Basil of Baker Street

Disney's The Great Mouse Detective 1986

Yes, yes, I know the film is The Great Mouse Detective, but I’m dedicating this post solely on Basil. If you haven’t seen the movie, I highly recommend it, but I dare say you’ve lost your chance to experience this film through a child’s mind.

I freaking LOVED Basil. He was my absolute, hands-down, favorite hero, favorite movie character, idol, whatever term you’d like to apply.

The thing about being decades away from those childhood years is that I can see the thread that Basil tied off then, that still weaves through my writing. Maybe it has nothing to do with the years. Maybe it’s my education that makes me analyze everything. Nuance. Let’s continue.

AS A KIDDO…

He appealed to me as an anti-hero. Up until I remember consciously watching this movie daily, the heroes exposed to me were always so clear-cut and defined as if painted with the purest colors. Basil was painted in a wash of watercolors, not in the sense of Basil being washed out, but in the sense that his parts blended. It wasn’t easy to dissect his qualities.

He was also a reluctant hero, not because he did not believe in himself, but he believed in himself too much, and therefore Olivia’s problem was dismissed as beneath his capabilities. Very obviously, he was such an asshole it was endearing. He was beyond brilliant, so of course, there was my awe for that brilliance. Basil being captured by Ratigan, and watching Basil’s complete breakdown was mesmerizing. It was more profound for Basil than one single screw-up, it was a culmination of a years-long war that was over, and Basil was the loser. It wasn’t quite a pity-party, and the beautiful part was that Basil didn’t fix it. Dawson was the one who uttered the words that triggered Basil’s escape plan, but still, let’s give Dawson the credit here because, without him, Basil would have never thought of the plan.

And oh my GOD the Big Ben scene. I think this was my absolute favorite scene because Basil is physically hurt. He had done “the thing” and rescued Olivia, but in the process gets the everloving shit beat out of him. While he did fight back a bit, Basil spent most of the fight with Ratigan trying to get away. There was no triumphant David/Goliath moment; instead, Basil used his brain to realize this was not a fight he could win, but it was one he might be able to escape from.

WHAT I SEE NOW (or what I finally noticed in 2019)

Oh, my god, has that childhood obsession influenced my writing. I have a distinct affinity for smart asshole characters that have deep mental conflicts. I’ve taken parts of Basil’s DNA and replicated it to genetically engineer some characters without realizing it. Learning to love/care for others often comes at a cost. Character journeys are imperfect. Giving up is an option. Lose battles during the war. Runaway from Goliath. Push away the people insisting on being your friend. Be a loveable asshole.

My absolute favorite character I’ve created (who lives in the Fire Heart realm) has so many bits and pieces that I now see Basil influenced. He is intelligent, doesn’t work well with others right away, has all the mental conflict beneath that cool exterior, and will get the shit kicked out of him by his own Ratigan mentally and physically.

To me, it’s just fascinating to see how those pieces of the past have tumbled along to today.

TL;DR Basil is my idol asshole character and inspired me to write loveable asshole characters.

#makingawriter

#makingacharacter