Perry Mason – Season Four, Volume Two (1961/CBS DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C Extras: D Episodes: B-
In our
continued look at the early years of Raymond Burr’s hit version of Earl Stanley
Gardner’s Perry Mason, the show was
still one of the hottest shows in the early 1960s when it hit the second half
of its fourth season. For more on the
show, you can look at our previous coverage of the last set (Season Four, Volume One) at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/8633/Perry+Mason+%E2%80%93+Season
Season Four, Volume Two continued to deliver good solid
storytelling, but adding it up with the first half of this 1961-62 season, some
of the shows have not aged as well as others.
Some are stronger than others.
Some have unexpected laughs and surprises. But most of all, they are all done with a
high level of professionalism of a show that was in its early glory. Guest stars from the 12 hour-long cases
included in this set are Barney Phillips, Naomi Stevens, Berry Kroeger, Benny
Rubin, Adam West, Bert Freed, Neil Hamilton, Jason Evers, Phyllis Coates, Bert
Remsen, Art Lewis, Ray Kellogg, Percy Helton, Erik Rhodes, Richard Arlen, Simon
Oakland, William Schallert, James B. Sikking, Charles Stroud, Patricia Barry,
Otto Kruger, Gavin MacLeod, William Mims, and Faith Domergue.
As usual,
the title of every episode began with The
Case Of… and there was enough of a mystery in each show for Mason to
unravel and neatly end at the end of each episode. You would not see this today, which some say
was less realistic, but I say is a reason for too many lesser writers to drag
out bad storylines to the point of thin pointlessness. The cast is also getting more comfortable
with each other and that is fun to watch.
The 1.33
X 1 black and white image on all the episodes once again are from great film
copies of the show and the show has never looked this good, yet this is only
DVD. Grey scale is as fine as the detail
and will surprise many who have not seen the shows looking this good
before. Can’t wait for the Blu-ray. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono sound may be
clean, but it is transferred at either too low a volume or is too compressed
for its own good in this case. Be careful
at what volumes you play this back, plus when switching to other sources. There are once again no extras, despite what
a hit the show was in its time.
- Nicholas Sheffo
