Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 20

March 5, 2025: Amazing Covers!

Doctor Strange of Asgard #1 – cover art by Clayton Crain

Moon Knight: First of Konshu #6 – cover art by Paratore, Davide

The Fantastic Four #1 – cover art by Alex Ross

Storm #6 – cover art by Phil Noto

The Immortal Thor #21 – cover art by Alex Ross

Birds of Prey #19 – cover art by Dan Panosian

Justice League: The Atom Project #3 – cover art by Ariel Colon

Justice League: The Atom Project #3 – cover art by Dave Wilkins

The Secret Six #1 – cover art by Ariel Olivetti

So, which were YOUR favorites?

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March 4, 2025: Assorted items of note!

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My recent purchase.  Can you identify the six pantings?

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Can you guess these 5 famous films by their original titles?

3000

Anhedonia

Black Mask

Coma Guy

Story of Your Life

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March 3, 2025: The Columbo rewatch continues with “Dead Weight!”

This episode first aired October 27, 1971

Major General Hollister’s house in this episode actually belonged to Peter Falk and is located in Newport Beach, California.

At one point, when Columbo flashes his badge, the first name “Frank” can be glimpsed. Series creators Levinson and Link later denied ever giving Columbo a first name. This was probably something the props department whipped up without running it through proper channels.

Helen Stewart tells the police her phone is 985-4321 which was the number for Universal Studios.

Some of the Mrs. Melville books featured in “Murder by the Book” appear as part of Hollister’s library. The General clearly enjoys his cozy mysteries.

Eddie Albert, who played Hollister, was a WWII hero himself. He rescued 70 wounded marines, while under fire, at the Battle of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands in November of 1943.

Peter Falk and Universal were warring when this episode was shot. Falk, incensed because he felt the studio was reneging on its promise to let him direct, walked off the set and pretended to be sick, halting production. Universal threatened to sue him, so he grudgingly returned – to a very resentful crew and guest cast. The production had shot around him as much as possible (which explains the lack of chemistry in most of his scenes). When he asked to reshoot said scenes, the director and crew flatly refused.

Suzanne Pleshette, who had been friends with Falk since the age of 14, was incredibly disappointed in his behavior given she had another job lined up after the show, a job she desperately needed at the time. Despite their friendship, Pleshette didn’t talk to Falk for a year after this episode was shot.

In a later interview, Pleshette revealed that Eddie Albert was equally incensed with Falk’s behavior. According to her, Albert told Falk: “I always wanted to meet you, I always wanted to work with you, but you’re a real asshole.” Oof.

My thoughts on the episode in chronological viewing order…

All those pistols and machine-guns casually lying around Hollister’s place. Who does he think he is? Jake Paul?

When Colonel Dutton pays him a visit, Hollister offers him a drink. My first reaction was “What time is it?!” Hollister is still in his bathrobe. I noted a heck of a lot of drinking in this episode.

Once again, a bloodless murder as we cut away before seeing the B-side hit. And, again, a stylistic choice I didn’t really mind it.

Were garish yellow and red standard sailing colors for women at the time?

How good are this woman’s eyes that she can spot a guy in a bathroom shooting another guy in military uniform from that distance?

I like the little moment where the cop informs Columbo that the parking spot is reserved for police. Once again, everyone underestimating the little guy.

Why is Columbo dispatched here? This isn’t an official murder investigation yet.

I found it odd that the General didn’t notice the police cars parked outside his home. Or maybe he did and chose to act cool under pressure. Which brings me to Eddie Albert’s performance. Despite this episode’s shortcomings, I think he is absolutely terrific.

Wouldn’t Hollister immediately ask Columbo about the reason for his inquiry? I’m thinking an innocent man surely would.

This is the third time in four episodes Columbo uses the murder suspect’s fancy desktop lighter. Will this become a running gag?

I think Hollister’s tuxedo is so black that it’s blue, and I absolutely love it.

I rolled my eyes when Hollister conveniently remembers stumbling over the crate with the gun in his hand. It was at this moment that I could tell the writing would be a drop down in quality from previous episodes.

“Mistakes have no gender.” How topical.

This line made me laugh: “Mrs. Stewart. Did it look like she could’ve been drinking?” She was sailing! Of course she was drinking!

Hollister tracking down the witness to the shooting and then wooing her makes absolutely no sense. Why is he doing this and unnecessarily completing things for himself? What is his motivation here?

Columbo pays the women a visit and they are, of course, drinking. I guess that was the 70’s.

