MOVIES (TV) - Lonesome Dove

[aussie]

This is probably off topic, but I have seen this movie several times and have finally read the book. Wonderfull! If there are any of you out there that has seen the movie but not read the book, I would highly suggest you do so. Very close to the movie but includes a lot more and ties some things together. Anyway, just my rant......enjoy.

[firefuzz]

Best western mini-series ever. I've watched it several times and read the book.

Rob

[RIHMFIRE]

Something I must do!
Seen the movie many times.....
Gus is probably one of the best western characters ever....

[C. Cash]

Agreed! Book is a must read.....movie is just icing on the cake.

[gamekeeper]

Great movie and Great book...

[Bullard4075]

One of my all-time favorite movies.

Please give me a couple hints of what is in the book better than the movie.

[octagon]

Bullard 4075: In the book, the lead bull on the drive (a large and ugly Longhorn) has an epic fight with a grizz. I won't tell you who won, as this is only a hint.
In the book, friend Jake gives his horse to Newt, right before he is hanged.

[KSFlatheadhunter]

This is probably off topic, but I have seen this movie several times and have finally read the book. Wonderfull! If there are any of you out there that has seen the movie but not read the book, I would highly suggest you do so. Very close to the movie but includes a lot more and ties some things together. Anyway, just my rant......enjoy.

Thanks aussie! That is one of my favorite movies! Another book for the reading list.

Darin

[Old No7]

<< Posted at the risk of being shot!!! >>

Maybe it's me, and maybe this reply should be labeled as "off topic"...

But I've only watched 1/2 the movie -- and I just can't get up the interest to finish it...

I tried -- I mean I really tried to like it -- but for me, it's not lived up to all the hype and positive comments I've read here and on other forums.

It's... "Just OK". Sort of like "Appaloosa", which I'd describe the same way...

If you like it a lot -- or if you love it -- well good for you!!!

To me, while the costuming and sets were good, the character development and dialog was 2nd-rate, and the plot was rather pedantic...

Tell me this though................ Is the 2nd disc any better than the 1st???

Old No7

[shooter]

<< Posted at the risk of being shot!!! >>

Maybe it's me, and maybe this reply should be labeled as "off topic"...

But I've only watched 1/2 the movie -- and I just can't get up the interest to finish it...

I tried -- I mean I really tried to like it -- but for me, it's not lived up to all the hype and positive comments I've read here and on other forums.

It's... "Just OK". Sort of like "Appaloosa", which I'd describe the same way...

If you like it a lot -- or if you love it -- well good for you!!!

To me, while the costuming and sets were good, the character development and dialog was 2nd-rate, and the plot was rather pedantic...

Tell me this though................ Is the 2nd disc any better than the 1st???

Old No7

If you get into the movie (which I did, it's my favorite), I wouldn't say the 2nd disc is necessarily "better" than the first, but it's different. A good story line lets you develop relationships with the characters, get to know them, and kinda get emotionally attached to them. For me, Lonesome Dove does a good job of this in the first half of the movie. The second half is not "better" per se, but it lets you see what becomes of all the characters, and you get to see the story unfold. All the dialogue from the first part of the movie starts to come together, and there are some surprises. You get to see how the characters forge bonds, break bonds, and deal with adversity. I always get a little lump in my throat when watching the end of the movie. IMO, if you haven't watched the whole thing, you should at least once. It's better if you can do it all at once, but I realize that most people don't get 6 hrs. of free time that often to sit down and watch it. Every once in a while I will watch a little every night for 3 or 4 nights in a row.

I am also one that generally agrees that the book is usually better than the movie. In this case, I really enjoyed the book, but the movie was just as enjoyable if not more so for me. Maybe it's because I watched the movie several times before I finally read the book in high school. I did a detailed book report on it. From my recollection the movie follows pretty closely to the book. Movies that do this are sometimes as enjoyable as the book.

[Mac in Mo]

One of my favorites. As a matter of fact I just watched it again last week. Never read the book. Will have to do that.


Kevin

[Martini450]

Great movie and book; I've read it a couple of times, and usually watch it about every two to three years (great movie for January/February). Personally, I think it's one of the few instances where a film actually lives up to the book. For me, the book gets the edge for detail and additional story lines, like the lead bull/grizzly fight, but the movie makes up for it with character development.

