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Reviews
Gunfighters of the West (1998)
History made entertaining
A superb, entertaining series that is well written and includes believable, detailed reenactments with insightful commentary by several historians. Actor Brian Dennehey is well used as the series narrator (his actor son even appears in one of the segments). Especially well done are the Wyatt Earp and Wild Bill Hickock segments. The versatile New Mexico locale where the series was shot is used creatively by the director for the various reenactments that took place all across the west--the New Mexico desert substitutes for Tombstone, Arizona; a New Mexico aspen forest is the setting for a Wyoming train robbery by the Wild Bunch, etc. This is probably the best researched documentary series about the 19th century American frontier in the past 20 years. Thankfully, this is a return to meat-and-potatoes television documentaries and it mercifully lacks the depressing white guilt and introspective gloom of the vastly overrated PBS- TV documentary "The West" directed by filmmaker Rick Burns. Instead, this series celebrates the American West and its people; it's unafraid to find the frontier spirit in America's splendid past of reckless, lawless freedom. As an aside, the program's bad-boy country-rock theme music is perfect at setting the series' tone.
The Dain Curse (1978)
The Dain Curse locales
I appeared as an extra and was on location as a journalist covering "The Dain Curse". My involvement was during the segments of this film shot in Jim Thorpe, Pa. (Jim Thorpe was also one of the locations of the 1969 film "The Molly Maguires"). I reported the 'action' in the Emmaus Free Press newspaper where I was editor 1978-80 (the paper ceased publication int he 1990s). I recall the excellent attention to detail of the period costumes, automobiles, etc. The modern asphalted streets of Jim Thorpe were covered with gravel to mimic a 1920s rural town of the south. At the time, I interviewed the producer and spoke briefly with the director during a set change break; I did not get to interview James Coburn which was always a great disappointment to me. As an aside, I appear briefly in one of the street scenes wearing a snap- brim hat and a tweed jacket. The producer asked me to "jump in" and it was a real thrill. I still have a collection of black and white stills I took of the production work for the newspaper. Someday, they may be of interest to film/television historians.--Lou Varricchio