Gunsmoke - DVD

Gunsmoke - The First Season

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 56 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

See how it all began for the longest running dramatic series in the history of television! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

"GUNSMOKE" premiered in 1955 and was canceled in 1975, for a total of 20 seasons and 635 episodes. It is one of the best, if not the best, television series of all time. Originally, it was in the black and white half hour format, then it went to black and white full hour, and finally to the beloved color full hour programming. The episodes in color are probably the best known to today's audiences. But I guarantee you that the episodes from the original black and white programming are just as good, and the first season is no exception. This great show also had an excellent cast. James Arness was Marshal Matt Dillon of Dodge City, Kansas, Amanda Blake was Miss Kitty Russell, a prostitute at first, and then later the full owner of The Long Branch. When the show first started out, Kitty was just a madame, or, as the show so cleverly disguised it, a "saloon girl". Over time, the many fans of the show began to see her profession as awkward, because how could she work in the saloon when there was a certain special relationship between her and Matt? Since the show was so strongly devoted to its fans, the writers changed Miss Kitty to at first half owner, and then later, full owner. However, the show never took Kitty and Matt's relationship to a higher level. It would be strange to see Marshal Dillon come home to a house full of kids, now wouldn't it? Also in the main cast were Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode, and Milburn Stone as Galen "Doc" Adams. Chester was not a deputy, but more of a helper to Matt. He was best known for his straight legged limp and his high pitched cries of "Mr. Dillon". Doc was a crusty and cantankerous old coot on the outside, but had a very good heart on the inside. The constant friendly badgering between Doc and Chester was always hilarious, so much that they eventually became somewhat of a comedy act. Unfortunately, Weaver left the show in 1964 to pursue other things. This is when the newer and more familiar to modern audience age of "Gunsmoke" was ushered in. When the show brought in Ken Curtis as Festus Haggen in 1959, Roger Ewing as Thad Greenwood in 1965, and Buck Taylor as Newly O'Brien in 1967. But I am not picky, and love any episode just as much as another. I shall look forward to all those episodes, some of which I have never seen. Other wonderful characteristics of this show were its impeccable use of guest stars, and transitioning the Western genre from the old serials of the 1940's to the adult Western. This show was actually the first adult television Western. The writers and producers attempt was to break away from the cliche-laden Lone Ranger to the realistic West. No masked men found here! The first season of "Gunsmoke" did not feature as much as it would later in the way of special guest stars, because it was just viewed as another Western. However, this first season did have several guest stars, such as John Dehner, Royal Dano, Aaron Spelling, Charles Bronson, and Strother Martin. The guest stars can be found more abundantly in later seasons, but it did not take long for the producers to realize the jackpot they had found for television. Below is a list of all the episodes that can be found in this 6-disc set.


1. MATT GETS IT (Series Pilot)

2. HOT SPELL

3. WORD OF HONOR

4. HOME SURGERY

5. OBIE TATER

6. NIGHT INCIDENT

7. SMOKING OUT THE NOLANS

8. KITE'S REWARD

9. THE HUNTER

10. THE QUEUE

11. GENERAL PARSLEY SMITH

12. MAGNUS

13. REED SURVIVES

14. PROFESSOR LUTE BONE

15. NO HANDCUFFS

16. REWARD FOR MATT

17. ROBIN HOOD

18. YORKY

19. 20-20

20. REUNION '78

21. HELPING HAND

22. TAP DAY FOR KITTY

23. INDIAN SCOUT

24. THE PEST HOLE

25. THE BIG BROAD

26. HACK PRINE

27. COOTER

28. THE KILLER

29. DOC'S REVENGE

30. THE PREACHER

31. HOW TO DIE FOR NOTHING

32. DUTCH GEORGE

33. PRAIRIE HAPPY

34. CHESTER'S MAIL ORDER BRIDE

35. THE GUITAR

36. CARA

37. MR. AND MRS. AMBER

38. UNMARKED GRAVE

39. ALARM AT PLEASANT VALLEY


Excellent show! The very best in television entertainment!


SPECIAL FEATURES
Sponsor Shots


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

Editorial Review:

Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 07/17/2007

Gunsmoke - The Third Season, Vol. 1

Amazon Price: $26.99 List Price: $37.99 Not yet released By: Paramount

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Love The Show, Hate The Release Format 1 out of 5 stars.
11 of 14 people found this review helpful.

Gunsmoke - The Third Season, Volume 1 continues the release schedule for one of television's alltime greatest television series. Beloved and revered, this series will always be considered one of the alltime best. Yes, because of its' longevity, but also because of the great acting, directing, and writing displayed on the series.

