I'm having second thoughts about ordering from these folks. The site may be just a gimmick to steal credit card numbers.
I'm sure you're familiar with the old saying "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is". That may apply in this case.
That's why I wondered if anyone on the board had done business with them - so I could get a prior reading on their legitimacy.
Posts from Stumpy in thread „Classic TV Westerns- Discussion (Archive)“
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I tell ya, Stumpy, I've never heard of that site but, they do have some interesting shows you can get. I noticed that The Dakotas was listed as was, Black Saddle, Broken Arrow and others. It would be nice to know who put those all together and what the picture quality is and how did the producers get access to all those shows to put them on DVD.
Like I said, Jim, I'm gonna go ahead and order "High Chaparral" just to check the true quality and availability of their product. If there's no problems with it, I noticed several other shows on the site I intend to order.
In reading through their FAQs, I noticed they mentioned something called the Berne Act (if I remember correctly) that supposedly considers material not yet in broad public use to be in the public domain.
I strongly suspect that these will be bootleg copies from somewhere in Asia but if I can truly buy some of my all-time favorite TV shows in a reasonably good transfer, I don't really care where they came from. -
Has anyone on the board done any business with these folks? It just seems totally unbelievable that one can buy the complete series "High Chaparral" (one of my all-time favorite TV series) for $44.95. They list several other television shows for sale that are not currently for general release in the US.
Even if no other members have bought anything from them, I think I'll risk that $44.95. -
This afternoon I began watching this episode but the beginning was so unbelievable I stopped watching it.
The Indian called Horse strolls into the campsite of Major Adam's wagon train without so much as a by-your-leave and asked for the Major's help in treating an ailing old squaw. We all know that would never have happened in real life. The minute an Indian was sighted, everyone in the camp would have been white with fear and shooting at the poor redskin. :teeth_smile:
Well, I decided to finish watching this episode and decided it wasn't such a bad story after all. Turned out that the"Indian" riding into camp was actually a white man who, after "proving" himself, had been adopted into the Crow tribe and had lived with them for several years. He had even married one of their women and they had conceived a child who, however, was born dead. Not only that but his Indian wife soon passed away also. Consumed with grief, he decides to return to the whites. On the way, he decides to go by the Indian burial place and bid his wife goodbye again. While there, the old squaw who has been his adoptive Indian mother crawls up. She's in a bad way so he decides to seek help from the wagon train. I won't tell the rest, just in case others buy this set. Don't want to spoil it for 'em.
I've come to the conclusion that the earlier, black-and-white episodes with Ward Bond are better than the color episodes with whats-his-face. -
I don't know what it is.
When I was younger, back in the Fifties, and the series "Wagon Train" began, I became one of its' most loyal watchers, hardly ever missing an episode. I thought it was wonderful, almost as good as "Gunsmoke" and "Bonanza" .
But nowadays, I watch some of these episodes and think to myself, "my gosh, such a hokey story". And they really are - the plots are very thin and stereotypical B-grade Western material.
I've even thought the same thing of some of the "Bonanza" episodes I've watched since they became available on disc. And again, I used to think that series was the best thing since sliced bread.
Don't know if it's all the cynicism I've accumulated in the past 50 years or what but the old Western TV episodes I've watched over the past few years just don't turn me on like they used to.
I have to admit that so far, I still very much enjoy "Gunsmoke" episodes I've watched. Just wish they would issue more complete seasons of that show, instead of trying to squeeze more money out of the viewing public by breaking the seasons into "volumes". -
I bought it from Amazon for $47.99 total.
This morning I watched a couple of the episodes, including one in which my favorite president (at least favorite during my lifetime) was a guest star. Ronald Reagan played in "The Fort Pierce Story" from the 1963 season of "Wagon Train".
The transfer of the two episodes I watched was very good. Clear picture and sound. However, can't say much for the stories themselves.
This afternoon I began watching this episode but the beginning was so unbelievable I stopped watching it.
The Indian called Horse strolls into the campsite of Major Adam's wagon train without so much as a by-your-leave and asked for the Major's help in treating an ailing old squaw. We all know that would never have happened in real life. The minute an Indian was sighted, everyone in the camp would have been white with fear and shooting at the poor redskin. :teeth_smile: -
the Wagon Train set, like I said is all of the color episodes and is 16 discs for about $50. It also inlcudes a bunch of episodes in b&w that are considered some of the best ones.
