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Columbo: Swan Song (1974)
The clues will be revealed to you by looking at other people or other phenomena around
In this episode, there is a sequence where we can see Columbo running towards the airport to meet the suspect. And we can observe that the detective is a very good runner, especially for his age.
Then, if you want to be sure to catch the criminal, you must firmly focus on a single clue. The coffee thermos, which could not be recovered after the plane crash, constituted the most important evidence. However, the suspect was about to escape, being the most cunning criminal, but he made a mistake at the end and took the car keys with him to the airport. Considering he was supposed to return to town only in about a month, it made no sense to take the car keys with him unless he planned to return much sooner (like the next day).
Columbo set a trap for him, told him a lie, that is, he induced a little uncertainty by telling him that the police would search the entire perimeter of the plane crash to find the parachute or the thermos. But in fact, he had no intention of doing so. Luckily, the suspect felt the uncertainty and, out of fear, returned the next night to the crash site.
Columbo almost let the criminal escape. I think that's the conclusion: sometimes the trick to catching a criminal is to use a lie, to induce a state of uncertainty, so that they make a mistake. But you have to pay attention to the small clues the criminal will leave around him, clues that will be revealed to you by looking at other people or other phenomena around.
Columbo: Now You See Him (1976)
To catch a magician, you have to follow the thread of his tricks, but in such a way as not to fall prey to his illusions.
Columbo had a vague suspicion, a kind of intuition that made him thirst for the truth: the lock on the door of the office where the crime was committed. To be sure of his intuition, he puts the magician to a test: in the middle of the show, he asks the magician to unlock his handcuffs. And when the Magician manages to unlock his handcuffs, then Columbo knew for sure that he was the criminal, because someone who knows how to unlock handcuffs certainly knows how to open a door lock.
All Columbo had to do next was to find the motive for the crime, the connection between the victim and the magician, but especially the way the Magician acted in order to not be seen while committing the crime. Throughout the episode, we learn various ways in which magical bodies are realized.
So, if you want to solve a case of magic, you must transform yourself into a magician. Throughout the film, Columbo becomes an expert in magic tricks and proves to be more inspired than the real magician. To catch a magician, you have to follow the thread of his tricks, but in such a way as not to fall prey to his illusions. Moreover, you have to become an illusion yourself, an unexpected effect of the way you build reality, so that no one else suspects.
Then, there is the novice detective, Sergeant Wilson. Being a novice means being a beginner or lacking experience in a certain field or activity. In the given example, Sergeant John J. Wilson proves to be a novice because he does not focus on the important details of the crime, but on less relevant aspects, such as where Detective Columbo leaves his coat. Wherever he meets Columbo, he brings with him Columbo's forgotten coat from various places. This suggests that John J. Wilson lacks the experience or skills necessary to solve cases effectively. So, in general, being a novice means being at the beginning of a path or career and having a lot to learn and develop.
Secondly,
To uncover clues about a potential criminal, you must pay close attention to what happens around you in places other than where the crime occurred. For instance, Columbo accidentally notices that one of his colleagues at the police station has a wet shirt back due to sweating. This suggests that he was sitting at a desk, with his back against the chair's backrest (which is how condensation forms). Consequently, the murdered person also must have been sitting, as he was found dead with a wet shirt back. Columbo tells the sergeant to note: "Now we know for sure that the victim was sitting. The next question: where was he sitting?
Furthermore, when looking for clues, you should frequently return to the crime scene, trying to put yourself in the victim's place. There were several chairs in the room. However, Columbo intuits that the victim was sitting at a desk, due to the glasses and the glass of wine on the desk. And when you type, you wear glasses. Yes, you wear reading glasses if you're typing, but there was no paper in the typewriter. There were no written documents on the desk or in the drawers. Nothing in this room indicates that the man was writing at the machine.
Then Columbo looks more closely at the typewriter. He notices something curious. What is this? It looks like a golf ball. This ball prints the letters, but it doesn't move. This is the carriage, but this typewriter doesn't have one like that. You see, the ball moves from left to right. See this? This is a single-use carbon ribbon for a very clear image.
