Columbo-Season 3 (1972)

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General		Extras
Category	Mystery	None
Rating
Year Of Production	1972
Running Time	656:52 (Case: 615)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered Multi Disc Set (4)	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Language Select Then Menu
Region Coding	2,4,5	Directed By	Various
Studio Distributor	Universal Pictures Home Video	Starring	Peter Falk Vera Miles Vincent Price Martin Sheen Donald Pleasance Jackie Cooper Robert Culp Chuck McCann Jack Cassidy José Ferrer Johnny Cash Richard Kiley
Case	?
RPI	$49.95	Music	Richard de Benedictis

    Peter Falk returns for a third season as his most famous alter-ego, Lt. Columbo. Seasons One and Two had already established the Columbo pattern and this third season continues on with several excellent episodes. Once again, arrogant and wealthy men and women commit what they believe to be the perfect murder, only to be ruffled by Columbo's feigned absent-minded bumbling. There is never any question as to whether Columbo will solve the case: the fun is in watching him press his suspects to their breaking point before finally catching them out by using their very own skills and talents against them. Escalating pride and confidence always go before the fall.

    To my mind, Columbo is still the finest detective drama on the small screen and leaves the glut of CSIs and Law & Orders well behind. Each of the eight included episodes come highly recommended.

    Disc One

    1. Lovely but Lethal (70:44) - Dir. Jeannot Szwarc. Starring: Vera Miles, Martin Sheen, Vincent Price. Columbo enters the deadly world of cosmetics and butts heads with a scheming Vera Miles who will stop at nothing to discover a genuine anti-aging cream. The gender politics are a little dated, but this episode features some fantastic performances, top-notch fashion, and a slightly sinister, but verging on camp, supporting turn from the late, great Vincent Price.

    2. Any Old Port in a Storm (91:17) - Dir. Leo Penn. Starring: Donald Pleasence. Pleasence hams it up, as only he knows how, as the producer of elite wines that no-one can afford to buy, let alone drink. When his brother, who owns the vineyard, threatens to sell, Pleasance is forced to remove the threat. Columbo learns the ins and outs of wine culture as he gets under Pleasence's skin. One of the best from this series.

    Disc Two

    3. Candidate for Crime (94:25) - Dir. Boris Sagal. Starring: Jackie Cooper, Joanne Linville. Jackie Cooper is on the trail for senatorial election but has his fingers, according to his campaign manager, in far too many mafia pies. An invented threat on Cooper's life offers him the perfect opportunity to bump off his campaign manager, making it appear as if the mafia had killed him by mistake.

    4. Double Exposure (70:28) - Dir. Richard Quine. Starring: Robert Culp, Chuck McCann. Robert Culp uses subliminal imagery and a tape-recorder to commit the perfect murder. Columbo is convinced he's discovered the murderer but faces a very difficult conundrum: he's Culp's alibi.

    Disc Three

    5. Publish or Perish (71:14) - Dir. Robert Butler. Starring: Jack Cassidy. If you though that the cosmetics market was deadly after the first episode, then publishing ought to be avoided at all costs. Publisher Ricky Greenleaf (Jack Cassidy) is about to lose his star writer to a rival company. He hatches an intricate plot, hiring a Vietnam veteran to do the dirty work, giving him an airtight alibi no matter what evidence points his way.

    6. Mind Over Mayhem (70:25) - Dir. Alf Kjellin. Starring: José Ferrer. What to do when caught out for plagiarism? If you have a father willing to murder to keep your misdeeds a secret, then you're set. Ferrer uses AI to create an alibi and removes the professor trying to out his son from the equation. PhDs and robot intelligence don't stand a chance against Columbo's mind, though.

    Disc Four

    7. Swan Song (94:16) - Dir. Nicholas Colasanto. Starring: Johnny Cash. Johnny Cash plays a nasty version of himself who kills his wife with the aid of an airplane and a handy parachute. The Man in Black looks like he's dressed for a funeral, and it seems he might actually go to one this time.

    8. A Friend in Deed (94:03) - Dir. Ben Gazzara. Starring: Richard Kiley. A police commissioner provides an alibi for a friend and calls in a favour when he decides to commit a murder of his own. Peter Falk appears to be calling in a favour or two of his own, grabbing fellow Cassavetes alumnus Ben Gazarra for directing duties.

Video

    Once again, a fine video presentation of Columbo. Each episode is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1.

    Considering the age of the series, sharpness is very good. Detail is also excellent and contrast spot on. There is, however, some mild flickering (particularly in Double Exposure). Blacks are deep and solid. Colours are natural and well rendered and the palette leans toward 1970s browns and autumn colours, with some lovely reds (a sportscar here and there and wine in Any Old Port in a Storm).

    Compression artefacts are missing in action: some mild pixelization amounts to the sum total. Some aliasing is visible on hard edges and a smattering of film artefacts are barely noticeable.

    No subtitles are included. Each disc is dual layered, but there is no layer change to negotiate within the episodes.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    Audio is well transferred but limited by the monaural source. Each episode includes an English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono track.

    Dialogue is always audible but shows a little hiss and some crackle. Due to the mono source, dialogue sounds thin and hollow. Swan Song shows some muffled audio. Audio sync is accurate.

    The score for each episode was composed, as usual, by Richard de Benedictis. His score never draws attention to itself, but the variations on Columbo's theme have always ranked as some of the best music on television.

    There is naturally no surround presence or subwoofer activity in this mono track.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

    No extras are included.

    Region 1 is practically identical to our release but includes a bonus episode of Columbo spinoff, Mrs. Columbo. I've never seen the spinoff, but don't see it as a good idea in any way. Columbo always mentioned his wife in his series without us ever seeing her: so why reveal her? Still, Mrs Columbo would be a decent bonus and gives the Region 1 release an edge.

    I still love Columbo and Season Three includes some fantastic episodes. Recommended.

    Video is very good, but audio shows the limitations of the source.

    No extras.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall