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Reviews

Although not historically or tactically accurate a great enterprising movie. The DVD special features make it worth collecting. A fine example of 3D even though it never caught on. (kinda like Blu-Ray) A must have for a John Wayne movie collector.

If you've seen "The Searchers," then John Wayne's portrayal of Hondo Lane will remind you in some ways of Ethan Edwards, the angry, "racist" lead character in his later, better-known movie. But they're different -- "Hondo" gives its own spin on life in the Old West, unlike the latter movie of Wayne's. Ethan Edwards of "The Searchers" is an enraged, hating man; Hondo Lane is calmer, more observant of life in general, given to wise, laconic comments about how to survive as a loner in the West to Geraldine Page's well-meaning but often flighty ranch wife, who is ultimately his love interest in the film. Ethan Edwards knew the Indians and their ways, and hated them. Hondo Lane knows the Indians and their ways -- he is candid about being part-Indian himself -- and makes no secret of his respect for them. As a result, the Apaches who menace the settlers and fight the Cavalry in "Hondo" are portrayed more sympathetically, and with more nuances, than Edwards' despised Comanches. On the other hand, "Hondo" tends to idealize the Indians as "noble savages" -- Hondo Lane claims in a couple of scenes that the Apaches never lie. In "The Searchers," one might say, the Comanches are at least portrayed as more human and flawed. Edwards had no pets that we are made aware of -- but Hondo has Sam. That is, Sam consents to travel with him. The fiercely independent, don't-pet-me-or-I'll-bite-you dog, who forages for his own food (I don't need no humans to feed me!), tags along with Hondo, once drowning an Indian who had tried to kill his human friend. The film resists the temptation to have Hondo grieve or sentimentalize when Sam is speared and killed later by another Indian. This seems harsh on first viewing -- but wait. Hondo has made it clear that he is an unsentimental, practical loner who takes care of himself. Sam was the same way. Now Sam is gone, and Hondo doubtless hurt for him in his innermost soul. But we are shown no manifestation of it. Somehow, that's the way it should be in this Western. The action sequences in "Hondo" are even better than those in the later, longer "The Searchers." Wayne appears to have done a lot of -- but not all of -- his own stunts in "Hondo." But he was three years younger than when he made "The Searchers". Last but not least there is Ward Bond, playing Hondo's long-time trail pal. Bond portrayed only one part -- if you've seen one movie with him, you've seen all his roles -- but he played it superbly. Also, look for a very young James Arness in a small but key speaking role; a year or two later he would rocket to TV fame as Matt Dillon in "Gunsmoke." Wayne reportedly helped him to land the plum role. "Hondo" is an exceptional Western which never got the attention it deserved because the same year, Alan Ladd made "Shane." Here's your chance to see it for the first time, 56 years after it was made. It's well worth it.

Most other John Wayne westerns show the Indians as faceless attackers. Not this one! Cavalryman Hondo Lane (John Wayne), himself part Apache, has a working relationship with one of the Apache chiefs. He alludes to the fact that the US government had broken a treaty with the Apaches. Hondo gets to know a solitary-living pioneer woman, Angie Lowe, and her six year-old son Johnny. The absence of her husband leads to problems, such as an Apache chief wanting to take her as his wife. At one point, the six year-old shoots an Apache in defense of his mother. The plot unfolds in more ways than one, as Hondo and Angie develop feelings for each other, and Hondo has to acknowledge what he knows about her husband's death. For her part, she has to realize the fact that the Apaches will soon kill her if she does not flee, and deal with the fact that her husband had been a lout and cheat, and how her little son is to remember his father. Dying an honorable death is paramount in that culture. There are several savage battles shown between the Apaches and the settlers. Only the death an Apache leader will cause the Apache warriors to disperse. WARNING: Some of the scenes are quite violent, even by the standard of westerns, which may upset sensitive viewers. There is a scene of Hondo's faithful dog impaled by a pole. There is a mortal knife fight, and a scene of Hondo being staked to the ground and in the act of being tortured by fire.

Perfect DVD sent to me by Amazon. Of course not surprised since Amazon is as close to perfect as any organization/department can achieve. The movie was outstanding. Sound, color and of course John Wayne is my hero. Althoug the DOG almost upstaged John Wayne.

they never play this one on the western channel so I bought it. I recommend it to those of you who are John wayne fans

Reviews

This DVD has two of my absolute favorite things - Sam Elliott and a Louis L'Amour story. No one writes westerns like Louis L'Amour did and it seems that Sam Elliott was born to star in them. His acting is good, the story is good, it is beautiful, and the quiet love story and the story of a family who does not know what happened to the bread winner are interesting and thought provolking. Great movie - I wore out my video cassette and upgraded to this DVD!

The filing of L'Amour's novel Conagher comes to fruition with Sam Elliott and Katherine Ross. Faithful to the novel, it is well worth watching. The Western at its best.

My husband and I have become fans of Sam Elliott. After watching The Quick and the Dead, we just had to order Conagher. We were not disappointed in this family-friendly movie. Sam Elliott remains the classic western actor in this one as well. Katherine Ross also does a fine job in her role as widow, Evie Teale.

Just like the Virginian or any of Zane Grey's heroes, L'Amour's gentlemen, Conagher, is a true hero. He is a larger than life man who knows who he is and lives by his own code; a code of honest integrity. I have been privileged to know one or two of these types and they are rare; but that is what makes Conagher worth watching.

