Young Sherlock Holmes almost look identical to the three characters in Harry Potter? Harry Potter and Watson's round eye glasses, scarf, hair, etc. Harry Potter and Watson look like twins. Sherlock Holmes and Ron Weasley look alike, and they both are in love with their female leads, which look exactly alike.
The inside of Hogwarts looks just like the inside of the private school that Watson and Holmes attend. The mess halls are almost exact replicas down to the candlelight. The class rooms, professors, and headmasters all line up. Each story contains a magical fantastical element.
Not to mention that Harry Potter, Ron, and Hermione are essentially Sherlock Holmes and Watson reincarnated. I mean, what do Harry Potter, Ron, and Hermione constantly find themselves doing at Hogwarts?
Answer: They are always trying to solve a mystery.
I suggest all Harry Potter movie fans to watch Young Sherlock Holmes. Not only is it an excellent movie, but you'll have a wonderful time comparing elements of YSH to the Harry Potter movies.
Sincerely,
Killz
This post was edited on 9/8/15 at 12:48 pm
21
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:27 pm to mizzoukills
I never thought I'd say this but I think killz should stick with posting on the sec rant.
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:29 pm to mizzoukills
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:29 pm to rolltide32
quote:
I never thought I'd say this but I think killz should stick with posting on the sec rant.
So you aren't in favor of original and interesting analysis on the Movie Board, nor are you capable of critical thinking?
Makes sense
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:30 pm to mizzoukills
Please find more vague similarities between two movies
Maybe you can find out how SpongeBob is a ripoff of the Predator
Maybe you can find out how SpongeBob is a ripoff of the Predator
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:32 pm to mizzoukills
How many pots did you smoke while writing that?
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:36 pm to wildtigercat93
BUT THEY BOTH WEAR SCARFS!!!
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:39 pm to ManBearTiger
Why don't we have more wizard movies?
I love the harry potters but they could be 10000000000 times better. the last couple movies were starting to get there.
I know they are coming out with Fantastic beast but I feel like that is a missed market, Rowlings world is perfect and she should let people use it and make some badass movies or a never ending HBO show
I love the harry potters but they could be 10000000000 times better. the last couple movies were starting to get there.
I know they are coming out with Fantastic beast but I feel like that is a missed market, Rowlings world is perfect and she should let people use it and make some badass movies or a never ending HBO show
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:44 pm to ell_13
Just did a google search with the keywords "similarities between Harry Potter and Young Sherlock Holmes" and sure enough other people have noticed it too...
article
...and, apparently Christopher Columbus recently admitted that he heavily borrowed from Young Sherlock Holmes in the way he directed the first two Harry Potter movies.
article
...and, apparently Christopher Columbus recently admitted that he heavily borrowed from Young Sherlock Holmes in the way he directed the first two Harry Potter movies.
quote:
Chris Columbus, who directed the first two Harry Potter film adaptations, has cited the 1985 film Young Sherlock Holmes, which he wrote, as an influence in his direction for those films. "That was sort of a predecessor to this movie, in a sense", he told the BBC in 2001, "It was about two young boys and a girl in a British boarding school who had to fight a supernatural force." Scenes from Young Sherlock Holmes were subsequently used to cast the first Harry Potter film. On 3 January 2010, Irish journalist Declan Lynch (writing in The Sunday Independent) stated that "there's more than a hint of young Sherlock evident in Harry".
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:50 pm to mizzoukills
quote:
So your title says JK Rowling rips off some 1985 movie then in your post you link the similarities of the movie and the first Harry Potter Movie then elaborate how Chris Columbus was the director/producer link. Hmmmmm I'm still wondering how JK Rowling wrote a 7 book best seller and created a unique, deep, and rich magical world yet because the first movie is similar to this 85 Sherlock and that both involved Columbus, her entire literary and I'll say it again, literary works are a rip off?
Yeah, you didn't read the last few paragraphs. JK Rowling, not Chris Columbus, developed the characters and their appearances as well as Hogwarts, professors, cults, dinner scenes, etc.
She would be the one who plagiarized her story from a mid 1980s movie.
Chris Columbus can be forgiven for using one of his own original stories as inspiration for the style and direction of the first two Harry Potter movies.
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:51 pm to mizzoukills
A few mistakes that blow your theory away. I've never seen any of the Harry Potter movies btw.
