Double Exposure

Episode aired Dec 16, 1973
TV-PG
1h 10m

IMDb RATING

7.8/10

2.8K

YOUR RATING

Cop Drama Police Procedural Crime Drama Mystery Thriller

An advertisement expert uses subliminal cues to help him commit a murder. Lt. Columbo is on the case.An advertisement expert uses subliminal cues to help him commit a murder. Lt. Columbo is on the case.An advertisement expert uses subliminal cues to help him commit a murder. Lt. Columbo is on the case.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.8/10

2.8K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
The term "subliminal advertising" referred to and used by the murderer was actually invented by market researcher James Vicary. Vicary claimed that for a movie called "Picnic" playing at a theater in Fort Lee, NJ, he had inserted frames into the film that read "drink Coca-Cola" and "eat popcorn" that were flashed briefly on screen every five seconds during screenings. Though the duration of each flash was too short for anyone to consciously detect, Vicary claimed that this subliminal exposure boosted Coke sales by 18% and popcorn sales by 58%. Advertisers, the FCC, and research psychologists were skeptical, and in an Advertising Age article, Vicary admitted that he had never conducted the subliminal "experiment" - it was concocted as a gimmick to attract customers to his failing marketing business. The concept of subliminal advertising, nonetheless, has continued on as part of our culture.

Goofs
When Columbo arrives at a back office with monitors, he's being tracked by a videocamera. He arrives and sees himself live on the monitor, filmed from behind. What he sees doesn't match with his actual position, judging by a hand resting against a wall.

Quotes
Lt. Columbo: My wife's got no head for crime. We go to those whodunit movies, she always picks the wrong murderer. I wanna tell you something: If my wife decided to murder me, she could come up with a better alibi than you got.

Connections
References High Plains Drifter (1973)

User reviews35

Review

Featured review

7/10

Short and snappy

DOUBLE EXPOSURE is another strong contender for the early series of COLUMBO. Clocking in at just over an hour in length, it features a delightful guest star villain in the form of series regular Robert Culp, playing a man who makes a living from inserting subliminal messages into his advertising films. Guess how he kills his victim in this one?

Culp plays an exceptionally slick character and alternates between friendliness and snottiness in his dealings with Columbo. The early murder sequence is executed very professionally and Columbo is on top form in the way he takes little clues and runs away with them. Chuck McCann has a nice supporting role as a friendly projectionist who shows Columbo his 'nickel trick'. As is the usual for this stage of the show, DOUBLE EXPOSURE has strong production values and the episode is complemented by Peter Falk's effortless charm.