I bought it from Amazon for $47.99 total.
This morning I watched a couple of the episodes, including one in which my favorite president (at least favorite during my lifetime) was a guest star. Ronald Reagan played in "The Fort Pierce Story" from the 1963 season of "Wagon Train".
The transfer of the two episodes I watched was very good. Clear picture and sound. However, can't say much for the stories themselves.
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I was in my local Sams Club today and they had a huge Wagon Train DVD set. I believe it was all of the 90 minute color episodes and some of the best of earlier episodes. I think it was about 12-14 discs. They also had the complete series sets of both Laramie and The Guns Of Will Sonnett.
Jim.
Did you by chance happen to notice what Sam's price was for this set? -
I was in my local Sams Club today and they had a huge Wagon Train DVD set. I believe it was all of the 90 minute color episodes and some of the best of earlier episodes. I think it was about 12-14 discs. They also had the complete series sets of both Laramie and The Guns Of Will Sonnett.
It gets very good reviews for quality of the transfer from folks who have bought it on Amazon.
"Wagon Train" was one of my favorites. -
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Originally posted by B5Erik@Jan 29 2005, 11:03 AM
That's a show I'd love to get on DVD.Stick around. It'll probably be there sooner or later because they seem to be releasing everything that ever appeared on TV on disc, even the garbage.
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Originally posted by Jay J. Foraker@Jan 13 2005, 03:35 PM
Hi All -Since the memory cells don't always connect, I have a question regarding Gunsmoke - didn't the show begin as a half-hour series before evolving into an hour format? I know the Western Channel (premium channel, unfortunately for many) is running two episodes every evening from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. EST (off the top of my head, so not sure)
, but they have all been the hour-long episodes in B&W.Anyway, the ones I have been able to watch reinforces my (and a majority from what I have seen on this board) sense that this was just about the best western on TV, bar none!
Cheers -
Jay
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Your memory cells are okay, Jay. According to the book I mentioned earlier, "Gunsmoke" did premiere as a half-hour series, appearing at 10:00 PM on CBS each Saturday night. In 1961 it was expanded to an hour, still on Saturday nights, and stayed in that time slot through 1966, , when it was moved to Monday evenings at 7:30 PM.
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Originally posted by Jay J. Foraker@Jan 11 2005, 06:22 PM
Gunsmoke would have to be the best and most venerable of TV Westerns. Just about anybody who was an active character actor during its run appeared on the series."Gunsmoke" wasn't only a popular Western. According to "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present", 20th Anniversary Edition (1999), which is considered the "Bible" for info about television shows, "Gunsmoke" is rated the second most popular TV hit (of any genre) of all time, just behind "60 Minutes". "Bonanza" ranks 4th. "Wagon Train", " "Have Gun, Will Travel" and "The Virginian" are also ranked among the top 100 most popular shows of all time. You'd think that with the popularity of these shows the suits in Hollyweird would see the light and revive the Western genre.
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Originally posted by A Girl Named Jen@Dec 17 2004, 09:02 AM
Does "Little House on the Prairie" count as a western series?
(Relax - I'm kidding.)
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"Little House" was one of my favorite series, Jen. I thought Laura, when she was a little girl, was one of the most endearing characters ever to appear on television.
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I forgot to mention "Wanted: Dead or Alive" with Steve McQueen, which I also liked real well. I believe it was on in the late Fifties or early Sixties, which was well before most of your times.
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Originally posted by Phantomstranger@Dec 13 2004, 04:54 PM
Howdy Folks,
Like a lot of us here, I'm a lifelong western fan and I have seen alot of books and magazine stories written about the great movie westerns, but I've seen very little written about the TV western. I believe there have been about 150 since television began So my question is..what are your favorites? Here's my "Top Ten' looking forward to seeing yours:
1. The Wild Wild West
2.The Adventures Of Brisco County Jr.
3.The Lone Ranger
4. Wagon Train
5. The High Chaparral
6. Maverick
7.Have Gun, Will Travel
8. The Westerner
9.Wanted: Dead Or Alive
10. Lonesome Dove (the mini-series)[snapback]13063[/snapback]
My favorites were:
1. Bonanza
2. Gunsmoke
3. Maverick
4. Rifleman
5. Cheyenne
6. High Chaparral
7. Laramie
8. Rawhide
9. Stoney Burke
10. Virginian