This is the villain of Young Sherlock Holmes, not the pic you posted
This is the former headmaster of Holmes' school. He is retired and largely seen as a crazy old man by everyone but Holmes.
As for the schools, is it really hard to believe that old schools in England would have similar architecture? Holmes' school building could be 500 years old. All the big old buildings in England look like that.
This is the villain of Young Sherlock Holmes, not the pic you posted
This is the former headmaster of Holmes' school. He is retired and largely seen as a crazy old man by everyone but Holmes.
As for the schools, is it really hard to believe that old schools in England would have similar architecture? Holmes' school building could be 500 years old. All the big old buildings in England look like that.
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:51 pm to mizzoukills
So your title says JK Rowling rips off some 1985 movie then in your post you link the similarities of the movie and the first Harry Potter Movie then elaborate how Chris Columbus was the director/producer link. Hmmmmm I'm still wondering how JK Rowling wrote a 7 book best seller and created a unique, deep, and rich magical world yet because the first movie is similar to this 85 Sherlock and that both involved Columbus, her entire literary and I'll say it again, literary works are a rip off?
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:55 pm to wildtigercat93
quote:
vague similarities
Really? I'd say the similarities between the two, including the involvement of CC in both, rises above the level of vague similarities.
quote:
Young Sherlock Holmes
I was always a fan of this movie.
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:56 pm to Brosef Stalin
Actually, Broseph, you're technically correct that the villain is the fencing instructor. But in the Harry Potter movies there are more than one villain.
Harry Potter's school nemesis is 100 percent Draco Malfoy. Draco attempts to undermine Harry every chance he gets. Most Harry Potter fans would view Draco as a villain thru most of the movies.
Also, you actually make my point. The fencing instructor also happens to be leader of an evil cult, no different than Voldemort is the leader of an evil magic cult.
And of course Sherlock Holmes, Watson, and their girl friend have to defeat this cult no differently than Harry, Ron, and Hermione have to defeat Voldemort's cult.
For what it's worth, I've discovered that I'm not the only one who noticed the incredible similarities between the stories/movies. Read the article that I posted above...
Harry Potter's school nemesis is 100 percent Draco Malfoy. Draco attempts to undermine Harry every chance he gets. Most Harry Potter fans would view Draco as a villain thru most of the movies.
Also, you actually make my point. The fencing instructor also happens to be leader of an evil cult, no different than Voldemort is the leader of an evil magic cult.
And of course Sherlock Holmes, Watson, and their girl friend have to defeat this cult no differently than Harry, Ron, and Hermione have to defeat Voldemort's cult.
For what it's worth, I've discovered that I'm not the only one who noticed the incredible similarities between the stories/movies. Read the article that I posted above...
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:57 pm to WalkingTurtles
quote:
a unique, deep, and rich magical world
Oh come on.
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:58 pm to WalkingTurtles
quote:
WalkingTurtles
I responded to you before you even posted your thought. You do realize that I just proved ESP is real.
First time this has occurred on this site.
Posted on 9/8/15 at 12:59 pm to wildtigercat93
quote:
Maybe you can find out how SpongeBob is a ripoff of the Predator
Posted on 9/8/15 at 1:02 pm to mizzoukills
Solid post, upvoted.
Posted on 9/8/15 at 1:03 pm to CBandits82
quote:
Maybe you can find out how SpongeBob is a ripoff of the Predator
I cannot.
However, the end of Young Sherlock Holmes is a blatant ripoff of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The connection? Steven Spielberg produced Young Sherlock Holmes and directed Temple of Doom.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - 1984
Young Sherlock Holmes - 1985
Steven Spielberg clearly liked evil cults during that time period. Hell, both evil cults perform a mesmerizing chant that culminates in the death of an innocent person, preferably a blond girl.
I'll go more into that later.
Posted on 9/8/15 at 1:08 pm to Mo Jeaux
It's true, I actually read a book about how Rowling took folklore and legend and some creativity and connected them to fit in this mold that was Harry Potters world. I'm sure Rowling got inspiration from many sources but to say she ripped off or plagiarized is ridiculous. So George RR Martin basically opened a history book and ripped off the war of the roses. Even Tolkien borrowed from his own experiences in both World Wars.
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