An hombre very tough meets a ready made family while trailing rustlers as a range cowboy. As westerns go this is probably a new classic. It has Indian fights, lonesome death on the trail by accident, stagecoaches and real cowboys, fighting rustlers. To top that off there is a love story...

Reviews

If you enjoy the violin and want to relax while listening, this is for you. Beautiful music.

It is ever so good to settle in a comfy chair and listen to the sounds of violin when you just want to chill out and wind down. "Violin For Relaxation" is simply the perfect CD that I wholeheartedly recommend if you want to slow everything down and reduce the speed of time. It is also an ideal music for doing Pilates workout. In addition to having excellent sound quality mastered by the high-tech engineers from BMG Classics and RCA Victor, the disc boasts an impressive repertoire of classical favorites that will grab the listener's undivided attention. The presentation starts off with my all-time favorite classical piece, "Meditation" from the opera "Thais" by French composer Jules Massenet. It features Philharmonia Orchestra with conductor Andrew Litton and Anne Akiko Meyers on violin. This piece has a powerful effect on my musical sensibilities that every time I listen to it, I am deeply moved by its sheer beauty. To my ears, it is absolutely one of the most stunningly beautiful and profoundly moving compositions ever written. Sergei Rachmaninoff's "Vocalise" is also a highlight. This composition was not written for violin transcription, but it is often played with a combination of violin and piano. The result is astoundingly moving. It captivates your ears and long after you've listened to the disc in its entirety, you'll find yourself humming this particular tune. Two of the finest classical musicians, violinist Vladimir Spivakov and pianist Sergei Bezrodny, played it to perfection. The pair also performed Claude Debussy's "En Bateau," which was originally written for solo piano, but again, their performance exceeded my expectation. It is as beautiful as "Vocalise." One of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's most brilliant concerti, "Violin Concerto No. 5 in A, K. 219" was also eloquently rendered by Vladimir Spivakov with the Moscow Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra. From the high drama of Massenet's "Meditation" to the eternal charms of Rachmaninoff's "Vocalise," you'll find this violin music very pleasing to the ears...and yes, very soul satisfying. "Do you know that our soul is composed of harmony?" ~ Leonardo da Vinci ~

I am not an expert in classical music, but have always loved the string instruments. I bought this CD for relaxation (as the title implies) and to help me focus on writing a thesis. I was torn between this CD and the Cello for Relaxation. I am pleased with my choice. My favorites are track #2 and #10 (listen to the samples through Amazon) - I usually play these two on repeat. My least favorite is track #7 because it sounds like a piano dominated movie soundtrack. Although I wish I could have exchanged some of the tracks for others, I think this CD was worth the money and is a nice mix for those of us who don't know specific composers by name or who want a good sampling.

The selection of music was a good mix and pleasant in listening to them. The choice of orchestras and conductors are also very well selected offering very good variety in the similar music mood. My two long time favourites "Meditation" and "Salut d'amour" were very well played in the right tempo and instrumental arrangement. The recording quality is good offering both clarity and defination in the recording.

To me, it is an extraordinary combination demonstarting the old world beauty and timeless artistry of the violin.It will take you back to everything good remembered, and forward to everything good ahead of us.

Reviews

My husband is a trucker & he really enjoys listening to audio books while driving. The driving time doesn't seem so long.

Reviews

I am extremly pleased with this product excellent quality, arrived before expected date. Plan to purchase more of Louis L'Amour audio books in the future. Thank you.

This collection was fantastic. I was so pleased with the quick response from the seller. It arrived in excellent condition in a very short delivery time.

I was disappointed that the last track of one of the stories wasn't playable. The other discs were all good. Shipping was quick.

It is often hard to find a gift for my husband who has everything - but this fit the bill just perfect. I personally have not listened to it - but my spouse says it is very good.

This is a fantastic audio experience. I love audio books on road trips. I download them into my iPod so I don't have to fiddle with discs while I'm driving. Even if the stories aren't that great, a reader can more than make up for it. Not the case with Louis L'Amour, of course, so The Highwaymen were just frosting on the cake. It's a shame they all aren't around to collaborate on some more good ol' westerns. The sound effects were a nice surprise as well. I keep dreaming that Sam Elliot will offer up his voice for audio books.... Not to be missed.

Reviews

A well wrtten book of tales by a top notch writter. Louis Lamour is a great writer of the old west.

This book on cd was purchased as a gift for my grandfather. L'Amour is his favorite western writer. He has just about every one of his novels. His sight isn't as good as it use to be so this made the perfect gift. He can still enjoy his westerns.

I purchased this audio CD to listen to in the car during a long road trip. It's been a few years since I've read Louis L'Amour books, but these well done stories brought his books vividly back to mind for me. The sound effects and character voices were top notch, and I enjoyed every minute of this CD. For anyone who enjoys Westerns and especially Louis L'Amour's books, I recommend this audio recording.

This product was advertised as "used but like new". However it was, in fact, new and unused.

Reviews

We purchased this audio CD to listen to in the car during a long road trip. It's been a few years since I've read Louis L'Amour books, but these well done stories brought his books vividly back to mind for us. The sound effects and character voices were top notch, and we enjoyed every minute of this CD. For anyone who enjoys Westerns and especially Louis L'Amour's books, I recommend this audio recording.