Lonesome Dove - SteelBook Edition

This was a classic that everyone watched starting back in 1988. It has lasted until now as a classic. The product I received was in excellent condition and I would highly recommend it.

Remember all those Blockbuster video stores back in the old days? I have to take some of the blame for them disappearing because surely the late fees I paid on "Lonesome Dove" seriously boosted their profits for at least three months. I simply could not bring it back and I know other people who still watch it on a regular basis even though it's almost 30 years old.If one is not too "format specific" and doesn't mind calling a 6 hour mini series a 'movie" Lonesome Dove is easily the best Western ever made and before the great HBO and AMC series' (The Wire, Deadwood, The Sopranos, Breaking Bad etc.) was the highest point television ever reached. Other reviewers who have written on the high points of television over the years before streaming video existed pretty much agree.First of all, the chemistry between Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones (in by far their greatest performances ever) has to be seen to be believed. If friendship contains an element of love, then this is also one of the greatest love stories of all time, even though there is never the slightest hint of any kind of "romantic" attraction between the two (as in Brokeback Mountain for example). Just as often as not they seem irritated by one another, but I have seen many love affairs between men and women in which that is how they show their love for one another. In any case it is a miracle of the craft of acting.There must have been some magic going on while this was being filmed because the same sort of chemistry among the supporting cast runs throughout the movie as well. Frederick Forrest plays one of the most menacing villains of all time, Diane Lane is absolutely beautiful, tough and vulnerable as the town prostitute (although one wonders how such a lovely woman would wind up in such a situation), Danny Glover delivers his best performance of all time as the humble, kind-to-a fault "Deets" etc. The acting accolades are too numerous to totally recount. Only Robert Urich seems to be slightly miscast as Jake Spoon if you are looking for a portrayal of the character that is more in line with Larry McMurty's great book. Who cares? Not me.Speaking of which: the movie is fairly faithful to the book, but takes certain parts of the story and sequences them differently. For once this works out for the better especially when you reach the film's magnificent ending. It really could not possibly have been done better and is guaranteed to bring a lump to your throat and make your hair stand on end, whereas the ending of the book is somewhat anti climactic. As a matter of fact, as great of an author as Larry McMurtry is it is generally conceded among fans of "The Western" that the mini series is far better than the book, which is far more about things winding down (entropy) and becomes very flat in many parts.Now that such a long time has passed since its original broadcast I know there are many people out there now who love the Western genre who have never seen Lonesome Dove or perhaps have never even heard of it. I don't want to spoil it for them by describing the plot in any more detail. Suffice it to say that if you are into making "5 best lists" you are going to have to redo most of them after watching this.It starts a little slow and takes its time unfolding but even though I consider myself to be a pretty hard core Texan who wears cowboy boots and a cowboy hat most days I couldn't make it to work after having made the mistake of watching the fourth and final episode before I went to bed the first time I saw the series. You will know why when you watch it.And do watch it. It is still the greatest Western of all time and one of the most stunning "movies" ever made in any genre. Watch out though; the level of tragedy and true pathos rises to about as high a level as it can get during the 3rd and 4th episodes. If you miss work or school because they hit you too hard get in touch and I'll write a letter to your boss or teacher. My sister, for example, can't watch it because it hits her TOO hard.I should add that the audio and video quality of the Amazon streaming version are absolutely superb and of far, far higher quality than the VHS version of Lonesome Dove that got me addicted to this work of high, high art in the first place.I would give it 7 stars if I could because I doubt if anybody will ever be able to recreate the magic that Lonesome Dove contains.Absolutely magnificent! I don't plan on getting stranded on a desert island anytime soon, but if I was I would want "Lonesome Dove," "The Wire" and "Breaking Bad"with me above anything else that has ever been filmed. That ought to give you some idea of the quality of this great American Masterpiece.

This started a a TV miniseries in 1989 and I & America were in love with it!!! Based on Larry McMurtry Pulitzer Prize Book of the same name. You get drawn in from the beginning and you just want to keep watching forever. The Stars of this were the A-Team of acting: Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Diane Lane, Angelica Huston, Danny Glover, Frederick Forrest, Danny Glover and Robert Urich and more great ones. Their characters felt like we were with them thru a very long journey from Texas to Montana. I think it's the most rewarding pic I ever seen & will re-watch yearly as they're like family. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Delivered on time & the playing of it, well, was not quite as clear. I'm keeping it, though.

