But there was one more show that Desilu was known for and that was The Untouchables. This exciting crime drama would run for a spectacular 4 seasons and 118 episodes and a two-part pilot! These two episodes "The Scarface Mob" were edited together and made into a full-length feature film. It was subsequently released theatrically as a stand-alone feature outside America in 1959 and inside the US in 1962.
Chicago, 1929. Al Capone’s ruthless gang of thugs are dealing in bootleg booze in blatant defiance of Prohibition laws, and paying off corrupt cops and crooked politicians to stay out of their way. That is, until Federal Investigator Eliot Ness is tasked with bringing down Capone’s criminal empire. To aid him in this task, he assembles a crack team of men he is sure will be incorruptible, to identify and sabotage the Capone gang’s distilleries. But when Capone, Scarface himself, gets wind that his operation is under threat, he decides to take matters into his own hands.
Robert Stack is amazing as the prohibition agent and Neville Brand is so believable as the tough as nails mob boss Al Capone. But the entire cast including, Kenaan Wynn and Barbara Nichols bring their A game to this production. Paul Monash, the famed TV writer penned a great screenplay for this pilot. When Desilu was looking for a director they went with film noir veteran Phil Karlson. A perfect choice.
Organized crime aka The Mafia captured the imagination of people back in the day. That is why The Untouchables was such a success. Now while the mob was in the forefront almost flaunting their ability to escape the law, lending these men to be romanticized, the mafia now has more or less retreated from the public eye.
Arrow Video have transferred the theatrical film of The Scarface Mob to Blu-ray in High Definition 1080p it is presented in its original full screen format in 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The audio is the original uncompressed dual mono 2.0 audio. Finally, there is the optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Now I own The Untouchables TV series on DVD. So, I looked at the TV Series and then this Blu-ray. The DVD version is overly bright. Arrow Video's transfer brings a crisp and sharp picture and the black and white picture is deep and clean. There is no signs of damage or digital artifacts. I thought the DVD looked good until I saw this version! Simply tremendous!
So this is a tremendous upgrade but wait this is an Arrow Video release. That is not all that is included here. Arrow Video added some really awesome bonus features to this release. Take a look at what is included here.
* Gang Busters, a brand-new video essay on the film and the career of director Phil Karlson by film critic David Cairns
* Philip Kemp on The Scarface Mob, a brand-new video essay on the career of Eliot Ness and his depictions on film, including The Scarface Mob, by film critic Philip Kemp
* Theatrical trailer
* Gallery of original posters, lobby cards and publicity photos provided by The Scarface Mob and The Untouchables archivist Kelly Lynch
* Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jennifer Dionisio
* Six postcard-sized lobby card reproductions
* Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jennifer Dionisio
* Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Barry Forshaw and liner notes on The Untouchables by Dan Lynch and Kelly Lynch
As much as I love the mob movies like other people. I really enjoy other people's take on these kinds of movies too. So, I really enjoyed watching David Cairns and Philip Kemp's thoughts on director Phil Karlson and The Scarface Mob.
This new Blu-ray makes a great companion piece to The Untouchables TV Series. If you love The Untouchable TV Series. If you are a fan of those classic mob films like Scarface or The St. Valentine's Day Massacre, then this new Blu-ray The Scarface Mob from Arrow Video is a must own. Head over to Amazon and order your copy today.
Out of 4 Film Reels (4 being the best) The Blu-ray release of The Scarface Mob receives....
 Blu-ray Review){kind=link}
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