Customer Reviews

Gunsmoke Movie Collection (Return to Dodge/The Last Apache/To the Last Man)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Just watched the Gunsmoke movie collection and all three movies are excellent. Return To Dodge is my favorite, but Last Apache is damn good too. All three movies hit the mark. Arness had seen better days, but his performance is top notch in all of these. He looks older than the mountains he rides past, but I liked him more as Matt in these movies than on the Gunsmoke show. The show was classic, but Arness' personality and character got better with age. Too bad all five Gunsmoke movies aren't in this set, but Return and Last Apache are the must haves for my collection. I'm glad to have 'em on DVD. This is a fantastic set.

James Arness portrayed the western's most stable hero for years on television. The character Marshall Dillon was presented as very human but very dedicated to serving law and people. Similar to Launcelot in the Arthur Legends, Dillon fought for right and kept himself for one woman throughout his television series days as sheriff of Dodge City. In these movies, the archetypal hero is beyond Dodge City as sheriff, but he never fails to be that man big enough to do the right thing for everyone as he deals with his own problems. These three movies take him through the loneliness of a single life to the addition of offspring he never knew he had and a marriage that allows the aged hero to reap the joys of love and parenthood after nurturing others for so many years. While some of the action obviously shows Dillon doing things that would be too physically demanding for a man of his age, it is fitting that the toughest man in Dodge City doesn't deteriorate in determination or skill in fighting and shooting. Seeing Miss Kitty and Matthew Dillon as wrinkled as the rest of us is a little sad, but the spirit with which the heroism continues is a beautiful reminder that there is a little bit of hero in nearly all of us.

All 3 movies were very good. My favourite was return to dodge. It was based on the series episode Mannon, which was a very good episode. The series was one of the best shows on television. The stories would still hold up today. The movies in my opinion were weak versions of the TV episodes. I am glad the movies are out on DVD but only because I hope it leads to getting TV episodes on DVD. It would be like a choice for lets say seinfeld fans having a choice between 3 seinfeld movies over a box set of the whole series. I think that would be an easy choice. Or choosing between 3 law and order movies over a box set of the whole series, another easy choice. I will take the movies for now, and I will probably buy the other 2, and they are all good, but I really want the whole series on DVD eventually. I just bought have gun will travel first season, it didn't come yet, I will probably like it but I bought it mainly for a vote to get some of these great classic western series on DVD, mainly gunsmoke. Most of the old TV series released on DVD are pretty weak TV, I hope to see old TV shows that had a good run and were popular, and gunsmoke was the perfect example of this. I hope to see it soon.

There were five made-for-TV Gunsmoke movies. These three have something
in common. They refer to long-lasting, bitter conflicts in the Old West
with repercussions even today.

Return To Dodge is a continuation of an episode in TV series. The TV
episode provides a key item of information not repeated in the movie.
Ex-marshal Matt Dillon's arch-antagonist, Will Mannon, was the
blood-thirstiest pistolero riding with Quantrill. To this day, Quantrill
and the Border Ruffians raises hackles between the descendants of
Kansans and Missourians in the prelude to the Civil War.

The Last Apache deals with the predicament of unsurrendered Native
Americans. Ex-marshal Matt Dillon encountered the die-hard wrath of the
last of these in this movie. Even today, the issues are not completely
resolved.

To The Last Man is based on the notorious war between cattlemen and the
sheepmen that lead to the exterminative Pleasant Valley War. Ex-marshal
Dillon and his daughter Beth are caught up reluctantly in the crossfire.
The battle between cattlemen and sheepmen lasted a long time, but may not
be entirely past. Environmental and climate stresses may see this type of
struggle for scarce natural resources re-emerge in the West.

These three movies will be entertaining and edifying Gunsmoke fans, old
and new, for long time to come.

These TV movies evoke the "Gunsmoke" aura (and era) for anyone who loved the original series. James Arness, Amanda Blake, Buck Taylor and other recognizable Western character actors will be warmly welcomed back by Dodge City afficionados as you are brought up to date with Matt Dillon's odyssey post-Dodge City. Of particular interest to series fans is the "Return to Dodge City," in which one of the classic badmen who crossed Matt's trail is brought back for a final showdown. With apologies to Roy and Dale, "happy trails" while watching these fine examples of the Western television genre....

The episodes are clear and sound was good quality. It was worth the money for it was a Christmas gift for a Gunsmoke lover

Excelent package. I'm a big fan of James Arness. Looking for 2 more movies. Gunsmoke IV and Gunsmoke V. Amazon .com was fast in getting these to me,3 days. If you like Gunsmoke/James Arness, I highly recommend this package.

I am so pleased with the whole experience, The package arrived exactly when it was epected and in pristine condition. I wish I could give a higher grade than just 5 stars.

All diehard Western and Gunsmoke fans cannot be without these movies in their collections! The last of the Gunsmoke products.....it's kind of sad though to hear Miss Kitty with her deep voice after her cancer....but that doesn't take away from the thrill of the old West! It's a big thrill to see our fave characters again....solving more problems on the great plains!

I got these for my Man Boss for Christmas of 2006. He has really enjoyed them. He just loves Gunsmoke. I have yet to watch them. Someday I will.