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One of the best shows ever. Now finally released on DVD - The complete first season. Before Crocket and Tubbs, and before Jack Bauer, there was Jim West and Artemis Gordon.
This ain't the mediocre movie released a few years back. This is the real deal. If you like the current TV fare of "24" you will like this and see the relationship.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...4/002-9262901-7493607?n=163450&s=dvd&v=glance
Some comments:
There are no words to adequately express the excitement created by this DVD boxed set release of the complete first season of The Wild, Wild West. While several episodes were only available on DVD in recent years through a pricey enrollment club, this represents the first time the ENTIRE first season of this landmark TV Western icon has been available in ANY format!
Starring Robert Conrad as Agent James T. West, along with the late and deeply lamented, Ross Martin, who portrayed his partner, Artemis Gordon, master of disguise and invention, the series ran on CBS from 1965-1969.
The series focused on their adventures as the country's first secret service agents, working for President Ulysses S. Grant, to thwart all manner of evil doers who directed their villainy at individuals and/or the nation. Mixing espionage, thrilling adventure, western cliff-hanger suspense and high-tech, sci-fi gadgetry the likes of which had never been seen on network TV, the series propelled the actors into international stardom. On the series, West and Gordon traveled in style on a personal train equipped with the amazing gear they used each week to save the day and/or world.
The Wild Wild West was a landmark series in the 1960s. Only two other series from the Sixties stands out in my mind and that is "Star Trek" and "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.". I find it fascinating the two best, TWWW and Star Trek, had main characters with the name James and middle initial T. Their cast, directing, writers, music, and the rest the ingredients made these series ahead of their time and unforgettable. Although there had been a couple other secret agent TV shows before TWWW like Danger Man aka Secret Agent Man and Avengers and several that followed it, it was unique in it's approach. Slightly techie for the old West but not overly unrealistic. Several of the devices shown were actually used around that historical period, just watch the history channel. They obviously did their research and tried to keep it somewhat plausible. Certainly not as politically correct or ridiculously implausible as the Will Smith movie, there is no comparison. Robert Conrad and Martin Ross were outstanding as the lead roles and the guest stars where a who's who of current stars for that time period.
The internet is buzzing on this event--the Wild Wild West DVD is #13 on Amazon and climbing! This was my favorite TV series of the 1960's. (My Dad liked it second only to The Avengers with oh-so-lovely Diana Rigg.) James Bond/Sean Connery came every year or so, but we could watch James West/Robert Conrad every Friday night at 7:30. This show had it all--a Western spy thriller with occasional Jules Verne/science fiction elements. Agents West and Gordon were buddies who complemented each other like Holmes/Watson, Aubrey/Maturin, Butch/Sundance, or Capt. Kirk/Spock. Robert Conrad was the action hero with great fighting skill(martial arts and pistol whipping), spy gadgets(boot-knife, collar-knife, sleeved derringer, zip lines, and the train/armory Wanderer), good looks/sharp dresser, wit and charm. Artemis Gordon was the cerebral agent with multiple disguises (Ulysses Grant with his pants down/ old Swedish handyman/ Mexican peasant) and new spy gadgets(television and the atomic bomb). They saved the U.S. and world many times over from various oddball villains including Dr. Lovelace, Count Manzeppi, Voltaire, various demented Civil War generals, divas, counterfeiters, banditos, renegades, outlaws, yahoos, hard cases, and others. Remember the Kraken, white elephants, the Sedgewick Curse, Nicodemis, torture chambers, simian killer apes, samurai assassins, trap doors, swinging bookcases and chandeliers, bubbling death pits, Jack O' Diamonds, and acid baths? Remember exotic locales including the San Francisco waterfront/shanghai bars, Denver, the Mexican desert, ghost towns, and spooky voodoo New Orleans? Remember the great theme music and commercial cut scenes? Remember Jeremy Pike and Pat Paulsen? Most "Night of the..." episodes ended with the boys safely back on the Wanderer toasting their latest adventures with just-rescued damsels in distress. Thank the DVD Gods for this one.
