Customer Reviews

Callan: Set 1

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

David CALLAN (Edward Woodward, The Equalizer) was blackmailed by a secret part of the British Security Services known as "The Section". They wanted his skills. He didn't like or want the job, but he had no choice, but he was good at it. This former soldier turned thief, was 'drafted' by "The Section".

The Section head, codename Hunter (William Squire), AKA Charlie, is cold, ruthless, needs Callan, and cares little about who gets killed. Concern is only the how, why, and if anyone finds out.

There's a nucleus of regular cast, but each episode (9 in this Set 1) is primarily a new suspense story involving espionage, murder, blackmail, and all those good black things. Callan is THE top agent (realism, no James Bond or Get Smart stuff here)--kills when ordered--is a deadly shot--with a tinge of conscious, fair play, and justice. It's a bit on the dark side, every man for himself. A collection of individuals in a dark world, void of trust. A climate where right and wrong have no definition. Sometimes Callan has to much personal emotion for his job of deceit and dirty-tricks. That makes for a fascinating character. Great character relationships throughout the series. Well, some relationships turn downright nasty. Callan even has feelings, though never shown, toward a dirty, criminal type, Lonely (Russell Hunter), who is occasional helpful, in all the bad ways of getting the job done.

The "Section's" colour code for files: RED= dangerous, priority, target death; YELLOW= occasional surveillance; BLUE= wrong party; WHITE= put out of action via prison, bankruptcy, mental home, etc. What colour is your file?

Downside: no subtitles. But they'd help little with the British slang used occasionally like: bird=girl, nik=arrest, belt up=shut up, ta=thanks, quid and bob=$$$ but how much?

A fun series for those who remember the late 60's/early 70's. Filmed at that time period, the British scenes, decor, and clothing styles resemble everyday life in the USA about then. This DVD series is NOT a 1970 period drama, just a very good intelligence/spy series created and aired during the 60's to 70's decade change.

This CALLAN SET 1, originally aired April to June, 1970, is the 3rd season. Many of the B/W episodes telecast earlier had been "lost." Acorn Media has saved this season for all of us. TA. Fortunately in 1970 the show went to color.

Episode 1, WHERE ELSE COULD I GO?
2, SUMMONED TO APPEAR
3, THE SAME TRICK TWICE
4, A VILLAGE CALLED 'G'
5, SUDDENLY--AT HOME
6, ACT OF KINDNESS
7, GOD HELP YOUR FRIENDS
8, BREAKOUT
9, AMOS GREEN MUST LIVE
Watch them all if you dare, but periodically check over your shoulder.

In case there is any confusion, this set comprises the 9 episodes of Season 3, which is the first season to be filmed in color.

Callan was a great series, but the packaging of this product is misleading. "Set 1" is too easily confused with "Series 1". If like me you have already purchased "Series 3" then you will be very upset that you now own two copies of "Series 3". I know the editorial review makes it clear, but when you are a fan you do not think you need to read such reviews... Ok, so next time I will whenever I consider purchasing a product packaged by Acorn Media. Mind you, I will probably not buy on principle.

I highly recommend this show! Very dark and moody, but sometimes funny show with excellent acting, writing, fair picture, great theme music. Callan's boss, Hunter, played by William Squire,is great, very humorous without trying, although the character, Lonely, probably gets the most notice for humor. Although these episodes are somewhat stand-alone stories, there is some continuity lost from prior series, as I never saw the prior two series. I would sure like to get the first and second (B & W) series to get the whole story of Callan (with Set 1 being the Third Series) As with most British TV sets, it is rather expensive, but not disappointing in the least, even for the price. Edward Woodward is fine here, as always; very convincing as an extremely dangerous but sometimes nice killer/fixer. When Callan makes a threat it is not idle, even to fellow agents! I have yet to watch Set 2, but I am looking forward to it.

I remember watching this show on a barely viewable UHF station as a kid. I loved the show. I believe that this show more accurately portrayed the spy games during the cold war era as apposed to the James Bond movies. Aside from the cardboard sets and the now laughable gadgetry, the acting and the stories were gold. As I view them today (more clearly), they still hold up and I am so happy to now own Sets 1 (season 3)and 2(season 4) plus what is left of seasons 1 and 2. This was my first introduction to the great Edward Woodward (RIP) and I've been a fan ever since. His portrayal of Callan as an spy/assassin with a conscious is amazing to watch. Callan was a bit of a tortured soul but he understood-didn't always agree--the necessity of his assignments. I would recommend this series to anyone--not just to those who lived through this time period but also to anyone who would like to have some notion as what it was like during that time period.

I had heard about this series from youtube and was very excited to order. Exactly what I expected. Great acting by all cast members but especially by Edward Woodward, he can carry a scene with no background music and no one else and you can feel the emotion! If you liked him in the Equalizer then you'll like him in this earlier spy thriller set in England. Hard, gritty, bucks the system spy but with a tempered compassion that gets him into trouble.

Having personally lived aspects of the Cold War and read the contemporaneous literature of the time and the revisionist literature coming out now, it is heartening to see personal ethical conflict in these then contemporary now retro-episodes

The low key trudging flavor of real intelligence work is evident with the occassional terror of needed action.

The inability to trust even the agency for which one works creates a burden that ultimately withers most individuals. Career agents experience a life of conflict and tumoil or a life of oblivious obedience.

Edward Woodard was by anyones standard a great actor, in fact he was often called englands finest actor even , he one awards to prove it and his presence always added to a production. Sadly he passed away in nov 2009. But this landmark series lives on dvd to show one of his finest characterizations ever. This isn't the first series those are only available in region 2 and you'd need a all region player to watch them. (those players are around one hundred bucks). If you go to go to amazon.uk you can get the dvd sets of the first two series. This was in fact series 3 and the show starts at that point. Hopefully acorn will put out the first two series but they say they probably won't do it in this region. Callan is extremely realistic in some regards and some of it's episodes should be shown in spy training. as in " Are you willing to do this?" The lead character is a realist who does have a concious even though he must kill people and when things go wrong innocent people may die. The show was shot on video tape and the outdoor scenes were shot on film. So it doesn't have the feel of american shows of the period but it doesn't matter because the show is just excellent on many levels.
Callan is a spy who doesn't always agree with his assignments but he doesn't
want to lose his job or be replaced by younger agents either.
So if you want well acted truer to life spy stories that are realistic and not over the top then you will enjoy this one. And if you want to complete the collection then get a all region player and get the first two seasons on amazon.uk. (don't buy the two earlier seasons from their without FIRST BUYING a ALL REGION DVD PLAYER)
But this one is good to go because it is region one (our region) and first class entertainment all the way.

For years I remembered the lightbulb and signature tune for Callan, the series is even better than I remembered. Dynamic tension cleverly portrayed.