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DVD Crime Story - Season One
Conceived as a "22-hour movie for television," the incendiary first season of Crime Story (1986-87, on NBC) marked a controversial milestone in TV history, and its lasting influence can be seen in such better-known series and films as The Sopranos, Homicide: Life on the Street, Donnie Brasco, Casino and elsewhere. The season-long story arc followed Chicago Police detective Lt. Mike Torello (Dennis Farina) and his tireless pursuit of fast-rising mob boss Ray Luca (Anthony Denison) from Chicago to Las Vegas, circa 1963-64. Heading the Major Crimes Unit (MCU) with his hand-picked team of detectives (including fresh-faced Bill Campbell, long before Once and Again) and passionate public defender David Abrams (Stephen Lang), Torello moves from city to federal jurisdiction as Crime Story unfolds its post-Kennedy scenario with stark, often brutal authenticity, pausing for stand-alone episodes that propelled the Torello/Luca rivalry while showcasing such up-and-coming guest stars as David Caruso (in the electrifying pilot), Gary Sinise (who also directed two episodes), Ving Rhames, Lorraine Bracco, and 19-year-old Julia Roberts, who shows early promise as a sexually abused teenager in "The Survivor," a typical example of the show's emphasis on character depth and gritty, hard-hitting plotlines.
Riding high on the success of Miami Vice, executive producer Michael Mann (who helmed the penultimate episode "Top of the World") had several aces up his sleeve: Cocreator Chuck Adamson had been a legendary Chicago detective; Farina was an 18-year veteran of the Chicago Police before he switched to acting; and Luca's dim-witted Mafia sidekick, Pauli Taglia, was played by John Santucci, who had been one of Chicago's most notorious criminals in the 1960s. All of this--along with James A. Contner's color-saturated, mostly nocturnal cinematography--guaranteed that Crime Story would be unique for its time, earning controversy (over its rugged depiction of violent cops) and just enough ratings against ABC's Moonlighting to win a second-season reprieve. Unfortunately, Anchor Bay's budget-conscious DVDs represent a missed opportunity: Crammed onto four discs with five episodes each (with the pilot on a separate disc), the transfers barely rival VHS quality, and costly music rights resulted in song replacements that loyal viewers will regret. Lack of chapter indexing and a perfunctory background essay do little justice to a landmark TV series that deserved a full-featured release on DVD. Those caveats aside, Crime Story can be appreciated as an ambitious American epic that still packs a wallop. --Jeff Shannon
For all the many good things to be said for Crime Story I still recall how suprised and delighted I was to realize that Michael Mann had managed to cast Miles Davis in a small part. There was a scene in a nightclub or bar with a small jazz group playing in the background and I kept thinking that sounds like Miles; then the camera panned around so you could see the group and there he was! Later on he had a few lines as, I seem to recall, a minor crime figure that Torello met along the way. I just kept thinking: Man, it's Miles ! Wonder how true that Miles story in COLLATERAL may have been? Michael Mann is the gold standard.
Sorry excuse for a DVD set
Content is an easy 5 stars, but the DVD transfer is terrible. The picture is so muddy and dark, and the color is uneven. If you have an older compilation on video, keep it. It's probably better than this major disappointment. No extras, no commentary, no nothing. Lt. Torello reserves better than that!
This is the exact same set except for the box!
Despite what some reviews have said this is the exact same season one dvd set that anchor bay released a while back except for the box. The songs on the first six episodes have all been replaced just like the first set. If you doubt me where is the ray charles "what I say" during the ray luca shoot out and car chase in "the war" episode? Just like the early dvd release all the songs seem correct after the 6th episode. All crime story episodes from the first season were originally broadcast in stereo (except the pilot) and anchor bay have chosen to release them in mono. The good news is anchor bay seems to have done everything right on season two, but they need to go back and rerelease season one in stereo and with correct songs.
