Blue Murder

Well I had to order it especially from Melbourne to find a copy of it on DVD, but I finally recieved it. I heard about it playing on TV in Victoria but not in NSW for a a long time after it was made. But apparently it finally aired in NSW.

Anyway I am from Melbourne and from what I understand about what police have been doing in the past, it is very realistic. It is a good insight to what Australian law enforcement is like and has been like throughout its history.

Some people may find the mini series a little on the violent side, I liked it for the realism of it and the bluntnes of it. I hope to see more television or feature films like it again in the future. I believe Australia has a bright future in tv and film making. I just hope they keep on pushing more projects overseas, as I'm getting sick of the Hollywood movies with little plot.

The screenplay, by Ian David, is the primary reason why BLUE MURDER is the best TV ever produced in Australia -- in fact, it is better than 95% of the features produced in that country. And, yes, calling it the GOODFELLAS of Down Under is not exaggerating.

Other reviews here have detailed the content of this mini-series, so no point going there. I just hope my raving about it inspires people who haven't seen it to check it out and marvel at the sharp characterizations, brilliant performances, Michael Jenkins' intuitive direction and ultra-realistic dialogue.

The series captures the Aussie vernacular like nothing else ever has and portrays a "matey" political and social environment within the police force that allowed corruption to fester and become an accepted part of everyday life.

One powerful sequence, where a crooked lawyer is indifferently dropped into Sydney Harbor with a stove around his neck, perfectly captures the dark side of the Aussie "She'll be right, mate" approach to dealing with problems.

Richard Roxburgh as Roger Rogerson is nothing short of a revelation, but major nods must also go to Gary Sweet (his best performance by far), Gary Day (brilliant), Bill Hunter (solid as usual) and Alex Dimitriades (chillingly real).

If you're only retiring to that desert island with one Aussie DVD, this should be it.

Blue Murder is far and away the best piece of television I have ever seen.

Never in my life have I seen a more well acted presentation. Every actor here is in top form, every scene works. This is not TV that tries to emotionally lead the viewer, it shows these brutal and truthful events as they occurred, and thats what makes it so engrossing, and so watchable, never once do we feel patronised by the makers.

Tony Martin is fantastic on every level as Neddy Smith, the seedy Sydney underworld character, portraying him to a tee. Steve Bastoni gives a totally believable performance as Micheal Drury. As Drury he gives Australian television possibly its most powerful scene ever after being shot in the kitchen of his family home. I can honestly say that this scene, where he tries to maintain control of himself while bleeding to death and trying to protect his family is the most anguishing scene of a mans life slipping away that I have ever witnessed.

However, the rest of the production is stolen by one man, Richard Roxburgh as the corrupt policeman Roger Rogerson. Roxburgh is a standout here, his is embued with that tough smoke and beer stained swagger that one associates with the 'old school' style of policing in the 70's and 80's in New South Wales. He and his police mates impeccably re-create the seedy and corrupt feel of tones of that plagued the NSW police through the 80's and 90's, complete with boozey lunches, prostitutes and revenge killings.

Blue Murder was not shown in my home state until 6 years after its production. It was considered too powerful, too close to the truth. It was feared it may influence several court cases that were proceding at the time along with the Corruption Commission set up to investigate such activities. With this in mind it is mind blowing to finally see what the rest of Australia has been privy to for the last 6 years.

Though 6 years old when first screened here, there's no doubt that Blue Murder is a landmark in Australian television. Its just such a shame that our best work seems to sprout from our darkest moments...

The resemblance between Richard Roxburgh and Roger Rogerson is uncanny, to say the least, and is the most startling feature of the many associated with the production. The attention to detail in the series recreated the era beautifully, and for anyone who had followed the actual events upon which the script is based, they could be forgiven for thinking they were witnessing a documentary filmed with a secret camera, so outstanding was the writing, directing, production and acting by all the players responsible for getting this television masterpiece to the screen. The release in its state of origin of this program was delayed for years for legal reasons, but it did not date in the slightest, TV gold amongst the dross.

Blue Murder is nothing short of a masterpiece. It delves into the world of police corruption and criminal activity and leaves nothing to the imagination. Everything about it is made all the more incredible due to the fact it's all true.

The casting is nothing short of genius. Richard Roxburgh as the infamous detective/criminal/murderer Roger "the Dodger" Rogerson is so utterly convincing and accurate you'd swear it was the man Roger himself. Tony Martin is equally brilliant as the notorious Neddy Smith, the charming, brutal and cunning criminal mastermind. All of the supporting cast do equal justice to the show, in particular Peter Phelps as 'Abo' Henry.

Blue Murder will have you utterly engrossed for all of its 4 hour running time, and leave you amazed and shaking your head in disbelief at the end. This is the real stuff, as it happened, as remarkable, and unthinkable as it is to comprehend. Go out of your way to see this one.