Columbo - The Complete Third Season
by Steven Spielberg
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Barbara Colby, Jack Cassidy, Martin Milner, Peter Falk, Rosemary ForsythDirector: Steven Spielberg
Brand: UNI DIST CORP. (MCA)
Cinematographer: Russell Metty
Editor: John Kaufman
Producer: Richard Levinson
Writer: Richard Levinson
Producer: Robert F. O'Neill
Producer: William Link
Writer: William Link
Writer: Steven Bochco
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 684 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-08-09
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of Columbo - The Complete Third Season
Movie Review: "Gee, now that's funny..."
Summary: 5 Stars
Lovely But Lethal/74 min.
Kind of a slow start for Season Three. Vera Miles is quite good but the plot is quite "wordy" and doesn't seem to hit the mark. I missed the opening scenes when it was on local TV and actually couldn't follow the plot, and now that I HAVE seen the opening scenes I see why; there seems to be a lot of dialogue later on surrounding participants that aren't actually in the episode very much which makes this a bit confusing. Lastly, the concept of the "poison ivy" wasn't really the big "gotcha" we as Columbo fans generally receive. Martin Sheen shines though, as does Falk (naturally). 3/5
Any Old Port In A Storm/96 min.
You could throw around words like "masterful" and "stunning" and many people would think you are talking about Oscar quality movies, but they really need not look further than the onscreen brilliance of Peter Falk and Donald Pleasance. Their dialogue and chemistry here are some of the, if not the very best of what this show has to offer. Donald Pleasance literally becomes this wine tasting connoisseur right before your very eyes. Though the episode is a bit on the slow side that only adds to the elegance and the ultimate ending. While so many other cop shows were trying to find new ways to blow up cars and have high powered shoot outs, only Peter Falk could sit in a car sipping wine with the perp and have it be far more rewarding. The soundtrack, the pacing, the locations are just as memorable as the performances. How many other TV shows can you say THAT about? This is REAL must see TV of which I'm not just proud to own, but actually honored as well. 5/5
Candidate For Crime/96 min.
Sometimes it can be therapeutic to write these reviews because it allows you to write the wrongs (pun!) of the uniformed and the unenlightened. I am fairly outraged that Katey Sagal was given the guest starring credits over the marvelous performance of Joanne Linville on the back of the DVD case. Katey was totally unrecognizable and was in this episode for what had to be less than a minute and on top of that contributed nothing. Sure, it provides an eye catcher and is of some small interest but it is FAR from being noteworthy. While Joanne was in there doing what she does best; being one of the better lesser known journeyman actresses of the late sixties and early seventies. She played a great guest starring role as a Romulan Commander on Star Trek and showing her complete versatility plays the odd-woman-out in this Columbo episode. How a person could write that Katey Sagal was a guest "star" was obviously reading the credits and not watching the content, but for what it's worth I love you Joanne!
Ok. Now that that's out of the way, this episode has never been a favorite of mine but it does hold its own. As much as I love and prefer the 96-minute format because it means more Columbo, this story would have benefited from the abridged 74-minute run time. Columbo shines in so many moments in this it's just a bit sad that the story line doesn't quite keep up. I particularly like the on-scene investigation when he kept telling the Capt., time and again, "he'd be there in a moment." 3.5/5
Double Exposure/74 min.
Robert Culp happens to be my favorite Columbo culprit and while this is my least favorite of the three he has starred in up until this point I still must give it a maximum score. Culp just seems to embody what I think of when I think of Columbo; a master at what he does, it just happens to be coming from the other side of the spectrum. If only this episode could have been of the 96 minute variety. You can feel the thumb screws tighten as truth and lie weave throughout the dialogue and while I find the premise to be a bit "out there" I feel I could give this episode five stars if only based on the conversation at the golf course! There is quite a bit of memorable innuendo in such rapid fire it truly is a delight. 5/5
Publish or Perish/74 min.
Jack's Back! Chances are if you looked up the term "swagger" in a dictionary there would be at least one reference to Jack Cassidy. Jack is definitely in my top five of favorite Columbo villains and this episode is a great example of what can be accomplished with the right cast. Cassidy's antics are the stuff of legend as he takes no prisoners. About the only thing I do not like about this episode is the "actor" for the writer that is the target, the Allen Mallory role is almost unmatchable, fortunately he isn't around long enough to bring this five star episode down and the added insane grit of "Eddy" the demolition expert make for a well rounded cast. This also happens to be one of the most intriguing murders in the series when you factor in that the accused actually frames himself for the crime!5/5
Mind Over Mayhem/74 min.
I've seen this one quite a few and while it has some very endearing moments, like Columbo and his "tape recorder", it isn't one of my favorites. No particular reason. I even look past the technology of the time being portrayed and yet come away with a hunt that isn't all that interesting and find that really isn't too thrilling. Solid performances all around, though. 3.5/5
Swan Song/96 min.
I saw the light. I had never seen this episode during reruns or especially during the original run (I was only 5!) but have heard about it and was cautiously curious. Knowing most singers can't act and visa versa I actually feared the worst. Talk about your unnecessary feelings! While Johnny, excuse me Tommy Brown, may not be the greatest actor around he has such a genuine nature it is really uncanny. He practically steals every scene, even from the C man himself. My only regret here is that Cash was ever caught, he was such a sympathetic character. I thought it would have been a nice change-up for the show if it could have ended more ambiguously, plus the parachute was so well hidden I wonder if those boy scouts would have ever found it? Somehow, I doubt it. 5/5
A Friend in Deed
While this may be lacking that final blow or a Johnny Cash persona to make this a five star classic it still is a very good episode. I had never seen this on my local TV so it is actually a bit shocking to see this ep (like Swan Song) come from out of nowhere only to make me wonder how many more unseen gems there are out there? Probably quite a few since I've only been watching Columbo for a couple of years, and honestly almost nothing makes me happier. 4/5
Sound/Picture/Extras: 3/5
I'm generally quite pleased with this area in so far as Classic Television is concerned. I do not expect a lot and I am understanding in so far as the age of the print and the audio limitations of the time. Still, it is sad that there are no commentaries or any bonus's here to speak of. Even if Falk could give one commentary of his favorite episode in every season this could be a 5/5! I would like to add that while I'm generally against companies plugging other DVD sets within my purchased DVD set, it is worth a mention that another of my favorite shows was revealed to be on the way with a brief advertisement found on Disc 1; The Rockford Files is finally coming to DVD!! This news was almost as good as the news of my purchasing this set! Like I said, almost.
Packaging: 2/5 stars
Now, for the bad.
Hate to be so negative and leave this review on a low note but whoever it is at Universal who puts these sets together care little about "the collector."
:Exhibit A: The cover photos (for each of these seasons) are simply random shots and are not from the season being purchased. While I like the city backdrop and the color scheme, the picture is just not a representation of THIS season. The back photo would have been more apt.
:Exhibit B: a small nit for sure but the "Columbo" logo on the top spine now faces the opposite direction than both Seasons 1 and 2.
I have at least 3 other nits along these lines (cheap cases, no liner notes, MRS. COLUMBO) but I guess, like Universal knows, we are happy to have this no matter HOW it looks... a lot like Columbo himself I guess.
Summary of Columbo - The Complete Third Season
FROM THE DETECTIVE SERIES THAT INSPIRED THEM ALL, THIS INCLUDES ALL 15 HOURS OF THE THIRD SEASON OF COLUMBO PLUS A BONUSEPISODE OF 'MRS COLUMBO'.Similar DVD Movies
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