CRIME STORY: THE COMPLETE SERIES

No captions on the DVD set but still enjoyed this series a great deal. Some issues at times with logic & while I do enjoy most of the casting, a couple of actors pull me out if the story once in a while. Aside from those aspects, I loved almost every other thing about this. The neo-noir look, the cars and the approach to the storytelling are all very satisfying for me as a viewer. It certainly seems possible that this series did inspire or influence certain other cop/crime shows that followed. Almost forgot to mention the music, so well chosen & matched to scenes just top-level throughout. Very fun to see the various guest stars & guest directors.

perfect

One of my husband’s favorite series from the past. It’s better than today’s TV shows!

Nice to get this. Good story though runs a bit out of steam in the second season lots of period cars and sets to drool over .

I remember this series being televised late at night (9.30 onward) and if I hadn't gone to sleep while watching it, I missed episodes for some other reason. When I started to watch this production on DVD, I realised why I couldn't 'get into it'. It's because, unlike "the Sweeney" or "The Professionals" it falls in between a series and a serial. Although some of the episodes are stand alone, there is a thread where the storyline is predicated on previous episodes. Occasionally, an episode does a summary of what has gone before as it is easy to lose direction in this lengthy production. The 'feel' of the show was brilliantly authentic and I was particularly taken by the 1960's cars (automobiles), those gorgeous Yank-tanks usually with fins which because of their soft suspension gently rock themselves to sleep after they've stopped. A puzzling feature was the weather. I must admit I was astonished when I walked out of a casino one evening and found the streets to be sopping wet. In the DVD, nearly every scene is a vista of wet streets. But isn't this the Mojave Desert? I looked Las Vegas up and it says it has about 26 wet days a year and the annual rainfall is 4.2 inches (110 mm). That's half-an-hour's rain in Australia. So why so much rain? Was this a symbolic gesture by the makers as water is a cleansing agent? Is there the suggestion that cleaning up Las Vegas is a protracted endeavour? I don't pretend to know the answer.It is usual to comment on the plot and the characters and the performances and I am assuming these have been covered by other reviewers other than to say I couldn't fault any of them. There are a several who deserve special mention. Strangely, it's always the most flawed characters that seem to be the most attention-getting if not endearing. Ted Levine (before his "Monk" days) whose resume is surprisingly long is excellent as the street smart survivor. He turns in an impeccable performance a a craven, savvy, unscrupulous opportunist whose personal standards are beneath contempt, and is loyal to no-one but himself. In contradistinction, John Santucci who does have a sense of loyalty even if misplaced is excellent as the witless lieutenant to Ray Luca who thinks that the most complicated philosophical and mathematical problems can be solved with a gun. I would add that Joseph Wiseman (Dr No) is excellent as the genteel but lethal overlord Manny Weisbord.This is a production well worth getting to add to your collection.

A ground-breaking series which was produced between 1986 and 1988. Well worth watching, even in the old 4:3 screen ratio, if only for the great locations, cars, clothes, and hairdo's! But the acting and scripts are also first rate.The whole series (really just two seasons) centers around Mike Torello, a cop played by Dennis Farina, and his obsession with bringing a gangster, Ray Luca (Tony Denison), to justice in the 60's. They start out in Chicago, but shortly after, the series moves to Las Vegas for the duration, when Luca relocates there to take over the crime syndicates. Torello and his entire team (wonderfully played by Bill Smitrovich, Billy Campbell, and others) are appointed federal agents and follow him.The Chicago and Las Vegas locations are terrific: fabulous 50's-type drive-ins, night clubs, motels. Magnificent cars: period Chryslers, Cadillacs, Fords, etc., in mint condition and beautifully photographed.There are some holes in the story and, it seems, nothing can stick to Luca. It does seem surprising that the feds can't get him on tax evasion like Capone, but that wouldn't make for much drama. There is a lot of tough moments with extreme violence, but also many tender moments between Torello and his team.One could also wish for a more beautiful print. Even though this is an 'anniversary' production, the picture quality varies quite a bit, and sometimes looks like a DVD copy of a VHS print. But there are some episodes that look quite good, especially in the rare instances when there is a lot of light. Much of the series takes place at night and in dark places, so clarity suffers.But the story and characters (both the 'good guys' and 'bad') are compelling, and I found myself forgiving a lot of things because I love the series. The period music makes a great accompaniment and I even watched the credits just to hear it.This is as good as we are likely to get in the foreseeable future so, if all this sounds good, don't hesitate to partake.