This is principally a review of the Blu-ray Disk. There is little to say about the film that hasn't already been said. It's a classic -- not just a great Western, but a great movie, one of those very rare films that perfectly captures the tone of the book it's derived from. (The book was originally a screenplay for Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, and John Wayne. That's another story.) But I /will/ say a few things.Though Robert Duvall's performance has been universally lauded -- he utterly nails Gus -- not enough has been said for Tommy Lee Jones', which is arguably even better than Duvall's. Woodrow F. Call is a loyal, hard-working, but dismally dull human being, highly asocial and devoid of (and largely incapable of understanding) basic human feelings. This is fairly clear in the novel, and made all-too-clear in the two (quite unnecessary) prequels. When Maggie throws hot corn meal in his face, you're glad she did.What's amazing about Jones' performance is his ability to bring complexity (and even some warmth) to what is essentially a "dishwater" character, while not losing Call's fundamental cluelessness. This is particularly notable in the scene where Po Campo explains why he doesn't ride animals: "You are an animal. Would you like another animal riding you?" Jones portrays Call's utter inability to see things from any point of view other than his own shallow, parochical perspective, in an amazing piece of facial acting. Ditto for the scene where he gives Newt his father's watch. * The expression on his face is indescribable, as is his inability to articulate his feelings. And then there is Gus's death scene, as great a piece of acting (from both men) as you'll ever see anywhere. It never fails to reduce me to tears. As fine an actor as TLJ is, I've yet to see a performance from him to equal this one.Though the mini-series was shown in prime-time on CBS, I should warn parents that "Lonesome Dove" includes "adult" subject matter that is treated bluntly, and there are a few scenes of appalling violence. It is not suitable for pre-teens.As for the BD transfer... Until now, "Lonesome Dove" has never looked very good. It wasn't particularly impressive in its original broadcast, and neither the LaserDisk nor the DVD did much to improve it. The image was so soft and grainy I suspected the film was shot on 16mm -- which made no sense.Why? Because it would most-likely have been shot in widescreen on 35mm stock, in anticipation of producing a shorter theatrical version for European distribution. It turns out that "Lonesome Dove" /was/ shot in 35mm widescreen (1.85:1), and that's what's on this disk. The difference is a revelation, an extremely sharp image with gobs of beautiful (but not exaggerated) detail. I'd give the image quality a solid B+. (If there weren't even better BDs out there, it would get an A-.) You will not be disappointed.The cinematography is outstanding. Not only are scenes shot at the appropriate time of day (a rarity for any film), but the lighting is perfectly balanced. For example, indoor shots look as if they're lit by indoor (or window) lighting, but the outside (as seen through windows and doors) is /not/ "blown out". That's not easy to do, especially in a long film with a short shooting schedule.My only complaint about the transfer is that some of the night scenes (indoor and outdoor) are extremely grainy (probably because they were underexposed, due to an obvious attempt to use only lanterns, desk lamps, etc), and nothing appears to have been done to reduce the grain. Worse, some of the outdoor night shots show white horizontal streaks, as if the negative had been damaged. Most of this could have been fixed, but it wasn't.A wonderful film that you can now see as it was meant to be seen. Unreservedly recommended.* Call is so asocial, even to the point of being somewhat feral, that one wonders how he could ever have /had/ a father.

When you join great actors with McMurtry's writing, glossy diamonds roll out. Some of the best dialogue of any movie, and Robert Duvall's performance is spectacular, a clinic on how to let one's entire body become the character. He IS Augustus McCrae, the charismatic fellow we'd all like to be. Some of the special effects are second-rate but they aren't needed so one can just more or less ignore them.

My wife and I watched every version of this story. The currently reviewed version and all the sequels and prequels. What a great series! Of course, the original version is the best with Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones. It really moved us emotionally. Aside from all the action, including horse-wrangling, cattle drives, Indian attacks, etc., there was an underlying passionate human interest aspect to it that really moved us. It's one of those shows that stays with you for many years. Highly recommended!

El DVD no se puede reproducir en Europa. Es de EEUU.

Dvd de qualité très belle série jamais sortie en France, tirée d'un bon livre.

Excelente servicio, de mensajeria. El producto es muy buen. lo disfrutamos mucho. Nos divertimos muchggo. Lo recomendaria a todos mis amigos

Exactly as described, full version, dvd and no problems with compatibility. Excellent mini series, loved it when it first came out, loved re-watching it.