DVD Columbo - The Complete Sixth and Seventh Seasons:
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Editor: Universal Studios
Category: Action / Adventure - Feature Film-drama - Movie - TV Shows - Television
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DVD Columbo - The Complete Sixth and Seventh Seasons
Before returning to the television fold in the '80s with a string of successful TV movies, Peter Falk's Lt. Columbo concluded his network sleuthing with eight episodes that aired between 1976-1978; these final two seasons of the original Columbo series are packaged in this no-frills boxed set that should be a welcome addition to any armchair detective's collection. Quality-wise, the performances, writing, and direction in these eight episodes are as top notch as any that preceded it, with a host of terrific guest stars doing their best to match wits with the lieutenant in a string of complex mysteries. William Shatner gives a typically juicy turn as a demanding TV actor facing blackmail in the sixth season opener "Fade in to Murder"; Theodore Bikel and Sorrell Booke (The Dukes of Hazzard) are friends, business partners, and bitter rivals in "The Bye-Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case" (and watch for Jamie Lee Curtis in a bit role as a waitress); the great Ruth Gordon (Harold and Maude) shines as a wily mystery writer in the seventh season's "Try and Catch Me," while a host of fine character actors (including the late Mako, Richard Dysart and Michael V. Gazzo) have reasons for wanting food critic Louis Jourdan dead in "Murder Under Glass," and a very young Kim Cattrall helps Columbo unravel a mystery involving mind control and trained dogs in "How to Dial a Murder." The talent behind the camera in these episodes is equally impressive: Jonathan Demme helms "Murder Under Glass," while Leo Penn takes the final episode, "The Conspirators." As with all of the original Columbo shows (and many of the subsequent TV movies), the episodes presented here are smartly written, crisply acted by a quality cast, and anchored with sly charm and deceptive strength by Falk's Emmy-winning performance. Previous Columbo box sets have included an episode of the spin-off series Mrs. Columbo as an extra, but no such supplement is included here. --Paul Gaita
Review(s): DVD Columbo - The Complete Sixth and Seventh Seasons
Splendid finale to Columbo's original run.....
Another outstanding collection featuring our favorite detective and a set worth adding to your collection....several winners include "Fade in to Murder"--(was it live or on Betamax?)--featuring Bill Shatner as a popular TV detective, Lt. Lucerne, who murders his agent; "The Bye-Bye Sky High I.Q. Murder Case" with veteran actor Theodore Bikel, a genius accountant who believes he has pulled off the perfect crime; "Murder Under Glass"--was it the wine that was poisoned or the stopper? Columbo takes on Louis Jourdan, a vain world-reknown restaurant critic and TV cooking host, in a case involving blackmail, murder and world-class cuisine; "Try and Catch Me"--veteran actress (and real-life screenwriter) Ruth Gordon ("Harold & Maude") plays a masterful mystery writer whose weapon of choice is a iron clad safe and an air tight alibi.
As a sidenote, fans of Ruth Gordon's work would be interested to know that the talented stage and screen actress co-wrote the screenplay to the Academy Award winning 1948 drama "A Double Life" featuring Ronald Colman (see my review).
But by far, the best episode and my personal favorite is the two hour feature, "The Conspirators," directed by Leo Penn (yes, that is Sean Penn's father) featuring actor/comedian Clive Reville, as a celebrated Irish poet with ties to the IRA who eliminates the middleman to an international arms deal.
As typical of this series, the transfers and markedly clean and the sound quality, in Dolby 5.1 stereo surround, is excellent. As usual, however, Universal has provided no extras (surprisingly, since Peter Falk just published his autobiography, "Just One More Thing: Stories From My Life" this year), interviews, features, or even a banal installment of "Mrs. Columbo"--then again, maybe that is a blessing! Enjoy!
Elegance and fine wine, defined
I'm thirty-something, soon to be forty-something, I have friends that are twenty-something... they always look at me strangely when I reach back in time and pick these sets up as we go out for our New Release Tuesday jaunts. I think they consider this on the same level as my other vices; the Brady's, and other era shows of the ilk. Sadly, they do not know the beauty that is Columbo, sadder still, if I showed them I doubt they would get it.
Columbo is just a cut above everything else. Ignited by dialogue and then fast cooled by innuendo and suspicion. Rarely will you see a show that every time out is a swing into the bleachers of history and Columbo almost accomplishes that. There does seem to be ONE episode each season I feel falls short, and this set is no different; Murder Under Glass is not palatable to me. But when you factor in the AMAZING Lt. Lucerne and the wit and charm of the marvelous Ruth Gordon; who cares!!
