Customer Reviews

Gunsmoke - 50th Anniversary Collection, Volume 1

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The selection of the episodes is fine. The commentary by the stars varies between good and excellent.

Since I purchased almost all of the original 30 minute episodes of "Gunsmoke" from Columbia House (four per tape at $25), I am still disappointed that this amazing series was not released in sequence of broadcast, just as it was released by Columbia House.

"Gunsmoke" was so much more than entertainment 50 years ago. Families would gather around the "Cool Blue Fire" to share the stories (and morality tales) told by the actors and writers. Fifty years ago I was six years old, and obviously not cognizant of the great leap forward - into 'adult' territory - which "Gunsmoke" represented.

When I began watching the Columbia House 30 minute episodes, always in order of first broadcast ten years ago, I was amazed at the quality of the productions and the way that the totality had survived across (then) 40 years. Awed.

By selecting the 'best' of "Gunsmoke" the marketers imply that the rest of the series was like every other series on TV: there were only a few episodes worth watching, much less, worth BUYING. My view: that is not true.

This is one series that still deserves to be watched, and remains "must see" TV after 50 years.

I would encourage the release of "Gunsmoke" by seasons, just as "Have Gun Will Travel" is being released.

"Gunsmoke" was the primal American legend brought to black and white TV. It deserves to be seen as it was broadcast, not simply because the nostalgia quotient is higher but because it remains a seminal series.

The definitive episodic TV Western.

As most fans of "Gunsmoke" probably know, this set and the second set, representing the latter half of the series, include some very good episodes drawn from throughout the show's 20 year run, but are not season sets. But what you do get are 17 very good looking episodes from the first nine seasons, primarily the Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver) years, with the last episode introducing Festus (Ken Curtis). What distinguishes this collection is the inclusion of some truly great DVD extras, from John Wayne's introduction of the first episode to Dennis Weaver's home movies made on the set, as well as other great bonus material. The inclusion of so many extras should come as no surprise as this collection was produced by Paul Brownstein, who was also behind the great DVD releases of "The Dick Van Dyke Show." Considering the age of the episodes, it's wonderful to hear so many episode commentaries, not only from the likes of stars James Arness and Dennis Weaver, but from popular guest stars like Angie Dickinson, George Kennedy, Adam West and Barbara Eden, all of whom share wonderful memories of the show and their early days as actors working in the relatively new medium of television. Both James Arness and Dennis Weaver took active roles in this DVD release, with Mr. Arness providing audio introductions for every episode and bonus item, and Mr. Weaver sharing his "Gunsmoke" memories.

While it would have been preferred to have full season sets of "Gunsmoke" (and, who knows, maybe this will eventually happen), Paramount has delivered a mostly great release.

This is a very tough review to write because the shows, transfers, etc. are excellent. THE HUGE PROBLEM IS: WHY IS THIS SHOW NOT BEING REALESED SEASON BY SEASON? This is probably the most outstanding westerns ever produced for television. The transfers are clean and clear (except for a few spots-remember that these shows are roughly fifty years old). Also, to me, I'll take Chester over Festus any day, so, these shws are great for me from September 10th, 1955 through the first appearance of Festus on 1/18/64 (ninth season). In this episode both Festus and Chester appear together. There are only seventeen episodes for NINE SEASONS on these three discs! During that time period, the television season usually began in mid September to early October. There were probably somewhere around 25-30 shows per season. Why in the world is Paramount not releasing the entire show,season by season (granted, I'd probably only buy the season's up until Chester leaves). Still, I'd be buying nine full seasons of this wonderful show. (I'm certain that there would be others who would buy every single season). Paramount, you're releasing the complete full seasons of other shows. Why only a vol. one and a volume two of Gunsmoke? Have Gun Will Travel is being released season by season. Why not Gunsmoke?

Wow !..The memories come flooding back with this 50th Anniversary set featuring James Arness and the gang in Gunsmoke.
I suppose die hard fans will want to know why complete seasons of this great old show haven't been released,but this collection of selected episodes gives a great flavour of what was one of TV's longest running sucesses. There are some good extras too ,..with John Wayne doing an introduction to the very first episode, James Arness does some audio only intros as well.
Here in the UK ,I think I'm correct in saying, not all of the series got shown by ITV who had the rights, so this is a really welcome set. I had also completely forgotten that the show started life as half-hour episodes in the early years before expanding to the hour format. This won't appeal to everyone of course,but if you are of "a certain age",you'll revel in memories of the late Dennis Weaver's Chester,Milburn Stone's charismatic Doc and the wonderful Amanda Blake's Miss Kitty.
What a pity the recent Warner Bros sets on Maverick and Cheyenne weren't this good.

