|
|
Whistle Stopper - Burke's Law: Season 1 - Volume 1 (First 16 Episodes)
|
List Price: $29.99
Our Price: $14.88
Your Save: $ 15.11 ( 50% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: VCI Entertainment
Starring: Gene Barry, Gary Conway
Directed By: Charles F. Haas, Byron Paul, Frederick De Cordova, Robert Ellis Miller, James Goldstone
|
Average Customer Rating:  
|
|
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
Brand: VCI ENTERTAINMENT
EAN: 0089859851025
Format: Box set
Label: VCI Entertainment
Manufacturer: VCI Entertainment
Number Of Items: 4
Publisher: VCI Entertainment
Region Code: 0
Release Date: 2008-04-29
Running Time: 800
Studio: VCI Entertainment
Theatrical Release Date: 1963-09-20
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spotlight customer reviews:
|
Customer Rating: 
Summary: A THROWBACK TO THE '60S THAT STILL WORKS . . MOST OF THE TIME
Comment: It is with some trepidation that one revisits a 1963 television series that has all but faded in memory. However, this one is a real winner. Starring the ever-so-suave Gene Barry, the best of the oh-so-cool leading man school of television, and supported by the pushy-but-fun Gary Conway, this series has aged particularly well. It's one of the first Aaron Spelling super spectaculars, to be followed, of course, by The Love Boat and Dynasty, but Burke's Law sets the general style and substance for the glamorous future Spelling was to have as the glossiest of television producers. Amos Burke (Barry), multi-millionaire Chief of Detectives for Los Angeles who's chauffeured in a Silver Cloud II Rolls Royce, solves crimes with a charm and devil-may-care attitude unimaginable today. The plots are outlandish, the setting outrageous, the casts absolutely out of this world. Where else could you get such guest stars as William Bendix, Zasu Pitts, Elizabeth Montgomery, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Paul Lynde, Mary Astor, Lizabeth Scott, Joan Blondell and Juliet Prowse? This list, believe it or not, is only from the first four of 16 episodes on this four-disc collection! It ain't Shakespeare, and, frankly not wildly realistic, but for a return to the glamorous Los Angeles of the mid-'60s, where Pop and Op and Mod and all that silliness reigned supreme, check out this gassy and groovy throwback to a more innocent era.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Burke's Law Season 1 Volume 1
Comment: Quality of the video was excellent and one of the best old tyme television shows now available. Hope more shows of this series is added. Gene Berry is excellent and for police cars, you can't beat a 1962 Rolls Royce car!
Customer Rating:
Summary: "Some TV shows don't age well" - Burke's Law
Comment: Sorry to differ from the other reviewers, but my wife and I just watched a few episodes of Season 1, Part 1, and were quite disappointed. I'm referring to both the quality of the DVD - and "Burke's Law" itself. Prior to getting the DVD set from Amazon, my wife fondly recalled the show and as such, I bought it for her as a gift.
It seemed that her memories of the show had been kind, and upon viewing the first few episodes, we were left shaking our heads: what was the appeal? Yes, the guest stars are fun to spot (e.g., a pre "Bewitched" Elizabeth Montgomery plays a flaky floozy who even twitches her nose - Samantha Stevens style - well before her bewitching TV sitcom aired).
But the stories are slow-moving, the characters are too wacky and unbelievable, and, well, the regulars are just plain dull. The Zucker Brothers "Police Squad!" would have had a field day with "Burke's Law".
Also, we noticed that the dialogue doesn't keep pace with the lip movements, at least in the second episode. That suggests poor workmanship in putting the DVD together.
(We did enjoy the only DVD extra - the old commercials, including one with Arnold Palmer pushing L&M cigarettes - even littering by tossing a lit cigarette onto the golf green!)
Finally, we compared "Burke's Law" to its contemporary, "Perry Mason", and found that there really is no comparison. "Mason" was generally full of well-developed characters - both the regulars and guests - and, despite repetition over the years - had interesting stories that allowed Raymond Burr & co. to shine. "Burke's Law" is at best, two-dimensional.
"You need interesting characters and stories in order to make a good TV show" - that's MY law.
Customer Rating:
Summary: "Burke's Law (1963) ... Gene Barry ... VCI Ent. (2008)"
Comment: VCI Entertainment presents "BURKE'S LAW-SEASON 1 - VOLUME I" (20 September 1963) (Dolby digitally remastered) --- 1964 Golden Globe Winner best TV Show & Best Male TV Stars --- Capt. Amos Burke (Gene Barry) was a Los Angeles chief of detectives who was also a millionaire with a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce, a mansion, and a high wheeling lifestyle --- The hallmarks of this series were glamorous, sophisticated settings, unusual twists on formula homicide plot lines, and big name guest stars --- After a couple of seasons, its format was radically revamped. Burke left the police force and became an agent for US Intelligence --- At that point, the show's name changed to "Amos Burke--Secret Agent". Burke's adventures were briefly revived in 1994, under the original title.
