Review: Columbo (Season 1)
Blu-ray: Columbo (Season 1) (1971 – )
Following my review of the season 1 release of The Rockford Files from Fabulous Films, it was great to once again dip into a 1970’s detective series from my youth with Columbo; the classic show starring Peter Falk…usually holding his trademark cigar and wearing a battered trench coat.
Making its debut on Blu-ray the show has never looked so good, and as was the case (no pun intended detective fans) with The Rockford Files, re-watching these shows on Blu is like watching them for the 1sttime once again.
Much like Jim Rockford, Columbo (I’ll let you watch the series to find out his 1st name) doesn’t rely on a gun or fist fights to solve his cases. His apparent ‘bumbling’ demeanour helps to hide an astute police detective whose mind is constantly working on overdrive to logically deduce all the facts that are presented to him.
Once again special guest stars make an appearance, and season 1 sees Robert Culp, Ray Milland, Leslie Nielson, Roddy McDowall and more all onscreen, while Steven Spielberg and even Pater Falk himself get behind the camera to direct.
One of the (many) joys of watching Columbo is trying to figure out ‘how will Columbo figure it out’ as he makes his way through the case putting little clues together here and there. It’s almost like playing a version of Cluedo, with end of episode clues and twists adding to the ‘oh yeah’ factor as everything comes together.
This 3 disc collection not only includes every episode from the 1stseason, it also contains the 2 original Columbo television pilot movies; ‘Prescription: Murder’ and ‘Ransom For A Dead Man’.
This blu-ray release of Columbo is the perfect companion piece to the previously mentioned The Rockford Files, and hopefully both sell in enough numbers to encourage Fabulous Films to release further seasons of them both.
A timeless classic that showcases the superb talent of the late great Peter Falk.
Columbo (Season 1) is released on 22nd October 2018 and you can buy it by clicking HERE. ALL money raised by purchasing from Amazon via our website is given back to our listeners and followers in upcoming competition prizes. The more people buy, the bigger our prizes.
Review by Dave (host of 60 Minutes With) from discs kindly supplied by Fabulous Films.