I bought Gunsmoke for Christmas for my mother Marcela who is 91, living in a nursing home in Riverside, CA, and pretty much incapacitated. My brother Marshall set up a 13" TV with DVD in Marcela's room and I am told Marcela seemed to enjoy watching her favorite TV show, all over again. (The other residents and the staff also wanted to watch). Marshall reports that the video was excellent, as if it had been shot today with the latest technology. This particular DVD included episodes with Chester. I am sure just the music brought to my mother the warm fuzzies. I am sure the same effect resulted from listening to Doc, Kitty and of course Matt. Marcela cannot talk anymore, but Marshall could discern that she is thoroughly enjoying watching Gunsmoke again. When you are where my mother is, things like a DVD with Gunsmoke episodes are big.

I really like this collection of Gunsmoke as well as Volume 2. It is a varied mix of what the show was all about. I like the comments by James Arness before each episode. The extras are really good too though I wish they's have more "gag" reels. One of my favorites is Margaret Hamilton's "slip" in "A Quiet Day in Dodge" which was also a very good show.

I REALLY REALLY wish CBS would put all of the episodes on DVD and in order of when they aired. I'd buy them all. I grew up on Gunsmoke and but didn't get to see them all. I've even got my 23 yr old son hooked on Gunsmoke.

Before "Gunsmoke" became a comfy institution, it fought hard for its TV turf. The show's dramatic early success often is credited to its adult subject matter, unheard of in TV Westerns of the early 1950s. (The series "is honest, it's adult, it's realistic," the Duke cautioned the first episode's audience.)

"Gunsmoke" writers such as Sam Peckinpah and series co-creator John Meston had the freedom to tell tales of rape, slavery, thrill kills, child abuse and, of course, prostitution. A long way from Zorro and the Lone Ranger. This is the side of "Gunsmoke" a lot of people haven't seen, and it's on display here in volume 1.

Paramount's new sets -- by far the best "Gunsmoke" product out there -- go for the star power. DVD producer Paul Brownstein corralled episodes with such guest stars as Charles Bronson, Jon Voight, Richard Chamberlain, John Drew Barrymore, Leonard Nimoy, Kurt Russell and Jodie Foster.

The all-star approach yields a tree-ring view that wouldn't have been possible with greatest-hits collections. Some shows are definitely weaker than others, usually coinciding with one of the series' format changes. The writers, for example, didn't know what to do with all that extra time when the show went from 30 minutes to 60. There are plenty of terrific episodes, though, including star James Arness' favorites "Chato" (with Ricardo Montalban as a renegade Apache) and the charming comedy "A Quiet Day in Dodge."

Images range from excellent to barely passable. The black-and-white shows look a bit flat but are solid overall; there's surprisingly little wear, considering. Check out the noir-influenced lighting that revealed the evils of Dodge City after dark.

The color episodes from the mid-'60s show their age; two are borderline unwatchable. One of the stranger shows ("The Jailer") feels like one of those old 3-D demos, with the actors dressed in bright colors and garish makeup -- like Fellini characters -- to demonstrate TV's new color palette. A bizarre performance by Bette Davis (highlighted by her blue eyes and green teeth) completes the experience. The DVDs' mono audio gets the job done -- dialog is clear, gunshots sharp.

The DVD sets' 11 commentaries include talks from guest stars Angie Dickinson, George Kennedy, Ed Asner and Bruce Dern. Arness, 82, provides two rewarding commentaries as well as short introductions to all of the episodes. Dennis Weaver (Chester) and Buck Taylor (Newly) also do talks. (Cast "family members" Amanda Blake, Milburn Stone (Doc) and Ken Curtis (Festus) all died before the DVD era.)

