THE CASE OF THE WHITECHAPEL VAMPIRE

REVIEWED BY CHARITY BISHOP

Our rating: 2 out of 5

Because of: sacrilegious themes

Rated:

There is only one Holmes story involving the possible undead; The Sussex Vampire, in which a woman is accused of drinking the blood of her infant child. Presumably this is where Hallmark got the idea for their forth and final Sherlock Holmes adaptation, although in no way does the finished product reflect anything of Conan Doyle's stories. Holmes has been pitted in literature and film against Dracula before. He's also tangled with Jack the Ripper, the Phantom of the Opera, and many other villains. But in the Case of Whitechapel, the writers have taken a distinctly different turn.

In the shadowed confines of the Whitechapel district in London, known most notoriously for the recent killing spree of Jack the Ripper, the Anglican monks and nuns of St. Justinian's are being stalked by a terrifying adversary believed to be the vampire-demon Desmoto. After the life of a novice is taken in the abbey chapel shortly before the Christmas holidays, Brother Marstoke insists the famed detective of Baker Street be brought in to investigate, even though he believes the deaths to be that of a supernatural being. This death is not the first for the members of the monastery; their superstition stems from an encounter several years before in the British islands of Guyana.

After founding a mission there, many among their numbers fell ill with a disease spread by the vampire bats of the region. Marstoke, fearing for his parish, had the bats wiped out against the wishes of a local naturalist, Dr. Chagas. Soon thereafter two monks were found dead with suspicious indentations upon their necks... and a sinister message scrawled on the wall above their bodies in blood. For the skeptical Sherlock Holmes, the murders are assuredly by a human hand... but Watson is not convinced, for he believes there are 'supernatural forces' at work within the world. As Holmes begins to dig deeper, unraveling a rope of superstition and lies, Desmoto draws closer to his intent of murdering all within the abbey walls. 

Though beautifully filmed, The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire does fall prey to some of its own inconsistencies. It proves difficult to follow, scarce in its clues, and troubling in some of its unchristian elements. The writers have attempted to cater to both skeptics and those with religious beliefs, which gives the film an eerie feeling of tug of war at its heart. The conclusion takes a nod to both supernatural forces and God; but Christians won't appreciate the final line, which affirms something a spiritualist has said; nor will skeptics understand the moments of "divine intervention" which play a role in the script.

During this time in history, there were many religious orders with their priorities and beliefs systematically out of whack. Still it seems a little difficult to believe such a wide number of abbey dwellers would believe in vampires. Nor that Brother Marstoke would state early on he doesn't believe their God is the ONLY god. He keeps relics of pagan statues in his office, and doesn't deny the possibility of an actual vampire-demon stalking his parish. One of his most staunch adversaries willingly  embraces the talents of his sister, a medium. At one point Holmes pays a call on them both, and she informs him that the 'church' will save his life. In a plot twist, she proves correct... but not in affirming the actual body of Christ.

I suppose it's a nod toward Doyle's own spiritual beliefs in later years, but that, along with some of Holmes atheist opinions, make the story less agreeable. Holmes was not by any means religious in the books but did believe in a Higher Power, as well as proved some knowledge of scripture. His basis for good and evil was severely rooted in Biblical principles. In this film he empathetically denies the existence of any god, vampire, or demon. He lumps them together as if all were a collection of fairy stories... a dangerous view to take. His beliefs are, as warned by Brother Marstoke, 'severely shaken' and the film leaves us to draw our own conclusions.

On a positive note, divine powers do intercede several times within the course of the conflict. One such 'unique coincidence' saves Holmes' life at the climax. When confronted by Desmoto in a darkened ally, a blind nun grasps her crucifix and rebukes him 'in the name of God!' to which there is a blinding flash of light and a shrill scream as the villain flees. Containing some violence (several gory bite marks on victims' necks), The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire is a film best viewed through more only mature eyes. 

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