Crime Story

why this show only has 89 votes. It's one of my favorite shows of all time along with Twin Peaks, Arrested Development and Miami Vice. And anyone who loved Vice should love this. It's also by Michael Mann who as great as he is with movies is so much better with TV. This is actually where I fell in love with Andrew Dice Clay. That's right, you heard me. He played Max Goldman on the show and was great. Along with the wonderful Anthony John Denison, Dennis Farina and Stephen Lang. And in the pilot there is a super young David Caruso and the 4400's Billy Campbell plays one of the detectives. And let's not forget the super-cool don Manny Weisbord played by the legendary Joseph Weisman. And speaking of stars this was much like Miami Vice with a long list of guest stars. I remember Kevin Spacey playing a Kennedy type in one episode. They don't make shows like this anymore. It's a shame. We're fascinated when something like LOST is almost as good as TV used to be. If you like watching TV on DVD definitely give it a watch. It's better than everything on television right now.

Michael Mann is a first class director. He is laser focused and always delivers in spades. He is the genius who directed the tv film The Jericho Mile and the film noir classic with Jimmy Caan Thief. I think he needs to be given credit for this HE DIRECTED THE FILM THAT IS BETTER THEN SILENCE OF THE LAMBS!!!!He directed Manhunter which was so unjustly overlooked when it was released, but has now on DVD been given the credit it deserves. Mann also directed Heat, The Insider and Ali. Before he did that however, he created the classic tv shows Miami Vice and Crime Story. These are the series that made tv crime shows "grow up" in a sense. It made them more gritty and realistic the way that The Untouchables and Dragnet did. Mike Torello on this show was just as tough and bad ass as Elliot Ness or Joe Friday! I loved the look of this series, it made you feel like you were back in that time where cars had finns, where rock and roll was king and where the good guys wore black! I loved the theme music for the show, it was Del Shannon's "Runaway" I always remember that song. Mike Torello against Ray Luca was almost like a morality play of good versus evil. The scripts were first class, and the actors never gave a performance that didn't rule. Dennis Farina had actually been a cop with Chicago Police Department and it amazes me that a man who never had an acting lesson could give such a fine performance in every show that he has been in! Crime Story wasn't a show for sissies, but it always delivered and kicked ass!

Whether you like action, drama or anything else in between, Crime Story is a one-of-a-kind show. If you've never seen it before and just read about it, you'll think "it's all been done before" but that's entirely untrue. Debuting in 1986, Crime Story centres on Lieutenant Mike Torello (Dennis Farina), a 1960's Chicago cop who is determined to catch the notorious and ruthless gangster Ray Luca (Anthony Denison). As Luca rises to power with each new kill, Torello is even more willing to do whatever it takes to take him down. And that includes going against protocol. Not only does Luca affect his working life but he also affects his personal life, with people he cares about getting in the cross-fire.

Often touted as a "precursor to "The Sopranos", Crime Story is a show that's seems too good to be true. Every episode is powerful and riveting and features some top-notch acting performances. Dennis Farina shines in the lead role as Mike Torello in his first-ever regular TV series. Being an ex-Chicago cop in real life, the role comes easy to him and makes it so believable that you'll sometimes forget it's just a TV show. You'll laugh with him, you'll cry with him, you'll feel his pain, you'll feel his joy. Dennis Farina has a very wide range and carries this show like he's not even trying. He's THAT good. Not only is Farina excellent but Anthony Denison (now known as Tony Denison who appears on TNT's The Closer) is just as good as Ray Luca. Crime Story was one of the first things Denison had appeared in but made it look like he had been acting all of his life. His performance as Ray Luca has to be one of the most gripping I've ever seen. He starts off as a street thug working for other people but gradually rises up in the ranks, taking people down around him. For the most part, Tony seems expressionless yet still manages to convey an evilness that is simply chilling. Torello and Luca cannot exist without each other. If you take one away, the show would lose something. Every time they come eye-to-eye, you'll feel the tension between them. As Luca becomes ever more powerful, he begins to think he is unstoppable and pushes the boundaries to the limit. No matter how frightening Luca seems, the only person who could send a shiver down his spine is Torello and although Luca would never admit it, you can see the fear in his eyes.

Not only are Farina and Denison's character two of the most powerful in television history but the supporting cast is also great too. Bill Smitrovich plays Danny Krychek, who works with Torello closer than anyone else on the team, Steve Ryan plays Nate Grossman, the smart-alec of the team, Bill Campbell is the young Joey Indelli and Paul Butler plays Walter Clemmons (who constantly has a smoke in his mouth). There is also Stephen Lang as David Abrams, an attorney who is at ends with Torello but eventually becomes one of his closest allies.

