Thanks for the memories!

Sadly Over-hyped

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

If only the subsequent episodes had been as good as the pilot. OK, the first season showed promise, but after that the series degenerated into a parody of itself. But the pilot for Starsky and Hutch was, at its time, the grittiest cop show that had been on TV (the pilot premiered as one of those ABC made-for-TV "Movies of the Week" during the 70s). This Starsky and Hutch is dark and violent, but not without a sense of humor. The dialog is above average, the story is actually pretty good, and Soul and Glaser both do a fine job as two tough plainclothes cops of the "cowboy" type that some big city departments have (as opposed to the standard suit-and-tie detectives). They're also believable as friends, and it's that chemistry that kept the show going even after the writers had long since run out of ideas. This pilot took it's cues from uber-violent 70s cop movies like Dirty Harry. To give you an idea, in the opening sequence you witness two hit men blow away two kids in a car..at point blank range. Even though it was the days before showing gore and blood splattering on TV was commonplace, that scene is disturbing. As things turn out, it looks like Starsky and Hutch were the actual targets. The two wade through the seedy streets (and the various shady characters and street stoolies) of the unnamed Southern California metropolis where they work, looking for answers as to who is trying to kill them and why.

As previously mentioned, this is a surprisingly gritty, dark and violent pilot for what would become one of the most popular TV shows of the '70s. While the series itself eventually evolved into (or degenerated into, depending on your point of view) a somewhat corny buddy-buddy show, you sure couldn't tell by this pilot. A couple is shot down on the streets of L.A. in a seemingly random killing, but the two detectives investigating the shooting discover that the couple was murdered by mistake--the actual targets were the detectives themselves. The pair then have to use all their wiles, skills and contacts in the city's seedy criminal underground to find out who is trying to kill them, and why. Soul and Glaser work extremely well together and play off each other as though they'd been doing it all their lives, the supporting cast is first-rate, the writing is sharp and clever, and it's very tightly directed by Barry Shear. It has exciting car chases, taut action scenes, some welcome humor, and the great chemistry between Soul and Glazer. A worthy effort from producer Aaron Spelling.

I was a teenager when "Starsky and Hutch" first came on TV. It made a great impression on me at the time and remains one of my all-time favourite shows. Having recently revisited the series with its release on DVD, I can see it has dated a little but is still very watchable... and they say you should never go back for fear of disappointment. In my opinion, it is the closest thing to "Dirty Harry" that US TV had at the time; and probably since. Soul and Glazer still rock and Dave and Ken are still cool, while Starsky's Red Torino remains the dream car for the forty-something teenager. Hutch's frequently overlooked motor was a tan-coloured 1973 Ford Galaxie 500 4-door sedan, if anyone was wondering. Thought not!

This pilot for the successful TV series is a dark, gritty thriller which begins with a young couple being blown away in their car by two assassins. LA's toughest cops Dave Starsky and Ken 'Hutch' Hutchinson are called onto the scene, believing that they were the intended victims, so they roam the seedy streets, looking for answers. They then realise that there are bad guys on both sides of the law. Compared to the series, this TV movie is considerably more serious. Although Starsky has several witty lines and the chemistry between him and Hutch is apparent, people are gunned down in cold blood and the two heroes trust no one but themselves. Soul and Glaser are good and the action sequences are raw and exciting, featuring a downtown car chase, a punch-up inside a gangster's mansion and the climactic chase/gunfight. S & H are the guys who clearly paved the way for the likes of Bodie & Doyle and Crockett & Tubbs, with their humorous banter and crimefighting antics. The first 2 seasons of S & H were pretty tough and violent, until they were told to tone it down and it became more corny.