I thought it an odd directorial choice to have the mother carry the carving knife to answer the door. I mean, who does that? And it certainly didn’t add any sense of suspense to the moment.

Man, if I was Helen, I’d be looking for a new place to live after her mom says: “No wonder he asked for a divorce.”

Columbo sure loves his chili!

Ah, the old secret compartment behind the bookcase trick. How very Get Smart of Hollister.

Why would Columbo find it suspicious that Hollister’s boat is coming in while other boats are going out? Boats go in and out all the time. In fact, it’s more likely that you’d be going out early if you were going fishing, no?

This whole prized missing pistol beat and ensuing thru-line feels incredibly contrived.

Why the hell didn’t he weigh the body down when he dumped it out at sea? You think Big Pussy washed up on the Jersey Shore?

Columbo’s boat trip with Hollister is amusing, but ultimately feels like a lesser riff of the plane-ride scene from “Ransom for a Dead Man”.

Hugely coincidental that the owner of the chili shop happens to have a bunch of war memorabilia he can’t bring himself to throw away.

I like the fact that Helen’s “Some men, lieutenant, do not want to look like an unmade bed.” prompts Columbo to adjust his tie.

Why did Columbo invite Helen to the gotcha moment? In order to humiliate her? Reminder her of her terrible luck with men?

This whole convoluted deal regarding the duplicate gun doesn’t really make any sense.

So, not one of Columbo’s stronger outings. I’d rate this one dead last of the five episodes we’ve watched so far. #1 Death Lends a Hand, #2 Prescription: Murder, #3 Ransom for a Dead Man/Murder by the Book (tie), #4 Dead Weight.

Now to the question of whether Columbo has enough evidence against General Hollister to put him away. In this case, I believe the ballistics match and witness testimony in addition to clear motive makes this one an open and shut case. GUILTY!

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March 2, 2025: Sharky Sunday!

Tasty barracuda!

Boxed in!  Sharky was caught looking for leftover croissants…

On thing Sharky won’t eat – cucumber!

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Feeling playful!

Classic quail foot scratch

Trying to get a seat at the table…

 

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March 1, 2025: Remarkable Studio and Network Notes!

Network notes – Columbo…

Studio notes – Blade Runner…

Studio notes – Back to the Future…

Network notes – various (from the book A Martian Wouldn’t Say That)…

“Please do not sensationalize the dead gopher.”“I think you’re making a mistake having so many French involved in the production of Les Miserables.”“We’re concerned about the uniforms on Star Trek.  They look like the whole crew is wearing Dr. Dentons.”“Considering today’s sensibilities, when you discuss euthanasia, be sure you do so in a positive light”.“I know this is short notice but the network wants to see the script for the pilot very badly and very quickly.“Is there any way you could write the script now and do the research later?”“Although Connie is a sociopath, make sure she’s not without warmth.”“This is the best script of Addams Family we’ve read in a year. Attached are the notes for the rewrite”.“We have run the sequence of the barmaid serving drinks over and over. There is too much cleavage.”“In response to your list of suggested writers for your upcoming pilot; who is Truman Capote?”“Is it possible to improve the caliber of writing without doing a disservice to the show’s popularity and excellent demographics?”“Please change the dialogue on Page 14.  A Martian wouldn’t say that.”

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February 28, 2025: The Columbo rewatch continues with…Death Lends a Hand!

Our Columbo rewatch continues with…

“Death Lends a Hand”

This episode first aired October 6, 1971.

Even though this was the first episode produced following the two pilots, it was the second episode to air as “Murder By the Book” was deemed superior. I disagree.

This episode earned show creators Richard Levinson and William Link an Emmy for Outstanding Writing. It also won for Film Editing.

“Death Lends a Hand” marks the first time we hear the Columbo theme, first introduced in the scene that sees Columbo driving.

This episode features one of the few instances where Columbo actually removes his trademark raincoat.

Brimmer’s office is a re-use of the office used by Lee Grant’s character in “Ransom for a Dead Man”. The walls, windows, and even the view out the window are identical. And, in both episodes, Columbo inquires if the lighter on the desk works.

My thoughts in chronological viewing order…

Robert Culp absolutely kills it in this episode, delivering a standout performance as the slick Investigator Brimmer. This would mark his first of three murderous guest appearances on the show.

I initially mistook Ray Milland for Carl Reiner in his introductory scene. Separated at birth!

Lenore Kennicutt falls into the Lily La Sanka school of “too stupid to live” murder victims. Maybe she should have saved the “I’m going to ruin your life” threats for a phone call instead of a clandestine face-to-face meeting.

