Customer Reviews

Baretta: Season 1 (Full Screen) [3 Discs]

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although Robert Blake gave the impression he hated his own show by the time the third season came about, he will always be remembered for his finest role in television history. Baretta appeared on television after Tony Musante refused to continue it's predecessor "Toma"(1973-1974), based on the true life exploits of Dave Toma (another excellent gritty cop show, but short lived). Unlike "Starsky & Hutch," Blake carried the show as a single force out the clean up the streets. It was a tough act, but he carried it out with excellent results, with the back up of Billy (Tom Ewell), his old and faithful buddy, and "Rooster" (Michael D.Roberts) his imformant, and the scene stealer; his pet cockatoo bird. The series premiered "Jan 17th, 1975, the same year as Starsky & Hutch. By just the second episode (on this DVD set) "The Five-And-A-Half-Pound Junkie" concerning a young girl addict ready to have a baby, you knew by watching the acting, that this series was going to be a hit, and it was. The first season has 12 episodes, and it is a very enjoyable DVD set, with attactive case and sleeve insert. It's on 3 DVD's.

The only drawback is that Universal released this set in 2002, and has no future plans on releasing further DVD sets of Baretta. It's all about money and sales here, and not customer satisfaction for fans of this series unfortunatly.

I have one thing to say to you, I am Dying and my will before I die is:
MY FELLOW FREINDS (FANS OF BARETTA), IF YOU ARE STILL ALIVE WHEN SEASON TWO OF BARETTA IS RELEASED TRY TO ENJOY EVERY MOMENT AND PLEASE REMEMBER ME, I THINK I WON'T MAKE IT, I THINK THIS IS THE BIG ONE :)!!:):):)!!??

Pleeeeeeease Releeeeease SEASON Twooooooooo, I am DIYING???!!!:)

It is been over 16 months since the release of Season One, please release SEASON TWO as soon as possible. THANKS.

This is one of the best Police TV shows ever and the DVD is EXCELLENT. PLEASE REALESE SEASON TWO, why it is taking too long?

This is one of the greatest TV shows I have ever seen. Robert Blake as "Baretta" performance was more that great. You do not feel that he is acting at all. I strongly recommend this TV show.
It is better to buy the hole "SEASON ONE" instead of the "Best OF DVD" due to the fact that if you buy the "Best Of DVD" you will end up buying the hole SEASON ONE and thats because the show is really so great, you will not resist :) A great 70's Cop show.
I CAN NOT WAIT FOR SEASON TWO TO BE RELEASED.

Although Robert Blake gave the impression he hated his own show by the time the third season came about, he will always be remembered for his finest role in television history. Baretta appeared on television after Tony Musante refused to continue it's predecessor "Toma"(1973-1974), based on the true life exploits of Dave Toma (another excellent gritty cop show, but short lived). Unlike "Starsky & Hutch," Blake carried the show as a single force out the clean up the streets. It was a tough act, but he carried it out with excellent results, with the back up of Billy (Tom Ewell), his old and faithful buddy, and "Rooster" (Michael D.Roberts) his imformant, and the scene stealer; his pet cockatoo bird. The series premiered "Jan 17th, 1975, the same year as Starsky & Hutch. By just the second episode (on this DVD set) "The Five-And-A-Half-Pound Junkie" concerning a young girl addict ready to have a baby, you knew by watching the acting, that this series was going to be a hit, and it was. The first season has 12 episodes, and it is a very enjoyable DVD set, with attactive case and sleeve insert. It's on 3 DVD's. The only drawback is that Universal released this set in 2002, with no word on future releases of series 2 and 3, I would be leary on purchasing other box sets they come out with in the future, until they verify they will release the full series. Thanks for releasing Baretta, but please get off the old duffs guys and get series 2 out soon.... Please!

Baretta was not the longest running cop shows on television in the 1970s. But it is perhaps the most identifiable, and one which left a lasting impression on many.

Baretta is a short man of Italian heritage, with a few good friends and a cuckatoo, working in what has to be the bleakest looking cityscape you have ever seen, with some bad, shady, weird, and wonderful characters.

He is a cop who will go to any lengths using what little he has to go on. These are his few steady friends, his beat up car, his street smarts, and a willingness to dress up and masquerade as someone, being as stereotypical as he can be in order to con the bad guy.

