Larry McMurtry's Streets Of Laredo [Import]

i was very pleased with the movie (not surprised at that) , and the shipper. on time. speedy. no issues

I even do not remember "why" in the first half an hour of this movie I went to sleep. May be some collectors may like the art work on the DVD cover.

Not only is Larry McMurtry an excellent storyteller, but he's also somewhat of a literary genius. He could've written a sequel to Lonesome Dove that would've been satisfying and cliché, but he left that to Hollywood. I don't know if Streets of Laredo happened because of or in spite of the farce that is called, Return to Lonesome Dove, but Streets is definitely the better offering. McMurtry took the story in a completely different direction. In doing so, he cheated us out of certain things that we'd hoped for after finishing Lonesome Dove. There is no final conversation between Woodrow and Newt about Newt's heritage. The fate of July Johnson is a tragic and useless one. The Hatcreek Ranch in Montana goes bust and that's why Call becomes a bounty hunter. Those who enjoyed the book won't be disappointed in the film adaptation. Many have stated that James Garner's interpretation of Woodrow Call doesn't live up to that of Tommy Lee Jones and I cannot disagree. But Garner is a talented actor and he stayed true to McMurtry's character of Call. McMurtry wisely chose not to do "just another Lonesome Dove." Again, he left that to the shallower Hollywood crowd. While Lonesome Dove was a sweeping epic of a cattle drive, Streets of Laredo was simply the story of a chase to track down a young, brutal killer. McMurtry is a master of authentic dialogue and character development and he doesn't fail to deliver with his vast cast. Judge Roy Bean, Brookshire, John Wesley Harden, Billy Williams, Mox Mox and Famous Shoes all add to the texture of the movie. The most tragic figure is the long-suffering mother of Joey Garza, Maria, who defends her son in spite of his misdeeds. There are some details that are hard to swallow, such as the marriage of Lorena and Pea Eye, but the overall story still stands. This is certainly a darker offering than its predecessor considering that Gus supplied most of the mirth in Lonesome Dove. Still, it's worth watching for those who appreciate McMurtry's ability to tell a good story. The DVD is desolate when it comes to bonus material, but the sound and picture quality are far superior to the VHS version. It's also worth noting that the DVd version is uncut, offering scenes that do not appear in the VHS. No, Streets of Laredo does not live up to Lonesome Dove, but I don't think McMurtry meant for it to do so and the story stands on its own as a good one.