Gunsmoke: The Fifteenth Season – Volumes 1 & 2 DVD Review

Sep 302019

Gunsmoke: The Fifth Season
— Volumes 1 & 2 —
(1969-70)

Genre(s): Western, Drama
Paramount | NR – 759 min. / 556 – $45.98 ea. | October 1, 2019

Date Published: 09/30/2019 | Author: The Movieman

SEASON INFO:
Writer(s): Norman MacDonnell & John Meston (radio program), Charles Marquis Warren (developed by)
Cast: James Arness, Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake, Ken Curtis, Glenn Strange, Buck Taylor

DISC INFO:
Features: None
Slip Cover: No
Digital Copy: No
Formats Included: DVD
Number of Discs: 7 (4 Vol. 1, 3 Vol. 2)

Audio: English (Dolby Digital 1.0)
Video: Full Frame 1.33
Subtitles: English SDH
Region(s): 1

PLOT SYNOPSIS

VOLUME 1:
Watch history being made! Back for an unprecedented fifteenth season, the leading citizens of Dodge City, headed by James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon, Amanda Blake as Kitty, Milburn Stone as Doc, Ken Curtis as Festus, Buck Taylor as Newly, and Glenn Strange as Sam, take turns in the spotlight in the 15 episodes that comprise this 4-disc collection. All feature quality, memorable stories, spanning the entertainment spectrum, from tense Western action to light-hearted comedy to heart-tugging drama.

VOLUME 2:
Confounding bank robbers, misleading mail-order brides, Kitty departing Dodge City, and a ruthless psychopath push Matt Dillon to the edge. That describes just some of the outstanding adventures comprising GUNSMOKE: Season 15, Volume 2. Stalwart regulars James Arness (as Matt Dillon), Amanda Blake (as Miss Kitty), Milburn Stone (as Doc Adams), Ken Curtis (as Festus Hagen), Buck Taylor (as Newly O’Brien) and Glenn Strange (as bartender Sam) are all back.

SPECIAL FEATURES – 0/5

No bonus features, just Episodic Previews on Select Episodes.

VIDEO – 4.75/5, AUDIO – 3.25/5

Paramount releases Gunsmoke: The Fifteenth Season onto DVD presented in its originally televised 1.33 full frame aspect ratio which has been restored and remastered, and frankly each episode does look fantastic. Colors are rather bright especially set against the more naturalistic locales (same for the costumes), detail was relatively sharp for standard def and outside of some really minor specs, is a rather clean looking transfer.

Each episode comes with a standard Dolby Digital Mono track which I did find a little strong and had to adjust the volume down. This might be a show better suited to watch using the television’s internal speakers.

OVERALL – 2.5/5

Gunsmoke: The Fifteenth Season is still fine television though Westerns aren’t my favorite genre, even so the storytelling was well executed as were the performances from the seasoned and talented ensemble cast. Unfortunately this is yet another release split into two volumes, kind of wish it were one set at a higher price point.

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