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| The Untouchables - Season 1, Vol. 1 | 
 enlarge | Directors: Alex March, Stuart Rosenberg
Actors: Robert Stack, Walter Winchell, Nicholas Georgiade, Abel Fernandez, Paul Picerni
Studio: Paramount
Category: DVD
List Price: $38.99
Buy New: $23.90
You Save: $15.09 (39%)
New (33) Used (15) from $18.75
Avg. Customer Rating:  59 reviews
Sales Rank: 9676
Format: Subtitled
Languages: English (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), Portuguese (Subtitled), Spanish (Published)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 2
Running Time: 315
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: PARD122774D
UPC: 097361227740
EAN: 0097361227740
ASIN: B000LV6W00
Theatrical Release Date: October 15, 1959
Release Date: April 10, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Ships first class same or next day WITH DELIVERY CONFIRMATION AND TRACKING. Buy 3 or more get a Priority Mail upgrade
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Product Description
Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 04/10/2007
Amazon.com
Though certainly tame by The Shield standards, the inaugural 14 episodes from The Untouchables' 1959-60 season are still as potent as a shot of Al Capone's bootleg whiskey. Dames get slapped around. Mugs are mowed down in a hail of wall-pocking, mirror-shattering bullets. Upstanding citizens are brutally terrorized by thugs. Incorruptible Feds are brazenly rubbed out. Sometimes, criminals have the last laugh. It has the visceral kick of watching one of those pre-code Hollywood movies produced before the Hays Office stepped in to sanitize objectionable content. This set opens with the theatrically released version of the two-part pilot episode that set the noir sensibility of the series. Robert Stack (in his iconic and oft-parodied role) stars as Elliot Ness, a straight-arrow Federal agent who forms a special squad of "reliable, courageous, dedicated and honest" men who initially take on Al Capone's corrupt criminal empire in 1929 Chicago. Ness is "a real man," (as a "burly-q" stripper observes). He's just not exactly loaded with personality. Nor do any other of the squad members stand out, except perhaps for Martin Flahrety, and that's only because he's played by a pre-Dick Van Dyke Show Jerry Paris. But from Neville Brand's Al Capone and Claire Trevor's Ma Barker to an unbilled Harry Dean Stanton as a suspect blind newspaperman, it's the legendary criminals and their henchmen (and the great character actors who portray them) who give each episode considerable moxie. Produced by Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball's Desilu Studios, this groundbreaking series is based on the book The Untouchables: The Real Story by Ness and Oscar Fraley. Real? Not quite. Despite Walter Winchell's signature rat-a-tat narration that gives the proceedings a documentary-like tone, liberties were taken in retelling the sagas of Capone, Dutch Schultz, Lucky Luciano, "Bugs" Moran, "Mad Dog" Coll, and others. But the episodes are so pulpishly good that even if Ness was never really involved in a shootout with Barker (and he wasn't), more forgiving viewers will be of the opinion that he should have been. --Donald Liebenson
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| Customer Reviews: Read 54 more reviews...
 The Best April 30, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
When this program was running on Australian TV of course there were no such things as DVD recorders or Video recorders. So if there were two great shows on at the same time slot you missed one. This was the case with Cheyenne and Maverick, 77 Sunset Strip and Bonanza and worst of all Perry Mason and The Untouchables. These were two giant programs and it was a killer to miss one of them. As my parents and I considered The Untouchables was the best show on TV, Perry missed out, but fortunely I have seen many episodes of Perry Mason replayed on TV since.
The Untouchables was the best show on TV then and I believe it was close to if not the best TV show ever. It was a body blow when the last episode was made. The rumour was that it was because Italians were offended that nearly all of the gangsters in the show were Italians. I don't know whether this was the real reason the show was stopped.
So far I have only watched the double episode pilot which was released originally on Desilu Playhouse. Whilst some of the characters that were in most of the subsequent episodes did appear in this pilot a number were missing inluding two of my favourites, Nicholas Gorgiani (appologies for the spelling - I know it is not correct) and Paul Picerni (who was in the pilot but played the part of a gangster).
Robert Stack is absolutely outstanding as Eliot Ness. What a cool character. What a great voice.
I am looking forward to watching all of the episodes and I am sure that each one will be a treasure. After I have seen all the episodes, no doubt i will purchase more episodes. It is a shame that all of series one is not included in this collection. I read a number of reviews before purchasing and the author of one of those reviews believes the publisher is being greedy.
The only real negative is the sound quality which is vastly inferior to the picture quality. It is a pity but you can live with it.
I think it is just wonderful that we are able to enjoy classic shows from the past. There are a number of others that are not available, such as Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, Laramie, M Squad and from a more modern era Sledge Hammer that would be great to see again. Hopefully one day these series will also be available.
 better than the 60s March 22, 2008
The picture quality is better than it ever was on black and white tv. However, the dvds wouldn't play on my blueray player. Also the monaural sound track is not easily played on my surround sound. Overall, I think this series is well worth the bucks. Watch close and see how many times Elliot Ness smiles. [almost never]
Great DVD series but overshadowed with greed February 20, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Great series and a classic you must own. I agree with others, its greed driving dividing up the season into two.
Great TV!!! January 16, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Robert Stack as Eliot Ness......In the intro you see Desi Arnaz introducing the series-wow! How cool is that...1959. Old School,but the best of the old school! Wish they didn't separate the seasons into P1 and P2!!! Get Them All....
Why not an "any region" DVD release September 14, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
5 stars because it was the most scintillating show of its time, and still stands watching today -- for its outstanding star, narration and great guest stars. If only I could see it. Sadly because it is released as Region 1, the DVD isn't playable here in England. How about releasing these classic shows as "any region" DVDs so that the whole world can enjoy them once again, not just the americas.
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