Customer Reviews

Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities - 4-DVD Set [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.4 Import - Australia ]

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

 

 

I've not yet seen the first series of Underbelly, but it doesn't matter. This second series stands completely alone, and is purported to depict events from 1976 to 1987. Certainly, a certain amount of licence has been used, but the end result is a completely gripping series of episodes (13 x 24 minutes) that will spellbind the viewer. The show is beautifully acted and has a realism so often lost in similar American productions.

Viewers from outside Australia might have some difficulty with some of the language used. Certainly much of it is quite blue, but as would be expected from a series depicting Australian crime figures, there is very frequent use of uniquely Australian slang.

There is also much nudity, sex and quite brutally depicted violence, especially for a TV series. The violence is integral to the story, some of the displays of skin I could have lived without.

Some of the crime figures are more sympathetically depicted than others. Robert Trimbole, for example, a man who ordered several murders and was a drug lord in Australia for many years, comes across with quite considerable compassion and humanity, and emerges as quite a likeable character. Likewise Ray Chuck, also a murderer and criminal, is imbued with impressive humanity, clearly the intent is that he is seen in a more sympathetic light than his adversaries. Conversely, the central character Terry Clark is shown as completely cold, prepared to end the life of anyone who he perceives as a threat. The character of Chris Flannery is depicted as some kind of loudmouth buffoon, which has drawn criticism from certain quarters. I think the producers have gone a little overboard in this characterisation.

Memorable acting performances from Roy Billing as Trimbole, and an excellent cameo by Kate Ritchie as Judi Kane, wife of brutally murdered standover man Les Kane.

Overall this is a slightly flawed masterpiece, which will require multiple viewings to fully take in the story.

I guess we all have our own opinions.

I watched this entire series courtesy of my DVR and DirecTV Channel 101.

I don't know how you can criticize this series. It is absolutely amazing. "Cliche villains?" "Too many sex scenes"? Musical interludes that take away from the story? Man, that must be a lonely life to be living.

If you love grit and grime, and want to see something fresh, this is the show to buy. There is no candy coating. I thought everything was spot on, and is all done in excellent style, pacing, and scope.

What struck me at first was that the production value was not that high. But that passed about midway through the first episode, as the acting and story are far superior to anything coming out of the U.S. these days. Well, the FX network with shows like The Shield, Damages, Nip/Tuck, and now Sons of Anarchy and Justified, and AMC with Mad Men- I guess I named a few.

Anyways, I LOVE this series. Living in the US, my DVD player will not play Region 4 discs, so I am stuck waiting for this series to come out for Region 1. Once it does, I'll be first in line to buy it!

If you love to look into the lives of those in the seedy underworld, you can't go wrong with this show!

A friend and I watched all episodes over the course of a weekend. First and foremost, I did watch the first series and I am still not certain which I like better. Perhaps I like watching series that are not readily available in the USA and perhaps I am somewhat influenced by the fact that 2009 is the weakest new TV season in recent memory (can't wait for "24"). With all of the aforementioned taken into account, this is still an excellent series cum historical biopic on the development of the heroin trade in Australia.

Oh to be a drug importer between 1976-1979 and to operate with relative impunity, as long as law enforcement received their weekly "drink" (Aussie slang for payoff).

As referenced in the only other review, there is violence, language and nudity galore, of which the later two are generally not found on free TV in the USA. The violence is generally more thought out and less spontaneous, which seems to support the time and plot lines. I also agree with the other reviewer contending that Aussie Bob came off as being a somewhat sympathetic character despite having ordered several murders and essentially being charged with the distribution all the heroin imported into Australia by Terry Clarke. While the aforementioned Clarke garnered very little sympathy.

I strongly recommend watching both series with Underbelly "A Tale of Two Cities" being watched first.

The fascinating television import "Underbelly" finally got a U.S. distribution this month in a three season set, but you can only get individual seasons on the international market. I first became aware of "Underbelly" when I read that it was Australia's answer to "The Sopranos." Since that first comparison, I've heard the same point made countless times. To be frank, other than the fact that they are two adult series set in the criminal underworld, I don't think that generalized statement is very apt or has much bearing on whether or not you'll enjoy this show. If you are expecting a rich "Sopranos" type narrative and continuing storyline, this isn't quite going to fulfill your expectations. But that doesn't make it any less intriguing. The general tone of "Underbelly" is a bit more lurid. The show itself has much more of a docudrama feel, recreating significant true events in Australia's criminal history complete with plenty of gratuitous nudity and violence. With edgy camera work, quick cut editing, and a propulsive soundtrack--this is a show that aims at getting in your face. And for the most part, it succeeds. One of my favorite elements of the show is that each season is its own unique entity with new characters and charting a new story. Heck, it's become somewhat of a franchise with four complete 13 episode seasons and a series of TV movies.

A Tale of Two Cities (2009) 4 1/2 Stars: This series picked up Australian Film Institute awards for Best Lead Actor (Roy Billing) and Best Screenplay for a dramatic program. Although the U.S. set intimates this to be Season One, it is actually chronologically Season Two--but without a continuing story, the order is less important although I like to see how something progresses. This tells the story of the Griffith drug trade in the late seventies and early eighties and focuses specifically on two figures who ruled the roost--Aussie Bob Trimbole (Billing) and Kiwi Terry Clark (Matthew Newton). While the series covers a lot of ground during a pivotal period of history, the characters are not always as developed as you might like. Gripping and entertaining, it does lack some emotional impact for this reason. Even without this sometimes personal connection, though, the time period is inherently fascinating and disturbing. Well worth a look. KGHarris, 12/11.

A Tale of Two Cities is a highly captivating series, as the weaving of multiple narratives didn't have to be tight to convey the multifaceted nature of drug related crime in Australia, during the 1970s and 1980s.

From a personal point of view, I was still a young boy when the timeline ends in 1987, so it was informative to learn about these events and the many people who were involved. I accept that there is likely to be some inaccuracies, yet the story is based on factual events. I found it clever how characters from other Underbelly franchises crossed over into this series. In particular, Trevor Haken, George Freeman, and Alphonse Gangitano have been featured in more than one series.

The violent scenes are in keeping with actual crimes, so whilst this might be graphic for some people, it is intended to replicate real events. There is some shock factor clearly intended with this, but ultimately many of the criminals depicted in this series are for the most part ruthless murders, despite at times appearing to be likeable.

The nudity in this series and other Underbelly franchises conveys the sleaze that is very much a part of organised crime. A Tale of Two Cities is stacked with entertainment and like any true crime piece viewers should expect to feel some discomfort at times, which is the morbid curiosity that makes this genre so popular.

Nicholas R.W. Henning - Australian Author
Author of: The Tourist, Brennan Cooper, Boomerang Baseball, and The American Dream: From Perth to Sacramento

This series is good in parts and has a stronger cast (in depth) than Season 1 but, as other reviewers have mentioned, it suffers from inadequate character development, a cliché-ridden script and rather amateurish villains. What further reduces this series to the ordinary is the constant and gratuitous use of music driven montages which, for the most part, interrupt the narrative flow and become tedious. Add rather dull, repetitive and (again) gratuitous sex scenes and there you have it, an ok TV series. You can fast forward about 20% of each episode and lose nothing at all. So, keep that remote handy.