The Alamo Documentary

Starring:Frank Thompson (IV), Stephen L. Hardin, Joan Headley, Richard Flores (II), Bruce Winders, Don Graham (III), Joseph Musso
Director: Lynn Stevenson
Studio: Delta
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
INVESTIGATES THE HISTORY, MYTH AND POPULAR CULTURE OF THE ALAMO!

On March 6, 1836 the 13-day siege of the Alamo ended. Among the dead were three men destined to become martyrs and heroes: David Crockett, James Bowie and William B. Travis. Cries of Remember the Alamo! would eventually fuel an American victory over Mexico. The Alamo and its defenders grew into enduring symbols of courage and sacrifice in the face of overwhelming odds.

Controversy has always been part of the history and legend of the Alamo. Whether they hold traditional or revisionist views, people are passionate about their opinions.

~Were Crockett, Travis and Bowie a "Holy Trinity" or less than perfect human beings?
~Why were Tejanos like Juan Seguin, who fought for Texas liberty alongside the Anglos, virtually ignored in history books until recently?
~How did Crockett die?
~Did Travis draw a line in the sand?
~How many defenders were really there, and how many attackers?
~Did everyone die, or were there survivors?

Since 1836, the Alamo and its heroes have been immortalized in countless poems, songs, plays, books and movies. The films of Walt Disney starring Fess Parker inspired a Davy Crockett craze that covered the nation with coon skin caps and merchandise ranging from games to salt shakers to ladies underwear.

TOTAL RUNNING TIME APPROXIMATELY: 115 MIN.

Product Description

Behind the most famous battle cry in American history is a story of ambition and heroism, greed and vanity, desperation and defeat. THE HISTORY CHANNEL® PRESENTS: THE ALAMO examines the epic battle through four acclaimed programs from THE HISTORY CHANNEL® and A&E, presenting a compelling picture of the forces,personalities and events that converged at the San Antonio mission in 1836.

"Remember the Alamo" New research dispels some long-held beliefs about what really happened in the showdown between Santa Anna's army and Davy Crockett, William Barret Travis, Jim Bowie, and their group of American volunteers.
"The Real West: The Battle of the Alamo" Host Kenny Rogers focuses on the strained collaboration among Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, and William Barret Travis.
"The Real West: Texas Rangers" Ride into the past to see how these legendary lawmen patrolled a vast and wild territory.
"BIOGRAPHY®: Davy Crockett: American Frontier Legend" Experts explode the myths surrounding the backwoodsman who died at the Alamo.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Remembering the Alamo won't be a problem after you've seen The Alamo, a richly informative, thematically unified set of four History Channel documentaries. The centerpiece of this two-DVD set is "Remember the Alamo," hosted by Dennis Quaid and produced to coincide with the April 2004 theatrical release of The Alamo, the historical epic (promoted here in a behind-the-scenes featurette) in which Quaid plays Gen. Sam Houston. It's a typical History Channel production, purporting to offer the definitive fair-and-balanced account of the siege on the infamous San Antonio, Texas mission on the chilly morning of March 6, 1836, between the Mexican centralist army of Gen. Santa Anna, and the "Texican" American rebels led by Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, and William Barret Travis. Numerous "talking head" scholars pore over new and established historical details, examining the political and geographical circumstances that led to the massacre that left few survivors, and dispelling such myths as Crockett's fate (he was captured and executed) and the number of Mexicans killed in the assault.

While some of the latest research remains speculative, the context of the Alamo siege is thoroughly examined in the other documentaries (previously issued on VHS) which fill out the set. Hosted by Kenny Rogers in Western regalia, two segments of "The Real West" series go into more specific detail about the battle itself and the history--from ruthless frontier justice to official law-enforcement status--of the legendary Texas Rangers. Most colorful of all, not surprisingly, is the hour-long exploration of the larger-than-life exploits of Davy Crockett, a charming opportunist who nevertheless earned his heroic status as a fearless leader who faced impossible odds at the Alamo siege. While some of the expert testimony verges on shameless hero worship, it remains clear that the Alamo, and the events and personalities that made history there, remains the most pivotal and politically complex turning point in the U.S. expansion of the westward frontier. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

On second thought..........2004-06-08

I am actually going to revise my earlier review a bit, as I recently screened this documentary again, after doing more research on the topic. My earlier comments remain mostly valid, but I need to add a few more concerns. As another reviewer noted, the narrative of the documentary sometimes presents speculative conclusions as verified fact. Granted, the conclusions are based on some evidence, but that evidence is not always so reliable as the documentary would suggest. The annoying phrases "most historians agree" or "most historians now accept" are misleading. Historians always argue and almost never agree...especially on a topic so controversial. I guess the idea was to make the documentary seem authoritative. Watch the documentary, but don't accept everything presented without finding out more about the Alamo. I've been reading about the Alamo for over 40 years now, and the more I learn the more I am convinced that there is still much solid research that needs to be done.

Ambitious documentary.......2004-04-08

Two of the other reviews so far pretty fairly rate this documentary. The inherent flaw in the documentary is probably unavoidable: it tries to cover a very complex topic from all angles and viewpoints, and this is not quite possible within the time and format restrictions. Still, it is a very good overview, especially if it inspires people to read more on the Alamo. The only other quibble I have is with some of the casting: The Travis is too old, too lean, and wears a Laurence Harvey costume. Likewise the Bowie is too old. Crockett looks good. Santa Anna is good, but doesn't look like the (mostly) Creole that he was. As for "speculation," much of our information about the Alamo is just that, unfortunately. I recommend The Alamo Reader, edited by Todd Hansen, for anyone who wants to see just how "reliable" a lot of our source material for the Alamo is.

