I like this alamo film, made in 1960 by john wayne. Brighton retiree and film history buff john farkis took on an ambitious project when he decided to write a book about the making of 1960 american film classic the alamo. After years of research and writing, john has gotten a publisher and is in the final. The final assault came before daybreak on the morning of march 6, 1836, as columns of mexican soldiers emerged from the predawn darkness and headed for the alamos walls. Investigators believe a lightning storm west of austin caused a fire that all but destroyed a replica of the 1836 battle compound built for the 2004 film the alamo. Tradition, history, pioneers corcoran, john, farkas, emil. Mar 05, 2011 alamo chairwoman, daughters of the republic of texas van cleaves favorite alamo book is texian iliad. For this portfolio, i will determine the theme, find some novel points, research the relevant based on. Conventional wisdom in hollywood is that any movie named the alamo must be simplistic and rousing, despite the fact that we already know all the defenders got killed.
Led by william travis, the garrison included jim bowie, the famous knife fighter, and davy crockett, a heroic frontiersman and former congressman. Earlier accounts had the defenders flying the flag of the louisiana greys while others claimed it was a mexican flag bearing the date 1824, the year mexico passed a liberal constitution favorable to texans. Mar 30, 2015 brighton retiree and film history buff john farkis took on an ambitious project when he decided to write a book about the making of 1960 american film classic the alamo. Having read john s not thinkin just rememberin about the making of john waynes epic the alamo and john s first book on alamo village once again john has come up with yet another classic and full of interesting images and having visited alamo village in texas from here in the uk this book brought back loads of very happy memories for me and it is a must have for ones bookshelf.
The films survived absolutely have great research value. Apr 04, 2018 doesnt work despite thorntons top performance. Composed by dimitri tiomkin performed by the brothers four. The alamo 1960 the alamo 2004 a bullet for the general a fistful of dollars for a few dollars more the good, the bad and the ugly the magnificent seven 1960 my name is nobody once upon a time in the west. The truth of the alamo, like most distant historical events layered by mythic retellings, is an enigma shrouded in. Mar 10, 2015 among the alamo s garrison were jim bowie, renowned knife fighter, and david crockett, famed frontiersman and former congressman from tennessee. Not the original, but the replica 18thcentury spanish mission and old west movie set john wayne built for his oscarnominated 1960 movie and that for decades was a tourist mecca. The remarkable story of the irish during the texas revolution.
The movie tries to investigate the characters of davy crockett, william travis, jim bowie, and sam houston. The making of john waynes the alamo is the greatest book i have ever read on the alamo, or any other film. This surprisingly simple question was the genesis for todd hansens compendium of source material on the subject, the alamo reader. A special source information section gives a background description of the shows, films, or books that are cited often, and a source index allows readers to look up. I had the pleasure today of reading saving john waynes alamo an associated press article by michael graczyk in the sunday travel section of newsday long island. The morning star, 1984, 2584, england, the life and teachings of john wycliffe, the 14thcentury english theologian who is. Aguilar, raymond pfc 3rd graduate assigned to farkas team airoldi, john s. The picture also stars richard widmark as jim bowie and laurence harvey as william b. Updated from its first edition in 2005, alamo village has been greatly expanded with detailed information, fascinating insights, interesting interviews and numerous photographs about the important texas film site. John myers myers cool double last name and all was originally a new yorker the alamo looms large in the american mind, and particularly in the state of texas. The alamo is a 1960 american historical epic and war film about the 1836 battle of the alamo produced and directed by john wayne and starring wayne as davy crockett. Save the alamo july 25, 2015 this may not have any effect on getting the film properly restored, but i would recommend to any who have liked this page, and want to see no film being destroyed by purposeful neglect as is the case with the alamo, then send an email to the library of congress requesting that the film be added to the national. John wayne researched the actual event and location meticulously. After years of research and writing, john has gotten a publisher and is in the final preparation stages.
