AnhartLinkin
This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.
Portia Hilton
Blistering performances.
Zandra
The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.
mbeallo-78462
I agree with the positive reviews. I think the series was amazing. I loved the book (yes, it was a book), the movie, and the series, both the CBS version and the Showtime version. They were all great, but the Showtime version was the best.I saw the original film when I was in high school. After seeing the movie, I read the book (written by John Jay Osborn, Jr.). Those were two things that made me want to go to law school. I eventually did, but not until I was in my early 30s.I don't know what to add beyond what has already been said. Houseman's Kingsfield was the archetype law professor. I never had a professor that was anything like him, thank goodness, but I did have a lot of respect for my own Contracts professor.If the show is not available on DVD, it should be. If you haven't seen it, and there's any other way of watching it, give it a shot.
Elliot James
I'm watching the second series from SHO. On a technical level, the cinematography is not as good as that from the CBS show. The colors are reddish, the focus is softer, the grain is very high and the lighting is dimmer. This could be the transfer to DVD. I never saw the show as originally broadcast so I have no basis to compare. Some DVD reviewers have touched on this. Be that as it may, the show is excellent and Houseman's performances are a joy to watch. (I developed an odd affection to Seals & Crofts schmaltzy theme song watching the CBS version--it even became an earworm--but the "Ivy League" instrumental opener of the SHO version is far more appropriate.) What's really great is the series moving from CBS to SHO with all of the primary leads five years later! Has any series ever duplicated this feat? On the downside, some of the CBS episodes really irritated me enough to take a break from viewing it. Hart constantly injecting himself into people's problems, usually to his own detriment, got very annoying and Bell was an exasperating, selfish idiot. The episode in which Hart and Bell were locked in Kingsfield's office closet during the weekend due to Bell's stupid scheme was beyond bad (and the writers didn't get it that people have to urinate?). Those few clunkers aside, great show, the kind that's hard to find today.
lrcdmnhd72
I tend to agree with ClassicSteve about his comparison between the original 1973 movie, "The Paper Chase," and the TV series "The Paper Chase." I found the 1973 movie to be much more powerful, intense and convincing than the TV series, which seems to pale in comparison to the original 1973 movie. In fact, I think the movie version is much more realistic and convincing than the entire TV series put together. While some of the TV episodes weren't too bad, overall, the TV series, when compared to the original 1973 movie version, appears to be watered down.John Houseman seemed to slow down quite a bit in the TV series, especially in the later years as opposed to the movie version. Although his age may have had something to do with it, I think that lower quality scripting may have played a bigger role.In the TV series, I think I caught at a mistake. Rita Harriman wanted to be the first president of the Harvard Law Review, but if I remember correctly, there was a woman president of the Harvard Law Review that hit Hart with her car while he was riding his bicycle during his earlier law school years.Although I never went to law school, the 1973 movie version of the PC reminded me of my college years in acquiring my bachelor's degree. I tend to identify myself with Kevin Brooks (the guy with the photographic memory) and his inadequacies. His part reminds me so much of myself that, in real life, I think I could have been his understudy. Anybody that wants to undertake any worthwhile endeavor should watch the 1973 Paper Chase movie. It clearly shows the weed-out process and the high price that has to be paid for success.
SedonaRocksFilms
I am Stephen Seretan, and I wrote all the music for the series from CBS to Showtime. John Houseman was a joy to work with and a good friend. I miss him. He was an original. The series was great fun and a dream job for me. Thanks for all the nice comments. I would love to see it aired again.The shows had very little music for each episode, so my job was easy. Does anyone remember the scores to any shows? I would like to know. Film music is supposed to be "not heard" by the audience, but in our show it was prominent. I had several themes going to bind the drama together.