My favorite sequence in this episode is the whole post-murder clean-up that plays in the reflection of Brimmer’s blue-tinted sunglasses. Brilliant.

This is the first time we see Columbo’s 1959 Peugeot 403 Cabriolet in action. It was one of only 500 produced. Apparently, Peter Falk wanted a car more in keeping with Columbo’s character that would be in marked contrast to the flashy cars featured in most detective shows of the time. He personally chose it from among the vehicles parked at the Universal Studios lot. In an interview, Falk said he liked the idea of Columbo driving a car “nobody else would want”.

Falk argued with Levinson and Link over the scene in which Columbo is pulled over for having a broken tail light. They went back and forth over lunch, with Falk claiming his character wouldn’t be so sloppy and then, when they returned to the studio, they noticed that Falk’s own car had a broken tail light. So Falk relented.

When the officer points out that Columbo’s license expires next, I thought “Hmmm, maybe the Columbo persona is NOT all an act for the benefit of the potential suspects”. This is a great scene that does a wonderful job of introducing our rumpled detective but also serves to set up that later visit to the DMV that gives him the clue to the contact lenses. That’s smart writing.

At first I wondered why the hell Brimmer would contact the victim’s husband and offer to help in the investigation of his wife’s murder – but, upon further reflection, I can see how it would allow him to keep closer tabs on the official police investigation. Still, a risky move – but Brimmer seems like a risk-taker.

In retrospect, the only moment that didn’t ring true to me in this episode was the palmistry beat. Columbo doesn’t seem like a guy who would be into palmistry and the fact that he later reveals he used the palm-reading to confirm the rings on Brimmer’s left hand would suggest he suspected the detective at this point. But why? It seems a huge leap.

Columbo at his unorthodox best throughout this episode, from his warrantless perusal of the golf instructor’s appointment book to likely stuffing a potato into a car’s exhaust to disable it.

What’s with Columbo’s green cigar?

A weird conversation here on the proper way to strike a woman. Also, by this point, it’s clear Columbo suspects Brimmer…but, again, on what basis? The ring, the fact Brimmer isn’t right-handed and…the salt on Brimmer’s car?

As the episode ends, it’s clear that Brimmer is unnerved. I thought “Bet you regret offering your services now!”

I like this nice little moment that demonstrates Columbo’s cleverness, dismissing the golf instructor as a suspect because he doesn’t wear a ring – and he knows he doesn’t wear a ring because there is no tan line on his finger.

I quite liked the sequence where Brimmer offers Columbo a job with him. It’s all very obvious what he’s doing. By the way, a salary of 30k/year back then would be a little over 200k/year today.

Columbo presents his working theory that someone may have been spying on the cheating Mrs. Kennicutt and attempted to blackmail her. At this point, it would be a simple matter of Columbo asking Arthur if he hired Brimmer to spy on his wife. Who knows? Maybe he did in a later offscreen moment.

I laughed at Columbo quizzing the loose-lipped underling.

Who is the weirdo playing with the kid at the park. Oh, it’s Columbo!

I’m sure I missed something, but what was the purpose of this scene and how did this woman’s husband fit into anything? I remain confused.

At the point where Columbo says “I wish the murderer knew” directly to Brimmer, he is telegraphing so hard that, were I Brimmer, I would seriously consider offing him at this point.

Best line of the episode is Columbo assuring Brimmer he will keep him updated on any major break in the case: “Oh, don’t worry. You’ll be the first to know.” Lol

The set-up leading to the gotcha is pretty damn brilliant.

Many fans feel otherwise, but I think “Death Lends a Hand” is superior to “Murder by the Book” with its out-of-left-field ending. This script is tight, well-constructed, and pays off in dramatically satisfying fashion. And Culp is stellar as our guest villain. Thus, my rankings to date: #1. Death Lends a Hand, #2. Prescription: Murder, #3. Murder by the Book and #4. Ransom for a Dead Man (although increasingly, I’m feeling the last two could be tied).

Finally, it’s time to ask: Does Columbo have enough evidence to get a conviction here? Or is the evidence circumstantial and we are looking at an acquittal? Well, I think Columbo has constructed a pretty solid case against Brimmer – who no doubt realized as much and confessed to the murder in front of about a dozen people. So, yes, in this case I believe Columbo gets a CONVICTION

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February 27, 2025: The Update!

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What do you say?

Conversely, what is a country you have long considered visiting that you have recently wiped from your travel wish list?

For me, it’s Sweden.