Shooter, although I like both discs equally as well, the second disc leaves you feeling like you've known Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call for years. Check it out if you get a chance, it may change your opinion of the movie.

[shooter]

Great movie and book; I've read it a couple of times, and usually watch it about every two to three years (great movie for January/February). Personally, I think it's one of the few instances where a film actually lives up to the book. For me, the book gets the edge for detail and additional story lines, like the lead bull/grizzly fight, but the movie makes up for it with character development.

Shooter, although I like both discs equally as well, the second disc leaves you feeling like you've known Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call for years. Check it out if you get a chance, it may change your opinion of the movie.

I think there's been a misunderstanding, I love the whole movie I was responding to Old No. 7's post about not being able to get into it. I feel the same way about the second disk, that the character development is excellent.

[66GTO]

Yep, I agree, the movie and book are both great. It is interesting that others agree with my opinion that it is one of the few movies based on a novel that is as good or better than the book.

I have to give to give credit to Rangerider and other Old West historians on this forum for piquing my interest in the Goodnight/Loving story that was the basis for McMurtry's book.

[Martini450]

Great movie and book; I've read it a couple of times, and usually watch it about every two to three years (great movie for January/February). Personally, I think it's one of the few instances where a film actually lives up to the book. For me, the book gets the edge for detail and additional story lines, like the lead bull/grizzly fight, but the movie makes up for it with character development.

Shooter, although I like both discs equally as well, the second disc leaves you feeling like you've known Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call for years. Check it out if you get a chance, it may change your opinion of the movie.

I think there's been a misunderstanding, I love the whole movie I was responding to Old No. 7's post about not being able to get into it. I feel the same way about the second disk, that the character development is excellent.

Misunderstanding on my part-sorry about that! My first response was meant for Old No. 7 as well. That's why I have to read the book every couple of years, to make sure I get the author right!!!

[Martini450]

Yep, I agree, the movie and book are both great. It is interesting that others agree with my opinion that it is one of the few movies based on a novel that is as good or better than the book.

I have to give to give credit to Rangerider and other Old West historians on this forum for piquing my interest in the Goodnight/Loving story that was the basis for McMurtry's book.

Another interesting thing here is, if I remember right, McMurtry had originally written the story as a screenplay back in the early '70s, but for some reason it never came to fruition, so he put it together as a novel in the '80s. Whatever the case, the story is such a good one that reading it puts me in the mood to watch it, and watching it makes me want to read it again. And both make me want to shoot my Walker.

[66GTO]

I read the same thing and that he wanted John Wayne as Call, Jimmy Stewart as Gus, and Henry Fonda as Jake Spoon.

[Idahoser]

you've done yourself the disservice of allowing the hype to lead you to expect something. This isn't 'blockbuster', it's a quiet, laid back story with some punctuation, but you can't watch this 'expecting' something and enjoy it for what it is. Some day when you've got time just try watching it, instead of "expecting" something from it.

If you want to get the story in chronological order, it's

Dead Man's Walk
Comanche Moon
Lonesome Dove
Streets of Laredo

the series, 'return' movies, etc. are kind of in an 'alternate universe' and might best be left for when you go back and watch them again.




Highlight the area between the lines if you want to read it. I've tried to color it like the background but I can't get it quite right, sorry.

* * * * * * * * * * spoiler alert* * * * * * * * *


I personally find McMurtry's writing style easy and fun to read, but my God I wish somebody would sell him a point. It's so depressing reading about all these people suffering and dying and no payoff in the end.


* * * * * * * * * * spoiler alert* * * * * * * * *

[Killer Kanuck]

If you want to get the story in chronological order, it's

Dead Man's Walk
Comanche Moon
Lonesome Dove
Streets of Laredo

* * * * * * * * * * spoiler alert* * * * * * * * *

I personally find McMurtry's writing style easy and fun to read, but my God I wish somebody would sell him a point. It's so depressing reading about all these people suffering and dying and no payoff in the end.

* * * * * * * * * * spoiler alert* * * * * * * * *

I just finished reading Dead Man's Walk the other night (kind of read them out of order - 3,4,2,1). The books that chronologically take place before Lonesome Dove really flesh out some of the reasons Gus and Call are the way they are. I would recommend reading the entire series to anyone that liked Lonesome Dove.
Idahoser - with regards to your somments in the spoiler - I think that's part of the attraction of these stories. The raw, dirty, flawed, fragileness of life in that era.