Someday I may let my friends in on this near perfect series, but for now when they enter a room I will be armed with Rosebud.
What the $#%& Universal??!
Is Universal high on crack? They have had a series of problems with their Columbo (and other TV show) DVDs. This time they did it again - why is the MUSIC TRACK missing at the end of "The Conspirators"??
Suddenly we have nearly blank audio stretching out with Columbo driving over the Long Beach bridge and chugging along to the binoculars on the docks, etc. Ludicrous. Everytime I saw this on TV and video previous to this release there was a cranking bagpipe incidental soundtrack. Can Universal turn out ONE tv series without some kind of jacked up mistake??
Aside from that the DVDs seem fine. SEEM fine. Who knows what else they missed.
Related DVD's Columbo - The Complete Sixth and Seventh Seasons
What can you say about Columbo, the unassuming and bungling, yet brilliant sleuth who always gets his man or woman. Part of the brilliance of this series is that the murder occurs at the beginning of the episode. Columbo is then called to the scene of the crime and in his annoying and ultimately endearing manner slowly unravels the mystery. It becomes obvious early on that Columbo has the uncanny instincts, intelligence and experience to handle the job and almost always has a suspect in mind. The murders are ingenious and sometimes umpremeditated, yet the murderers all ultimately incrimminate themselves by their own behavior and the many clues they drop along the way. When Columbo finally nabs his mouse after a long and determined pursuit, he then reveals to them their one fatal... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Steven Spielberg - Bernard L. Kowalski - Ben Gazzara DVD Release Date: Released the 14 March 2006 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Peter Falk took home back-to-back Emmy Awards for his portrayal of the indefatigable Lt. Columbo during the show’s fifth season in 1975-76, and the series itself earned two Emmy nominations, which should give an indication of the quality of the episodes contained in this double-disc set. Although the fifth season only featured six episodes, the quality of writing and acting talent is impressive, to say the least: Janet Leigh, John Payne, Sam Jaffe, and Maurice Evans star in the season opener, "Forgotten Lady," about a faded movie queen who may have murdered her elderly husband to finance a comeback; Patrick McGoohan, who won an Emmy for his performance in the fourth-season episode "By Dawn’s Early Light," returns to direct "Identity Crisis", which pits Columbo against a... More Info about this DVD DVD Release Date: Released the 27 June 2006 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Oh, just one more thing, mystery mavens--get ready to be mystified and entertained by the award-winning third season of Columbo, starring Peter Falk as the rumpled but unbeatable Lieutenant. Having taken home Emmys for outstanding limited drama and lead actor in its '71-'72 debut season, Columbo was again named best drama for its third season ('73-'74). The reason for the repeat success? The formula remained the same: intelligent, engaging scripts and direction, guest performances by top actors, and, of course, Falk at center stage as Columbo, the most unlikely of supersleuths, but unquestionably one of the sharpest (the role would later earn Falk three more Emmys between 1975 and 1990). The 10 episodes compiled in this two-disc set again feature top talent from film and... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Steven Spielberg DVD Release Date: Released the 09 August 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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What a treat to see high quality un-cut Perry Mason episodes on DVD. The show has been in syndication for years but you have been watching cut up versions so more commercials could be shown. Now you can enjoy the full length of 52 minutes that each Perry Mason episode lasted.
Each episode you see Perry Mason defending his clients rights to the fullest with zeal and uses his sharp wit to fluster those who would do his client harm. In episode "The Case of the One-Eyed Witness" look for a young Angie Dickinson. More Info about this DVD Director(s): Francis D. Lyon - James Goldstone - Jesse Hibbs - John Peyser - Gerald Mayer DVD Release Date: Released the 21 November 2006 Usually ships in 24 hours
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I received my copy of the DVDs last week and love every moment as I watch every show. The color and sound were good. Though no special features on these DVDs for those who like that kind of thing. In this first season you see Mr Briggs (Steven Hill) as the Mission Leader. He did a great job as Mission Leader. Also, another interesting note is that the tape recorder wasn't the only method use to give the mission brief at the beginning.
This is a must see for any fan on the Mission Impossible TV Series.
I wonder if we shall see the other seasons anytime soon? Nothing on the radar screen. More Info about this DVD DVD Release Date: Released the 05 December 2006 Usually ships in 6 to 11 days
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