Support from the other side of the law include memorable performances from Jon Polito as Phil Bartoli (many of whom would recognize from a string of TV shows and movies), John Santucci as Ray Luca's clown-faced side-kick Pauli Taglia, Ted Levine as the slow-witted Frank Holman and Joseph Wiseman as the boss-of-bosses, Manny Weisbord. Also backing up the cast are guest stars such as David Caruso, Michael Madsen, Pam Grier, Julia Roberts, Gary Sinise (both in two of their earliest roles) and many more.

Music also plays a big part in the series. As we watch modern-day shows, lines and lines of dialogue are often drowned out by whiny and screaming music. This isn't the case with Crime Story. The show is filled with rock n' roll tunes that'll make you feel like you're really back in the 60's. But the most important thing about the music is that there's always a reason for it to be played (once again, unlike modern shows). Every episode of the show is introduced with a redone version of Del Shannon's "Runaway". Shannon was asked to rewrite the lyrics to reflect on the tragic circumstances that are often encountered by the characters featured in the show, hence the "some live and others die" line.

If all of this doesn't convince you to see the show then I don't know what would. It has so much to offer. Even after it's over, you'll still be thinking about it. It'll have a great impact on you and although it only went for two seasons, they were two incredibly powerful seasons. Even though the show was cancelled twenty odd years ago, you'll rack your brain over how it could've happened. The ratings may not have been too good but the show was highly praised at it's time and is now considered a cult classic. Once you see it, you'll want to watch it again and again and again.

I miss it, and it's been nearly 20 years! I'm just surprised there is not a bona-fide cult following for this show! If anyone reading this disagrees, well speak up!! The show premiered when I was a teenager, and I thought it was cool as sh%#! Of course, I was also watching Pee-Wee's playhouse, Joes Bob Briggs Drive-In Theatre, going to see Roy Orbison in concert one last time. And while the addition of cast member Andrew Goldman (Dice-Clay) may not have done much in retrospect for the show, I'll be damned if it didn't prove that he could actually act! I'm not kidding, he did a fine job! Dennis Ferrina, the Maimi Beach widows dream, so my (much older) ex used to tell me... I've been rooting for him ever since this show. (And Midnight Run paid off!)Not sure yet on Law & Order.....

I only wish I could rate it higher on the scale than just ten stars.

Talk about a lot of work that went into this one. I actually felt as if I was back in the early sixties when I was watching it. This was masterfully done. The scripting, to me was flawless. The development of the characters, was straight up, right. The scenery, well...brought to you by Good Ole Michael Mann. Largely some of the coolest style and presentation in Television and Cinema that I have seen yet. Mr. Mann brings deep emotional content and sustaining context to what he makes. I was traveling on a short vacation, I stopped into Tower Records in L.A. probably about (1995) and found the complete 'Crime Story' series on VHS for I believe it was merely $60.00 then. Needless to say I bought it. Then later on laser disk, but only found a couple. Now it has been put out on DVD!! Thankyou everyone in charge of production and ownership of the rights and especially WalMart for selling it on-line! Cheaper than when I bought it on VHS even.

Every character together makes the 'tapestry' of the story complete. From the lawyer, David Abrams(Stephen Lang), the ever 'Bad', Ray Luca, to Johnny O'Donnell (David Caruso, now C.S.I.:Miami's Lt. Caine) Pauli Taglia the roly-poly happy go lucky, sometimes fearful,(when running into Turello) sidekick to head man 'Luca'. But, you can't forget (or even try) the king of the street Lt. Mike Turello! Now He's the man!!! His crew, including Big Walter Clemmons, Nate, Joey and of course Danny. All excellent detectives battling highly organized crime (or evil) in their fair city.

The town and all the back ground in the story just rings true to form of that city in that era. The job putting this all together to make it that real, takes incredible work, time, effort, research. Even down to using real 'Morgue footage' actual film stock from 1963 for the real 1960s Chicago look. It was compiled and layered just right.

But then the network that let this epic show, just go, I believe is really stupid. Just like other shows that have had total-life left and yet the network 'lunk-heads' pulled the plug instead of giving some better, (uh hmmm) P.R. than they had done, back then. This show inspired me and my creative mind. I didn't quite know in what way, then, but I know now. I recommend this awesome police-mafia drama, with some comical over tones to those who enjoy wheel made television. (***)

P.S: I just bought the DVD set, and it is still a beauty to behold, now digitally remastered!!!!