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DVD Description
Hugely controversial "factional drama" originally shown in 1978, in four parts; each from a different point of view - the Metropolitan Police, the criminal, the solicitor and the prison system.
Unseen on TV since its original transmission, this cult drama has now been beautifully restored and is available to buy on DVD for the first time in 30 years. A vivid portrayal of a murky 1970s world of bent coppers, crooked lawyers, grasses and career criminals.
The series was groundbreaking in both its style and its damning portrayal of corruption in the British legal system. The British Police had never been portrayed like this before on TV. The central premise of the drama claimed that the police and the criminals portrayed were not actually that different in terms of the way they operated.
The series caused a massive storm when broadcast on the BBC; the switchboards were jammed for hours with irate callers. Questions were asked in the House of Parliament concerning the issues raised by the programme.
Trivial fact: The cockney criminal slang in this Law and Order was so authentic that the Radio Times Magazine had to provide a glossary
Cast: Derek Martin & Peter Dean (who both went onto become huge stars in Eastenders. Also PH Moriarty (Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels). Written by Gordon Newman (creator of Judge John Deed).
Special features: "Criminal Minds" - a specially-shot 25-minute documentary about the making of and impact of Law and Order, containing interviews with the original cast and crew, includes the glossary of the criminal slang from The Radio Times.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This drama is about as good as you can get. Excellent inter-related stories with superb acting, and all this done without nonsense sound effects, screaming music and overacting. This is real adult viewing and not for those who need jarring every 30 seconds with yet another ridiculous noise. It seems amazing that this was screened over 30 years ago (Although some of the collars and ties are a dead give away). If you want a programme that you can relax to and actually follow the story rather than be subjected to infantile, comic book 'drama' then this is for you.
It examines the 'justice' system from four different perspectives and shows how small injustices and minor corruption becomes significant. An excellent achievement - recommended viewing. If only there were more like this.
It examines the 'justice' system from four different perspectives and shows how small injustices and minor corruption becomes significant. An excellent achievement - recommended viewing. If only there were more like this.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Law And Order (BBC, 1978) [DVD]
No permatan, luminous teeth, unbelievably beautiful people or CGI. This is a brilliant portrayal of the Metropolitan Police, the Prison Service, the judiciary and the criminal.
A fabulous adaptation of the book(s) by GF Newman of Judge Deed fame. The dialoge is brilliant, no foul language. Token sex scenes are not present and no actors people with tongues down the throats of whoever seems to be passing.
These tales are so close to the truth that it caused an unbelievable furore in Parliament and coincided with the notorious COUNTRYMAN enquiry.
The actors are outstanding and suspend disbelief from the first frame. I have been trying, with many others for years to get show back before the public and am ecstatic at being able to see it again.
The performances and story are as impactful as they ever were. It has travelled very well.
Today's film makers should watch this screenplay carefully. This is how it should be done. For me this makes just about every current British Police TV Police show irrelevant. Find the books, reset your standards, encourage others to learn from this stunning piece. I need more stars; five not enough.
No permatan, luminous teeth, unbelievably beautiful people or CGI. This is a brilliant portrayal of the Metropolitan Police, the Prison Service, the judiciary and the criminal.
A fabulous adaptation of the book(s) by GF Newman of Judge Deed fame. The dialoge is brilliant, no foul language. Token sex scenes are not present and no actors people with tongues down the throats of whoever seems to be passing.
These tales are so close to the truth that it caused an unbelievable furore in Parliament and coincided with the notorious COUNTRYMAN enquiry.
The actors are outstanding and suspend disbelief from the first frame. I have been trying, with many others for years to get show back before the public and am ecstatic at being able to see it again.
The performances and story are as impactful as they ever were. It has travelled very well.
Today's film makers should watch this screenplay carefully. This is how it should be done. For me this makes just about every current British Police TV Police show irrelevant. Find the books, reset your standards, encourage others to learn from this stunning piece. I need more stars; five not enough.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The controversy caused by this drama meant it was only shown once on British TV and this DVD release marks its 30th anniversary. The BBC was told by the government not to ever sell it abroad or show it again as it suggested that corruption was routine and endemic among the police and legal system.
