Smell That? It's a 'Gunsmoke' Remake!
Filed under: Action, Deals, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Remakes and Sequels, Western
A few months ago, I argued that Westerns were making a post-Unforgiven comeback and few really sparked to the idea. But there is clearly something in the air, because now studios are rushing to remake television Westerns. A few weeks ago, it was The Big Valley and today it happens to be the legendary Gunsmoke.According to The Hollywood Reporter, CBS Films is heading up the big screen reimagining, and has put Gregory Poirier to work on the screenplay. The idea is to keep the premise, but update it with more action, adventure, and probably more Swearengen style. It's not a bad idea, and it does seem the public is hankering to see how the West was won all over again. But something tells me the public would rather see some original tales of the frontier (I know I'd trade my saddle for another Lonesome Dove) instead of just revisiting the 1950s version of it.
It's kind of surprising that Gunsmoke hasn't been made into a movie already. It first saw life as a radio serial, and then as a television show that still ranks as one of the longest running dramas in history. It's classic stuff: the trials and tribulations of Dodge City, its long-suffering Marshall Matt Dillon, bordello / saloon owner Miss Kitty, and crusty town physician, Galen Doc Adams. It was the Deadwood of its day, only with a lot less swearing and sex, but it was relatively gritty for the time.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-18-2009 @ 3:00PM
maurice said...
Gunsmoke was situated in 1873 Kansas, the year of
the great Panic of 1873, when the railroad-building
boom went bust. The grittiness of the episodes reflects
the dog-eat-dog economic travails that stretched to
the rail terminal towns including Dodge City. Maybe
that will be modernized angle we can expect in
the Gunsmoke 2012 movie.
Reply
8-17-2009 @ 7:56PM
linda simeone said...
I am one of the original GUNSMOKE fans 1955-1995. Now a "baby boomer" at 61 and had privledge of meeting the original cast and crew, wrote a book about it, "Dear James" and have original both hand and typewritten correspondence, 20 years worth, from everyone from James Arness to John Mantley (Exec.Prod), et al. I just hope the producers to be of this new GUNSMOKE honor the original cast and premise. GUNSMOKE was the Deadwood of its day, but no swearing or hard core sex scenes. Show was originally endorsed by John Wayne. Heard rumors that it would be a pre-quel. OK, i can live with that. How did Matt Dillon become Marshal of Dodge City, how did he and Doc and Kitty and Chester, Festus, Ma Smalley, Sam, the bartender all become friends and beloved colleagues? Please, whoever is in charge, don't F*&^% it up. A lot of us original fans might be buried by now in boothill, but a great many of us are alive and remember our heroes....AND, at least gives James Arness a cameo, not like what they did to his brother, Peter Graves in the feature version of "Mission: Impossible." Zippo, nothing! These actors forged a television legend, the show did not stay on the air for 20 years for stupid writing or directing. GUNSMOKE is a classic adult western, great morality playwriting, it meant something. Please, do it justice.
Reply
8-18-2009 @ 3:57PM
maurice said...
Yessiree. Gunsmoke achieved the best ideals of
Aristotle's analysis of Greek drama, week after
week after week. As a consequence, viewers
went away with a welcome sense of "catharsis,"
to use Aristotle's word.
Let's not overlook a cameo appearance for
Robert C. Byrd, the senator/orator who stuck up
for Gunsmoke with a speech on its behalf on
the floor of Congress. Didn't Byrd make a cameo
appearance on horseback in a recent Civil War
movie? Let's not overlook the gunsmith and the
blacksmith part-time deputies too.
8-18-2009 @ 4:16PM
linda simeone said...
Not sure if Sen. Byrd ever did a p.a. on GUNSMOKE, but a great many famous actors guest starred, like Bette Davis, Jon Voight, Denver Pyle, Burt Reynolds co-starred as Quint Asper, Buck Taylor, son of Dub Taylor, also had roles and guest appearances. Billed the 'adult western of its day'. I consider myself the GUNSMOKE expert and have my originol scrapbooks with authentic autographs of entire cast, plus letters from all actors. It was a bright spot in my youth and set my moral compass. Great role models, based on great characters. This generation won't appreciate the essence with a new cast, but re-runs can be found on TVLAND.
8-18-2009 @ 6:23PM
maurice said...
Sen. Byrd extolled the moral compass of Gunsmoke when
he addressed Congress on its behalf. He didn't appear on
the show, though. A lot of viewers remember the series for
its formative moral qualities. Even children and grandchildren
of original viewers see this aspect in the reruns and videos.
The 2012 release date will coincide with the 60th anniversary
of Gunsmoke's radio version debut - amazing vitality for what
was probably intended for only a few years of topical
entertainment. The 16 tie-in novels stretched over a period
of 50 years (1957-2007.) If they were anthologized and
illustrated in the same 19th Century style,say, as Jack London's stories were, they would be recognized as
instant classics.