So, its warm applause at episodes end, rather than a rapturous 13-minute standing ovation. Unless I am missing something, the flower only states he had been there that day, and thats it, just like Rifkin, without an eye witness. Also the piece that the mistress dies while playing is Chopins etude in Ab major lots of black keys there too! It takes about 30 seconds before the part really starts. #Sentimental Journey. After the meeting with the girl where they discuss a name for the dog, Columbo ponders out loud to the dog asking him if he'd like to be called Beethoven. Gonna throw this out there that for me it's a top three all time Columbo "Ah fuck it, it's good enough.." moments of fake cringe. Did Coach from Cheers direct this episode? While lifting Jennifers stricken frame from the piano, Benedicts boutonnier a tell-tale pink carnation has fallen to the floor. Benedict plants the faux suicide note in Jennifers typewriter,lifts her limp frame into the kitchen and turns on the oven gas to make it look like she took her own life. . Its almost cinematic in scale, with its extensive use of location shooting and the epic orchestral score featuring Chopin, Beethoven and Mozart putting it a level above most episodes in terms of production values. BFFs John Cassavetes and Peter Falk teamed up to devastating effect in fan favourite episode Etude in Black in 1972.. And the wonderful news is that Etude is the latest episode to be made available in full to keen viewers via the official Columbo YouTube channel.So grab your conductor's baton and get ready for fun with Falk, Cassavetes and support cast of stars that includes James McEachin . Dare I say it,Etudecould have benefited froma few more minutes of her time. All Rights Reserved. That way, Benedict would have far less wriggle-room in a court of law. We learn later that the carnations are a rare type, grown specifically for Benedict by his wife in their garden. Director : Nicholas Colasanto. See production, box office & company info, Splendid "Columbo" episode, with a razor-sharp script and lively performances, 14540 Erwin St, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA. Now here's something I've always wondered - had Gwenyth Paltrow been born when this episode was shot, or was Danner pregnant at the time? During the opening credits, when Alex Benedict (John Cassavetes) is having a drink in his study, he turns on a classical recording. In memoriam: the Columbo stars we lost in 2022. Musical maestro Alex Benedicthasbeen romping with thigh-revealing pianist Jennifer Welles., He enters via a window of the rankest-looking toilet in TV history and confidently leaps into his extremely eye-catching and memorable Jaguar, which he drives to Jennifers house and parks literally around the corner. I just love Columbo and I have seen every episode from Prescription Murder to the very last one in 2003 and I have to say that this one is my 4th favourite of all time behind "Any old Port In a Storm","Identity Crisis" and "Now you see Him" and trust me this is a photo finish that is separated by a print in horse racing terms. I liken it to Murder by the Book. This episode marks the first appearance of Columbo's pet bassett hound, whom he names "Dog". Leave a comment below and if you treasureEtudeabove all others, do vote for it here in the favourite episode poll! The calibre of the supporting cast was suitably grand, too. Etude in Blackis arguably the most ambitious episode since Ransom for a Dead Man.. He even seeks assistance from an unlikely source: young Audrey, Jennifers precocious next door neighbour (for precocious read annoying). Even the trumpet player was at the house that day (I think that was mentioned), with an eye witness even. COLUMBO series Ep: ETUDE IN BLACK Contributor Names Nicholas Colasanto (director) Dick De Benedictis (composer) . tude in Black- Sep 17, 1972 (98 min)CAST/CREW:Lieutenant Columbo: Peter FalkAlex Benedict: John CassavetesJennifer Welles: Anjanette ComerJanice Benedict: B. According to IMDB, Mike the mechanic was played by Don Knight. after Columbo has been interrogating him about his assets), as is the scene where the dog is having an injection, where Columbo speaks ridiculously fast for no apparent reason. Its much easier to get away with that in motion capture because you are only recording the essence of the motion and not the actual images of the performers. Its still a goodie, but not quite as good as it perhaps ought to have been. And, he probably disregarded the women in his life more than any other Columbo villain. Sadly, Alex's mother-in-law also happens to be the Patron-of-the-Arts and is pretty much the purse string that Alex's career hangs by, so leaving his wife by any means is not an opinion so, despite the ultimatum only having two choices, Alex plumps for a third murder. The main problem for me is that the audience notices the missing carnation almost at once (check the freeze-frame on Benedict looking down in horror at his empty lapel). I think this point could have been laboured further. Hes got 99 problems, but Jennifer Welles aint one of them anymore. The heart wants to love Etude in Black. His own ability to trip her phone number off the tip of his tongue alerts his wifes suspicions, though, who struggles to maintain her belief in her man for the rest of the episode. Even the trumpet player was at the house that day (I think that was mentioned), with an eye witness even. And thats a pretty cool thought. Most damning of all, Alex goes back for his flower while the police are there, drawing Columbos attention to it. Andif youll hear me out, Ill state my case. Episode synopsis - Columbo Etude in Black Musical Maestro Alex Benedict (John Cassavetes) has a problem - and one that threatens his glittering career as a celebrity conductor. What about this, says Columbo, flashing up footage of Benedict speaking to the media in the aftermath of her