Colombo reveals to Santini the most important clue and evidence: "You didn't look closely enough at that typewriter. If you had, you would have seen that it used a plastic carbon ribbon. A single-use carbon ribbon, sir, the kind you don't reuse. And when the key hits the ribbon, it produces a letter that is clearly visible on the used ribbon. And if we roll back the entire used section of the ribbon, we see what Mr. Jerome typed."
In conclusion, to find out who the criminal is, you need to look for clues about the motive of the crime. And the clue to the crime is not in plain sight; it is hidden around the place where the crime was committed. Often, you need an assistant who knows how certain things work that you are not familiar with. For example, Columbo knew next to nothing about the typewriter, nor about its writing mechanism. But Sergeant Wilson had worked with such a typewriter model while he was a student at the police academy. He knew everything about the machine.
A fitting saying for finding clues is an old one from Marcus Aurelius: "Of each particular thing ask: what is it in itself? What is its nature? What does that thing hide?"
Columbo: Forgotten Lady (1975)
Complexity of Personality and Moral Ambiguity in the Story of Grace Wheeler Willis from the Columbo Series
Grace Wheeler Willis, a successful woman. People like her can never truly know which parts of themselves are really their own. They become increasingly confused, blurred by what they have, aspiring only to what they have inherited. She has within her all the undigested bits of other people that the rich call their personality. Her illness is the result of the example of a life full of success, the outcome of an exasperated Ego, craving for success. Only the crime and her husband's money would have allowed her to shine in the glory forged by this superior Ego, otherwise no one would have admired her. She lived with the certainty of an endless future in which honors and love were due.
In the end, Columbo reveals to her close one (her manager and lover at the same time), Raymond, the fact that Mrs. Grace Wheeler Willis is the author of the crime, but at the same time she suffers from a severe illness, related to the brain and memory, and has only two months to live. So the ending is uncertain: will she be arrested, or not? It's too tempting to say that retrospection brings clarity, in her case. In fact, as Columbo states: "I don't even think she remembers the crime she committed." The crime has become a sign of her irritated nerves, rather than something real.
However, Columbo's face at the end expresses sadness, which leads me to believe that he feels sorry for her, understands her illness, and is most likely to let her live her life further, with her enormous desire for success, because anyway, she doesn't have much left to live. Or, maybe it would have been better for her at a center with people suffering from mental illnesses. But her future is uncertain.
Yet, this is the only episode in which Columbo evades the law, committing a so-called "serious crime", precisely bribery. In practice, he calls on another policeman, a friend, and asks him to present himself in his place at the shooting range with his documents. A kind of illicit identity swap. Although it is his duty as a policeman to present himself at the shooting range, it seems that the police had on record that Columbo had not been to the range for 10 years, and above all, he did not carry a gun (another crime). Columbo secretly hands a $50 bill to his friend, to present himself with false documents in his place at the range.
From here emerges the interesting, positive fact: Columbo does not love firearms at all, because his most powerful weapon is his mind.
Columbo: How to Dial a Murder (1978)
Some things stand out, but are not plausible
At some point, Dr. Eric Mason would like to strangle Joanne Nicholls, who revealed the truth about the relationship between his wife and his best friend. And just when he puts his hands on his mistress's neck, that's when Columbo appears, on a rainy day, in the middle of the night. Reason for visit: wants to play a word game with Dr. Mason.
Now, I understand that the detective always shows up at the wrong time, but it seems a little silly to visit in the middle of the night to play games. It is true that he saved the girl from a possible second murder by the doctor, but it seemed suspicious to me that the girl (being under the doctor's mental control) jumped out of bed first to find out who was at the door.
Then, it seemed strange to me that Columbo entered the man's house without waiting for someone to open the door. He had no arrest warrant, it was something friendly. But do you enter a man's house like this, without knocking on the door, without even ringing the doorbell? Do you simply enter the man's house unexpectedly, like at your home?
Then the scene at the end. Dr. Mason says the word "RoseBud". The two dogs, the Doberman breed, start growling as if they want to kill someone, and suddenly both dogs pounce on Columbo and start licking him and playing with him. I mean, how do you give a deadly command, the dogs change their physiognomy, you become very fierce, their balls leak, they start growling very angry, but at the same time they jump to play?
