Parker Lewis
Chiefs is an outstanding mini-series and if I had to take only one mini-series with me to a desert island, then Chiefs would be it.On the face of it, it's about three generations of police chiefs in a town in the American south, but there's the undercurrent of a serial murderer on the loose. The first police chief, played by Wayne (M*A*S*H) Rodgers comes close to making an arrest. The second police chief Sonny Butts is incredibly malevolent and is the embodiment of police corruption, and he gets no sympathy at all, and you want to see him fall big time. But...and this is where things get tense...after Sonny is disgraced by his conduct, he then comes so close to arresting the serial killer that has eluded capture for many years. I can imagine viewers were left wondering...if Sonny had arrested the serial killer then he would be sheriff for life and cause and make life unbearable for the citizens. Anyway, the serial killer manages to finish off the sheriff before viewers are asked to consider this.
griffic-2
It's been a long time since I've seen this mini-series, but I recorded all three episodes on VHS back in the 80's (I think my mom may still have it). After finally reading Stuart Woods' original novel, it just took me back to how great the teleplay was (it was THAT faithful)!It's a tale about murder, for sure. But it's a tale about the South specifically. Race relations, politics and family. It's gripping, suspenseful and even important. All the performances are uniformly excellent. Charlton Heston, Wayne Rogers, Billy Dee Williams, Keith Carradine, Tess Harper, Paul Sorvino, Lane Smith, Victoria Tennant, Stephen Collins and Danny Glover are just some of the major performances noteworthy. There's a nice bunch of southern actors mixed in with the (inevitable) few non-southern ones. If one actor is to be singled out for their performances, it's Brad Davis. His brooding, explosive performance as the bullying racist Sonny Butts reminds one of the intensity of a young Jack Nicholson or Marlon Brando. I hear the heavily edited 200 minute version of CHIEFS has cut a lot of the Brad Davis chapter. Too bad!Which brings me to the DVD release. WHERE IS IT? Seriously, considering all the TV movies that have been released on disc over the years, it's time for CHIEFS to get what it deserves: A handsome DVD release, digitally remastered in a multi-disc box set. Completely uncut. Is this too much to ask?
mollymischief
My entire family was riveted to the "Chiefs". I feel that it is one of the best written and casted films to this day. I'd promote this movie until I die. It was intelligently written, eluding to hideous crimes without the overkill of blood and gore. Anyone that appreciates old cars, old cycles and vivid acting would benefit to rent, buy or borrow Chiefs. I like to tell anyone that will listen that they will be on the edge of their seats for most of the movie. I was a teenager when it came on TV. To this day I can remember how I felt during the 'handlebar scene'. Sad to say, this movie's plot is the first thing I think of every time I hear of a disappearance or kidnapping in the real world. I'd rate this as one movie I would want on my TV line up once a year. A remake is in order if it could be cast with such strong actors again.
Vassago
I still place Stuart Woods's "Chiefs" among the best police dramas ever written. Since I learned that a TV adaptation of the book was made, I've always wanted to see it, and, a few months ago, I finally bought the DVD release of the series. I actually did not expect much, but what I received surprised me - and it was a positive surprise. The series is an excellent adaptation of the novel and manages to do it justice, which is a rarity... as is the fact that very little of the book's plot is omitted. Certainly, some of the details - such as Will Henry's growing obsession with the mysterious murders, and the technical sides of his investigation - have to be treated superficially, but every important subplot and aspect of the book is present in the film; consequently, the series manages to be just as thrilling and involving as the novel. Amusingly enough, the credits on the box of the DVD misled me slightly - I assumed Charlton Heston, Keith Carradine and Billy Dee Williams would be playing the three chiefs, chronologically; of course, this is not the case.
AD
