Columbo Mystery Movie Collection: 1994-2003

Bearing his infamous rumpled trench coat and cigar, legendary Peter Falk returns for one last hurrah as one of America's favorite TV detectives--the disheveled-looking Lieutenant Columbo with the Los Angeles Police Department.

Since the show's inception on February 20, 1968 and March 1, 1971, with the two pilot episodes, "Prescription: Murder" and "Ransom for a Dead Man," one of the greatest shows in TV history appeared on NBC and the rest, as they say, is history. Peter Falk made the character of Columbo unforgettable in many people's eyes. And did so for eleven terrific seasons, including several made-for-TV movies, which at this juncture in an actor's career is beyond remarkable.

The eleventh and final season of Columbo contains many seasoned Hollywood actors and actresses who make a memorable appearance in these seven entertaining episodes. In the first excursion, "Butterfly in Shades of Grey," William Shatner (Star Trek, Boston Legal), tries to persuade the always persistent Lt. Columbo that he was not close to one of his staff members at the radio station, but who later turns up dead, a bullet in his back. "Undercover" involves a bank heist and guest stars "Cagney and Lacey's" Tyne Daly. In "Strange Bedfellows," Columbo faces difficulty when a corrupt horse breeder and a murdered bookie raises the lieutenant's curiosity. Guest stars George Wendt ("Cheers"). "A Trace of Murder" serves up Columbo a dealing of money and corruption. "Ashes to Ashes" stars two of Hollywood's marvelous stars, Rue McClanahan ("The Golden Girls") and Patrick McGoohan. When the disappearance of a gossip reporter becomes front page news, Columbo readily investigates. "Murder with Too Many Notes" pits Columbo against a murderous musical conductor. "Columbo Likes the Nightlife" brings Columbo's investigations to a melancholy end. He gets a rare look into the suspicious rave scene of Los Angeles.

Like in previous outings, the writing, stories, and acting are top notch, never altering. Peter Falk obviously adored the cigar-smoking man in the wrinkled coat. And for eleven wonderful years, there is no mystery why fans of the show never left their armchairs when Columbo graced their TV sets.

This DVD box set includes all seven TV movies, which were produced during 1994- 2003. Relive the bittersweet experience of one of the most endearing Hollywood actors in entertainment history. Watching Peter Falk deduce as Columbo is like slicing into a homemade apple pie right out of the oven: it is a warm taste of heaven.

"Butterfly in Shades of Grey": January 10, 1994
"Undercover": May 2, 1994
"Strange Bedfellows": May 8, 1995
"A Trace of Murder": May 15, 1997
"Ashes to Ashes": October 8, 1998
"Murder with Too Many Notes": May 12, 2000
"Columbo Likes the Nightlife": January 30, 2003

Presented in English Dolby Digital 2.0
English subtitles
Anamorphic widescreen 1.77:1

T.B. Grant
10/20/2011

The two later Columbo movie sets, 1991 through 2003, were cropped on the top and bottom so that the image will match the shape of a modern TV screen. (The two earlier sets, 1989 and 1990, were not cropped.) I really wish people would speak out against this reprehensible practice, which amounts to mutilating works of art.

. . . thank you! This will complete my Columbo collection! I have all boxed sets from the beginning and look forward to this ending. One of my absolute favorites in set is Ashes to Ashes. Rue McLanahan is a delight in this episode and as always Patrick McGoohan is his excellent acting self!

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 32 reviews  4.6 out of 5 stars