Burke's Law is a detective series which ran on ABC from 1963 to 1966 and was revived on CBS in the 1990s --- The show starred Gene Barry as Amos Burke, millionaire Los Angeles Chief of Detectives, who was chauffeured around to solve crimes in his Rolls-Royce --- The best of the Cary Grant clones was Gene Barry --- In his career Barry was a male model, had good breeding and seductive whiskey voice --- Barry was also TV's greatest reactors --- With a multitude of comic takes that was perfect for Amos Burke, who had to confront an unending series of eccentric subjects --- Yet he could turn around and romance the ladies or get tough with the tough guys. And he was a good enough actor to hold up his end when the heavy dramatics intervened.
In the original series, other characters were Detective Tim Tilson (Gary Conway), Detective Les Hart (Regis Toomey), and Sergeant Ames (Eileen O'Neill). In several episodes Anne Francis appeared as female detective Honey West, which led to a short-lived spin-off series --- The musical score for Burke's Law was largely the work of Herschel Burke Gilbert, whose middle name was coincidentally the same as the character of the series --- The role of Amos Burke actually predated Barry's series, having been played by Dick Powell on an episode of The Dick Powell Show in 1961 --- The first incarnation of the series was produced by Powell's company, Four Star Television --- (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Under the production staff of:
Don Weis - Director (13 episodes, 1963-1965)
Jerry Hopper - Director (11 episodes, 1964-1965)
the cast includes:
Gene Barry ... Capt. Amos Burke / ... (81 episodes, 1963-1966)
Gary Conway ... Det. Tim Tilson (64 episodes, 1963-1965)
Regis Toomey ... Det. Les Hart (64 episodes, 1963-1965)
Leon Lontoc ... Henry (64 episodes, 1963-1965)
Eileen O'Neill ... Sgt. Gloria Ames / ... (33 episodes, 1963-1965)
Michael Fox ... M. E. George McLeod / ... (25 episodes, 1963-1965)
SPECIAL FEATURES
BIOS:
1. Gene Barry
Date of Birth: 14 June 1919 - New York, New York
Date of Death: Still Living
2. Gary Conway
Date of Birth: 4 February 1936, Boston, Massachusetts
Date of Death: Still Living
3. Regis Toomey
Date of Birth: 13 August 1898, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Date of Death: 12 October 1991 - Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California
Hats off and thanks to Robert Blair and his staff at VCI Entertainment --- VCI was named in Variety and Hollywood Reporter as the first company to produce and release motion pictures directly to the home marketplace --- order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch releases --- VCI are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector -- looking forward to more Nostalgic Collections.
Total Time: 800 mins on DVD/VHS ~ VCI Entertainment 8510 ~ (4/29/2008)
Customer Rating:
Summary: Improbable, but highly entertaining series....
Comment: How many of LA's Chief of Detectives, have been chauffeured to work in a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, live in a palatial mansion, and are the toast of society? Enter one, Amos Burke, played expertly by Gene Barry, whose only real distinction in the cinema was a starring role in George Pal's "War of the Worlds," (1953).
Barry, not unlike the character depicted in "Burke's Law," was well-suited to the role. Born into a family with musical credentials, (his father was a violinst; his mother a singer) Barry had a sense of effortless style, grace, charm and an attractive baritone voice and, at one time, entertained the idea of an operatic career for the stage.
After appearing in several forgettable films, save "War of the Worlds," Barry embarked on a successful acting career throughout the 50's and 60's. He even had the distinctive honor to be the first villain in the pilot for "Columbo" entitled "Prescription Murder" (1968), as what else? An eminent psychiatrist suspected of killing his wife. In the 70's Barry starred in the short-lived series, "The Adventurer" with Barry Morse and the lovely Catherine von Schell (Maya from Space 1999), as a globetrotting, ultra wealthy, bachelor (although a little too old for the role)solving international capers. The european locales added a bit of flair to this otherwise pedestrian series.
Nonetheless, this first set of Burke's Law comes highly recommended. VCA has done a superb job of remastering the episodes and has even included vintage commercials from LARK and L&M cigarettes, Crest toothpaste, and other interesting spots from VCA's vaults--all accessible from the menu screen. The only downside to this set is that VCA has opted to only release the first 16 epsidoes of Season 1, rather than the whole season. Taking the economically expedient and profitable route, it seems VCA's practice has become all too familiar with these popular vintage series' cherished by classic television fans like me.
The show also stars a pre-"Land of the Giants" Gary Conway as Burke's indispensable assistant. The show has a bevy of recognizable guest stars that reads like recitation from Hollywood's Walk of Fame--even silent star Zazu Pitts and Anne Francis in the pilot episode, "Who Killed Honey West?"
If you like classic crime dramas as I do, here is yet another collection you will add to your DVD library.
|
|
|
Editorial Reviews:
|
BURKE'S LAW was a hit prime-time TV series that aired on ABC in 1963 and ran until 1966. It starred Gene Barry in the title roll (for which he won a Golden Globe Best TV Actor Award in 1965) of an LA chief of detectives who also happened to be a millionaire! Each episode featured unusual plot twists glamorous settings and a fabulous list of guest stars. So good it was brought back for a brief run in 1994! VCI will be releasing season one in two separate collector s sets of 16 episodes each. Digitally remastered from the original 35mm master each collection will also include bonus original commercials and previews. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 089859851025 Manufacturer No: 8510
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