Meanwhile, in other news today…

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Plus ca change as they say.

Well, Day #6 of my Montreal stay and these dogs are driving me absolutely nuts.  If so much as a bird lands in the driveway, they go absolutely nuts, barking at the slightest provocation.  Today, my mother had visitors and the dogs barked incessantly, from the moment they stepped in the door to the moment their car backed down the drive.  I tried sequestering them in the kitchen, putting them outside, downstairs, spraying them with water, and absolutely nothing worked.  In time, it really frays your nerves.  To top things off, my sister’s dog, Ralphie, hopped up on the bed and peed on my laptop case.  Thus his sleeping-on-the-bed privileges have been revoked and he gets to spend the next few nights out in the hallway.

Three more days and I’m back home with Akemi and the relatively very quiet Sharky.

Don’t forget that, tomorrow, our Columbo rewatch continues with season 1’s second episode, “Death Lends a Hand”.  And it’s a good one.

Finally, been thinking of switching gears and bringing back the monthly book club discussion.  One of the possibilities was choosing a classic sci-fi book from every year – say, starting with 1970 – and doing a dedicated blog post and discussion.  What do you think?  Would that interest you?  And would a book a month be a reasonable pace?

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February 26, 2025: Amazing Covers!

Red Hulk #1 – cover art by Joshua Cassara

Batman: The Long Halloween – The Last Halloween #5 – cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz

Black Canary: Best of the Best #4 – cover art by Ryan Sook

Detective Comics #1094 – cover art by Mikel Janin

Detective Comics #1094 – cover art by Bruno Redondo

Superman #23 – cover art by Dave Johnson

Superman #23 – cover art by Nathan Szerdy

The Crow: Flesh and Blood #1 – cover art by Damian Connelly

So, which were YOUR favorites?

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February 25, 2025: Formative Sci-Fi Reads!

What was the first science fiction novel you remember reading?

For me, it was this book….

A Fall of Moondust by Arthur C. Clarke (1974 edition)

It was part of a stack of science fiction books my mother bought me ion an effort to steer me away from comic books which were my then passion.  Among the other titles she got me, which I also read around them same time….

Childhood’s End.  Still my favorite Clarke book and one of my favorite classic SF novels.

Monkey Planet by Pierre Boulle.  The inspiration for The Planet of Apes with a memorable twist ending all its own.

Dangerous Visions (and its sequel, Dangerous Visions II), edited by Harlan Ellison.  A phenomenal collection of SF short fiction assembled by one of the genres greatest authors.

The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury.  I checked this one out of my school library and had my adolescent mind blown.

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Foundation by Isaac Asimov.  My mother bought be the whole series and, to be honest, these books didn’t do it for me back in the day.  I found them a bit of a struggle to get through in comparison to the Clarke books.

What were your first sci-fi reads?

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February 24, 2025: Our Columbo rewatch marathon continues with – “Murder by the Book”!

This episode first aired September 15, 1971.

This episode was ranked #16 in TV Guide’s ‘100 Greatest Episodes of All Time’ list in 1997.

“Murder by the Book” was actually filmed after “Death Lends a Hand”, but it was considered the superior episode and so was moved up in the schedule and aired as the series premiere.

Instead of airing weekly, Columbo aired every third week as part of the NBC Wheel of Mystery alongside McCloud and MacMillan and Wife. According to series co-creator William Link: “I don’t think Falk would have done a weekly series. But beyond that, Columbo was too rich a brew for audiences to swallow every week. Every three weeks was good. It gave viewers time to anticipate and savor the next one.”

One of the production’s biggest challenges was finding writers who could deliver quality scripts. Series co-creator Richard Levinson summed it up: “The problem with Columbo was that you had no other characters, and the leading man didn’t enter until the second act, which is unheard of in television. You had to create a perfect crime that had a loophole, then provide a perfect clue. After the crime, since Bill and I refused to put any violence into the show, we had to have a conversation between two individuals for ninety minutes. The cat and mouse dialogue would create the tension.” Still, they did manage to land some quality writers.

This episode was written by a young Steven Bochco (who would go on to create Hill Street Blues and NYPD ?Blue) and directed by a 24-year-old Steven Spielberg. In order to land the job, Spielberg had to meet with – and convince – Peter Falk he was up to the task. Which he did.

Reflecting on his experience directing the show, Spielberg recalled: “Richard Levinson and William Link were the first producers who actually encouraged me to make choices that were weird and unconventional. They were always at dailies so every time they came to dailies, appeared on set or called me on the phone it was to give me a tremendous boost of confidence. That was my first experience with episodic television where the producers were encouraging me to make unconventional shots, whereas other television producers would beg me not to.”

