COLUMBO: ÉTUDE IN BLACK — The Great Disheveled Detective on the Big Screen!
About this Event
As part of PRS's YesterdayLA 2026 series—a month-long exploration of the people, places, and works of art that have become part of the fabric of Los Angeles history—7th House is delighted to present a rare big-screen screening of COLUMBO: ÉTUDE IN BLACK (1972), one of the series' most celebrated episodes and, like every Columbo "howcatchem," an enduring entry in the case files of 1970s Los Angeles.
When a gifted concert pianist turns up dead, celebrated LA Symphony conductor Alex Benedict—played with charisma, intensity, and mounting desperation by Peter Falk's real-life partner-in-crime, the pioneering progenitor of independent cinema, John Cassavetes—appears to have orchestrated the perfect crime. That is, until the increasingly inquisitive Columbo begins putting together the missing pieces. Directed by Nicholas "Coach" Colasanto, Étude in Black pairs two titans of American screen acting in a masterclass of cat-and-mouse suspense, as the rumpled Lieutenant putters his Peugeot to concert halls, recording studios, affluent estates (...and a veterinarian's office), and the rarefied social circles of our fair city. From the Hollywood Bowl to the city's upper-echelon enclaves, the episode captures a world of artistic prestige, celebrity, wealth, and ambition with eagle-eyed specificity.
The greatest joy, as always, comes from our tousled tour guide himself: there has never been another case-cracker—on television or otherwise—quite like Lieutenant Columbo. In a genre crowded with brilliant eccentrics, hard-boiled gumshoes, and swaggering sleuths, Peter Falk's disheveled, delightful detective never seems interested in proving himself the smartest man in the room. He listens. He notices. He asks one more question. Rich or poor, famous or forgotten, murderer or witness, Columbo meets everyone with the same curiosity and calculated confusion, unassumingly leading them to their own revelations—and, more often than not, incriminations. For all his deductive gifts, Falk's great creation remains defined less by intellect than by an abiding fascination with people—their habits, contradictions, vanities, and vulnerabilities.
Join us for this rare opportunity to experience a small-screen mystery masterpiece on the big screen: a vivid postcard from 1970s Los Angeles and a virtuoso screen duel between Falk and creative compatriot Cassavetes. More than fifty years later, there are still few joys greater than shuffling around LA with our favorite shaggy sleuth—one of the great characters in television or cinema—as he coaxes hapless homiciders toward their own undoing with curiosity, charm, and just enough calculated confusion to see what everyone else has overlooked.
Oh, and just one more thing: this case marks the first appearance of "Dog" ("all he does is sleep and drool"), Columbo's droopy k9 companion!
Dir. Nicholas Colasanto, 1972, 97 mins, United States, English, Digital.
Tickets: $12 (All Screenings Are In Person Only)
Please email [email protected] or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.
ADVISORY DISCLAIMER
With some exception, The Philosophical Research Society’s 7th House Screenings does not typically provide advisory warnings about potentially upsetting content or subject matter, as sensitivities are particular to each viewer. Please be sure to read event listings, research on the web, or visit Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com for thorough info on content and age-appropriateness. If you have any specific content advisory questions, please email [email protected].
CONTENT DISCLAIMER
The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed within exhibited works are solely those of their creators and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Screenings are intended for educational and entertainment purposes.
ACCESSIBILITY
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Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 14.64