But still, I cannot recommend these sets. There is no excuse, no justification the studio can make for splitting a 20-season series up and dividing each season into multiple sets. It's greed, shortsighted, fear of producing full season sets that won't sell - maybe one or more or all of these things. But the Western lover, loyal as we are to our favorite stars, our favorite movies and series, are being made to pay a price that is way too high to pay. To think how long it may be before the entire series is released is too painful. Suffice it to say that it will be WAY TOO LONG at the current rate.

At this point, it is probably too much to expect the studio to come to its senses. But it is worth it to say that they need to come to their senses, and soon.

Gunsmoke: The Second Season, Vol. 2

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Dodge City has a bad reputation. It's "the wickedest, cruelest town in Kansas," some Wichita yokel notes in the episode, "Sweet and Sour." "No decent man could stand it more than a day." Marshall Matt Dillon (James Arness) is a decent man, but he's got a reputation, too. Residents know not to mess with him. When he tells one alcohol-fueled miscreant to give up his gun in the episode, "Chester's Murder," the man instantly complies, "Sure, I ain't that drunk." But it's not just his marksmanship that distinguishes Dillon. When a former Army officer shows up in Dodge angling for Dillon's job in "The Man Who Would Be Marshal," Dillon demonstrates his keen grasp of human nature. Rather than arrest a rowdy sodbuster, he allows him to "blow off steam," explaining, "That's his way of reminding himself he's a man." But the psychological toll of the dark and bloody side of Dillon's job is the focus of "Bloody Hands," one of the best episodes in this collection of season-concluding episodes. Dillon kills three bank robbers. It's self-defense, but that doesn't stop the nightmares, and he resigns. It's up to his trusty sidekick, Chester (Dennis Weaver) to appeal to his sense of justice. The bad guys, he pleads, "gotta be stopped, and that's all." And stop 'em Dillon does in his own inimitable style. After punching one man, his friends complain, "You hit him with your fist. We don't like it." Dillon coolly replies, "How do you know? You haven't tried it yet" As another bad man remarks in "Cheap Labor," "That ain't no way for a lawman to talk." Dillon still has a little to learn about women. In "Sweet and Sour," he insists that Miss Kitty (Amanda Blake), who becomes the co-owner of the Longbranch saloon, hire Rena, a pretty newcomer to town. "A pretty face will throw you any time," Kitty cautions. "Her kind spells nothing but trouble." Sure enough, four men are dead after Rena instigates fights over her. Gunsmoke set a new standard for the television western. Dillon is occasionally wrong, innocent people are killed, and not all episodes end with justice served or the expected happy ending. In one episode, a photographer (Sebastian "Mr. French" Cabot) sets up his camera in Dodge City. "It's authenticity I'm after," he insists. In these half-hour black and white episodes, Gunsmoke achieved it. --Donald Liebenson

Gunsmoke - The Second Season, Vol. 1

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 78 Average rating: 2.5 of 5

Stop complaining! 20 episodes for $25 is a good deal! 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I purchased this at Wal-Mart for $24.99 and was very happy with the quality and the amount of episodes. There were 39 episodes that year (this one has 20. If you love the old classic TV western, you'll love this. I'm not joining the bandwagon of griper misers who expect all 39 episodes for $10 or $15. Get real! Back in the old days people would pay $25 for one episode on 8 mm film. Now people are just mean spirited and expect everything for nothing. Yes, go buy a bootleg, but your quality will suffer. If you want a Cadillac, you're going to have to pay. If you think it's too much money, just don't buy it! I think it's a great deal. Why do so many call it a ripoff? Hey, maybe you can paint my house for $200. No? Oh I see..you've got to make a living at what you do too.

Still the Best 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I finished the first season, so naturally I had to continue. I watched Gunsmoke for its entire 20 season run and now it is even better with these high quality videos. It would have been nice to have the whole second season in one set, but that does not detract from the individual episodes. The commercials brought back old memories when we were not so worried about being PC all the time. I watched 7 episodes in a row and am up for 7 more any time. I hope CBS comes through with the rest of the series. One of my favorite TV shows of all time so I am in hog heaven. These were shown on Saturday night right after "Have Gun Will Travel" when it came on then moved to Monday night for the final years. Great old memories. Time has not diminished these old shows one bit in my estimation.

Editorial Review:

Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 01/08/2008 Rating: Nr

Gunsmoke - 50th Anniversary Collection, Volumes 1 & 2

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 43 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Gunsmoke: 50th Anniversary Edition Volume 1 is a winning collection of episodes from the long-running CBS Western's first nine seasons, with an accent on special guest stars who had yet to find fame. A few key storylines are in the mix, too, including Gunsmoke's first episode, dated September 10, 1955 and introduced by John Wayne, who more or less suggests that the series' beefy star, James Arness, is cut from the same heroic cloth as the Duke himself. No matter who drops in for a guest spot, however, or whether Gunsmoke was a half-hour or hour-long program (the show doubled its running time by season 8), the running storyline and core characters are as constant as the prairie stars.

