Product Description

Movie DVD

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3936 in DVD
• Brand: UNI DIST CORP. (MCA)
• Released on: 2005-03-08
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 4
• Dimensions: .70 pounds
• Running time: 73 minutes

Amazon.com
Armchair sleuths, get out your trenchcoats: Universal has released the sophomore season (1972-73) of the classic detective series Columbo, starring Peter Falk as the sage but rumpled police lieutenant. As with the first season, there's plenty of star power in front of and behind the camera to abet Falk in these eight 90- and 120-minute episodes: John Cassavetes stars in the season premiere, Etude in Black, as a philandering symphony conductor, with Blythe Danner and Hollywood legend Myrna Loy in support; Oscar winner Ray Milland is a scheming orchid grower in "The Greenhouse Jungle," co-starring Bradford Dillman and William Smith; Robert Culp and Dean Stockwell are a football team manager and owner, respectively, whose disagreements blossom into murder in "The Most Crucial Game"; and Jeanette Nolan offers stellar comic relief in "Double Shock," which features Martin Landau as identical twins--one of whom has murdered their uncle. Performances by Richard Basehart, Laurence Harvey, Leonard Nimoy, Anne Francis, Anne Baxter, and Mel Ferrer also highlight the season; direction by small-screen stalwarts like Boris Sagal, Jeremy Paul Kagan, and Nicholas Colasanto ("Coach" on Cheers) and scripts by Stephen Bochco also bring quality and style to the proceedings. Sadly, no extras are available in this five-disc set, but the stellar image and sound quality (and lack of commercials) should appeal to series fans and newcomers alike. --Paul Gaita

Customer Reviews

Six stars if possible...
Each and every one of Columbo seasons are great and have something special but this third one stands as on of my personal favorites because of the plots and guests actors that are featured. LOVELY BUT LETHAL features the great Vera Miles, Martin Sheen and the one and only Vincent Price; ANY OLD PORT IN A STORM features the great Donald Pleasence in an outstanding performance as a wine industry man; CANDIDATE FOR CRIME features Jackie Cooper; DOUBLE EXPOSURE features Robert Culp; PUBLISH OR PERISH features Jack Cassidy and John Chandler; MIND OVER MAYHEM features Jose Ferrer; SWAN SONG, my personal favorite that features the great country legend Johnny Cash and actress Ida Lupino; A FRIEND IN DEED closes this extraordinary third season with the help of actor Richard Kiley.

More seasons, please
Been a Columbo fan for so long, I have seen all these episodes
over and over again in VHS. Already own my first season in DVD
and I'm glad that it is being released the second with one hope
in mind, that the seasons ahead would also be scheduled for the
near future. Peter Falk is amazing, simple, funny, humble,
absent minded but very smart. This is a short review I'd wish
to share of the episodes included in the second season, forgive
me if some information is not correct.
1.-ETUDE IN BLACK: Features John Cassavettes (from the classic
"Rosemary's baby") as an orchestra director that has a love
affair with one of the musicians. Great episodes that marks the
debut of Lt. Columbo as a piano player.
2.-GREENHOUSE JUNGLE: Outstanding performance by Oscar
winner Ray Milland (from 1945's "The lost weekend") who arranges
a fake kidnaping.
3.-MOST CRUCIAL GAME: Robert Culp is featured here as a
fotball team's chairman who manages to leave the stadium in the
middle of a game to murder someone disguised as an ice cream
salesman.
4.-DAGGER OF THE MIND: Columbo finds himself in England and
helping actor Bernard Fox to solve a crime committed inside a
teather. Richard Baseheart (from El Quijote) also stars in this
episode.
5.-REQUIEM FOR A FALLING STAR: Another Oscar winning is
featured, Ann Baxter from "All about Eve", plays the role of an
actress who tries to kill a blackmailing friend.
6.-STITCH IN CRIME: Great episode it features Will Geer from
the Waltons and Leonard Nimoy from Star Treck. Nimoy tries
desesperately to kill Geer but finds in his way a smart nurse
that puts him in trouble, and him at the same time, puts Lt.
Columbo into so much trouble that he almost loses the case.
7.-MOST DANGEROUS MATCH: Another excellent episode and
a great performance of Laurence Harvey who plays a chess
player who finds out he would not be able to beat his
opponent in a major chess championship match so he decides
to murder him.
8.-DOUBLE SHOCK: What can I say about this one?, Excellent ,
it features the great actor Martin Landau playing a double role
as the Paris twin brothers who consipre to kill their uncle.
PS.- After all this, I don't need extras

Amazing
What can be said of Season 3? Let's break it down, shall we?