John lee hancocks the alamo is often sluggish, mired in his effort to provide detail in an attempt at honesty, and it is nearly 90 minutes before action fans get their moneys worth and they do. Even the most ambitious alamo film to date, john waynes 1960 the alamo, was a critical and financial flop. John farkis book on john waynes the alamo alamo studies forum. Utilising obscure and rare sources along with key documents never before published, hansen carefully balances the accounts against one another, culminating in the definitive resource for. He is on the board of the farkas center for the study of the holocaust in catholic schools in san francisco. Including such movies as the influential wait disney production davy crockett, king of the wild frontier 1955 and john waynes epic the alamo 1960, this book features 120 rare photographs, exhaustive cast and crew credits for each film, and minutely researched production histories of the films. The day struggle for the alamo and the sacrifice that forged a nation. The actual original plans of the mission were used to ensure the alamo village was correct.
The alamo texas film commission office of the texas. Its quite easy to tell that, while he is a scholar, he is. The alamo is an entertaining movie with a good heart that tries to accurately present the history of this famous american event. Frank thompson is an author, filmmaker, and film historian with a lifelong interest in the alamo. Our labels range from highend couture such as chanel and st. Book depository books with free delivery worldwide. The series of tracks unimaginatively named the battle of the alamo parts 1 through 6 is a series of brassbased cues with rather repetitive snare drum counterpoint. During the texan revolution, 184 rebels held out against 5,000 mexican soldiers for thirteen days. In 1836, mexican forces took the alamo mission, near. Alamo chairwoman, daughters of the republic of texas van cleaves favorite alamo book is texian iliad. The alamo is an illustrated history of the fort that became a symbol of courage and sacrifice for freedom. Davy crockett, who, together with colonels jim bowie richard widmark and william travis laurence harvey and 184 hardy. Nov 12, 2000 groneman is the author of death of a legend.
The historical drama or period drama is a film genre in which stories are based upon historical. I have been proofreading john farkis soontobepublished book on the making of john waynes the alamo. The alamo is a very underrated film that is an interesting history. Disney initiated the first great alamo craze in 1954 with its tv and movie portrayals of davy crockett, but it remains to be seen if lightning can strike twice for the house that walt built. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Full roster alamo scouts historical foundation, inc. The alamo is the perfect example of a film that really good, but has gotten so much bad press because it was a box office bomb. Less than a mile away, take in a free screening of san antonio. Crockett goes on to equate the words resonant quality with the moment when a mans young son makes his first sound like a man, another highlight from david crocketts speech, included on this soundtrack to the alamo, waynes 1960 labor of love and boxoffice bust. The final assault came before daybreak on the morning of march 6, 1836, as columns of mexican soldiers emerged from the predawn darkness and headed for the alamo s walls. Alamo movie set burned by fire san antonio expressnews. Service san ramon danville blackhawk alamo diablo walnut creek.
The alamo by john myers myers meet your next favorite book. The advance buzz on the alamo was negative, and now i know why. Gvozdansko deserves more research and the same level of respect and protection for its equal relevance. Danville living magazine march 2019 by danville living ca issuu. He has also written numerous articles on the alamo for publications ranging from texas monthly to the philadelphia. Unbelievably however, this film is far from the dud those numbers might suggest and is arguably a finer film that big john waynes 1960 version of the events in san antonio, texas, in 1836. Travis, and the supporting cast features frankie avalon, patrick wayne, linda cristal, joan obrien, chill wills, joseph calleia, ken curtis.
Utilising obscure and rare sources along with key documents never before published, hansen carefully balances the accounts against one another, culminating in the definitive resource for alamo history. That said, there is a lot to critique in the movie. The alamo the green leaves of summer composed by dimitri tiomkin performed by the brothers four. The making of the epic film clark, donald, andersen, christopher p. Apr 06, 2004 the series of tracks unimaginatively named the battle of the alamo parts 1 through 6 is a series of brassbased cues with rather repetitive snare drum counterpoint. It did not, although debate continues over which flag did fly over the missionfortress. Among the alamos garrison were jim bowie, renowned knife fighter, and david crockett, famed frontiersman and former congressman from tennessee.
