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- Feb 8, 1999
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- Robert Harris
Columbo was superb episodic TV, which initially ran from 1971-1978 in 43 episodes.
The series was preceded by an NBC Movie of the Week in 1968 entitled Prescription: Murder, and a 1971, 95 minute pilot - Ransom for a Dead Man.
Kino's gorgeous boxed set of all seven seasons, plus the MotV and pilot is legended as Columbo The 1970s, because the character, as played by Peter Falk, also appeared in a number of other specials beginning a decade later beginning in 1989 with Columbo Goes to the Guillotine, Murder, Smoke and Shadows, Sex and the Married Detective, Grand Deceptions, Murder, a Self Portrait --
In 1990, with Columbo Cries Wolf, Agenda for Murder, Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo, Uneasy Lies the Crown, Murder in Malibu, Columbo Goes to College --
In 1991, Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Heath, Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star, Death Hits the Jackpot --
These specials continued through 2003, ending with Columbo Likes the Nightlife. One can only be hopeful that Kino is able to license them and continue their work.
One of the interesting attributes of the original TV series were the guest stars, directors and writers.
Directors included Richard Quine, Hy Averback, Boris Sagal, Peter Falk, Ben Gazzara, Patrick McGoohan, Ted Post, Norman Lloyd, Jack Smight, Jeremy Sagan, Jeannot Szwarc, Robert Douglas, Sam Wanamaker, Jonathan Demme, John Casssavetes, and Steven Spielberg.
Cinematographers included Russell Metty, Lloyd Ahern, Geoffrey Unsworth, Milton Krasner, William Cronjager et al.
The point here is that one never knows what talent is showing up in an episode. It's certainly not your normal episodic TV. One other series that comes to mind with incredible guest starts is The Virginian.
And speaking of cast -- a shot list - Jack Cassidy, Robert Cup, Patrick McGoohan, Robert Vaughn, Ray Milland, Wilfred Hyde-White, Bob Dishy, Anne Francis, Jeanette Nolan, Marietta Hartley, Ida Lupino, John Dehner, Sorrel Brooke, Leslie Nielsen, Patrick O'Neal, Dean Stockwell, Robert Walden, Susan Clark, Roddy McDowell, John Cassavetes, Richard Basehart, Vera Miles, Leonard Nimoy, Donald Pleasence, Anne Baxter, Martin Landau, Jackie Cooper, Laurence Harvey, Dick Van Dyke, Robert Conrad, Jose Ferrer, Johnny Cash, Richard Kiley, Janet Leigh, George Hamilton, Oskar Werner, William Shatner, Ricardo Montalban, Ruth Gordon, Theodore Bikel, Louis Jourdan, Nicol Williamson, Don Ameche, Jessie Royce Landis, Janis Paige, Dean Jagger, Martin Sheen, Sal Mineo, Kim Hunter, Suzanne Pleshette, Martin Milner, Chuck McCann, Julie Newmar, Vincent Price, Myrna Loy, Julie Harris, Paul Stewart, Jessica Walter, Martha Scott, Diana Baker, Dabney Coleman, Edith Head, Ed Begley, Jr., Celeste Holm, Samantha Eggar, Honor Blackman , Jamie Lee Curtis, Judd Hirsch, and a few more.
Hopefully, I've created the correct image.
Most important here to some readers, will be the packaging. It's simple. Seven multi-disc holders within a hard paper case. No big deal. It works.
What's most important to me is the look and sound of the episodes, and in a word -
Spectacular!
NBC Universal has returned to the OCNs, beautifully timed each shot and created a Blu-ray series for the ages.
Seeing these productions on TV in the '70s, and even later on cable, I had no idea that they could look this magnificent. Gorgeous colors, great resolution, deep, rich blacks.
Is every bit of dirt removed, especially in dupes? No. But I don't care.
An extremely important release and a part of TV history. Great work by Kino!
Image – 9
Audio – 10 (DTS-HD MA 2.0, with optional mx and fx tracks)
Pass / Fail – Pass
Plays nicely with projectors - Yes
Worth your attention - 8
Slipcover rating - n/a
Highly Recommended
Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. As an Amazon Associate HTF earns from qualifying purchases. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.
