papamac630 If there was ever a show that actually is a "social microcosm", as Sherwood Schwartz stated, Gilligan's Island is it...the history and background of the show is gold to classic TV buffs...and this movie's format is perfect to tell the story of the "3 hour tour"...if the company that produced the film was thinking straight, they would re-release the DVD...after all, there's a whole new audience to inform...there are so many side stories that add to the aura of the show, it's as if you are at the set and behind the scenes, right there watching TV history being made...as a side note, Sherwood's book about the show is also a find...search the used bins, online sources, etc., and see if you can find the DVD...the search will be worth it!

Swampthing316 This documentary movie hosted by Dawn Wells, Bob Denver and Russel Johnson was incredibly well done!The actors that re-enacted the roles of the castaways were superb, the young man who portrayed Jim Backus had a hell of a task on his hands and performed pretty well.The actor who Portrayed Alan Hale had his character down to a Science. Tina Louis was portrayed most accurately.If you pay close attention to this movie it explains why Tina never comes to the reunions, she wanted nothing to do with this show after it was over, she demanded extra high pay to play Ginger in the Rescue from Gilligan's Island so Schwartz told her where to go and he got another actress, this is not mentioned in the film.The fact that Tina Louis was tricked into doing this show by her agent is a good enough explaination and is fully explained here.No one is portrayed as a saint in this film, whoever made that comment was totally wrong!This film follows up the E! True Hollywood Story Nicely and by the way Tina Louis allowed herself to be interviewed by E! for that documentary.I give this 4 stars for excellent acting and accuracy! Worth checking out if it is shown again.

kayley40 Gilligan's Island was on the air about 20 years before I was born. I only ever watched the show on reruns, and even then I wasn't old enough to appreciate it. But after watching this special, I found myself wishing that I could watch the show on SuperStation once again. At the end of the special I was wishing that it wasn't over, that I had taped it so that I could show my friends and family. It was a really fun special, and I just had to watch it, even though it was on until midnight.

Popeye-8 With wit, charm and a decidedly protuding "tongue in cheek", the surviving "Gilligan's Island" cast gets together one more time, but ON THEIR TERMS...no "True Hollywood Story" paranoia here.Using actors to portray them in their youth (as well as the deceased Backus, Hale and Schaefer), Dawn Wells, Bob Denver and Russell Johnson (along with Sherwood Schwarz, the show's creator) tell of the ups and downs of the longest tour in nautical history. The use of actors to tell the story's choppy history (it was hated by critics and CBS execs but loved by the public, much to CBS's confusion and dismay) can often be an 'iffy' proposal, but here it works wonders (the sudden jump of Wells into her "past" is especially funny and effective).Their approach on the issue of Tina Louise (who long ago rejected the show) was honest but not as harsh as they likely could have been. Other stories, such as the demise of Jim Backus and Alan Hale and Natalie Schaefer's breast cancer, are very poignant and told with great dignity.Special notice to Dwayne Hickman (Bob Denver's co-hort on DOBIE GILLIS) who does a nice cameo as a remarkably arrogant and dense CBS executive.Overall, a well-developed story told beautifully, and a nostalgic trip on the SS Minnow sails smoothly. If only ALL tv shows had this chance to "finish the story"...