The Dallas movies

[ErikKristensen97]

What's your opinions on the 3 Dallas movies (The early years, J.R Returns and War of the ewings)

The Early Years - I liked this one, a good prequel.

J.R Returns - Really liked this one! We got an answer to what happened at the end of conundrum, and i honestly think this movie should've been the epilogue/coda to the series.

War of the ewings was ok.

 

[Billy Wall]

The Early Years and JR Returns was good. I’ll have to watch the War of the Ewing’s again.

I still think they missed an opportunity when they were hot to not make a movie on Gary and Val since that situation was brought up numerous times in the early seasons.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

I like JR Returns a lot.

It's a fitting coda to the TV series.

 

[Matthew Blaisdel]

I love JR Returns as well, it really feels like a solid continuation of the series, and not even it's last, crappy years but somewhat from the middle. Really like the sets they use and those very familiar music tunes throughout the movie are really nice. I love especially the Sue Ellen/John Ross-scene when they find out, that JR has "died", really a great and emotional scene. Just wish it had Ellie and Clayton in it, if only for a short cameo like a phonecall or so, that would have been awesome.

From War of the Ewings i only like the first few minutes with JRs dream of Bobby and Sue Ellen in the shower and then how she throws that pillow at JR when she wants him to get up. That's fun! But from there on it's downhill, the rest is meh. Only good thing was to see Steve Kanaly and George Kennedy back once more.

 

[Crimson]

I think THE EARLY YEARS and JR RETURNS are very good, at least based on my memories of them.

For years, I had no idea WAR OF THE EWINGS even existed. The first few times I saw it referenced on this forum, I thought it was fanfic. When I finally got around to watching it, I found it incredibly dull.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

I think THE EARLY YEARS and JR RETURNS are very good, at least based on my memories of them.

For years, I had no idea WAR OF THE EWINGS even existed. The first few times I saw it referenced on this forum, I thought it was fanfic. When I finally got around to watching it, I found it incredibly dull.

Bobby being doe eyed with Jennifer Jantzen takes the biscuit with me. He was better with Julia Cunningham in JR Returns.

A shame a lot of the cast from JR Returns aren't in War of the Ewing's. I prefer JR Returns anyway but Philip Anglim was quite good as the villain in War of the Ewing's and it was nice to see Steve Kanaly as Ray again.

 

[southfork88]

I definitely prefer Dallas: The Early Years, although there are some plot inconsistencies that don't fit into the regular Dallas series. Interesting JR Returns.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I think they tried to sanctify Jock (or Jim Davis, by association) too much in THE EARLY YEARS, and I thought Young Jock was miscast -- unlike Molly Hagen who could easily have aged into BBG. But the movie was competent and, for the most part, had the right idea. (Although they should have filmed at The Box Ranch in Frisco, since that's what Southfork looked like before it was recast with Duncan Acres after that never-mentioned twister hit the house just weeks after the 1978 barbecue).

JR RETURNS was okay, and had some nice scenes, but it didn't work for me all that well. It got good ratings, but they should have stopped there.

THE WAR OF THE EWINGS was awful and it shouldn't have happened. Even Duffy admits that despite he and Larry producing it (Katzman was already dead) it's generally regarded as the nadir of the DALLAS narrative, and acknowledges that what makes these things work (or not) is mysterious. (Where was Paulsen? Because Art Lewis can't cut it on his own).

 

[Snowcat]

I think they tried to sanctify Jock (or Jim Davis, by association) too much in THE EARLY YEARS, and I thought Young Jock was miscast -- unlike Molly Hagen who could easily have aged into BBG. But the movie was competent and, for the most part, had the right idea. (Although they should have filmed at The Box Ranch in Frisco, since that's what Southfork looked like before it was recast with Duncan Acres after that never-mentioned twister hit the house just weeks after the 1978 barbecue).

JR RETURNS was okay, and had some nice scenes, but it didn't work for me all that well. It got good ratings, but they should have stopped there.

THE WAR OF THE EWINGS was awful and it shouldn't have happened. Even Duffy admits that despite he and Larry producing it (Katzman was already dead) it's generally regarded as the nadir of the DALLAS narrative, and acknowledges that what makes these things work (or not) is mysterious. (Where was Paulsen? Because Art Lewis can't cut it on his own).

Really? I thought Jock was very well cast. I thought that guy looked just like Jim Davis

 

[southfork88]

I think they tried to sanctify Jock (or Jim Davis, by association) too much in THE EARLY YEARS, and I thought Young Jock was miscast -- unlike Molly Hagen who could easily have aged into BBG. But the movie was competent and, for the most part, had the right idea. (Although they should have filmed at The Box Ranch in Frisco, since that's what Southfork looked like before it was recast with Duncan Acres after that never-mentioned twister hit the house just weeks after the 1978 barbecue).

