Columbo: Murder Under Glass (1978) Directed by Jonathan Demme

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(Review originally written at 23 August 2008)

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

This is a rather fine and enjoyable movie, set in the culinary world. Columbo is also happy with it, since he can't seem to get enough of all the great food.

There are only a few directors that made it big time after they had directed a Columbo movies. Most of them stayed in the TV directing business, while other like Jonathan Demme did break through in the 'serious' movie business. He is the director of for instance movies like "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Philadelphia". He also did a fine job with this Columbo movie.

His biggest moment of fame came with the James Bond movie "Octopussy", in which he played the Bond villain Kamal Khan. Apparently you just either love or just detest his special performance in "Octopussy". I really like it and it is one of the best things about that movie in my opinion. Funny to see how his acting style seems to be the same for basically every production he plays in. Perhaps it's also the reason why he hasn't starred in that many productions throughout his career and the reason why he never really ever truly broke through. Amazingly he's still alive and almost 90 now but he has retired from the business long time ago.

I always wondered why there weren't any more murderers who attempted to kill the Lieutenant. They often just stand there when Columbo accuses them of murder and reveals he has proof for it as well. There had been murderers before with the intension to kill Lt. Columbo in previous movies and this movie is as well one of the few in which the murderer attempts to kill the Lieutenant.

It has a great, yet simple but effective written story, that is nothing too special really but more than serves its purpose. A typical Columbo story, that works out fine and follows the usual successful Columbo formula. It doesn't make this movie really anything special but it makes it on par with most of the other Columbo movies of high quality standards.

7/10

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