Dale Applegate

I figure we all get three or four times is our life when I piece of artwork or creativity impacts us so strongly that it becomes a part of us, instantly and permanently. For me, so far, these times include viewing Picassos' La Reve painting, visiting the Sistine Chapel in Rome, reading Raymond Carver's short stories, watching the Pianist movie and for television Lonesome Dove. While Lonesome Dove seems a cliche western cattle drive movie, the structure, flow, and character development is non traditional and surprising and this makes it a special story. For example, it takes a entire episode to get to the start of the cattle drive, and once we do, the next episode starts up with an entier new sub plot unrelated to the drive at all. But it all works because the plot weaving of how everyones lives interacts and mixes and conflicts. It engrosses you like a Mexican soap opera, in the good way. But what makes this a special show is the acting. The main characters are so believable, lovable, and real. This is the first time and likely only time I can say the television adaptation is better than the Pulizter Prize winning novel. You should watch the movie first to get the characters in your head as they are portrayed there, then read the book. That is how well the acting is in this movie.