He is not always a success in the job, and unlike other cop shows, he isn't a success story. He loses his soon-to-be wife in the first episode, and this haunts him thereafter. He doesn't ever think himself better than anybody, and unlike other reviewers, his colorful speech may seem today politically incorrect. But to me, this actually makes him far more believeable as a character. After all, what do you base your disguises on, and the part you play when you wear them? He carries them off like someone who is trying to be a part, and if that sets on a stereotype that don't sit well in minds today, so be it. Back then, I don't think it would have been a cause for concern.

This is the same era that brought up Blazing Saddles (Far more colorful in all respects "politically correct"), The Warriors, All in the Family, The Jeffersons, and Welcome Back Kotter. Compared to this fare, Baretta's an altarboy.

What I really remember about him best is that he was a cop that was rarely sipping coffee at the station house. Too many cop shows of that era had a stationhouse as a backdrop. Baretta is a cop that gets his hands dirty, knows his neighborhood, and is respected for it because he is always seen working within it.

I enjoyed this when I just started my teens, and I really enjoy it now that I don't have to watch it on VHS anymore. While you could give a kid something better to model himself on, Baretta is the kind of person you'd probably like to have around. No B.S., straight-talkin' cops that go after real crimes, and don't see every rule in the book as something you hammer people with just because you can.

Robert Blake as "Baretta" has found new daylight completely revived and restored on DVD. I haven't had any problems with any of the 3 discs and the picture and sound in my opinion is awesome. Baretta set the standard for all the other gritty cop shows that followed. Watching Season One of "Baretta" brings me back to when I was a young boy and television was at its best and the TV shows definitely didn't disappoint. In the Season One set, you get the original pilot episode plus the next 11 episodes in great color and sound. Baretta together with his side kick Billy, the jive talkin Rooster and Cockatoo Fred, what more could you ask for? The music and theme song, sung by the great Sammy Davis Jr are worth the price of this set. If you can't pay the price you're committing the crime, so buy it already! Come on Universal Studios, give us Season 2!

DVD Episodes:

Disc #1 -- Episodes 1-4

-He'll Never See Daylight
-The 5 1/2-Pound Junkie
-Woman in the Harbor
-If You Can't Pay the Price

Disc #2 -- Episodes 5-8

-The Half-Million Dollar Baby
-Ragtime Billy Peaches
-The Coppelli Oath
-Walk Like You Talk

Disc #3 -- Episodes 9-12

-The Mansion
-Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow
-The Secret of Terry Lake
-This Ain't My Bag

BARETTA occupies one of a trilogy of slots for the most enjoyable television dramas of the 1970's (the other two being KUNG FU and KOJAK, with STARKSY AND HUTCH a close runner up). It just doesn't get much better than this. The funky dialogue is what really shines here -that, and the quirky sideshow characters like Rooster (Baretta's mack daddy man on the street) and The Soup Lady (this half-crazy old woman who lives downstairs and is forever fixing Tony and Billy soup). BARETTA epitomizes the tough streetwise guy with the rapid fire tongue and out there sayings that has seen a resurgence most recently in the scripts of Quentin Tarantino. What really struck me was the depth of characterization which I never noticed watching this as a kid. There is a backstory which subtley weaves its way into each episode. From various hints, including the sea paraphenalia on the walls of his apartment and the presence of his lovable cockatoo Fred, we learn Tony was once a merchant marine, and Bill (the old guy - am I getting his name wrong?)was friends with his father. And there is consistency to this universe - the fiance Tony avenges in the pilot episode still remains a ghostly presence in a smiling portrait on a table in his place. There's a host of great episodes here - my particular favorites being He'll Never See The Light Of Day, The Copelli Oath, Walk Like You Talk, and so many others. The weakest entry is the one where Tony has to rub elbows with high society (I think its the last one). He's so out of place and uncomfortable its laughable. Some of Tony's disguises are a little weird, too so be warned. But when he's on the streets in his element, Robert Blake is gold in this show. And check out the cameos from some great 70's personas! The great Moses `Mr. Big' Gunn! Burt `Yo Paulie' Young! The mother from Poltergeist (she's in the first scene of The Mansion)! Good action, awesome dialogue, and some surprisingly hard hitting themes. So cook up some chili dogs and chicken soup, crack open a bottle of that stuff not meant for drinking, and let de good times roll. Great Tv. BRING ON SEASON TWO AND THREE, PARTNER!