Arness plays plain-speaking U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon, who keeps the peace over a wide territory from his perch in Dodge City, Kansas, a rough-and-tumble town where prospectors, farmers, bounty hunters, outlaws, and the occasional lunatic pass through. Dennis Weaver lends support as Dillon's deputy, Chester, a courageous clown; Amanda Blake is saloon keeper Kitty; and Milburn Stone plays irascible Doc, apparently Dodge City's only physician. Volume 1 highlights feature a couple of episodes with Charles Bronson, including "The Killer," in which the future Death Wish star portrays a psychopath preying on the weak. Mogul Aaron Spelling, at one time a character actor, appears as a spacey wanderer who nearly gets lynched in "The Guitar." Cloris Leachman is very good as a woman with a diabolical edge in "Legal Revenge," Angie Dickinson is memorable as an Arapaho Indian whose marriage to a white settler incites racial anger, and Jack Lord portrays a pair of brothers who threaten Doc's life. Burt Reynolds, who joined the cast of Gunsmoke as the half-white, half-Comanche character Quint, is introduced in the very effective drama "Quint Asper Comes Home," while Ken Curtis, whose goofy Festus effectively replaced the departing Chester in season 9, enters the series in "Prairie Wolfer."

Volume 2 picks up exactly where Volume 1 ends, with the long-running series entering its 10th year, each episode an hour long and Ken Curtis now a permanent member of the cast as the buffoonish Festus. A couple of other actors will come and go as cast regulars, but the core group remains: James Arness as U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon, Amanda Blake as saloon keeper Kitty, and Milburn Stone as Doc. This collection of programs cherry-picks its way through season 19, emphasizing guest stars of note including Leonard Nimoy, excellent as a wry Indian and skinner in "Treasure of John Walking Fox," and William Shatner as a wily outlaw posing as a deputy sheriff in "Quaker Girl." (Arness, who provides a brief, vocal introduction to each episode, notes that Shatner was already starring on Star Trek by the time "Quaker Girl" was broadcast in 1966.)

Bette Davis, Bruce Dern, and Tom Skerritt all appear in "The Jailer" (the first color episode in this collection), in which the legendary Davis plays a vengeful widow who kidnaps Kitty in order to lure Matt to his own execution. Ed Asner provides optional commentary for "Hung High," in which he stars, while a young Dennis Hopper turns up as a villain out to kill a bounty hunter (a charismatic John D. Barrymore, father of Drew). Carroll O'Connor is very effective in "The Wrong Man," Jon Voight (in the same year as Midnight Cowboy) makes a splash as a convicted murderer who saves Kitty's life in "The Prisoner," and Kurt Russell is solid and sympathetic as a young man determined to avenge the death of his father in "Trail of Bloodshed." Special features include a couple of gag/blooper reels, a 1968 Emmy Award presentation to Milburn Stone, and a pair of old television interviews with Amanda Blake. --Tom Keogh

Gunsmoke - 50th Anniversary Collection, Volume 1

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Gunsmoke - 50th Anniversy Collection, Volume 1 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

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

It's a must if you like Gunsmoke 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

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

Facinating! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I expected the actors to be younger than most of the episodes I have seen on TV but WOW!! These shows all have a totally different lead-in scene than the newer shows and the characters will blow you away. Matt, Miss Kitty, and Doc are very young!!! It will have you laughing at times listening to the conversations, especially Chester. Must have for Gunsmoke fans.

Editorial Review:

Marshall matt dillon is responsible for keeping the law & respectability in dodge city in this western action-drama. Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 01/10/2006

Gunsmoke - The Directors Collection

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

I will rate any gunsmoke release a 5stars 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

One of my favorite shows of all time, I recently heard from tvshowsondvd that since the first 2 releases 50th aniversery and the directors collection sold pretty well that paramount has decided to release season sets starting with season 1......cant wait, I hope it sells so they release 2,3,4,5 etc...

Gunsmoke: Directors Cut 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great overview of the Gunsmoke series from start to finish. Picture is perfect, better than when first aired on t.v. Bought it mainly for one episode with parnell roberts ('57) "To Kill A Woman". Will probably buy the first season later on.

Some episodes disappointing 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

The disappointing thing about the color episodes of this DVD set, especially the last two, is that they revolve around characters I couldn't really give a dang about, and they're borderline sappy. After watching those types of episodes I wondered what the point was to have them produced. Am I supposed to be impressed with the lineup of celebrities from other shows? They wouldn't be too bad if the shows were called something other than Gunsmoke. Absolutely nothing about these shows had anything recognizable as being a part of Gunsmoke, and when I purchase a show series, I would like a regular showing of the characters the series is supposed to revolve around.

If I had been the producer of that T.V. series I would not have allowed any shows to be created that were completely void of the original characters.