JR RETURNS was okay, and had some nice scenes, but it didn't work for me all that well. It got good ratings, but they should have stopped there.

THE WAR OF THE EWINGS was awful and it shouldn't have happened. Even Duffy admits that despite he and Larry producing it (Katzman was already dead) it's generally regarded as the nadir of the DALLAS narrative, and acknowledges that what makes these things work (or not) is mysterious. (Where was Paulsen? Because Art Lewis can't cut it on his own).

David Jacobs was forced by the evolution of events during the 1984-1985 season to sanctify the figure of Jock, partially modifying the script of the movie and this character that himself conceived for Jim Davis.

However, the screenplay was conceived to highlight lights and shadows of each character, not only Jock, but also Digger (the actor who played him was very good) and Ellie.

Rather inconsistent with the regular series the figures of Jason Ewing and Garrison Southworth as well as some dates.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Really? I thought Jock was very well cast. I thought that guy looked just like Jim Davis

I dunno. Maybe his demeanor wasn't right enough to convince.

 

[Seaviewer]

The Early Years I can take or leave. It's a bit overlong and, like all prequels, doesn't really go anywhere, but it holds the interest.
JR Returns is great. As I've said before, it redeems the Conundrum debacle and can be regarded as the true series finale.
I don't know what they were thinking with War of the Ewings. The should have built on the characters introduced in JR Returns but instead they made a piece of fluff.

 

[southfork88]

I dunno. Maybe his demeanor wasn't right enough to convince.

In this movie Jock Ewing is an ambitious man ... but with moral principles.

He protects Digger and uses his ability to sniff out oil to make money. Jock doesn't cheat and he's not a traitor like Jason.

Jock has a crazy wife named Amanda who loves, but he knows she will never come back sane.

And there's Ellie who represents the stability of the land of Texas. Jock is in love with Ellie, but doesn't cheat on Digger until Willard proves he's an alcoholic and hopeless loser.

Great movie !

 

[ErikKristensen97]

In this movie Jock Ewing is an ambitious man ... but with moral principles.

He protects Digger and uses his ability to sniff out oil to make money. Jock doesn't cheat and he's not a traitor like Jason.

Jock has a crazy wife named Amanda who loves, but he knows she will never come back sane.

And there's Ellie who represents the stability of the land of Texas. Jock is in love with Ellie, but doesn't cheat on Digger until Willard proves he's an alcoholic and hopeless loser.

Great movie !

I really liked Jock in this movie too!

Since the series is being remastered, i really hope that these movies will get the same treatment! Would love to start the Dallas HD marathon with a remastered The Early Years, then the 14 seasons and then end with J.R Returns and War Of The Ewings in HD as well!

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

I really liked Jock in this movie too!

Since the series is being remastered, i really hope that these movies will get the same treatment! Would love to start the Dallas HD marathon with a remastered The Early Years, then the 14 seasons and then end with J.R Returns and War Of The Ewings in HD as well!

I'd say it's highly likely that they will get re-mastered.

My DVD collection set includes the four movies and before you ask the fourth one is the Dallas Reunion: The Return To Southfork special.

Those four movies are bound to get put with the rest of the series.

 

[Rove]

and then end with J.R Returns and War Of The Ewings

No TNT Dallas?

 

[ErikKristensen97]

No TNT Dallas?

I recently watched it, and i'm honestly not a big fan of the TNT series.

 

[Matthew Blaisdel]

Yes ... it's not Dallas. Ist's just another failed crappy Hispanic crime-soap, that stole some Dallas-characters and elements to make it popular.. nothing more.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

No TNT Dallas?

I've had all knowledge of this show wiped from my mind by the Time Lords.

I never want to watch that show again.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Yes ... it's not Dallas. Ist's just another failed crappy Hispanic crime-soap, that stole some Dallas-characters and elements to make it popular.. nothing more.

Sad, but true. So much potential -- and they got a couple of things right, but even those seemed to be accidental.

I loved the autumnal-wintry vibe of nuDALLAS as it gave more of an ominous, grimy Texas backroads flavor to the show than the original had, and Josh was perfect as the grown John Ross (although it's true that oldDALLAS' John Ross was more likely to grow into a Vince Kartheiser --- LOL!). And I very much liked the second half of nuDALLAS' Season 2 with JR's Masterpiece and 'Whatever happened to oldPam?"

But most of what the nuDALLAS telenovela did just didn't work and kept missing the mark left-and-right.

But, y'know --- yum...