death being revealed. Hes a kind of burned-out old guy that the Lts using for exposition about the victim and its like, ok, is he the coroner or a neighbor, or a figment of Columbos imagination, or what? This is the debut of Dog, Columbo's pet basset hound. Very entertaining. Not sure if other releases match but the Japanese discs of Columbo all include the original version of Etude in Black in addition to the padded version. He breaks in, gets his car and drives to Jenifers place. The stories had a tendency to sag and the potential to loseviewersattention. As for Alexs goose chase with his car, the mechanic and a bathroom window, he once again overlooks the obvious. Another thing that bothers me is, the episode does a very poor job at concealing the fact that the music was pre-recorded. Not my favorite, but watching Blythe Danner do anything is a treat for me. Besides, in some shots she DOES look pregnant, in others, her belly is hidden. Top-class conductor Alex Benedict (John Cassavetes) has it all: big house, beautiful wife and a wealthy mother-in-law. A solid and classic Columbo, probably would rate somewhere in the 20s of all the episodes for me, and for this fantastic series thats darn good. And yes, hes Mancunian. Benedict doesnt have a flower in his lapel during the concert. Although all signs point to a suicide, little things immediately bother Columbo. The zooming in on Danners face when Wells name is mentioned, the fancy compositing of the flower in his sun glasses, the wheres my flower moment when hes conductingIts like the writers/directors were trying too hard or something. Look! he points out during a freeze frame. Cassavetes was a good foil for Columbo. Showing a little clip teaser of the episode, started in the second season. As someone who has played in a classical orchestra and knows the basic conducting skills, I can confirm that his conducting is completely off. He doesnt have a name or title, hes just there. Episode synopsis - Columbo Etude in Black Musical Maestro Alex Benedict (John Cassavetes) has a problem - and one that threatens his glittering career as a celebrity conductor. A slightly unoriginal plot aside, this is a well-unravelled, holding Columbo story, highlighted by some thoughtfully conceived and executed sequences involving real-life friends Peter Falk and John Cassavetes; a fact which unquestionably amplifies the script's effectiveness. If it was live, there would be some natural reverb from the hall. Yes, very good friends and drinking buddies by all accounts. The scene eats up more than five minutes without ostensibly progressing the plot at all. Im no expert, but isnt a conductors baton supposed to becaressedrather thanwielded?. TV show line-ups didnt come much stronger. Too bad for him our rumpled detective, Lt. Columbo (Peter Falk), is on the case. Indeed, the 75-minute version aired in Canada before an extended cut was foisted on US audiences, butwhile there are some scenes added for padding, the scenes themselves havent been padded out. #peterfalk #Columbo #ltcolumbo #classictv #70s #1971 #leegrant, Gee whizz is it really Monday already? Episode review: Columbo How to Dial a Murder, The curious case of Columbo Takes the Rap. Ive never seen the shorter version of Etude, but writer Bochco and Falk himself both admitted that the extra running time did it no favours. This two-hour TV movie was also prepared in a 90-minute version which played on Canadian television, and is reputed to be the superior of the two cuts. Your comment regarding how Benedict and Franklin would not of let themselves be trapped into confessions Carries no weight. There really was a Mike Goodman garage which specialized in British sports cars (especially MG), but it was located in Van Nuys, over ten miles from the Hollywood Bowl. Many Columbo purists, myself included, think that move was a mistake. He knew stage work well enough to forget he was wearing a silly suit and face covered in reflective markers and he really became the character he was playing which was King Hrothgar in Beowulf. Apart from the totally conspicuous disguise and the fact it was convenient the perpetrator doesnt run into a soul, it was incredibly handing that the garage didnt have any sort security system. But Columbo is doggedly determined to investigate the likelihood it was murder.after all, he read the script and it IS the "Columbo" show! The scene is enlivened further as drunk trumpeter Paul aformer lover of Jennifers stumbles onto the scene, braying about howtheres no way Jennifer would take her own life. The proverbial plot is well and truly thickening. Benedict has balls, Ill give him that, Entering the house, Benedict pashes with Jennifer, who gives him an ultimatum: tell your wife about us, or I will! All Rights Reserved. There is something like three-quarters of the show left, but the case is already solved. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . For my money, the centralclue just isnt compelling enough. tude in Black sees killer conductor Alex Benedict murder his girlfriend without baton an eyelid. The repetition isnt just about humanising his corpse, however. Many Columbo purists, myself included, think that move was a mistake. THE COLUMBOPHILE BLOG 2023. Why does Columbo ask Benedict for his autograph? ETUDE IN BLACK is one of the strongest of the early COLUMBO episodes, where it seemed the writers could do no wrong. The trouble? You could say that about many a Columbo episode. Who? He also has a girl on the side, concert pianist Jenifer Welles. There is only one red herring Audreys pointing the finger at Paul instead of Benedict and I dont recall anything specific following that line The moment anyone sees that carnation, Benedict is a dead duck. S02:E02 - Etude in Black The mistress of a symphony conductor plans to go public with his extramarital activities. 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