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Reviews
To Catch a Killer (1992)
Now THAT'S Acting!
Rest in Peace Mr. Dennehy. Your performances were memorable.
A man who was a New England native in his 40s or early 50s portraying a man who was from the midwest and, in his infamous mug shot, all of 36-now THAT'S acting!
The second time I watched this film, I needed a night light. I'm not only female (most recall Gacy targeted young men in the teens and 20s), John Gacy was long dead by that second viewing.
Convincing performances by Scott Hylands and Margot Kidder, whose character was a psychic cooperating with Des Plaines Police Department, added to the film's enjoyment. Would definitely recommend to anyone interested in true crime.
Murder Without Motive: The Edmund Perry Story (1992)
Wasted Potential
It's been so long, 36 years, since the death of Edmund Perry and reading of Robert Sam Anson's work Best of Intentions. Didn't even know about this film until I looked up one of the actors, on whom I had a wicked crush during this timeline, actor Joseph Cali of Saturday Night Fever.
The film was also of interest as one of my college classmates attended Exeter with the late Mr. Perry, characterizing him as someone whom, no matter what white students did or didn't do, it was related to their feelings about black peoples.
Eat separately from him? You didn't like black people. Eat with him? You just felt sorry for him as a black student.
I never met the young man to say anything one way or the other, but the immense academic & financial potential he had that he squandered for God only knows what reason continues to make this story haunting. Murder Without Motive destroys the myth that racism isn't to be found in the northeast.
The assumptions made at Exeter *spoilers* like that black students might need extra help & that Eddie could buy drugs if given the money are pretty accurate for attitudes in this part of the U S. A good cast of actors & performances were featured.
Sadly, Curtis McClarin, who portrayed Eddie, also passed at an early age from a brain aneurysm. A convincing performance by Cuba Gooding as a neighborhood friend was also featured.
Some liberties were taken. Spoiler For example, if researching the actual Edmund Perry, he actually enjoyed and benefited from his overseas studies and had a warm relationship with his host family in Spain.
Other than the above, and Mr. Cali's part being rather small, it was a film worth watching and one I would recommend if interested in the sad ending of Edmund Perry or works by any of the actors.
Bones (2005)
More Hollywood P C garbage
I am a regular reader of Kathy Reichs' Temperance Brennan novels. As such I am extremely surprised she even consulted on this show.
It is HORRIBLE by comparison to the books. The Temperance Brennan character is, in the books, a down to earth recovering alcoholic and divorced mom of a college aged daughter. In 'Bones', she is an arrogant (rhymes with rich), who, in typical P C fashion, is not a mother. The emphasis on her assisting staff, complete with lurid details of who has had how many sexual exploits, is totally in contrast with the books.
In total deference to the P C movement, she portrays the enemies of the U S as peace lovers (!). Some of the information isn't even correct, for example, having a character from Afghanistan as an active member of an Arab-American friendship group. Since when is an Afghan an Arab?! I'm sure if negative references were made to 'disadvantaged minorities', or women, or GLBT's, the show's producers/writers/directors would have to issue an apology. However, in typical far left fashion, all of the racial slurs go to the highest achieving minority group--Asians, as David Boreanaz' Agent Booth continually refers to Angela Montenegro as a 'squint'.
Forget that stuff, and forget this show. After 'The Man in the SUV' episode, I thought I'd try a second episode to see if it got any better. It only got worse! I don't even care if the teenager in question was murdered or committed suicide, and I won't be watching the show ever again.
Dr. G Medical Examiner (2004)
I love it!
'Dr. G. Medical Examiner' is a departure from fictitious medical examiner shows, like 'Quincy' and 'Crossing Jordan'. Dr. Garavaglia showcases a part of the medical examiner's office these other shows leave out--the accidental and natural deaths that come through the office.
No, not everyone who needs the M.E. to sign them out of this life died violently, and, unlike what the fictitious shows portray, it is not the M.E.'s job to play detective, but to give cause and manner of death. I find it fascinating the work the investigators do to pull the deceased's medical records from family members and the examinations Dr. G. does in an individualized manner. The normal functions and processes of various organs/organ systems of the body are shown, followed by what went wrong with the heart/neurological system/etc. of the decedants who are examined by Dr. G. She compassionately explains what happened to their loved ones at the end. This is a recommended watch of the post mortem examination done compassionately.
