Product Details

• Actors: George Strait, Lesley Ann Warren, Isabel Glasser, Kyle Chandler, John Doe
• Directors: Christopher Cain
• Writers: Rex McGee
• Producers: Jerry Weintraub, R.J. Louis, Susan Ekins
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: January 14, 1994
• Run Time: 112 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (131 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302681685
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,274 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

After 25 chart-topping hits, the singing star becomes a movie star! George Strait makes his film debut in an entertaining look into the heart and soul of country music from Young Guns director Christopher Cain.

Superstar Dusty Chandler (Strait) is tired of the smoke, the strobe lights and the overmiked sound of his arena spectaculars. One night, something snaps. "I'm just going to take a little walk," Dusty says as he walks out of the empty hall, ditching his beard, ponytail - and temporarily, his career - to reclaim his down-home country roots. But his manager (Leslie Ann Warren) retaliates: a stand-in (Kyle Chandler) lip-synchs his songs in concert. And a romance with a lovely rancher (Isabel Glasser) is on again, off again like a rodeo cowboy. The simple life can be complex, but it's nothing a revitalized country boy can't handle!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Straightforward plot; fine acting by George, March 8, 2002

By 

Ken "KC Music Fan" (Olathe, KS, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pure Country [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I bought the video to Pure Country after listening to the soundtrack album. The movie is well-done. George Strait plays Dusty Chandler, a country music superstar who gets tired of the loud sound and overhyped special effects(smoke and strobe lights) in his shows. After an argument with his manager, Lula Rogers(played by Lesley Ann Warren), Dusty says to his best friend, Earl(John Doe), "I'm just gonna take me a little walk," and he does that. He returns to his old hometown, cuts off his beard and ponytail, and tries to get back to his down-home country roots, going first to his Grandma Ivy's house and then to the bar where he once played. After Dusty leaves town, Lula tries to keep his show going at all costs. With some important concert dates coming up, including one in Las Vegas, she hires Buddy(Kyle Chandler), a member of Dusty's road crew, to lip-synch his songs. Most of the band members have doubts, but Lula goes ahead with the plan. The first concert date goes smoothly, and Lula justifies what she does by blaming Dusty for walking out. Lula also hires a private detective and goes off herself to find Dusty.

Meanwhile, Dusty goes to a night club, where he meets the young rancher Harley, the other principal character(played by Isabel Glasser). Harley's boyfriend gets jealous upon seeing her with another guy, and a fight starts. After breaking his rival's nose, Dusty is knocked out in the parking lot and wakes up the next morning. He accepts Harley's offer of breakfast and later finds himself taking roping lessons. Before too long, with the help of Harley and her brothers, he becomes a good roper, and it turns out that his skills are needed. Harley's dad, Ernest(Rory Calhoun), is in danger of losing the ranch, and he is depending on Harley's winning her event at a big rodeo in Las Vegas to stay afloat.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but it turns out to be a fairy tale in which things eventually work out well for everyone. Harley wins at the rodeo, saving her ranch. Dusty comes back, patches things up with everybody(except Buddy, whom he gets rid of after learning how much publicity Buddy's lip-synching act has gotten) and puts on a great show in Vegas--minus the ponytail, beard and fancy costume. Lula at long last gives Dusty an emotional apology. And despite Lula's efforts to break up his romance, Dusty gets his girl(Harley) in the end.

Though George is the movie's star, Lesley Ann Warren, in my opinion, steals the show as the crafty Lula. Lula professes to be concerned about Dusty and his band members, but everything she does(using Buddy as a stand-in, hiring a private detective, and following Dusty) shows me that she's really in it for the money. It is only after watching Buddy's TV interview and seeing Harley, who turns out to be Dusty's true love, that Lula breaks down. We're not told much about Dusty and Lula's non-business relationship, although those who saw the movie(including myself) will see, from the barroom photo Dusty looks at, that she played in his band before he got popular and that she was his old girlfriend. John Doe's character, Earl, also plays an important role, though it's a minor one. He reminisces with Dusty about the old days(when they went to the carnival and watched the "dancing chicken"). He defends Dusty against Lula's accusations that he(Dusty) walked out, and, being the loyal friend that he is, he walks out himself and follows Dusty to Harley's ranch.

Director Chris Cain and writer Rex McGee did a very good job on this film. Their failure to develop Dusty and Lula's relationship further is the only flaw in an otherwise fine movie. The acting, though there aren't many well-known actors, is first-rate, and George sings a lot of great tunes, including the hit "I Cross My Heart", on an awesome soundtrack. I think, too, that George, who had never acted before except in TV commercials, does a very convincing job as Dusty. I became a George Strait fan after watching this movie. I think that even those who aren't music fans will like it. It's a great portrayal of country music, and it also is a good slice-of-life movie.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars George Strait is no doubt "Pure Country!", September 24, 2001

By 

Ryan Burton (Granite City, IL.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pure Country (DVD)

For anyone who loves traditional country music, and who is a fan of George Strait, then you are advised to watch this very fun movie. This movie was very well made for George Strait(which was motion picture debut) as Dusty Wyatt Chandelor. As Dusty becomes more popular as a country music singer, his manager (Lesley Ann Warren) stages all his tours with smoke, strobe lights, and really loud music to where no one can even see or hear the "real" country artist. To be honest, what Strait's character goes through is more like being in one of Garth Brooks tours which is more rock & rap than it is country. So he decides to ditch it all to go back to his small town roots, and there he falls for the lovely Harley Tucker (Isabell Glasser). A very wonderful movie that has a heart and soul. Thanks for being true to country, Mr. Strait!

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best movie I ever seen!, November 1, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Pure Country [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Without a doubt one of the best movies to feature great country music in a true country atomosphere (not like Urban Cowboy or Rhinestone), is the movie Pure Country starring George Strait, Lesley Ann Warren, and Isabel Glasser. The plot centers around the career of a country music singer by the name of Dusty Chandler played by George who gets tired of performing shows that are too extravagent and look lik a forth of July celebration with fireworks, smoke, and music so lound that nobody can hear the words. Dusty's manager is the flirty Lula Rodgers played by Warren. When Dusty just takes a walk one night he ends up back in his old home town, one thing leads to another and the next thing you know he's romancing a beautiful young woman named Harley Tucker (Glasser) who is struggling to keep the family ranch out of the bank's hands. All the while Dusty tours goes on without him. Lula feeling that she has no other choice sends out a Dusty impersonator in the form of Buddy Jackson (Kyle Chandler), a member of the road crew who just happens to be her boyfriend. In the end Dusty gets his girl and he gives a great performance, just him and his guitar. The performance of "I Cross My Heart" is enough to make the anybody anybody wish that they could find a love this true. I get choked up every time and watch and I wish that it was me singing on that stage. At that point he is pretty much the luckiest person in the world. A great career and a great woman. The music this movie has to offer is, how can I say it, greater than any other movie ever made. There is something for every fan of country music, from heartbreak songs to love ballads to songs that you can't help but dance too. If you want to watch a movie that really makes you want to fall in love watch this one and if you like country music and you haven't seen this movie that plaease watch it, I beg of you. Buy the soundtrack too. To wrap this up buy the movie, rent it, do what you have to do. It's the best movie I ever seen and I can't stress that enough. The movie is clean so you can watch it with your kids, your girlfriend, your boyfriend, your spouse, watch it with anybody you want to. Trust me you'll be doing them a favor. Thank you very much and have a good 'un. END