And Columbo said that both dogs were taken to another trainer, who changed their temperament at the same command "RoseBud", and now they were controlled by inducing a state of joy upon hearing the same word. Yes, but then how do you explain the fact that both dogs started to growl and be so agitated, with their fangs sticking out and their balls flowing just like when you are getting ready to jump on someone?
Columbo: Try and Catch Me (1977)
Columbo, with his keen observation and deduction, discovered the hidden message
In the episode "Try and Catch Me" of "Columbo", the key clue that helped Columbo solve the case was the piece of paper hidden behind the light bulb in the safe. Edmund, the victim, used his last moments to create a clue to the killer. Locked in the vault and realizing he was going to die, Edmund tore up two pieces of paper and wrote on one of them "I was killed by Abigail", pointing directly to Abigail Mitchell as the culprit.
Edmund hid the message behind the light bulb in the safe, leaving scratches on the safe drawers to form an arrow pointing towards the light bulb. This gesture was a desperate attempt to leave a clue for those who would investigate his death. Columbo, with his keen observation and deduction, discovered the hidden message and realized that Edmund was intentionally killed by Abigail Mitchell, and did not die by accident.
This type of hidden and ingenious clue is characteristic of the series "Columbo", where the detective solves complex cases through his attention to seemingly insignificant details and the ingenious interpretation of clues.
The Open House (2018)
Who was the murderer?
The movie "the open house 2018". A film full of mystery, a mother and the boy move into a new house, belonging to her sister. In the end, they are both killed. Who was the murderer?
I saw the movie several times, to figure out who the criminal is. The clues are given by Martha, who announces in advance that they will die and will not escape from the house, "once death enters your house, you can't escape it."
And the plumber, who is tall, said at one point that he often comes to that house, especially to the house of the neighbor - Martha. From here it is understood that he knows the house very well, especially the basement, where he repaired the pipes.
So, I think the criminals were Martha and The Plumber.
And since Martha loved the house so much, and was sorry that it was going to be sold, from here we can extract the reason for the crimes: Martha wanted the house for herself, especially since she could enter there at night, anytime.
Please tell me if I missed something and if I am right or wrong. The film is quite mysterious, but leaves many clues right from the beginning. Martha appears too many times in the film, in unexpected situations, where she does not belong.
Double Impact (1991)
I will always like this movie
It's the first movie I've seen with Jean Claude. I really liked it. I was 10 years old. I've been doing sports ever since, thanks to this movie. Thank you.
La nuit a dévoré le monde (2018)
A too static movie
The big problem with this film is that it lacks suspense and action. At a party, a guy closes in a room and wakes up surrounded by zombies. Then, to find himself an occupation, he starts playing drums on hard-rock rhythm. Listen to music on headphones. I mean, it doesn't feel the fear at all. Something static. Then we find him in an armchair, at night in the light of the fireplace, he starts talking with a zombie caught behind bars. It was an old friend. "What do you think about us, people? I'm sorry we did not know each other better ... etc :)
Zyzzyx Rd (2006)
I do not want to see this movie again
One of the weakest movies, poorly played. The scene when the dead man escapes from the car wants to be funny, but nobody really assured he's really dead. He closed the door, but the dead guy's hand was out. :)) It's a kind of comedy combined with the thriller, but neither has ever gone out well.
Hard Target 2 (2016)
a very poor film
Well,for children of 10 years is probably a good movie...no suspans, no incredible fights, nu plot, nothing exciting. I don't wanna see again this movie, ever
Goldstone (2016)
the message of this splendid movie is this:
I watched this splendid film. The message is even more beautiful: Do not wait for events to happen in order to change yourself. that just in a certain point of your life ... you have to love someone, you have co care ... to realize that. And get away with life !
Some of the best Quote of the movie:
"You know, growing up out here in the bush. I wouldn't change it for anything. And I mean anything.
But sometimes I can't help but.. I get this feeling that...I could't been...Or I should't been...Something more than...What I turned out. I tell myself not to listen. It's just this...Small piece inside...That's crying out to be me."