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Reviews
Columbo: Columbo Likes the Nightlife (2003)
Sad Revival of an Excellent Format
***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** Since they revived the old Columbo series in the early 90's, they've experimented with variations of the old tried and true format ("No Time to Die", "Undercover") and successfully pulled off episodes that are worthy of the best pieces from the old series ("Caution: Murder Can be Hazardous to Your Health", "Agenda for Murder"). Unfortunately, this latest installment just isn't what it's cracked up to be.
The producers/screenwriters have adhered to their old (but excellent) format in which we know whom the killer is and ponder how Columbo will catch him, but the result just ends up insulting the viewer's intelligence. We see Columbo sniff out a crime scene (literally) and later he repeats his findings to the killer in a repetitive fashion and points out the inconsistencies that could mean murder rather than suicide. The charm of some of the older episodes is that the perpetrator was the main character, while Columbo was the antagonist - we could sense and sympathize with the killer as he squirmed as the Lieutenant slowly unfolded the evidence before the killer's eyes. In "Columbo Likes the Nightlife," the killer is just a two-dimensional character whose purpose is to commit murder and be caught in the end as we guffaw at Columbo's usual bumbling antics.
Don't get me wrong -- as usual, Peter Falk is top-notch and seems to enjoy playing this character for the 69th time. But part of Columbo's charm is that, like a friendly co-worker or neighbor, we know so much about his daily habits and idiosyncrasies without knowing very much about him personally. Instead, the writers and producers (and perhaps Falk himself) are pushing him toward being a detective always on the frontlines rather than a lingering presence in the background whose rumpled exterior belies his wit and perceptiveness.
Although Columbo mysteries have not always been the most realistic, they've always prevailed outside the bounds of complete disbelief. (SPOILER AHEAD!) Therefore, perhaps someone can explain to me how one can hide a corpse at least a day old under a dance floor without attracting attention with the smell. On top of this, Columbo's discovery of this fact via counting goldfish seems a bit contrived, like many of the clues in this episode.
Although I wouldn't label this one the worst ("No Time to Die" or 1972's "The Greenhouse Jungle" deserves that dishonor), it's disappointing that this is what they came up with in the two years since the last episode was created. I hope that this is not the last ever, since it does not behoove the series to go out with a whimper.
Columbo: Agenda for Murder (1990)
Brilliant Handling of a Typical Murder
At face value, "Agenda for Murder" seems pretty average: the typical Columbo-esque villain is a businessman who commits a simple murder to keep some professional skeletons in the closet. The crime is simply executed, without the usual bells and whistles of a complicated alibi or execution.
Patrick McGoohan, however, is brilliant. In "Braveheart" he chewed the scenery as the evil King. In this Columbo episode, he's a high-priced attorney vying for the position of U.S. Attorney General. He's efficient, wealthy, pompous ("If you can answer that question, Lieutenant, you're a smarter man than I"), intelligent, and underestimates Columbo by a long shot. McGoohan played different shades of the same role in other Columbo outings (a domineering commander of a military school, a secret government agent, and a suave funeral director), but he's at his best here.
Peter Falk as the Lieutenant is also top form - watch the scenes between Falk and McGoohan closely and you'll see how Columbo slowly manipulates Oscar Finch from a self-confident businessman into a man who is inwardly afraid of his own shadow but must keep his stern outward demeanor. As was mentioned in other reviews, their game of cat and mouse is a delight to watch, rivaled only by Falk's performances with William Shatner in "Fade in to Murder" and "Butterfly in Shades of Grey."
The episode is abound with clues that will make the viewer slap his head and exclaim "Why didn't I think of that?" Particularly clever are the faxed jokes and the drop of blood. I do think, however, that Finch was far too clever to mess up and leave behind the final clue that proved his guilt - he was, after all, a criminal attorney!
This episode is a must for new Columbo fans (after "Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health") and, should a distribution company ever decide to release the newer episodes on DVD, "Agenda for Murder" should be on the top of the list.
When Boys Fly (2002)
Honest look at gay subculture
It might be a good thing that I've never seen "Circuit", which is the film that everyone seems to keep comparing this piece to. I got to see "When Boys Fly" when it appeared at the Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival and really enjoyed the experience.
This is a film about a circuit party, one of those big all-night events frequented by gay die-hard participants who will travel across the country. For those of you still in the dark, a circuit party is basically a rave, except the guests are almost all gay and in a variety of age ranges and occupations. Oh yeah, and there's a LOT of sex and drugs.
I saw this movie two days before attending my first circuit party and it both excited and intimidated me. The subjects clearly explain that they attend these events despite the fact that others may think they're lame or laden with too many drugs or simply too expensive. Obviously, these are gay men, and as many of us know, gay men rarely conform to what the rest of society calls "normal", which I suppose is part of what these circuit parties are all about: the chance to express yourself through dance, partying, and hanging with friends.
It all comes out as great fun; the actors/subjects are cute, funny, and for the most part we really care about them. I came out of the theater feeling as hungover as those in film, however, as the moral of the story is crystal clear: too much of a bad thing can be destructive. One should never think one is too smart to get swallowed up by the party scene.