Was the original cast on strike during the filming? If not, then what was the producers' lame excuse?

I guess I'm one of those nutjobs who, when watching an episode of Gunsmoke, actually want to see the characters of Gunsmoke. I guess I'm just weird that way.

I also hate it when the color episodes that are supposed to depict historic times reproduce modern fashion garbage of the 1960/70's for makeup and hair on women in the 1870's. Many movies and shows are guilty of that. It irritates me.

So far I find the older black and white episodes better. They keep the original spirit of the show. They also reflect the excellent radio series originally broadcasted in the 1950's to early 60's (I have a copy of the entire series on an MP3 disk). Too many of the newer color ones look as if the producers were trying to start an Old West style soap opera or a new offshoot series.

Editorial Review:

Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 11/14/2006

Gunsmoke - 50th Anniversary Collection, Volume 2

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Its like finding new episodes! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

These old Gunsmoke DVDs are great. Most of the shows we have never seen on TV since the powers to be seem only interested in showing the last couple of seasons. It is really neat to watch the characters evolve. Definitely recommend for any fans of Gunsmoke, or any old westerns for that matter.

Dodge City 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

As with all episodes of the great western series they are good. They will hold your attention till the end. Good family viewing. Great actors. We just wish they would put Gunsmoke out season by season like other TV series.

Love it---ready for more volumes! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is great. I also bought V. 1 and am ready for V. 3. Well worth my money.

Nostalgia 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I appreciate having the episodes of my old favorite TV series available for viewing. The Gunsmoke package is reasonably priced and the episodes are well chosen. Just like being back in the '60s. Good buy.

Another wonderful collection of Gunsmoke's best episodes! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The new "Gunsmoke 50th Anniversary Collection, Volume Two" DVD set is actually just as good as Volume One. Here is where the show changed into a program more about the lives of people in and around Dodge City, rather than just the main cast. But is still a great show because it keeps the same spirit that it always had, while at the same time surprising us with new storylines that are always exciting. "GUNSMOKE" was, still is, and always will be an excellent show, and I hope it will always keep that same feeling living inside of its many fans. Below is a list of episodes included in this 3-disc set.



1. HUNG HIGH

2. ONE KILLER ON ICE

3. TREASURE OF JOHN WALKING FOX

4. THE JAILER

5. THE WRONG MAN

6. QUAKER GIRL

7. THE PILLAGERS

8. THE PRISONER

9. CHATO

10. P.S. MURRY CHRISTMAS

11. A QUIET DAY IN DODGE

12. TRAIL OF BLOODSHED







SPECIAL FEATURES
"Hung High" audio commentary by Ed Asner
"The Jailer" audio commentary by Bruce Dern
"The Pillagers" audio commentary by Buck Taylor
"A Quiet Day in Dodge" audio commentary by James Arness
James Arness birthday surprise blooper
CBS Fall Preview (1963)
1968 Emmy Awards: Best Supporting Actor Milburn Stone
Amanda Blake on "THE DAVID FROST SHOW" (1972)
Gag Reel (1973)
Amanda Blake on "THE MIKE DOUGLAS SHOW" (1974)
A CBS executive remembers "Gunsmoke"
Photo Gallery
Westerns Channel Gunsmoke Memories: Dennis on Milburn
Westerns Channel Gunsmoke Memories: Chester and Newly
Two syndication promos












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

Editorial Review:

Marshall matt dillon is responsible for keeping the law & respectability in dodge city in this western action-drama. Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 01/10/2006

Official Gunsmoke Old Time Radio OTR MP3 Collection on DVD

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Editorial Review:

Enjoy all your favorite Gunsmoke Old Time Radio episodes on this DVD packed with 496 different shows and appearances for a total of 213+ hours of listening enjoyment. This product is a DVD collection of Old Time Radio mp3s. It is designed to be played on your computer DVD drive with standard mp3 software - like Windows media player or its equivalent on Macintosh computers. The image shows the front cover of the DVD.

Gunsmoke Collector's Edition - Season 1, Vol. 3

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Matt Dillon 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 2 people found this review helpful.

What can one say but what a terrific show. One that was enjoyed by our family many years ago and now can be seen by the next generation. Great actors no matter what the situation.

Editorial Review:

Gunsmoke, Collector's Edition Dvd, Season 1, Volume 3: 1) Reed Survives (air 12.31.1955), 2) Professor Lute Bone (air 1.7.1956), 3) No Handcuffs (air 1.21.1956), 4) Reward for Matt (air 1.28.1956), 5) Robin Hood (air 2.4.1956), 6) Yorky (air 2.18.1956)! Cast: Charles M. Warren, Dennis Weaver, Amanda Blake, Buck Taylor, Milburn Stone, Roger Ewing, James Arness!