Western Documentaries

[mrsl]

This has been a week of documentaries for me. Starting with Papa Ford, and 'Directed by John Ford', which most of us have seen before, but it's one that always bears repeating because it is so filled with information, you might not get it all in one sitting, especially when you try to categorize the music.

While channel surfing, I saw, on Encore Westerns, 'Legends of the American West'. Another one I've seen before, but learned more upon this second viewing. First off, Harry Carey, Jr. is the host, sitting on a horse no less, while he introduces each segment. The first part is a description of the hardships, and reasons people decided to take the trip into the unknown West. They start off with famous outlaws like the James Brothers, and Billy the Kid, followed by lawmen such as Wyatt Earp. There is a good, and honest segment on the American Indian, especially attending information on the massacre at Wounded Knee, and generalizations of wrongs still being done today. The documentary may have been done originally by PBS, because it has the look of other documentaries I've seen on PBS, or it could be just the group of director, writer, cameraman, etc. It's definitely worth watching, if you have the channel.

Finally, I DVR'd the directors doc., and I'll watch it tomorrow, since I also watched Obama's White House.

Anne

[MissGoddess]

Anne, if you can rent or find them at the library, look for

"Wide, Wide World - The Western" made in 1958 with just about every single western star you
can think of from the big and small screen:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0212709/

And "The Real West" from 1960, a documentary Gary Cooper hosted shortly before his death.

I wish Encore Westerns (or TCM) would acquire and restore both for broadcast, they are critical
and entertaining viewing for any old west movie fans.

Encore does air "Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs" on occasion, a 2000 documentary that's really good.

[stuart.uk]

Miss G

I recall a great doc about The American Civil War. Not only was it very educational I thought the still photgraphs of the period reminded me of Buster Keaton's The General, because the print of the film was so old it looked like it was from the 1860s if that makes sense. The Narrater also did the same job in Seabuiscut

The History Of The American West dealt with life in Dakota with the story of Custer, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and the gold strike. I seem to remember it told of domestic servants heading west to gain some indepentance

I've seen Docs on Billy The Kid, Baffalo Bill and Jesse James. It suggested Jesse craved the fame of an outlaw. I think Baffalo Bill was interesting.

[MissGoddess]

Hi Stuart!

I imagine the west held allure for all sorts of seekers of adventure, soldiers of fortune and more lawless types like Jesse. Maybe that's why its depiction in story and film has captured the imagination so much.

[Vienna]

I recall a really good docu , GEORGE STEVENS, A FILMMAKER'S JOURNEY, Written and directed by George Stevens Jr. It runs about 90 minutes.made in 1984.

[Rita Hayworth]

PBS - The West ...
By Ken Burns ...

A Journey through the Eight-Part Documentary Series

http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/program/episodes/


I highly recommended this Western Documentary ... is an 8-part series that covers a period from 1806 to 1914.