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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Timothy Van Patten, Deniz Gamze Ergüven
USA 2020

 

Set in 1932 Los Angeles, the series focuses on the origin story of famed defense lawyer Perry Mason. Living check-to-check as a low-rent private investigator, Mason is haunted by his wartime experiences in France and suffering the effects of a broken marriage. L.A. is booming while the rest of the country recovers from the Great Depression but a kidnapping gone very wrong leads to Mason exposing a fractured city as he uncovers the truth of the crime.

***

Chapter One
Perry Mason and Pete Strickland are hired by an attorney to solve a perplexing case: the brutal kidnapping of a one-year-old whose parents were targeted for a $100,000 ransom.

Chapter Two S1, Ep2
Following one of her trademark barn-burning sermons, Evangelical preacher Sister Alice (Tatiana Maslany) offers the Dodsons the church's full moral and financial support - much to her mother Birdy's (Lili Taylor) dismay. During a routine domestic intervention, beat cop Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) is re-routed to a gruesome crime scene, where he follows a confounding trail of evidence. Mason (Matthew Rhys) is left incensed by a jaw-dropping admission from Baggerly (Robert Patrick) and, after pressing Emily Dodson (Gayle Rankin) on her husband's alibi, finds himself confronted by an outraged Della Street (Juliet Rylance). Detectives Holcomb (Eric Lange) and Ennis (Andrew Howard) use...

Chapter Three S1, Ep3
In order to gain an advantage over E.B. and team, wily district attorney Maynard Barnes (Stephen Root) goes public with a shocking new development. Mason (Matthew Rhys) and Strickland (Shea Whigham) get unauthorized access to physical evidence with help from Virgil (Jefferson Mays), Mason's connect at the city morgue. Later, Mason attempts to extract information from a withholding Drake (Chris Chalk), who's weary of Holcomb (Eric Lange) and Ennis' (Andrew Howard) watchful eyes. Della (Juliet Rylance) notices a change in E.B. (John Lithgow), who seems ...

Chapter Four S1, Ep4
Mason (Matthew Rhys) and Strickland (Shea Whigham) lean on Virgil (Jefferson Mays), again, for extra-legal assistance. Following Sister Alice's (Tatiana Maslany) recovery from a frightening episode, Birdy (Lili Taylor) urges her daughter to renounce her claims about baby Charlie. E.B. (John Lithgow) faces the reality of his financial situation and takes his frustrations out on Della (Juliet Rylance).

Chapter Five S1, Ep5
While Mason and Della are up north, Strickland tracks down the sergeant assigned to the Dodson case. Mason drops in on his ex-wife Linda and son Teddy. Della sets out to find Mrs. Dodson more capable legal representation.

Chapter Six S1, Ep6
Perry is having difficulties functioning in court, especially when new details are revealed.

Chapter Seven S1, Ep7
Alice's bitter past revealed; Perry links conspirators and financial motive. The trial is chaotically interrupted; Pete loses Seidel. Mason's farm is auctioned; Ennis runs amok. Easter arrives; Alice and Birdy come to a crossroads.

Chapter Eight S1, Ep8
Della presents a stubborn Mason with her case for putting Emily on the stand; Mason, Strickland, Della, and Drake attempt to tie up loose ends as the trial comes to a close.

Excerpt from IMDb located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: June 21st, 2020

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Review: Warner - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover

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Distribution Warner - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:04:25.570 X 8 epsiodes        
Video

2.0:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc One: 45,586,839,903 bytes

Sample Episode: 11,975,952,384 bytes

Video Bitrate: 20.27 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 2166 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2166 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
DUB:

Dolby Digital Audio French 640 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps
Subtitles English (SDH), French, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Warner

 

2.0:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc One: 45,586,839,903 bytes

Sample Episode: 11,975,952,384 bytes

Video Bitrate: 20.27 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• The Characters of Perry Mason (2:29)
 • Under the Fedora (4:42)
 • Robert Downey Jr. and Matthew Rhys in Conversation (4:44)
• Susan Downey and Robert Downey Jr. (4:20)

Digital Code


 Blu-ray Release Date: December 1st, 2020
 Standard Blu-ray Case inside slipcase

Chapters 9 X 8 episodes

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Warner Blu-ray (November 2020): Warner have transferred the first season of the new (2020) Perry Mason to Blu-ray. There are eight episodes housed on two dual-layered Blu-ray discs. The quality is, predictably, excellent in the 2.0:1 aspect ratio. There are plenty of, presumably intentional, earthy and sepia tones and some yellow and blue-leaning. There is impressive detail and there is plenty of depth. This is in 1080P, although likely broadcast in 1080i.

On their Blu-ray, Warner use a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround track (16-bit) in the original English language. There are some less-deft separations, minimal action, and a wonderful score by Terence Blanchard (Summer of Sam, Bamboozled, 25th Hour, Miracle at St. Anna, Inside Man, Dark Blue) helping establish moods along with the excellent art direction (Chris Farmer). Warner offer a French-language DUB and optional English (SDH) and European subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

There are some extras, although they run fairly short with The Characters of Perry Mason discussing extraneous characters in the series like Della Street (Juliet Rylance), Hamilton Burger in three episodes etc. Under the Fedora has Matthew Rhys examining his Perry Mason character, there is also Executive Producer Robert Downey Jr. in conversation Matthew Rhys discussing his portrayal and lastly, Producers Susan Downey and her husband Robert Downey Jr. talking about production. There is a digital code leaflet for viewing remotely.

The new (2020) Parry Mason has plenty of Noirish elements, and shows a seedier side of L.A. in the 30's - I was reminded of Curtis Hanson's fabulous L.A. Confidential.  It's certainly a totally different take than the Raymond Burr representation that we watched, and loved, for years. In the first four episodes he is generally a low-life P.I. until he finds lawyer'in - seen practicing in the second half the first season.  It's very good - pretty graphic - Parry has a very aggressive sex partner (Veronica Falcón), nudity and uncomfortable violence. There is fine support from John Lithgow, Lili Taylor, Robert Patrick etc. and we certainly recommend the Blu-ray although don't expect the 'class' of the 1957-66' series. It is fun to see the evolution of many of the characters. Watch it. 

Gary Tooze

 

Menus / Extras

 

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Box Cover

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Distribution Warner - Region FREE - Blu-ray


 


 

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