The generous collection of extras are spread about the six discs. Most are short, upbeat and nostalgic. Among the more interesting bits are two 1970s talk show appearances with Blake, who tells Mike Douglas she left the show because she "couldn't take it anymore ... (being) locked in this saloon all these years." A panel discussion with Blake and Arness was filmed in the year of her death, showing the actress frail and still ready to rumble. The sets lack a strong "Gunsmoke" documentary, a real missed opportunity.

(Interesting how Amazon spotlights reviews from people who haven't seen the product. This is far from a "tossed together" project. Buy with confidence.)

It was good to go back and see the earlier versions of Gunsmoke with Chester. It's nice to look at the older episodes and find that they were as well done as the later ones. It's the best western ever in both the black and white or the color. If you like Gunsmoke you can't go wrong with this set of DVD"s

I am enjoying the Gunsmoke series very much. I grew up listening to Gunsmoke on the radio and then on TV. They are real holsome stories to watch. I can't stand the programs they have on TV today because it is all about violence so I watch these DVD's over and over again. I can't wait until more come out to purchase. I guess I have shown my age by this review but that is okay.
Glenn

"GUNSMOKE" was always a wonderful show, filled with excellent acting and very well-written episodes. This set is not a season set, but it is not just a "best of" collection of episodes either. It goes above and beyond the usual television show DVD release, in that the executives at CBS have put so much time and effort into this project. Not to mention that some of the still living members from the show were (at least at the time of the DVD set's release) still around to provide assistance. All of the episodes look and sound great; everything is in absolutely perfect condition, including the writing of the episodes, which is still entertaining as ever. This show will hopefully always be around to entertain its old and new dedicated fans. Below is a list of episodes contained in this 3-disc set.

--- Ratings based on my opinion of episode; 4 **** Rating System ---


1. MATT GETS IT (Series Pilot, including original episode introduction by John Wayne) ****

2. HACK PRINE ****

3. THE KILLER ***1/2

4. THE PREACHER ***

5. THE GUITAR ****

6. LEGAL REVENGE ****

7. SINS OF THE FATHER ***1/2

8. ROMEO ***

8. DOC'S REWARD ***

9. LOST RIFLE ***1/2

10. THE BOBSY TWINS ***

11. THE BLACKSMITH ***

12. LITTLE GIRL ***

13. CHESTERLAND ***1/2

14. QUINT ASPER COMES HOME ****

15. ASH ***

16. PRAIRIE WOLFER ****



SPECIAL FEATURES
"MATT GETS IT" audio commentary by James Arness
"HACK PRINE" audio commentary by Dennis Weaver
"SINS OF THE FATHER" audio commentary by Angie Dickinson
"ROMEO" audio commentary by Barbara Eden
"THE BLACKSMITH" audio commentary by George Kennedy
"CHESTERLAND" audio commentary by Dennis Weaver
"ASH" audio commentary by Adam West
Audio introduction to most episodes by James Arness
James Arness as Matt Dillon on "THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW"
Dennis Weaver as Chester on "THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW" with audio commentary by Dennis Weaver
Dennis Weaver's Home Movies with audio commentary by Dennis Weaver
Museum of TV and Radio Seminar
Museum of TV and Radio Promo
CBS Affiliates Gag Reel
1958 Emmy Awards: Best Dramatic Series
1959 Emmy Awards: Dennis Weaver, Best Supporting Actor with audio commentary by Dennis Weaver
1961 Fall Preview: Tuesday and Saturday
"Westerns Channel" Gunsmoke promo
"Westerns Channel" Gunsmoke memories: Dennis Weaver on Gunsmoke trio
"Westerns Channel" Gunsmoke memories: Dennis Weaver on James Arness (#1)
"Westerns Channel" Gunsmoke memories: Dennis Weaver on James Arness (#2)
"Westerns Channel" Gunsmoke memories: Dennis Weaver on his audition
"Westerns Channel" Gunsmoke memories: Bill Cosby
"Westerns Channel" Gunsmoke memories: Dennis Weaver on the limp
"Westerns Channel" Gunsmoke memories: Dennis Weaver gets rid of the stiff leg
Episode Photo Gallery: "The Guitar" and "Sins of the Father"
Photo Gallery: 1958 Dodge City Trip - Milburn Stone and Amanda Blake
Photo Gallery




THIS REVIEW IS DEDICATED TO ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, INVOLVED IN THE MAKING OF "GUNSMOKE".