HERE! HERE! Touche'
This ain't the mediocre movie released a few years back. This is the real deal. If you like the current TV fare of "24" you will like this and see the relationship.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...4/002-9262901-7493607?n=163450&s=dvd&v=glance
Some comments:
There are no words to adequately express the excitement created by this DVD boxed set release of the complete first season of The Wild, Wild West. While several episodes were only available on DVD in recent years through a pricey enrollment club, this represents the first time the ENTIRE first season of this landmark TV Western icon has been available in ANY format!
Starring Robert Conrad as Agent James T. West, along with the late and deeply lamented, Ross Martin, who portrayed his partner, Artemis Gordon, master of disguise and invention, the series ran on CBS from 1965-1969.
The series focused on their adventures as the country's first secret service agents, working for President Ulysses S. Grant, to thwart all manner of evil doers who directed their villainy at individuals and/or the nation. Mixing espionage, thrilling adventure, western cliff-hanger suspense and high-tech, sci-fi gadgetry the likes of which had never been seen on network TV, the series propelled the actors into international stardom. On the series, West and Gordon traveled in style on a personal train equipped with the amazing gear they used each week to save the day and/or world.
The Wild Wild West was a landmark series in the 1960s. Only two other series from the Sixties stands out in my mind and that is "Star Trek" and "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.". I find it fascinating the two best, TWWW and Star Trek, had main characters with the name James and middle initial T. Their cast, directing, writers, music, and the rest the ingredients made these series ahead of their time and unforgettable. Although there had been a couple other secret agent TV shows before TWWW like Danger Man aka Secret Agent Man and Avengers and several that followed it, it was unique in it's approach. Slightly techie for the old West but not overly unrealistic. Several of the devices shown were actually used around that historical period, just watch the history channel. They obviously did their research and tried to keep it somewhat plausible. Certainly not as politically correct or ridiculously implausible as the Will Smith movie, there is no comparison. Robert Conrad and Martin Ross were outstanding as the lead roles and the guest stars where a who's who of current stars for that time period.
The internet is buzzing on this event--the Wild Wild West DVD is #13 on Amazon and climbing! This was my favorite TV series of the 1960's. (My Dad liked it second only to The Avengers with oh-so-lovely Diana Rigg.) James Bond/Sean Connery came every year or so, but we could watch James West/Robert Conrad every Friday night at 7:30. This show had it all--a Western spy thriller with occasional Jules Verne/science fiction elements. Agents West and Gordon were buddies who complemented each other like Holmes/Watson, Aubrey/Maturin, Butch/Sundance, or Capt. Kirk/Spock. Robert Conrad was the action hero with great fighting skill(martial arts and pistol whipping), spy gadgets(boot-knife, collar-knife, sleeved derringer, zip lines, and the train/armory Wanderer), good looks/sharp dresser, wit and charm. Artemis Gordon was the cerebral agent with multiple disguises (Ulysses Grant with his pants down/ old Swedish handyman/ Mexican peasant) and new spy gadgets(television and the atomic bomb). They saved the U.S. and world many times over from various oddball villains including Dr. Lovelace, Count Manzeppi, Voltaire, various demented Civil War generals, divas, counterfeiters, banditos, renegades, outlaws, yahoos, hard cases, and others. Remember the Kraken, white elephants, the Sedgewick Curse, Nicodemis, torture chambers, simian killer apes, samurai assassins, trap doors, swinging bookcases and chandeliers, bubbling death pits, Jack O' Diamonds, and acid baths? Remember exotic locales including the San Francisco waterfront/shanghai bars, Denver, the Mexican desert, ghost towns, and spooky voodoo New Orleans? Remember the great theme music and commercial cut scenes? Remember Jeremy Pike and Pat Paulsen? Most "Night of the..." episodes ended with the boys safely back on the Wanderer toasting their latest adventures with just-rescued damsels in distress. Thank the DVD Gods for this one.
HERE! HERE! Touche'
