Comanche Moon (The 2nd Chapter in the Lonesome Dove Saga)

Just in case you're either new to the Lonesome Dove series, or you're wondering if this DVD is the complete miniseries but you're confused by the title "second chapter"....This is indeed the complete Comanche Moon series DVD, and it's the "second chapter" because the chronology of the story is:

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

Although, the way The Lonesome Dove book series was written by Larry McMurtry fell in this order:

-Lonesome Dove (1985)
-Streets Of Laredo (1993)
-Dead Man's Walk (1995)
-Comanche Moon (1997)

Lonesome Dove, the novel and the miniseries, were as classic as classic gets. The Novel is one of the only books that I've ever read more than once. And the miniseries adaptation is just as memorable. The miniseries starred Robert Duvall as Augustus McCrae, Tommy Lee Jones as Woodrow Call, Rick Schroder as Newt, Diane Lane as Lorena Wood, Danny Glover as Joshua Deets, Robert Urich as Jake Spoon and Anjelica Huston as Clara Allen. What a line up of A-listers giving A-list performances. Duvall and Jones absolutely nailed the characters created by McMurtry in the novel. And Director Simon Wincer really preserved the integrity of the novel.

Streets of Laredo and Dead Man's Walk were good books, and adapted to fair-at-best miniseries. So when I saw that Comanche Moon was coming to CBS as the final book adaptation miniseries in January 2008, I was not that excited. But I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. Comanche Moon was a very good book and the miniseries was equally satisfying.

In Comanche Moon we find McCrae and Call as Texas Rangers as the Civil War is ending. They aren't involved in the Civil War as much as they are still battling the Comanches as well the cruel and diabolical bandit Ahumado. Val Kilmer is Captain Skull, and together with Gus, Woodrow and some other rangers they head out to the plains to get the bad guys.

There's a good amount of violence in some sequences, but some of the brutalities in the book have been tamed down for TV. (I.e. in the book Captain Skull's eyelids are removed by one of Ahumado's henchmen as a form of torture; that treatment is completely removed from the TV series.)

The miniseries producers did a smart thing: They brought back Wincer in the director's chair. And he once again brought a McMurtry novel to life with class and integrity. Comanche Moon (the novel or the miniseries) is no classic like Lonesome Dove was, but it was highly entertaining and enjoyable. However, like the last third of the novel, the Comanche Moon miniseries comes to grueling slow-down (in part 3 of the 3-part series). But it didn't take away from the enjoyment of watching Gus, Call and their crew as young, Pre-Lonesome Dove Texas Rangers looking for their place in life and trying to preserve life for others.

Steve Zahn is Gus McCrae and Karl Urban is Woodrow Call. They clearly read the book, watched the first miniseries and got some terrific direction from Director Wincer; they really captured the essence of their characters. And Val Kilmer should get an award for his portrayal of Captain Skull. There are some other popular (TV) actors in Comanche Moon, and they all combine to give us a very good CBS miniseries based on a very good book.

If you missed Comanche Moon on TV and you liked Lonesome Dove, you'll find this DVD quite enjoyable...with no commercials. Oh, and just how did the town of Lonesome Dove get its name?...Well, you'll just have to add this DVD to yer cart to find that out, pards.

The important news for anyone considering purchase of this DVD is that it is the extended version -- which means that all the stuff CBS cut out so that they could squeeze in 8 million commercials is back. This is 284 minutes WITHOUT commercials. Regardless . . . Comanche Moon is a quality production . . . a very rare thing on TV today. The story is intelligent and the acting quality very good. Many critics roasted Val Kilmer, calling his performance over the top. I have news, folks . . . the character he plays was intended to be over the top. This is a very refreshing mini-series. Most of what we get on TV today is total garbage. Watch Steve Zahn reprise Robert Duvall's role. It's worth the price of the DVD just to see Zahn in this serious role. And Wes Studi is great as Buffalo Hump. For anyone who loved the Lonesome Dove mini-series, this is a must have. This is where it all began, pardner. It's great fun seeing the characters at this early stage in their lives and trying to figure out who is who and remembering what happens to them later. Ever wonder how Blue Duck got so nuts? Highly recommended if you like quality TV!

I have been waiting to remember why I loved the first Lonesome Dove and basically not liking any that followed. The friendship between Woodrow
and Cal while the horror goes on is similar to our sit at home watching TV
America. It is a nice Yin Yang dark and light that reflects our real world.
Friendship is how we get through all the BS. Comanche Moon with all the
the excellent production values and excellent acting had me whistling in appreciation; I was not bothered a bit by the historical mistakes because the charm of the characters had me smiling. Sequels are tough and it is
hard to live up our memories of a great series. Comanche Moon completes
the saga: the beginning journey that illuminates Lonesome Dove's
bitter sweets themes.