|
The Rockford Files - Season One | 
 enlarge |
Directors: James Garner, Stuart Margolin, Lou Antonio, Stephen J. Cannell, Richard Crenna
Actors: James Garner, Stuart Margolin
Studio: Universal Studios
Category: DVD
List Price: $39.98
Buy New: $25.96
You Save: $14.02 (35%)
New (44) Used (17) from $21.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  146 reviews
Sales Rank: 5952
Format: Box Set, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Subtitled, Ntsc
Languages: English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 3
Running Time: 1156
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.8
MPN: D28482D
ISBN: 141707017X
UPC: 025192848223
EAN: 9781417070176
ASIN: B000BGR1B4
Theatrical Release Date: September 13, 1974
Release Date: December 6, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new Item. CD, DVD, Book, VHS more than 400 000 titles to choose from. ALL days Low Price !
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
From the premiere of its first hour-long episode on September 13, 1974, The Rockford Files was a critical and commercial success that gained a large and loyal following. Like other private-eye shows of the 1970s (such as Columbo and David Janssen's Harry O), the series offered smart mystery plots in the hardboiled-sleuth traditions of Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and Rex Stout, given a sunlit spin in contemporary California. But ex-convict turned private investigator Jim Rockford (who served time for a crime he didn't commit) was anything but a conventional gumshoe; for one thing, he rarely carried a gun, and resorted to violence only when he'd exhausted his options. As played to perfection by James Garner (in what would become his signature role, surpassing his previous success as Maverick), Rockford preferred wisecracks over violence, and his going rate ("$200 a day, plus expenses") was typically applied to cold cases, missing persons, and family disputes, frequently leading to entanglements with organized crime and L.A.P.D. Sergeant Dennis Becker (Joe Santos), whose friendship with Rockford lent the series one of its pivotal character relationships. As Rockford pursued the truth from his rusty trailer-home on the Pacific Coast Highway, his inherent warmth and compassionate sleuthing were further enhanced by engaging interplay with his retired ex-trucker father "Rocky" (Noah Beery, Jr.), his lawyer and on-and-off girlfriend Beth Davenport (Gretchen Corbett), and his weasely former cell-mate "Angel" Martin (Stuart Margolin), a trio of supporting players as memorably appealing as any in '70s television. As a loose-knit ensemble, they followed Garner's capable lead with intelligent dialogue (the best of it written by series cocreator Stephen J. Cannell and frequent contributor Juanita Bartlett) and occasionally burst of stunt-laden action, typically involving Rockford's expert driving of a versatile Pontiac Firebird. (As Garner fondly recalls in the disc 1 bonus interview, "That car could do anything.") With a catchy Mike Post theme song, The Rockford Files began each week with a new message on Rockford's telephone answering machine, usually a humorous indication that Rockford's life was always in some kind of financial disarray. Garner played this angle to the hilt, portraying Rockford as a nice guy who knew all the scams and wasn't above using them if it aided his case. His portrayal, and the show's excellent writing, attracted a wide variety of new and established guest stars, and these 23 episodes (24 if you count the two-part "This Case Is Closed," originally broadcast as one 90-minute episode) feature appearances by Joseph Cotten, James Woods, Sharon Gless, Lindsay Wagner, James Cromwell, Suzanne Somers, Ned Beatty, and others, along with lesser-known but familiar TV regulars like Sian Barbara Allen and Mills Watson, all adding flavor to a series that was routinely hailed by mystery writers as one of the best private-eye shows in TV history. Speaking of mysteries, one can only wonder why Universal failed to include the series' 90-minute pilot (originally aired in March 1974), and while this reviewer experienced no playback problems with these three double-sided DVDs (four episodes per side), many consumers have reported DVD freeze-ups likely resulting from lower-quality players less capable of handling high-compression DVDs. These caveats aside, season 1 of The Rockford Files is a bona fide treat, setting the tone for even better episodes that followed in subsequent seasons. --Jeff Shannon
Description
The world's most unlikely detective comes to DVD for the first time ever in all 23 thrilling Season One episodes of The Rockford Files. Emmy(r) winner James Garner stars as the offbeat Jim Rockford, an ex-con-turned-private-investigator who would rather fish than fight, but whose instinct on closed cases is more golden than his classic Pontiac Firebird. From his mobile home in Malibu, this wisecracking private eye takes on the cases of the lost and the dispossessed, chasing down seemingly long-dead clues in the sun-baked streets and seamy alleys of Los Angeles. Including an interview with James Garner himself, this phenomenal DVD set contains 23 TV hours of classic Rockford action and includes such stellar guest stars as Lindsay Wagner, James Woods, Abe Vigoda, Suzanne Somers and Ned Beatty. The Rockford Files are now open and declassified for mystery fans everywhere!
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 141 more reviews...
 Excellent June 1, 2008
We were very pleased with the Rockford Files (Season one). The quality is excellent and it is wonderful to see these shows again.
Two Hundred Dollars A Day, Plus Expenses... May 26, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
First aired in 1974, "The Rockford Files" is one of the most enduring shows ever on television. The series is intelligently written, thought provoking, funny, and exciting simultaneously. Needless to say, much of the credit goes to the onscreen charisma of James Garner, but the other elements in the series compliment Garner so well as to make a near-perfect viewing experience. The concept of a smart ex-convict Private Investigator works here because of an interesting dynamic and duality of character: Rockford is a genuinely good person, but can be very sneaky when needed.
The first season contains 23 episodes, most with great guest stars such as James Woods, Lindsay Wagner, Abe Vigoda, and Ned Beatty. Even relatively small parts are superbly cast (watch especially for the entertaining episode where Gordon Jump plays Jim's longsuffering auto body shop repairman and used car dealer), while series regulars like Joe Santos as police Sergeant Dennis Becker provide needed backstory while carrying on a love-hate relationship with Rockford. Noah Beery plays "Rocky", Jim's longsuffering father perfectly, and provides much of the comic relief the show is known for. Gretchen Corbett plays Jim's lawyer, Beth Davenport, who maintains a frustrating professional and personal relationship with Jim (although there are ambiguous romantic overtones), bailing him out of numerous jams. Toward the end of the first season the wonderful Stuart Margolin enters the cast as one of Jim's former prison buddies, now on parole and always looking for an angle.
Every detail of the show from the iconic Mike Post theme to the wonderful answering machine opening combine to provide a perfect window into 1970's television drama. Some people have reported problems with the DVD playback of this set, but I had no issues whatsoever. I also enjoyed the interview with James Garner greatly: his reflections on the series were both entertaining and insightful.
One of my favorite memories as a young boy was watching "The Rockford Files" with my Dad; this DVD set is great for reminiscing, but the show stands the test of time on its own.
 excellent content, terrible two sided DVDs February 22, 2008
Excellent series.
Horrible two sided DVDs. I returned DVDs to Universal at my expense with all the paper work. The ones I got back were just as bad as the original ones.
Fortunately, the rest of the seasons come in the one sided format.
 rockford files season#1 January 18, 2008
i had to return this item twice, because parts of this or all of this two
sided dvd would not play. the second time i requested a refund because
i didn't want to go thru the hazzel again. i'm wondering if i'm the only
one having this problem! from this point on i will never purchase a two
sided dvd, even though i've never had a problem before this.
Go Jim Rockford! January 18, 2008
This is my favorite of all time detective series, I was so excited when it came out on DVD. James Garner plays Jim Rockford, a private detective who lives in a trailer on the beach. He's always into trouble, things never seem to go his way, he gets beat up a lot and car chases are prevalent. Classic fun!
|
|
|
|
| |
