Product: Chiefs [Region 2] (1983)
Rating: 5.0
A Great Mini-Series with a good plot and great actors
I first watched "Chiefs" when I was about 14- my aunt taped the whole mini-series for my family, and we all enjoyed it immensly.(A bit heavy subject for a 14-year-old, but a definate eye-opener, on racism, politics AND hitchhiking!) It is about three successive police chiefs in a small Southern town, how each deals with the myriad prejudices against Colored People, and a decades-long case involving the mysterious disappearances of young boys hitchhiking through (as well as the political aspects of)the town. It is a very sad conclusion, when they discover what happenened to the boys, but an excellent series overall.However, my mother eventually bought the VHS version when it came out, and we were very dissapointed to find that many memorable scenes were cut out- in particular, my favorite, where Billy Lee(up & coming politician & all-around good guy)invites his fellow politicians to lunch (to discuss deplorable prison conditions) -at the prison! -I would only buy the DVD edition if the WHOLE, COMPLETE series were there,(lots of room on DVD's I'm told) -a commentary on the series and book, as well as interviews with actors would also be great, if available!Hard to pick a favorite actor here, as everyone in the movie was top-notch, but Billy Dee Williams got the best part in the whole movie, when he proclaims to the rednecked hicks that arrest him for no better reason than being a Black Man(I speak as a white chick), "My name is Tyler Watts- but you can call me "Chief"! -Well worth watching even once, if just to draw your own conclusions- but I warn you, if you like it, you'll be hooked! If you don't....well, we'll probably be hearing from you! :)