For those interested in such things, I saw Lucky Number Slevin yesterday and Lucy Liu's charcter refers to Columbo and his three rules of homicide investigation. Unfortunately, she rattles them off so quickly I can't remember them. However, I liked the movie enough to buy it when it comes out and will make sure to list them - unless someone has already done so. For those who plan on seeing it, keep an ear out for it during an early scene between Liu and Josh Hartnett.
I just rediscovered a "Columbo" reference in the Brit Sci-Fi comedy, "Red Dwarf" which I've been repurchasing on DVD. The show takes place 3 million years from now, so I think we can forgive a hologram for confusing Columbo as the little guy in the dirty mac who discovered America! (I do believe a "mac" is a raincoat in Britain.)
I have mentioned this before, but I will repeat it.
I have a very serious book called "Dark Sun" which is about the development of the Soviet Atomic bomb which then led to the American Hydrogen bomb. The Soviets had a lot of help from spies who were working on the American Manhattan project. One of these was a German emigre scientist who was working for the British named Klaus Fuchs. The evidence that led British Intelligence to him was based on illegal breaking and
entry, so they couldn't use that evidence in court.
Thus they had to get a confession. According to the book "the delicate assignment went to William Skardon, an MI5 officer who specialized in handling traitors - 'sort of a British COLUMBO character'...'complete with disheveled appearance and an intellect that was sometimes hidden until the moment came to use it to point to incongruities in the suspect's story".
This shows that Columbo, like Sherlock Holmes, has become part of Western culture....Peter Falk, along
with Levinson and Link have a lot to be proud of.
YM
I am currently reading Dark Sun. It is indeed a very serious book. I found the Columbo reference very interesting as the author, Richard Rhodes, is not prone to making light hearted comments. Mr. Rhodes is not a reporter for some National Enquirer type TV show, he is a historian. His use of the Columbo character as a point of reference sort of makes Columbo into a bit of history himself.
Did you read Rhodes' previous Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Making of the Atomic Bomb?
Very interesting to see the reading interests of Columbo fans, and how they are similar! Yes, I started "The Making
of the Atomic Bomb". It is pretty heavy going, but I got bogged down part way in.
Thanks for reminding me about it, I will have to get back to it.
You are definitely right about Rhodes, he is no light-hearted fellow. His last book was about the Nazis and the Holocaust and he said researching it made him sick.
I also found it a little tough to get through the middle third of the book. Once it got to the mid 1930's I found it easier to read. Probably because I was more familar with the people and events of that era than with those in the early part of the book. Some very interesting information.