Cold Case: 8 Years (2006)
Ho Hum
8 Years reminded me of a quotation in a true crime novel some years ago. Homicide officers in a major US city were quoted as saying they didn't feel sorry for most of their murder victims. "They were involved in activities they shouldn't have been, and it got 'em killed." This episode of an otherwise excellent series reminded me of this quotation. It tracks 8 years in the lives of four high school friends; their academic and professional disappointments; failing marriage (I found the depersonalization of the baby a turn-off. It is constantly referred to as 'the baby', not even having an identity as a boy or girl); and activities that run the gamut from shady to illicit.
The cold case of a man murdered in what was thought to be a carjacking is reopened when the shady May character resurfaces. She had disappeared from the hospital emergency room at the time of the crime. Turns out the deceased Clinton had joined his old chum Petey in a car theft ring, and this activity got both him and the ringleader killed. The exclusively Bruce Springsteen soundtrack was quality, and different than a variety of music from the year '88 would have been, but otherwise the story is a must miss.
Law & Order: Criminal Intent: Wrongful Life (2006)
Propaganda for the so-called pro-choice movement
Stick to detective stories and leave Dick Wolf's so-called pro-choice opinions out of the story. Why is it the LAW AND ORDER shows always portray pro-lifers as Christians with mental defects, as they did the original obstetrician? Why is it the lives of the handicapped are considered 'a woman's choice', and, if such a person lives, it's not a worthwhile life and should not have been allowed to come into existence? Kathryn Erbe's lighting into this character for the condition of the now adult spina bifida baby was a complete turn-off. It's propaganda like this and the total discrediting of individuals who feel otherwise that has turned me off to these shows.
Cold Case: Lonely Hearts (2006)
I'm a COLD CASE fan, but didn't like 'Lonely Hearts'
I thought most TV shows had a disclaimer about any resemblance to real life incidents being coincidental. This one was so coincidental it was as if Bruckheimer Productions was either 1) looking at a strictly young audience, or 2) assumed the audience it had was forgetful or stupid.
This episode made no effort to cover its resemblance to an infamous series of murders in the 1940's. Even the name was the same: "The Lonely Hearts murders". Raymond Fernandez & Martha Beck combed the newspaper personals ad's to find their victims, subsequently killing them. Martha Puck & Ramon Delgado? How creative is that? Try www.google.com, which will probably lead you to www.crimelibrary.com for this story. Fernandez & Beck died one after the other in Sing Sing's electric chair in '51. Puck & Delgado meet slightly dissimilar fates. The Bonnie & Clyde twist didn't improve the story any. The only remotely amusing part of this story was the usually crude Detective Nick Vera engrossing himself in the tawdry romance novels of Martha Puck, in order to understand her as a person. If you're a true crime buff, don't even bother with this one.
Cold Case: Forever Blue (2006)
"Forever Blue" was one of my favorites!
This was one of the all time best episodes. Officer Sean Cooper was murdered in his patrol car back in '68. A dying convict in the state penitentiary reveals that he stole a block of heroin from the car after the shooting. His case is reopened with the presumption that he was corrupted as a policeman.
Further investigation into him as a police officer and a human being reveals a war veteran involved in a forbidden love. This type of love was considered shameful and something to at least keep hidden at that time.
While this isn't the type of love I personally support, he was still a policeman and a human being and shouldn't have been killed for it. The sound track was excellent (keeps me watching the DVR), and the selective use of black and white mixed with color to emphasize one object or give a particular feeling to a scene was especially appealing. I shall be watching this one in repeat!
Cold Case: Saving Sammy (2006)
Saving Sammy episode
A couple is shot to death in their car on their weekly 'take out' night. The only witness is their autistic son, whose ability to remember times, days, and places associated with them is impaired. The child's ability to remember things like numbers in a sequence is his only ability that proves helpful once the case runs cold.
The title refers to the child's pet Siamese fighting fish from his parents' tropical fish store. If placed in a tank with other fish, it will not survive very long. One of the key players, when the fish in his bag was dropped on the floor, picked him up, thus 'Saving Sammy'.
Detective Valens' compassion for and willingness to learn about the young witness' condition is part of what made this episode appealing. The young witness' gift showed that the autistic have their own abilities in spite of their difficulties communicating and comprehending what most of us take for granted.