Anatomy of a 'Homicide: Life on the Street' (1998 TV Movie) User Reviews

Excellent PBS documentary looking at the making of Subway

[safenoe · 10/10 · 4 October 2016]

Whilst you get a regular stream of documentaries about a TV series, it's not often you get a documentary about the making of a certain episode of a TV series. I love Homicide: Life on the Street, and this PBS documentary excels. It focuses on the making of Subway, one of the most haunting episodes of HLOTS. It covers the writing, creative, acting, and directing processes. It focuses on the screenwriter James Yoshimura, who is one of the major talents in screen writing, and who played a major role with Tom Fontana in HLOTS during its run. Getting the Baltimore subway to co-operate was impressive, and the technical aspects were incredible to watch.

In Subway Vincent D'Onofrio plays John Lange (incidentally, in New Zealand Lange is pronounced "Longy") who is pushed into a subway track in the path of an oncoming train by the disturbed and deranged Larry Biedron (played by Bruce MacVittie). Interestingly the actor Bruce MacVittie has a Wikipedia page in Danish, Finish and Italian, but not English. Maybe Bruce has a cult following in the European Community.

Homicide was show that made you think

[wasmussen · 10/10 · 4 May 2005]

Baltimore had safe places and places you wouldn't want to be caught dead in. The show depicts Baltimore to a tee. It keeps the people involved in the show aware of Baltimore customs, look, and dialects. Balt-i-mer..Balt-i-mo.. etc. 50's look slick hair, curlers with scarfs in Highlandtown to Dundalk. Baltimore was called Pigtown because farmers raised Pigs way back when.

The show depicts Baltimore pretty well. It makes you think and pay attention to the actors and actresses closely and in doing so draws you into the story. The show is sorely missed and I wish it was back on TV. We can only wish it will be shown on a station during prime time and not 1 am in the morning. Most TV these days only puts me to sleep.

Despite Lyman's narration, this is a really engaging and telling look at the struggle facing the show coming into season 6

[bob the moo · 11 September 2008]

I forget what season it was on, but some of the previous documentaries on the DVD extras were little more than promotional filler of little value and I sort of expected the same from this. I thought my fears were confirmed when the gruff and overly-serious narration from Will Lyman started us off with a very brief overview of the show with lots of clips played under his voice. Some people like his style but to me it suits some shows but generally pushes the film one way – and it is generally an "overview" with "big sentences" rather than letting the subjects talk. After this though we get to what the film is about – which is following the process of creating an episode which, either by very good fortunate or by good selection, is the subway one.

What this means is that we follow it from the idea in the informal writing meeting where it is pitched as an idea, through the writing stage, the rewriting stage into the shooting and finally to the editing of the final episode. The focus of the film is not really about the "how" (although bits of that come out) but more about the challenges faced in making this episode, with us being given the understanding that this is not only relevant to this one episode but week-in, week-out. The camera manages to not get in the way and, although we don't get "warts and all", we do get frank discussions and the frustrations and strains on those involved is evident. As writer and producer of this episode, most of the time is spent with Yoshimura and I think catching him at work prevents the glossy sound-bites that some of the other set interviews produce. It is this that makes the film interesting and engaging and provides a good snapshot into why the show went the way it did and how hard it was to get it onto the screen each week – for many reasons.

Non-fans of the show will perhaps not care about the subject as much as I did, but it is unlikely that non-fans will be buying the sixth season box-set of the show. So while season 6 may be a slight disappointment for those who love seasons 1 & 2, this documentary helps you appreciate why and perhaps be a bit more understanding of what the writers were trying to do with it. Well worth checking out if you have the DVD.

Razor Sharp ! Makes NYPD Blue look like Daytime TV !

[GLoc1984 · 14 August 2003]

Based on the Non-Fiction book by David Simon " Homicide ; A year on the Killing Streets " , Homicide ; Life on the Streets is simply the most impressive and intellegent Cop Show ever produced . With a superb Ensemble cast , each of whom is fully capable of carrying an episode , its intricate sharply written storylines and edgy docu-drama style camera-work courtesy of Barry Levinson , it really is one of the greatest TV series ever made .

Following the fortunes of a squad of Baltimore city Homicide detectives through their cases and personal lives , the Cast of Charecteurs Changes through the Seasons with Early season detectives Beau Felton and Stanley Bowlander leaving (allegedly in an attempt to spice up the cast ) , to be replaced by Megan Russert , Meldrick Lewis and Mike Kellerman . Standards throughout the show were Det Frank Pembleton , a brilliant if somewhat scary seeker of truth (brilliantly portrayed by Andre Braugher ) . Det Tim Bayliss was the new Homicide cop , a sensative soul who eventually grew into his new job and earned his colleagues respect after a very rocky star . Kay Howard , was the Supersticious (and hot !) redhead whose streak of solved cases earned her the admiration of her colleagues and superiors alike and an eventual promotion . The Shift commander was the Fearsome Al Giodello , a fair yet forceful individual who was forced to use his considerable intellegence against his own not always on the level superiors on several occasions . These included , Captain Barnfather , an ambiguous figure who although he did ultimately have a conscience did his best to hide it , and LT Gaffney a racist thug who had risen up the ranks only because of his spectacular butt-kissing abilities . The later addittions to the show included , Mike Kellerman , a hot head whose suspension on corruption charges sets up one of the series most shocking story lines involving the series long term uber drug-lord , killer and alround teflon guy Luthor Mahoney . The seemingly laid back Meldrick also got to show his teeth more in the later series . While Megan Russerts rise and fall was all the more painful to watch because you could see it all coming .......

More new Charecteurs were introduced in the last couple of series including Det Stewart Gardy , Det Terry Stivers and det Laura Ballard , as well as the Infamous Mr Mahoneys equally psychotic sister Georgia-Rae . The Series ran to 7 series all in all (some said the last was a series to many !) , and represent truely innovative and enthralling vision of a police unit and its inhabitants . There may not have been bloody shoots outs every week , but the series was all the better for it as it allowed the charecters to really come alive , and for the viewers to feel genuine empathy for them ! But like they say all good things must come to an end ......... Homicide the Movie rounded of the seventh series perfectly , with cast past and present reassembling to investigate the death of an old friend .....