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.
Della is still so fine that Paul is getting his operatives on it.
Just in time for the holidays, we get the final 19 episodes of the first and one of the best seasons of Perry Mason.
Raymond Burr imbues his performance with a sophistication and toughness that became the standard for future shows about lawyers. Along with a light touch of humor that is very refreshing in contrast to the more somber elements of his cases. It's these lighter scenes with his confidential secretary Della Street (the "Beautiful" Barbara Hale) and detective Paul Drake (the constantly smoking William Hopper) that make this series a joy to watch.
William Tallman is the decent, yet appropriately stuffy as the world's least successful DA Hamilton Burger along with the world's oldest police Lieutenant Tragg as played by Ray Collins who were akin to the Washington Generals of the show.
All episode titles begin with "The Case of..." and each show has its own merits. Although some can strain credulity like "The Case of the Deadly Double"; which relies on a key figure having a true split personality. But the show is at its best when combining desperate characters in a post-film noir like setting with Perry coming to save the day. Especially when there is enough room to let the natural chemistry of Burr, Hale, & Hopper play out.
Like the first volume, there are really no extras in this set unless you include previews of other DVD releases. The back of each DVD case promises that the episodes are shown in the order they were originally broadcast, yet we get no airdate for each show. At least the Menu screens have publicity photos taken during that time. There are mostly Raymond Burr looking somewhat bemused (and colorized) and holding either a paper with "Murder" in the title or an actual Perry Mason pulp novel.
Admittedly, this set is a bit pricey considering it's rather bare bones. However it's great to see these episodes in their original, uncut form. I heartily recommend it to anyone who enjoyed this series and seeing some fine actors at the top of their game.
Tidbits:
Look for a young and very sexy Angie Dickenson in "The Case of the One Eyed Witness".
Della's taste for fashion is usually conservative, although in "The Case of the Screaming Woman" the striped blouse she wears in the apartment scene matches her gloves perfectly.
In "The Case of the Fiery Fingers" has the client complimenting Della on being "quiet", which may be a subtle recognition of the fact that she often says little during an episode.
Future "Commissioner Gordon" Neil Hamilton and future "Batgirl" Yvonne Craig of the original "Batman" TV series can both be seen in "The Case of the Lazy Lover". Also in the same episode, the long shots of Perry and Paul driving up to the hotel room are clearly NOT Raymond Burr and William Hopper.
Perry Mason-Season 1 Vol. 2
I am so happy to see these wonderful old shows being released on DVD. I do not watch the TV shows of today. I find them lacking talent, boring, cheap and a sad reflection of our times. In my opinion, wonderful shows like Perry Mason, represent TV at its finest. Great acting, great stars and wonderful writing. I recommend this set to anyone who loves vintage television. The transfers and sound are wonderful! Watching these great old shows bring back a time when life was simpler and we did not have to watch our fellow man eat bugs to get their 15 minutes of fame. I hope they release all seasons of Perry Mason. I also hope to see more of the wonderful old shows of the past.
There was a time when the defense attorney was a heroic everyman, not the butt of bad jokes; think Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, and, of course, Raymond Burr's incomparable Perry Mason. The first season of Perry Mason, which launched in 1957 on CBS, shows just how dramatic a "law and order" show could be. Shot in lush black and white, on film, the episodes have been lovingly restored (including lost minutes hacked from reruns to accommodate commercials). The story arcs and atmosphere feel more like film noir (Perry Mason + Philip Marlowe = separated at birth?) than early TV. The cast was stellar, including Burr's Emmy-winning Perry Mason, the indefatigable lawyer who takes tough cases no one else will touch. Burr's chemistry crackles from episode 1 with his... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Francis D. Lyon - James Goldstone - Jack Arnold - Jesse Hibbs - Arthur Hiller DVD Release Date: Released the 11 July 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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I love the Chan movies, but Fox is doing it again! They released only 4 movies in Vol. 1 and now 4 movies in Vol. 2. Since each Chan movie is no longer than 80 minutes, they could easily put 2 movies on each disc or even on each side of a disc. Fox feels the need to get every penny out of the public that they can. SHAME ON YOU, FOX! More Info about this DVD DVD Release Date: Released the 05 December 2006 Usually ships in 24 hours
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The entire set were birthday presents for my husband and he is in "hog heaven!" I guess as we get older, we miss the really GOOD programming we watched as children!
George Reeve is the ONE, the ONLY Superman--FOREVER!!!!! More Info about this DVD Director(s): George Blair - Philip Ford - Lee Sholem - George Reeves - Harry W. Gerstad (II) DVD Release Date: Released the 14 November 2006 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Confucius Meets Sherlock Holmes
One of the cultural icons of the 1930s, in print and on screen, was Charlie Chan. As is well known, Chan's creator, Earl Derr Biggers, based the figure upon a real Hawaiian detective,Chang Apana. But underneath the disguise we have no difficulty in detecting the features of Sherlock Holmes. At a moment when Asian characters frequently appeared in Western novels or stage plays as kowtowing houseboys or opium smoking fiends, Biggers showed real audacity in coming up with his sleuth.
But he was tapping into another stereotype, that of China as a land of ancient wisdom populated by oracular mandarins, from whose golden tongues aphorisms from Confucius or Lao Tzu flew like plum blossoms in the spring wind. Charlie Chan is Sherlock Holmes as an... More Info about this DVD Director(s): David Howard - Eugene Forde - Louis King DVD Release Date: Released the 20 June 2006 Usually ships in 24 hours
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