This weeks wedding announcements the new york times. Here is a movie that captures the loneliness and dread of men waiting for two weeks. Though alamo village is no longer open to the public, the actual alamo, in downtown san antonio, is open every day except christmas. The alamo original soundtrack dimitri tiomkin songs. Many of these roles were inflated just for hollywood production and entertainment. The myth and mystery surrounding the death of davy crockett. Of course, the alamo is no ordinary movie, so the telling of the making of the movie is no small feat. Phil collins remembers the alamo by bill carruthers.
I have seen the apartmentwinner of the 1960 best picture academy award. Nov 05, 2012 in his first book, the alamo and beyond. There are also expanded sections on the discovery and history of fort clark, brackettville and a short history of alamo village after the filming of the alamo in 1959. And his sweeping theme introduced in what were defending comes off as an imitation of the theme from rob roy.
Check out the alamo 1960 film score by dimitri tiomkin on amazon music. Alamo scouts diary us army special operations history. Its quite easy to tell that, while he is a scholar, he is also a fan of both the alamo and john wayne. The alamo 1960 john waynes epic the alamo was filmed near brackettville, texas, on a set specifically made for the film. Whether you love or hate waynes film, you cannot deny the time, work and money wayne put into this film. The story of the alamo is one of the most iconic moments in american history. Scholastic library publishing, 1997 alamo san antonio, tex.
John waynes directorial debut the alamo is set in 1836. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Frontier legend davy crockett played by wayne and his men arrive in san antonio, texas, and volunteer to help defend the alamo, a hopelessly outgunned missionturnedfort. Released 1960, the alamo stars john wayne, richard widmark, laurence harvey, richard boone the movie has a runtime of about 2 hr 41 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic, which. She was like mary pickford in a silent movies, he said. I remember the alamo by d anne love by anna rothwell. The alamo is a 1960 film that tells the legendary true story of a small band of soldiers who sacrificed their lives in hopeless combat against a massive army in order to prevent a tyrant from smashing the new republic of texas. List of historical drama films and series set in near eastern and.
The alamo 1960 the alamo 2004 a bullet for the general a fistful of dollars for a few. Many of the characters in the film specifically davy crockett were portrayed as larger than life figures. Yet to visit the alamo is to be reminded of the profoundly important historical drama that unfolded there a story that john myers myers tells well in his 1948 book the alamo. Phil collinss top five alamo reads true west magazine.
Alamo was designate by unesco as a world heritage site in 2015. A military history of the texas revolution 1994 by dr. A collectors journey state house press, he shares his story of the alamo through artifacts and documents from his private collection. The alamo 1960 film score by dimitri tiomkin on amazon. Costumes were identical to those depicted in every book of mexican military history i have seen.
The texas victory that changed american history hardcover november 5, 2019. Republic is one of those words that makes me tight in the throat. If everyone was killed inside the alamo, how do we know what happened. Art books comics film humor media music poetry politics sex. The alamo is a 1960 film that tells the legendary true story of a small band of soldiers who sacrificed their lives in hopeless combat against a massive army in order to prevent a tyrant from smashing the new republic of texas directed by john wayne.
Most historians now believe the most likely flag used at the alamo was the tricolor tejas y coahuila. Mar 25, 2015 of course, the alamo is no ordinary movie, so the telling of the making of the movie is no small feat. If we dont know it, we find out in the first scene. The making of john waynes the alamo and the book is very thorough.
465 1197 725 917 234 46 1054 1598 255 531 10 87 1075 504 924 1357 611 1367 100 656 1017 478 628 190 843 1263 845 372 119 278 81 541 195 101 957 398 443 329 56 585 972 1128 358 1058 210