I rediscovered this documentary recently among some old VHS recordings and i have to say; if anything it gained in quality over the years. Now thats not because todays documentaries are worse, its because the retro picture quality for some reason enhances the feel for the subject.
Crime Inc. is about the early organized Crime in the USA from the 1920 to ~1980 and consists of (highly edited) Interviews and News-segments of the respective time periods; narrated by Martin Short. The documentary itself has a clear narrative and, when i first watched it, felt quite construed - but now that the presentation and picture quality seems so old fashioned it unwillingly provides some distance from the scandalous and shocking subject. It never registered as something that actually happened for me. Now, since the newly gained distance allows me to judge whatever is portrayed rationally and with a grain of salt, it does.
Wile the music, editing and commentary are superb it has to be said this series only gains if u ignore the (old fashioned) attempts to dramatize and shock - and focus on the interviews and news-segments. The interviews alone should be enough to leave you pondering crime-culture and how men can (post-)rationalize just about anything.
Since i remember this feeling like a movie back when it originally aired (and therefore fictional - good for entertainment, not that good for a documentary) 8/10. Only gained with time.