When the first season of Crime Story ended spectacularly in the Nevada desert, it was anyone's guess what season 2 would do for an encore. With low first-season ratings and conservative watchdogs complaining about its violence, the show received a surprise renewal that necessitated the "miraculous" return of mob-boss Ray Luca (Anthony Denison) and his dimwit sidekick Pauli Taglia (played by former Chicago burglar John Santucci). Moving from 10:00 p.m. Fridays to a new 10:00 p.m. Tuesday-night timeslot on NBC, the Michael Mann-produced series continued its ratings decline, and this lent the series a giddy, go-for-broke quality that held plenty of surprises. The year is 1966, and Chicago Police Lt. Mike Torello (Dennis Farina) and his close-knit Major Crimes Unit continues to track... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Dennis Farina DVD Release Date: Released the 20 September 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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To hear the opening beats of Jan Hammer's percussive, propulsive Miami Vice theme is to be instantly transported back to 1984. But this groundbreaking series, with its cinematic sensibility, cool clothes, and killer soundtrack is no mere blast from the past. It still rocks. This three-disc set would be worthless if it didn't. Music was an integral part of Miami Vice's hip vibe. The soundtrack propelled the stories and established the mood like no series before it. So the first thing you want to know is: Have the music rights been secured for this DVD release? In the pilot episode, does Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight" still play ominously as vice undercover cops Crockett and Tubbs speed toward a bust? Does Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight" serenade Sonny and Gina on his... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Don Johnson DVD Release Date: Released the 08 February 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Though Hill Street Blues got all the awards and Miami Vice got all the attention, for some viewers it's the short-lived Crime Story (the second series produced by Vice's Michael Mann) that stands as tall as the great cop show of the 1980s. Set to a gritty rock & roll beat--with Del Shannon's "Runaway" providing the perfect theme song--the series chronicled the early '60s rise of gangster Ray Luca (Anthony John Dennison) and his hounding by hard-boiled policeman Michael Torrello (Denis Farina, who will never have another part this good). Save for the show's eventual relocation to Las Vegas, the Chicago-based pilot, expertly helmed by cult director Abel Ferrara, lines up all the elements that made Crime Story a classic: vivid performances, slick... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Abel Ferrara - Michael Mann DVD Release Date: Released the 19 September 2000 THIS TITLE IS CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE. If you would like to purchase this title, we recommend that you occasionally check this page to see if it has become available.
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The best network drama to debut in 1995 was Murder One, and the first season still packs a wallop. By sustaining a compelling mystery through 23 brilliantly written episodes (or "Chapters"), creators Steven Bochco, Charles H. Eglee, and Channing Gibson brought their stellar talents to a format that clearly inspired later shows like 24. Bearing no resemblance to Bochco's L.A. Law, the series presents Los Angeles as "a bucket of crabs," where superstar defense attorney Ted Hoffman (Daniel Benzali) tackles the high-profile case of Neil Avedon (Jason Gedrick), a bad-boy actor accused of strangling his 15-year-old girlfriend. As Hoffman and his savvy associates pursue the truth, it becomes obvious that wealthy entrepreneur Richard Cross (Stanley Tucci at his oily best) is... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Jason Gedrick DVD Release Date: Released the 08 February 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Okay, the White Supremacy arc isn't the greatest arc. But it does have some great moments. Vinnie and Frank cementing their friendship, which began so hesitantly in the Profitt arc, is terrific. The bad guys aren't as likable in this arc, but maybe it's fun now and then to have someone to gleefully boo and hiss at.
The Rag Trade arc is great for any number of reasons. The tortured trio of Beckstead, Raglin, and McPike show us with their nightmares of longlasting guilt that Vinnie isn't alone -- in fact he has it pretty easy... Jerry Lewis hams it up fine, and Ron Silver's always good. Stanley Tucci's versatility always amazes me. This is a classic textbook case of Murphy's Law; it should've been a cut-and-dried case that Vinnie could easily tie up; after all he'd been... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Stephen J. Cannell DVD Release Date: Released the 06 July 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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