The series was preceded by an NBC Movie of the Week in 1968 entitled Prescription: Murder, and a 1971, 95 minute pilot - Ransom for a Dead Man.
Kino's gorgeous boxed set of all seven seasons, plus the MotV and pilot is legended as Columbo The 1970s, because the character, as played by Peter Falk, also appeared in a number of other specials beginning a decade later beginning in 1989 with Columbo Goes to the Guillotine, Murder, Smoke and Shadows, Sex and the Married Detective, Grand Deceptions, Murder, a Self Portrait --
In 1990, with Columbo Cries Wolf, Agenda for Murder, Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo, Uneasy Lies the Crown, Murder in Malibu, Columbo Goes to College --
In 1991, Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Heath, Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star, Death Hits the Jackpot --
These specials continued through 2003, ending with Columbo Likes the Nightlife. One can only be hopeful that Kino is able to license them and continue their work.
One of the interesting attributes of the original TV series were the guest stars, directors and writers.
Directors included Richard Quine, Hy Averback, Boris Sagal, Peter Falk, Ben Gazzara, Patrick McGoohan, Ted Post, Norman Lloyd, Jack Smight, Jeremy Sagan, Jeannot Szwarc, Robert Douglas, Sam Wanamaker, Jonathan Demme, John Casssavetes, and Steven Spielberg.
Cinematographers included Russell Metty, Lloyd Ahern, Geoffrey Unsworth, Milton Krasner, William Cronjager et al.
The point here is that one never knows what talent is showing up in an episode. It's certainly not your normal episodic TV. One other series that comes to mind with incredible guest starts is The Virginian.
And speaking of cast -- a shot list - Jack Cassidy, Robert Cup, Patrick McGoohan, Robert Vaughn, Ray Milland, Wilfred Hyde-White, Bob Dishy, Anne Francis, Jeanette Nolan, Marietta Hartley, Ida Lupino, John Dehner, Sorrel Brooke, Leslie Nielsen, Patrick O'Neal, Dean Stockwell, Robert Walden, Susan Clark, Roddy McDowell, John Cassavetes, Richard Basehart, Vera Miles, Leonard Nimoy, Donald Pleasence, Anne Baxter, Martin Landau, Jackie Cooper, Laurence Harvey, Dick Van Dyke, Robert Conrad, Jose Ferrer, Johnny Cash, Richard Kiley, Janet Leigh, George Hamilton, Oskar Werner, William Shatner, Ricardo Montalban, Ruth Gordon, Theodore Bikel, Louis Jourdan, Nicol Williamson, Don Ameche, Jessie Royce Landis, Janis Paige, Dean Jagger, Martin Sheen, Sal Mineo, Kim Hunter, Suzanne Pleshette, Martin Milner, Chuck McCann, Julie Newmar, Vincent Price, Myrna Loy, Julie Harris, Paul Stewart, Jessica Walter, Martha Scott, Diana Baker, Dabney Coleman, Edith Head, Ed Begley, Jr., Celeste Holm, Samantha Eggar, Honor Blackman , Jamie Lee Curtis, Judd Hirsch, and a few more.
Hopefully, I've created the correct image.
Most important here to some readers, will be the packaging. It's simple. Seven multi-disc holders within a hard paper case. No big deal. It works.
What's most important to me is the look and sound of the episodes, and in a word -
Spectacular!
NBC Universal has returned to the OCNs, beautifully timed each shot and created a Blu-ray series for the ages.
Seeing these productions on TV in the '70s, and even later on cable, I had no idea that they could look this magnificent. Gorgeous colors, great resolution, deep, rich blacks.
Is every bit of dirt removed, especially in dupes? No. But I don't care.
An extremely important release and a part of TV history. Great work by Kino!
Image – 9
Audio – 10 (DTS-HD MA 2.0, with optional mx and fx tracks)
Pass / Fail – Pass
Plays nicely with projectors - Yes
Worth your attention - 8
Slipcover rating - n/a
Highly Recommended
Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. As an Amazon Associate HTF earns from qualifying purchases. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.
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