Vermithrax Pejorative. There has never been a more unique name for a dragon. Ever. It’s dark. Evocative. And it sends me spiralling back through the chambers of my mind to 1981 to when I first discovered the name. I knew Dragonslayer was a movie, I knew it was coming to theatres, and I put my…
Tag: 1981
Thief (1981) – Michael Mann
Michael Mann is a fantastic director. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve seen by him, but for some reason, I had never gotten around to checking out his 1981 film, Thief, starring James Caan. Featuring Mann’s iconic shooting style, gritty, neon-lit city life, the film follows Frank (Caan), a master thief who is intent on pulling one…
Hill Street Blues (1981) – Cranky Streets, and Chipped Beef
Robert Crais pens the teleplay for Cranky Streets from a story by Michael Kozoll and Steven Bochco. It first debuted on 10 December, 1981. With city and union negotiations faltering tensions are running high on the hill. Renko (Charles Haid) and Hill (Michael Warren) find themselves assigned to be training officers. When Renko pulls a…
Hill Street Blues (1981) – The Second Oldest Profession, and Fruits of the Poisonous Tree
Steven Bochco, Anthony Yerkovich and Robert Crais pen The Second Oldest Profession from a story by Bochco, Yerkovice and Michael Kozoll. It first debuted on 19 November, 1981. Bates (Betty Thomas) has a tough time when during a sweep of hookers, she allows a young woman to shoot up before being taken in, causing her…
Hill Street Blues (1981) – Blood Money, and The Last White Man on East Ferry Avenue
Blood Money was written by Steve Bochco and Anthony Yerkovich from a story by Michael Kozoll, Bochco and Yerkovich. It first aired on 5 November, 1981. Washington (Taurean Blacque) and LaRue (Kiel Martin) are investigating the murder of a prostitute by her pimp, but things don’t go as easily as they should. Furillo (Daniel J….
Hill Street Blues (1981) – Jungle Madness, and Hearts and Minds
The two-hour finale to Hill Street Blues inaugural season first aired on 26 May, 1981. It was written by series creators Steven Bochco, Michael Kozell and story editor Anthony Yerkovich. There’s a lot going on, Washington (Taurean Blacque) and LaRue (Kiel Martin) are running up leads and suspects in the shooting by a racist officer,…
Hill Street Blues (1981) – Fecund Hand Rose, and Rites of Spring
Alan Rachins wrote Fecund Hand Rose which first aired on 25 March, 1981. The creepy Esterhaus (Michael Conrad) storyline about dating a newly turned eighteen-year-old gets pulled a little into the light. It doesn’t get treated for what it is, he’s been grooming her through high school. They were dating before he turned eighteen! They…
Hill Street Blues (1981) – Life, Death, Eternity, and I Never Promised You a Rose, Marvin
Gregory Hoblit and Lee David Zlotoff penned Life, Death, Eternity which first aired on 14 March, 1981. Hey look! There’s Dwight Schultz! There’s no heat in the precinct (and the repairman has dropped dead) while Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) continues the investigation of the murdered prostitute, which may interfere with his chances of being promoted…
Hill Street Blues (1981) – Your Kind, My Kind, Humankind, and Gatorbait
Anthony Yerkovich alongside series creators Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll pen the teleplay for Your Kind, My Kind, Humankind from a story by Bill Taub. It was first broadcast on 28 February, 1981. Renko (Charles Haid) and Hill (Michael Warren) deal with problems in different ways when the suspect in their shooting is released. Hill…
Hill Street Blues (1981) – Choice Cut, and Up in Arms
Seven episodes in writer Lee David Zlotoff brings us full circle with Choice Cut. First airing on 14 February, 1981, the episode sees Frank Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) dealing with a hostage situation in a supermarket, not entirely dissimilar from what happened in the first episode. In fact, it’s the same hostage takers! They went…
The Mind Reels 