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Crime Story (1986)

post #1 of 18
2/28/08 at 11:26am
Thread Starter 
I hate starting threads where I really don't have anything substantive to add, but what I'm trying to do is get some opinions about this show because I'm considering buying at least the first season, and I'm having trouble finding episodes to preview anywhere.

I've heard nothing but great things about it, and given that it's Michael Mann I'm certainly willing to run the ol' blind buy play (it helps that Deep Discount has it for $25), but was looking to fish for thoughts about it.

Anyone familiar with this show?
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post #2 of 18
2/28/08 at 12:00pm
I for one loved the show. Great core cast, many Michael Mann regulars. And like Miami Vice, in retrospect, a tremendous list of guest stars. Believe me, this show had crazy season ending cliffhangers, in its brief two year run.

I'd say season one is essential, $25 isn't that much to risk on a blind buy. Season two is a little iffy, watch the first season before deciding to venture into season 2.

For the record, my list of "best TV crime dramas" would include Crime Story, Miami Vice, Homicide Life on the Street, The Shield, and Hill Street Blues.
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post #3 of 18
2/28/08 at 12:37pm
I'll also chime in with some Crime Story love. Great characters on both sides of the law, and one who switches sides as well. I admit it's been a while since I've seen them so I can't evaluate it with fresh eyes but I remember loving the hell out of it. As suggested, give the first season a try and you'll probably seek out the rest.
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post #4 of 18
2/28/08 at 2:25pm
It's pretty quiet, small-scale stuff, but the roots of modern sequential storytelling are present. It's not as ballsy as it could be, considering network regulations, but it's extremely well acted, fascinating stuff. I'd recommend the blind buy, though you'll NEVER get Del Shannon's "Runaway" out of your head.
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post #5 of 18
2/28/08 at 2:38pm
I loved CRIME STORY when it was first on. Loved it more than MIAMI VICE or any other crime show I had seen. There's a lot of good tough guy dialogue and scenes, and it certainly feels like an epic under construction. I'd recommend Season 1 for sure. Season 2 is also worthwhile...just prepare yourself for an incredibly frustrating mindfuck of a cliffhanger at the end.
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post #6 of 18
2/28/08 at 2:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KABONG View Post
though you'll NEVER get Del Shannon's "Runaway" out of your head.
Too true. What a great song to use as the theme for this series.

The series pilot was directed by Abel Ferrara and it feels like it could have been shown on the big screen.

And check out the number of well known actors who appeared on this show.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090410/epcast
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post #7 of 18
2/28/08 at 2:46pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the info, guys. I think it might be worth the buy. And DD's got MIAMI VICE S1 for $20, so I may double feature it.
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post #8 of 18
2/28/08 at 2:53pm
Definitely get the first season. You'll love seeing the who's who assortment of character actors who pop up in seemingly every episode. I still haven't seen season 2, can't say much on that one.

Grab that first season of "Vice" too while you're at it.
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post #9 of 18
2/29/08 at 2:55pm
What I would give to go back and re-experience this show. I'd even give this the edge over MIAMI VICE for the simple fact that the storylines carry over from week to week (well at least in the first season they do).

Ray Luca is my hero!
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post #10 of 18
2/29/08 at 8:45pm
I love this show. It was far ahead of its time, a stab at what we now think of as cable drama in the days when cable drama meant The Hitchhiker.

It was a taste-forming experience for me. I saw the first run because my dad was incredibly lenient in letting his nine-year-old son watch all the badass crime shows on the mid-'80s NBC schedule (CS, Vice, Stingray, and the short-lived '50s noir Private Eye from Vice creator Anthony Yerkovich. RIP Brandon Tartikoff).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Moltisanti View Post
I still haven't seen season 2, can't say much on that one.
The Ellroy-style second season in Vegas is both better and worse, in that it merrily and gratuitously dragged in every contemporaneous politico-cultural issue that could even quasi-logically be tied to the premise. It's still worthwhile, though.
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post #11 of 18
3/1/08 at 10:42am
Luca was a terrific villain, and Farina an awesome presnce as Lt. Torello. Acting sensation mayor Ted Levine got his start here as well. John Santucci was great in comic relief - that scene where he chooses a nuclear bomb test site as a hideout had me in tears.
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post #12 of 18
12/10/08 at 8:25am
Just watched the pilot. Loved it. Great work from Farina, Levine, even David Caruso (wished he hadn't got wacked so early but I guess he had it coming, the way he lived) and many others.

You can tell it was a Mann production, the mood music, and whole snippets of dialogue are the same as Heat.

highly recommended. Can't wait to see the Farina vs Luca war escalate.
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post #13 of 18
12/10/08 at 8:36am
I fucking loved this show. I still think of Farina as The Bad Ass Cop From Crime Story. I've tried to get this on DVD down here but to no avail.
The suffering.
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post #14 of 18
12/10/08 at 9:22am
Available on region 2 (PAL - same as AUZ) if you have a multi-regiopn player
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post #15 of 18
12/10/08 at 11:08am
Timely that this got bumped as I just started watching the second season. Second ep featured a bad guy guest shot from James Remar. YES.
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post #16 of 18
12/10/08 at 12:06pm
REMAR? Might have to pick that up. A couple of the reviews have described it as HEAT the tv series, set in the 60s.

Hope it's on Hulu.
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post #17 of 18
12/10/08 at 6:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moltisanti View Post
Timely that this got bumped as I just started watching the second season. Second ep featured a bad guy guest shot from James Remar. YES.
I really enjoyed the opener of the second season with Kevin Spacey and Stephen McHattie.

I enjoyed the Vegas setting more than the earlier Chicago episodes, so I found a lot to like in Season Two.
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post #18 of 18
2/15/11 at 2:20pm

 

Finally finished this up.   Loved it.  Season 2 had some really weird episodes though, such as   'Paulie's dream'.  Whoever thought that one up was on something.  It's as though the writers thought  they had to amp up the outlandish stories once the show moved to Vegas and then Mexico.

 

Standouts in season 2 were the one with Julia Roberts (her screen debut) and MIG-21, with George Dzundza as a crazy Russian fighter pilot trying to defect to Vegas.

 

Sterling work from Stephen Lang.  Did not predict his arc, thats for sure.  Not sure if the writers did either.  

 

I liked the finale apart from the ending. What the hell were they thinking?   I assume they weren't told if they were coming back for season 3.   Can't believe they intended that to be the send off.

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