Peter Falk was apparently at times difficult to work with given his drive for quality. According to producer Dick Irving: “He was difficult in terms of being a perfectionist. He never wanted to make the compromises that are necessary in television.” This resulted in longer shoots and cost overruns that, in the end, the network had to swallow to placate the star of their hit show.

This is the first episode that features Columbo’s signature Peugeot 403.

This is the first of three Columbo episodes featuring Jack Cassidy as a villain. Cassidy was the father of teen idols David and Shaun Cassidy, and married (and divorced) actress Shirley Jones who played mother Shirley Partridge on The Partridge Family.

The part of Ted Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970) was apparently written for Cassidy who ultimately turned down the role that eventually went to actor Ted Knight.

During production of this episode in which he played part of a co-writing team, Cassidy would often jokingly inquire: “Who am I playing in this scene, Levinson or Link?”

Cassidy suffered from bipolar disorder and, following a night out, fell asleep on his couch while smoking. The lit cigarette ignited the couch and Cassidy lost his life in the ensuing blaze.

Actress Barbara Colby, who played the lovestruck Lily La Sanka, met an equally tragic death at the hands of a random and unprovoked gunman. Her murder has never been solved.

Martin Milner, who played Jim Ferris, was the visual inspiration for the original Green Lantern, Guy Gardner.
He is best remembered for his performance as Pete Malloy on Adam-12.

My thoughts in chronological viewing order…

I thought the clack-clacking of the typewriter over the soundless opening was pretty inspired.

Martin Milner giving me Robert Redford vibes.

Note the book he gifts Lily La Sanka is “Prescription Murder”, the name of the very first Columbo pilot.

If I was Jim’s wife, I would, in hindsight, find this call from Ken highly suspicious. It seems to come out of the blue given the circumstances.

I laughed when Jim took a seat on the couch…covered in plastic! My advice to anyone is to never walk into a place or get into a car covered in plastic.

No one in the vicinity of the cabin heard the shot? Hmmmm. Okay. I’ll let it slide.

Jack Cassidy is devilishly good and those panorama shots out the cabin window are absolutely beautiful.

I find it odd that Joanna invites a detective back to her place and allows him to cook for her. Even odder that he seems to put cheese in with the raw eggs BEFORE cooking.

Unlike the case of Leslie Williams in “Ransom for a Dead Man”, I can totally understand why Columbo is instantly suspicious of Ken here who offers up his theory that it was a professional hit. He seems to give up Jim for dead here and yet, later in the episode, he tells Columbo “I kept thinking Jim was alive.” Not very consistent.

Love the scene where Ken gifts Columbo a stack of the Mrs. Melville books. And the seemingly appreciative Columbo’s “Maybe I can pick up a few pointers.”

Also, much respect for Columbo who, unlike most detectives who don’t drink on the job, has no problem asking for “a drop of bourbon”.

I found it interesting that Columbo rattles Ken with his observation that Ken opened his mail before calling the cops. I think the Columbo of later seasons would have held on to that little tidbit.

Production note: why are the hot dogs sizzling so loudly when they are clearly boiled? P.S. I do appreciate the occasional food-related scenes – the chili in the last episode, the hot dogs here.

How smart is it to blackmail a murderer? I think not so smart, but I guess we’ll see.

And love the scene of Columbo backing his way into the room, his arms laden with books. There is NO WAY he read all those books! There must be 30 of them!

As it turns out, not so smart. Apparently Spielberg had to fight to keep the silent scream, an homage to Hitchcock. I’m not entirely convinced it works.

Nice moment of Columbo helping himself to some free candy at the crime scene on his way to discovering the champagne cork.

Don’t love the ending. In previous episodes, Columbo demonstrates his cleverness in setting up the murderers and catching them out. Here, he conveniently discovers some information – off camera – that he uses to confront Ken. It’s a shame because I was really enjoying this episode up until the last five minutes. So, even though most fans ranks this episode as the show’s best, I would rank it #3 after “Ransom for a Dead Man” (#2) and “Prescription Murder” (which remains my #1).

Finally, let’s consider the evidence Columbo has gathered against Ken Franklin. Would the parallels between a story idea and the presumed way the murder played out be enough to convict Ken? While I think it would certainly look suspicious, I don’t believe this would be enough evidence to convict. And so, in this particular case, I believe the suave Ken Franklin wins himself an ACQUITTAL.

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