TheLittleSongbird Love detective mystery dramas and non-English/American ones also fascinate me. 'Inspector Montalbano' is one of the best and most entertaining examples. It is not easy breathing freshness into a well-worn genre but 'Inspector Montalbano manages to do so with aplomb.Watching 'Inspector Montalbano' is, as said in my review summary and one that to me is apt, like eating a delicious Italian meal that immensely satisfies and leaves you wanting more. There may be very familiar tropes, but in a way it's inevitable and doesn't detract from the enjoyment at all. A couple of stories (like last night's "The Mud Pyramid") may not be as engrossing as most others, or have the most logical, easy-to-follow-entirely plots or the most cooked-all-the-way-through denouements, but this doesn't matter when far outweighed by the rest of the show being so good.If you love all things Italian (with them having some of the best scenery, food and music of any country) and love detective mystery dramas, 'Inspector Montalbano' will be right up your alley most likely. It's beautifully shot always and the scenery is stunning, making those who've never been to Italy want to book a holiday there as soon as possible. The music is never over-bearing or low-key with a nice atmosphere and flavour.Scripts are always tautly written and infused with beautifully balanced and hilarious humour. The subtitles are not hard to follow, while the cases are absorbing and rarely feel convoluted while suitably challenging the viewer. The characters may be stereotypes but well-written ones, especially one of the most fascinating foreign detective mystery dramas titular characters there is to me and the scene-stealing Catarella (hilarious comic relief but more than that).Acting is terrific, especially from Luca Zigaretti who is a treasure in the title role. Angelo Russo's comic timing is a refreshing and always perfectly timed joy. Direction is always paced beautifully and tight while sometimes appropriately deliberate.Overall, brilliant. 10/10 Bethany Cox

pensman The series (movies) are good stories of detection as we really want to know who did it and why; but they also reveal the complexity of Commissario Montabano: A man committed to serving his town even at the cost of having a personal life. My wife and I enjoy the "real time" passing built into the movies and would suggest you watch the series in order. While the focus is on Montabano you also watch the supporting cast grow: "Mimi" Augello the assistant Commissario and ladies man; Fazio, (son of Montabano's mentor) the young, dependable detective inspector; Catarella the officer who provides humor through his bumbling but yet proves to be a valuable asset to the team. And throughout there is a fine supporting cast who bring real personality to their roles. On occasion we suspect some of the actors are actual location residents who were pressed into service as the performances seem so real. Montabano's Sicily and town of Vigàta have a real non PC feel. The Mafia still is a presence; and the police department has to deal with not only administrative incompetence but with contemporary social issues and the normal boring run of the mill crimes that plague modern life. The series is a refreshing thinking police/crime drama that keeps your attention and involves you in the lives of the characters. After a while, you even forget the actors are speaking Italian and you are reading subtitles.

LuckyDumpster I really like this series of DVDs. I have read all of the novels by Andrea Camilerri and I think they have done a good job of capturing the "spirit" of Montalbano: he appreciates good food, beautiful women and chasing bad guys...not necessarily in that order as his long suffering girlfriend Livia finds out when he investigates a case while telling her they are on holiday.Not speaking Italian, I have to read the subtitles, and they have done a very good job since I don't read particularly fast and I still don't have to resort to the pause button on the DVD player all that much.The thing that I appreciate the most is the scenery of Sicily. Camilerri's books can't give you a true sense of how beautiful it "seems". I say "seems" because I find the portrayal of daily Sicilian life a little strange: there are hardly ANY people milling about in the background of most of the exterior shots. There isn't any real car traffic either. I don't know anything about Italian cinema so I can't say how common this might be. Perhaps there are union rules which make actor "extras" too expensive. I suspect it might be an artistic choice though. It certainly makes you want to visit this imaginary Sicily though: beautiful beaches and historic ruins completely devoid of tourists in T shirts and flip flops. Also, while Camilerri's books do indicate that Montalbano's house overlooks the beach...you don't really get a sense of how unrealistic that might be until you see it on the DVD: they must pay police detectives 20 times what they pay them in real life for him to afford his "house". After you see the house, you expect his car to be a Ferrari, but, strangely, it seems pretty ordinary.To sum up, even if you aren't a huge fan of mystery or police procedurals, you can enjoy these DVDs simply for the stunning scenery: it might be better than actually going there and coming up against the realities of modern life.

ladyjatbay-1 Another MhZ International Mystery classic and I am told they are in production creating more shows for us that we should stay tuned for (according to MhZ news). Luca Zingaretti is the Italian Maigret and Sherlock Holmes. The relationship he has with his team is hilarious but serious. All the stereotypical Italian nuances you might have learned about in America are born and bred here and are obviously authentic. The funniest person on the show is the clerk, his name starts with a C, Campellini or something like that. He is an Italian Kramer (Seinfeld). The best show with the clerk is the one where he shoots the bad guy, whom he catches while taking a pee on a sting. I've seen Luca in other films, which I have tried to find on Netflix, but hands down this is the best role for him and the one that turns him into a huge sex symbol - for me and all his fans on Facebook.