While previous 'tough and realistic' police dramas, such as the Sweeney showed rule bending, they never showed police officers sharing in the proceeds of robberies, taking bribes and fitting villains up because they were "overdue."
Law and Order is about the wrongful arrest of a known villain Jack Lynn by Inspector Fred Pyle in the Metropolitan police's elite Flying Squad. The four parts show the story from the point of view of the villain, police officer, the lawyer and the story of Lynn's eventual incarceration.
Like HBO's the Wire this is not a goodies Vs baddies melodrama and gives a convincing dramatisation of the murky world of policing and justice in 70s London. The actors will be familiar to viewers of the popular British soap opera Eastenders with Derek Martin playing the slippery corrupt Inspector Pyle while Peter Dean plays Lynn giving a fantastic performance in the fourth chapter, the Prisoner's Tale, trying and failing to take on the system after wrongful (although some may say deserved) incarceration. The recently deceased and much missed Ken Campbell gives an untypically understated performance as Lynn's deal making lawyer Alex Galdwell.
This is a landmark series and should be seen by anyone with an interest in legal or police drama.
While previous 'tough and realistic' police dramas, such as the Sweeney showed rule bending, they never showed police officers sharing in the proceeds of robberies, taking bribes and fitting villains up because they were "overdue."
Law and Order is about the wrongful arrest of a known villain Jack Lynn by Inspector Fred Pyle in the Metropolitan police's elite Flying Squad. The four parts show the story from the point of view of the villain, police officer, the lawyer and the story of Lynn's eventual incarceration.
Like HBO's the Wire this is not a goodies Vs baddies melodrama and gives a convincing dramatisation of the murky world of policing and justice in 70s London. The actors will be familiar to viewers of the popular British soap opera Eastenders with Derek Martin playing the slippery corrupt Inspector Pyle while Peter Dean plays Lynn giving a fantastic performance in the fourth chapter, the Prisoner's Tale, trying and failing to take on the system after wrongful (although some may say deserved) incarceration. The recently deceased and much missed Ken Campbell gives an untypically understated performance as Lynn's deal making lawyer Alex Galdwell.
This is a landmark series and should be seen by anyone with an interest in legal or police drama.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Still powerfull
I well remember being amazed by the rawness of this when it was first broadcst. 35 years have done nothing to dent it's feeling of accuracy. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mr. P. L. Spearink
Law And Order (BBC, 1978) [DVD] by Derek Martin, Ken Campbell, Peter...
great to watch how good the DVD transfer is
Four-part drama about the British juicidal system, dealing with an investigation presented from the perspectives of the police... Read more
Four-part drama about the British juicidal system, dealing with an investigation presented from the perspectives of the police... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Norman Pitkin
Superb realistic entertainment.
I don't know how I came to miss this series back in 1978. I was an avid watcher of 'The Sweeney' at the time which actually ran between 1975 and 1978. Read more
Published on 30 May 2010 by Mr Gitts
Fist class service
This was a great buy as new of the great tv cop series Law and Order.
They don't make them like this anymore.
They don't make them like this anymore.
Published on 26 May 2009 by Mr. Graham F. Page
Brilliant
I was in the police in the 1970s and this by far the most realistic portrayal of the criminal justice system at that time I have ever seen. Read more
Published on 21 April 2009 by Ducatisti
Arguably the greatest TV cop series ever
The much-praised The Wire is a very good show, but this one makes it seem over-glossy, over-scripted and over-acted by comparison (and, sadly, made one of my all-time favourites,... Read more
Published on 19 April 2009 by P. Stephens
Bummer
Amazon UK needs to make a better effort of informing U.S. customers that that DVDs in the PAL format cannot be played on most U.S. consumer's DVD Players. Read more
Published on 27 Mar 2009 by B. Ducat
the truth Law and Order
the BBC should never have banned this 30 years ago it was the nearest you would get to the truth in relation to all parties characterised excellant stuff and of course he has... Read more
Published on 1 Feb 2009 by P. J. Russell
Sweet As!!
Although viewed as controversial at the time (1978)the controversy was simply an outcry from The Establishment to the superbly constructed tale of corruption, whether by Police,... Read more
Published on 21 Nov 2008 by MightyBoosh
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