Lethal Weapon Collection (Box Set) (DVD)

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Outstanding
Soundtrack	Good

Advantages:	Four great films  -  dirt cheap
Disadvantages:	No fifth film !  !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

The Leathal weapon's are some of the best films ever made. I would recomened this film to any one who likes to watch films. I love these films and you'd be mad to hate them!
In 'Lethal Weapon' two tough Los Angeles cop are partnered together to fight crime in Los Angeles creating chaos and mayhem as they go.

This boxed set brings together four excellent films in their own right.

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LETHAL WEAPON DIRECTORS CUT - 1987
We first meet Riggs and Murtaugh in this first of four action packed adventure. This film sets the scene and introduces the characters for the following films. Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) is a cop on the ragged edge, contemplating blowing the back of his head off with a hollow tip bulett that he keeps for the ocasion. The reason for his condition is his wives death in a traffic accident which makes him - as you can guess, unstable and hard to work with. He is forced upon Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover), whos just turned 50 and is looking forward to his retirement. The two are the original odd couple, who in the age old story at first hate each other then learn to get along and then are unseparateble and a crime fighting team which chaos and mahem just wont stop following. In this film when they get on the trail of an international heroin ring who will let nothing get in their way.
This directors cut now features several new scenes;
1. Riggs dealing with a sniper in a schoolyard,
2. Riggs smashing up the TV in his trailer
3. Riggs hiring a prostitute to watch the Three Stooges with.
Trailer
Running Time 112 Minutes

TRIVIA
1. Franco Zeffirelli reportedly decided to offer Mel Gibson the role of Hamlet after seeing his suicide contemplation scene in this film.

2. Hollywood city officials hung Christmas decorations on Hollywood Blvd. a few months early so that the scenes shot for this film, particularly the action scenes near the end of the picture, looked like they happened at the end of the year.

3. An alternate opening and ending were both filmed (and are available on the Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) DVD). The alternate opening featured Martin Riggs drinking alone in a bar where he is accosted by a couple of thugs who want his money Riggs subdues them. He is then allowed to take a free bottle of booze from the bar in exchange for never returning. The alternate ending featured Riggs and Murtaugh saying good-bye to one another. Murtaugh tells Riggs he's thinking of retiring, but Riggs tells him not to.

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LETHAL WEAPON 2 DIRECTORS CUT - 1989
Riggs and Murtaugh take on South African smugglers working in L.A. The duo become a trio When a witness, Leo (Joe Pesci), that the two are guarding reveals information South Africans, Riggs and Murtaugh are like bloodhounds on the scent and set out to stop them.

This extended directors cut features several new scenes including;
1. Riggs getting attention from some women at a hotel spa;
2. the exploding toilet sequence is lengthened and Murtaugh sees it hit his car;
3. Leo recalls a suspects address in a very unusual, humorous way (I wont spoil it).

Trailer
Running Time 113 Minutes

TRIVIA
1. The carpenter is named McGee. This is the actual surname of the actor portraying him
2.Riggs was originally to die on the boat, but the producer decided to make more movies, hence his survival, after being shot three times.
3.The scene where Mel Gibson attaches cables to the stilts of a mountain-top home and pulls it down cost over $500,000

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LETHAL WEAPON 3 DIRECTORS CUT - 1992
The saga continues with Riggs and Murtaugh up against crooked cops dealing inn illegal arms. This time love blossoms for Riggs as he is joined by female cop Lorna Cole (Rene Russo) who also likes nothing better then getting into a good fight (she had older brothers apparently) . Joe Pesci puts in his another appearance as Leo Getz this time as an estate agent.

Extra scenes included in this directors cut include;
1. Murtaugh being forced to wear body armour;
2. Riggs, Murtaugh, and Lorna threaten to run over a suspects head if he doesn t tell them what they want to hear.

Trailer
Running Time 116 Minutes

TRIVIA
1. The mayor of the City of Orlando, Bill Frederick, was the policeman who said "Bravo," to Murtaugh and Riggs after the expolsion of the building in the opening scene which was the old Orlando City Hall
2. Keep watching after the end credits
3.The housing construction site was not a set built for the film but an actual real estate project near Lancaster, California. The developers went broke before the homes could be completed. 5. Murtagh's boat is called "code 7" which is the L.A.P.D code for a lunch break
6.Florida's Orlando City Council was only too happy to let the production blow up their old ugly city hall, with producer Joel Silver paying $165,000 for the privilege.

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LETHAL WEAPON 4 - 1998
The Finale of the series sees Riggs and Murtaugh taking on a slavery ring that's at work in America. Jet Li leads the villans who are involved in counterfeiting currency to free their bosses from the Chinese military. Returning characters Rene Russo and Joe Pesci (who this time is a private eye). Chris Rock adds another level of laughs to the story

This is the standard version of the film and features no extra footage.
Pure Lethal Documentary
Trailers
Interview Gallery
Lethal Weapon 1-3 Extended Scenes
B-Roll Footage
Running Time 121 Minutes

TRIVIA
1. Riggs's trailer is in the same place that Jim Rockford's trailer use to be at during the majority of "The Rockford Files" (1974)'s run

These films are great value for money - at less than £15. While It might have been nice for an extras disc with some retrospect interviews, behind the scenes stuff or a gag reel it doesnt take away from the quality of all four fims so I wont complain too much!!