Duel (Collector's Edition) (1971) Review

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(More customer reviews)DUEL is the film that made Steven Spielberg a household word in Hollywood--and for good reason. Though made in only three weeks on a budget of less than $500,000, this superlative made-for-TV movie helped to launch his career beyond the stars.
This is an extremely lean but effective psychological thriller with Dennis Weaver (of "Gunsmoke" fame) effectively portraying the first of Spielberg's favorite characters, the Everyman--in this case, an average auto motorist driving to a business appointment on a lonely California highway. He tries to pass a road-hogging diesel truck; but when he does, the truck goes after him for the rest of the way. Neither Weaver nor the viewer ever sees the truck driver, with the exception of a beefy hand and a pair of cowboy boots; but it's perfectly obvious that this man is a total psychopath.
Though suffering from some slight technical flaws, DUEL is brilliantly directed by Spielberg. The film's screenplay is by the always-excellent sci-fi/horror writer Richard Matheson, who based it on a short story he had published in the April '71 edition of Playboy magazine. Matheson, known for such novels as "I Am Legend" and scripts for "The Twilight Zone", is a master at this kind of mind-bending terror, and the combination of his and Spielberg's talents results in one of the most gut-wrenching and emotionally draining suspense films of all times. One can see its influence on later films like the underrated 1997 thriller BREAKDOWN, and as a chilling precursor to today's violent, real-life incidents of road rage. A must-see!

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DUEL COLLECTOR'S EDITION - DVD Movie

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Gunsmoke - 50th Anniversary Collection, Volume 1 (1955) Review

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(More customer reviews)The selection of the episodes is fine. The commentary by the stars varies between good and excellent.
Since I purchased almost all of the original 30 minute episodes of "Gunsmoke" from Columbia House (four per tape at $25), I am still disappointed that this amazing series was not released in sequence of broadcast, just as it was released by Columbia House.
"Gunsmoke" was so much more than entertainment 50 years ago. Families would gather around the "Cool Blue Fire" to share the stories (and morality tales) told by the actors and writers. Fifty years ago I was six years old, and obviously not cognizant of the great leap forward - into 'adult' territory - which "Gunsmoke" represented.
When I began watching the Columbia House 30 minute episodes, always in order of first broadcast ten years ago, I was amazed at the quality of the productions and the way that the totality had survived across (then) 40 years. Awed.
By selecting the 'best' of "Gunsmoke" the marketers imply that the rest of the series was like every other series on TV: there were only a few episodes worth watching, much less, worth BUYING. My view: that is not true.
This is one series that still deserves to be watched, and remains "must see" TV after 50 years.
I would encourage the release of "Gunsmoke" by seasons, just as "Have Gun Will Travel" is being released.
"Gunsmoke" was the primal American legend brought to black and white TV. It deserves to be seen as it was broadcast, not simply because the nostalgia quotient is higher but because it remains a seminal series.
The definitive episodic TV Western.

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Marshall Matt Dillon is responsible for bringing law and respectability to the Dodge City in this western action-drama. The show still holds the record for being the longest running primetime drama series in television history.

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Gunsmoke - The Third Season, Vol. 1 (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)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.

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Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) is in charge of Dodge City, a town in the Wild West where people often have no respect for the law.

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