Re-Discovering Crime Story Series - Awsome!

asphaltgambler · 04-20-2009, 07:16 AM

Some of you here may or may not remember the series 'Crime Story' in the mid to late 80's. It followed Miami Vice and ran from '86 to '88. The show was set in the early 60's and chronicled a young thug's rise to mob-stardom. The show was produced / directed by Michael Mann and was very similar to M/V with period hit music, cool cars and cool clothes

I just received the two season box set and it still holds up very well. Any Pelicans fans??

MRM · 04-20-2009, 07:28 AM

Yes, I used to watch it regularly when it was on. It was quite good. I heard that it cost as much per episode to film as Miami Vice did, because they used real 1960s cars and props. The music, the scripys, the sets, it was all just pitch-perfect.

It was very well reviewed, but never seemed to get the following it deserved because the story line ran the whole season, and if you missed one episode you had to work to catch up on the story. It was like "24" that way, but before Tivo so it was harder to follow. The story line was outstanding, following the rise of the crime hoodlum to crime boss, and the corresponding rise of the undercover Fed with him. The show ended after about the third or fourth season because the main charcter, the guy who played the undercover agent, was badly injuried in real life and had to be written out of the story. That blew three years of story lines and it was impossible for the new guy to keep the series goign the same way. The story lines changed and eventually there wasn't any reason to watch it anymore and it was cancelled. A very sad ending to a great show.

Doesn't the show start out back east before moving into Tab's neck of the woods? Hmmmm...has anyone ever found out exactly what Tab's did to become a man of wealth and taste?

craigster59 · craigster59's Garage

I worked on a couple episodes way back when. It was shot in Vegas at an industrial park and Fridays you'd be shooting til 2 in the morning and around 11-midnite the Goombahs would start showing up with their "arm candy" to visit Johnny Santucci and Tony (can't remember his last name).

Personally, I thought it was a money laundering production with Wiseguys as "producers" similar to "Get Shorty". Johnny had a movie based on his career called "Thief" starring James Caan(?).

asphaltgambler · 04-20-2009, 08:02 AM

Starting theme was set in Chicago...................and the MCU guys (major crime unit) would hang out and drink at the "Orbit Room" bar........... waaaaaay cool

By the 4th epsiode Ray Luca (main thug) was trying to move up and suggested they get into Sports booking in Vegas where it is legal but take bets from all over the US at 2% cut .

onlycafe · 04-20-2009, 08:14 AM

great show, ted levine did a mean elvis impersonation. i also recall that andrew dice clay was on it too.

asphaltgambler · 04-20-2009, 08:51 AM

In the box set there was a short bio on the origin and characters of the show. This was Dice's first gig and it wasn't unitl two to three years later he started his stand-up routine.