“Just one more thing . . . “

The rumpled trench coat.  The cheap cigars.  The coy aloofness.  And those mental games.  That’s right, Los Angeles homicide detective Lieutenant Columbo (Peter Falk) is back and this time he’s appearing clearer than ever thanks to Kino Lorber’s handling of the character’s debut on blu-ray!  This release covers - as described - the 1970s output of Columbo’s cases, including 2 pilots

Created by writing partners Richard Levinson and William Link, Columbo began as a made-for-television movie in 1968 called Prescription: Murder.  In this special, Columbo goes tête-à-tête (and, thankfully, it won’t be the last time) with a prominent psychiatrist (Gene Barry) who gets one of his patients to help him with the murder of his wife.  You almost forget this is a Columbo story, too, as the movie spends the bulk of its time focused on Barry and all the ways he’s trying to outsmart the investigation.  He fails, of course, but the mental cat-and-mouse game is so much fun that it is no wonder a series of feature-length episodes was ordered three years after the film debuted.

As always, Columbo starts with the murder, which is an interesting position to begin with as we get all sorts of interesting camera angles and weird soundtrack moments while the killer cleans up, and then, almost by accident, it slides into the investigation in which Columbo makes himself a nuisance to those he knows committed the murder.

With directors like Steven Spielberg (who directs the pilot episode), Bernard L. Kowalski, and Boris Sagal behind the camera, it’s little wonder why the show took off to become the pop culture phenomenon that it is, inspiring other shows, most recently Poker Face.

Of course, not every episode or season hits the sweet spot.  While you can start in order and dive in thanks to this comprehensive set, it’s best to begin with my favorite seasons - which are three and four - and then go back to the beginning . . . because there is a steep and dramatic dip in quality when it comes to seasons 5,6, and 7.  You never can keep a good thing going . . .

. . . but Falk is a triumph in the role.  He is so much fun to watch on the screen.

And the guest stars?  Holy cow! From William Shatner, Jack Cassidy, Robert Culp, John Cassavetes, and Patrick McGoohan to Vincent Price, Leonard Nimoy, Vera Miles, Johnny Cash and beyond, the absolute icons playing murderers, victims, and more are worth the price alone of this time capsule.

Columbo: The 1970s, which is basically the first seven seasons of the show, is now on blu-ray thanks to the fine efforts of Kino Lorber, who - at the very last minute - were told they couldn’t add all the new supplemental items they prepared for this release.  While disappointing news, this set is a prime example of 1970s television at its very best.

Home Video Distributor: Kino Lorber
Available on Blu-ray - December 19, 2023
Screen Formats: 1.33:1
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; twenty disc set
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Columbo is the landmark series that set the standard for the murder mystery genre. Remastered in 4K by NBCUniversal, Columbo: The 1970s includes the first seven seasons of this enduring classic on Blu-ray! Starring Peter Falk in his four-time Emmy-winning role as the cigar-chomping, trenchcoat-wearing police lieutenant.

Video

The new 4K scans are detailed and full of crisp colors and dynamic blacks.  Sure, there are some moments where the new sheen doesn’t pay off as well as you might like, namely in really dark moments, but the overall quality of the new scans are on point, adding to the importance of the show.  No overall blurriness was noted thanks to the time and effort put into the remastering project from Kino Lorber and NBCUniversal.

Audio

The audio here is rendered in a superb DTS-HD MA 2.0 audio track, as well as a Score and Effects audio track which isolates the moody atmospheric sampling of key episodes.  Fun stuff!

Supplements:

Commentary:

• Due to unforeseen issues, this release can’t include all the new audio commentaries, essays and other extras Kino had produced, which is a shame but, really, would you listen to them?!?!

Special Features:

Remastered in 4K by NBCUniversal, this release Includes the 1968 Movie-of-the-Week "Prescription: Murder" and the 1971 Pilot "Ransom for a Dead Man", as well as the entire series.  There are optional music and effects for all the episodes, plus an episode booklet.

• Shorter 71-Minute Cut of ÉTUDE IN BLACK

• Optional Music and Effects Tracks for All Episodes

• Episode Guide Booklet

• Newly Commissioned Slipcase Cover Illustration by Tony Stella

• Optional English Subtitles

	Movie
	Video
	Audio
	Extras
Composite Blu-ray Grade

MPAA Rating: TV-PG.
Runtime:
Creators: Richard Levinson; William Link
Cast: Peter Falk; Mike Lally; Dianne Travis
Genre: Crime | Drama | Mystery
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote: "Just one more thing . . . "
Distributor: NBC
Official Site: https://kinolorber.com/product/columbo-the-1970s-seasons-1-7
Release Date: September 15, 1971
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: Dec 19, 2023
Synopsis: Columbo is the landmark series that set the standard for the murder mystery genre.Remastered in 4K by NBCUniversal, Columbo: The 1970s includes the first seven seasonsof this enduring classic on Blu-ray! Starring Peter Falk in his four-time Emmy-winning role as the cigar-chomping, trenchcoat-wearing police lieutenant.