3.1 Lovely But Lethal

Not my favorite episode, but still features some great moments. And who can deny Vera Miles her beauty, charm, and sophistication? Did you know that Miles was Alfred Hitchcock's first choice to play Madeline in Vertigo?

3.2 Any Old Port In A Storm

This is held by many Columbo fans - including those who frequent the Ultimate Columbo Site - as the all time best Columbo episode ever. While its not my personal favorite, it is within my top 3 and I can easily see why this would get top ranking by some. It is a masterpiece. Falk is absolutely amazing, Donald Pleasence is just as good. And the story makes you want to go out and pick up a bottle of port!

3.3 Candidate For Crime

Ah, Nelson Hayward and his camel hair sports coat. Jackie Cooper makes an excellent Columbo killer, as well as a great politician! He schmoozes everyone, including his wife and girlfriend, like a pro. As usual, Columbo is great in this, and his pestering gets under the skin of Hayward like no one else, pushing Hayward to tell him that he likes Columbo a lot, but that he's a busy man and doesn't have time to fool around. Great moments are when Columbo goes to the shop to get fitted for a coat and later when, during the taping of a political commercial, Columbo absent-mindedly makes too much noise by clanging the victim's watch against an umbrella poll to prove how indestructible it is. Classic!

3.4 Double Exposure

Can you say, double your pleasure? This is definitely one of my top favorite 3 episodes. Robert Culp is back as Doctor Kepple, a highly organized and anal retentive research scientist specializing in cognitive science, and gives a stellar performance. But aside from the top knotch acting and tense character relationships (which includes one of the relatively few times where Columbo comes right out and tells the killer he believes they're guilty of homicide) is the story itself: subliminal cuts, mind games, and beating the killer at his own game make for some intriguing story here. Top knotch all the way. The ending is second to none, perhaps the best one yet. Doctor Kepple is so proud of his abilities, he is almost proud of having gotten caught by his own method! This is a must see episode.

3.5 Publish Or Perish

Jack Cassidy is back! The second victim (who is the first killer) is creepy with a capital "c", but it adds to the nature of his character. Cassidy himself is on fire the whole time, playing a great drunk in one scene and a charming gentleman caller in another. The ending is pretty good, not my favorite, but good.

3.6 Mind Over Mayhem

This isn't my favorite story but the cast boasts of a favorite of mine from my childhood - Robert Walker, the little guy who played the "bad" Hulk twin in the Incredible Hulk TV series. The victim's wife is a knock-out, which isn't a bad deal, either. I do like the killer's method though... very good alliby!

3.7 Swan Song

Ahh, the one and only Johnny Cash, God rest his soul. If there was ever a killer for whom you could feel bad, it is Cash's Tommy Brown. Cash plays music, wears black, and kicks back as a killer who was caught in a corner and gave it to a woman who deserved it! This is one episode I know a lot of people treasure.

3.8 A Friend In Deed

This is perhaps my all time favorite episode. Columbo nabs his boss! It happens to be the first episode I ever saw. Richard Kiley is fantastic as Commissioner Halperin, John Finnegan is top knotch as Lt. Dryer, Michael McGuire is chilling as Hugh Caldwell, and Val Avery is second to none (not even Falk) as Artie Jessup. The characters in this are so well developed, it makes for great TV right there. But the story itself is great and the ending... I can't give it away. He nabs him SO BAD its not even funny! Fantastic! Classic lines: "Are you crazy, I ain't goin' to no roller derby" - Artie Jessup.

Season 3 is worth adding to your collection.