THIS WEST IS FUN, NOT GREAT - worth it for the price
LA Noir | Los Angeles | 04/20/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This show/DVD is fun, but far from great. On a purely nostalgia level it is fun to see all the old-timers. They don't really do or say much and the clips aren't great for the most part, but it is nice to see them all together. The quality of the DVD also leaves something to be desired. And while some of the actors are "introduced," others, such as Rex Allen, are talked about but never really shown, even though he was there at the reunion.
I believe this is from a TV show in 1980 or thereabouts, so it would be hard to do again as many of these people are no longer with us. So on the basis that that is no longer possible it's fun, though could have been a lot better. Some notable stars who were still alive at the time are either shown only in clips, as opposed to being there live, or some are absent altogether. Still, it was nice to see those who were there and to see Roy and Dale and the rest sing "Happy Trails" at the end. Touching and nostalgic.
Many of the shows mentioned on this DVD are available either in stand-alone DVDs or in sets of classic old TV shows and such.
I'm debating over giving this three or four stars. If I could give it 3½ I would. As it is I will probably give it three. For the price it is certainly worth it for those who like westerns, whether you grew up with them or catch them on Encore Westerns, Turner Classics or TV Land, though here we have mostly TV stars as opposed to film stars, with some crossovers, notably the host, Glenn Ford."
What a waste of talent
David Levin | USA | 08/22/2007
(2 out of 5 stars)
"This was a once in a life time opportunity that was truly wasted. Supposedly some of the biggest names in Westerns were gathered for a reunion. The problem was that most of the biggest names were not really there. They were there only by having their pictures showed and their names read. Those who at least showed up had nothing to do. They either sat speechless at saloon tables or spent the better part of the hour listening to some ridiculouus saloon girls sing and dance about the west. This was a great opportunity to learn more about the heroes of tv's golden years, yet the producers decided to spend most of the time as if it were a variety show. Oh well, it's probably better than nothing at all."