Missed Opportunities.......2003-12-18

While containing numerous positive elements the video, unfortunatly shows a subtle bias twoard some major characters especially on the side of the rebels. The program accuratly depicts all of the characters as flawed individuals. In some cases, such as Bowie and Travis seriously flawed. However, instances of extremely honorable behavior on the part of some major characters are, unfortunatly, omitted. For example, that Crockett lost his seat in congress for opposing the dispossession of the Native American population in the Southeastern United States is, unfortunatly, omitted. This display of integrity and honorable behavior by Crockett gives an invaluable insight into his character and should have been included.

That films about the battle of the Alamo tend to show the Mexicans as vicious at best and sadistic at worst is generally true. There are examples to the contrary. An example is John Wayne's movie, The Alamo. While not a great or historically accurate film, John Wayne's epic is very sympathetic to the Mexicans. In Wayne's film Santa Anna is shown behaving chivalrously in letting the women and children evacuate the Alamo and saluting Susanna Dickenson as she and the other survivors leave the fort after the battle. In this movie Crockett defends a Mexican woman against an American who is persecuting her. Juan Seguin has a significant, and positive part in the film. In the depiction of the probing attack defenders of the Alamo praise the courage of the attacking Mexicans. And Richard Widmark, as Bowie, waxes eloquent in his love for Mexico and the Mexican people.

The program misses an opprtunity to use more of the de la Pena diary, now conceeded by most to be substantially authentic, allthough otherwise its sourcing was good.

On the subject of casualties, it is interesting that Santa Anna claimed the number of casualties among the defenders to be 600. It is possible that he picked this number because it exceeded his own casualties. All things considered, it seems likely that several hundred Mexican Soldiers died in the battle.

In short, a very good documentary missed a chance to be a great one.

Do not listen (read) naysayers.......2003-11-14

The reason that one would not be able to find information, i.e., if they are a 'mainstreamer', is that they have not bothered to read more than the textual references given in hostory class. Being a Native Texan and in that, from San Antonio I have a vested interest in this event. For one, a very detailed description of the events has been given by survivors - Mexican survivors, that is. One of General Santa Anna's generals kept a detailed diary of the events leading up to the attack in which it does indicate that there were several people who surrendered. Another Texan, who was eventually driven out of Texas because he dared to indicate what the Daughters of the Republic of Texas refused to contemplate, (we get into racism here), also notes that Crockett was one of the surrenders. Furthermore, an in-depth study of Crockett as well as some of the others, would recveal that they had no intention of being 'heroes'. They were opportunists. Also, one sidebar that is overlooked by many historians, is that they men who fought in the Alamo were NOT Americans. They had volunutarily become Mexican citizens to acquire the land that Mexico was initially offering. This battle took place because they rebelled against teh constitution of 1824 of Mexico. In addition, if one is 'really' interested books such as 'Dual of Eagles' by Jeff Long and 'With Santa Anna' by Jose Enrique De La Pena - and BTW Susanna Dickenson was a survivor along with Travis' African-American slave - Joe.

excerpted from:http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/CC/fcr24.html
Crockett died in battle of the Alamoqv on March 6, 1836. The manner of his death was uncertain, however, until the publication in 1975 of the diary of Lt. José Enrique de la Peña. Susanna Dickinson,qv wife of Almaron Dickinson,qv an officer at the Alamo, said Crockett died on the outside, one of the earliest to fall. Joe,qv Travis's slave and the only male Texan to survive the battle, reported seeing Crockett lying dead with slain Mexicans around him and stated that only one man, named Warner, surrendered to the Mexicans (Warner was taken to Santa Anna and promptly shot). When Peña's eyewitness account was placed together with other corroborating documents, Crockett's central part in the defense became clear. Travis had previously written that during the first bombardment Crockett was everywhere in the Alamo "animating the men to do their duty." Other reports told of the deadly fire of his rifle that killed five Mexican gunners in succession, as they each attempted to fire a cannon bearing on the fort, and that he may have just missed Santa Anna, who thought himself out of range of all the defenders' rifles. Crockett and five or six others were captured when the Mexican troops took the Alamo at about six o'clock that morning, even though Santa Anna had ordered that no prisoners be taken. The general, infuriated when some of his officers brought the Americans before him to try to intercede for their lives, ordered them executed immediately. They were bayoneted and then shot. Crockett's reputation and that of the other survivors was not, as some have suggested, sullied by their capture. Their dignity and bravery was, in fact, further underscored by Peña's recounting that "these unfortunates died without complaining and without humiliating themselves before their torturers."

Coincidentally, a work mostly of fiction masquerading as fact had put the truth of Crockett's death before the American public in the summer of 1836. Despite its many falsifications and plagiarisms, Richard Penn Smith's Col. Crockett's Exploits and Adventures in Texas...Written by Himself had a reasonably accurate account of Crockett's capture and execution. Many thought the legendary Davy deserved better, and they provided it, from thrilling tales of his clubbing Mexicans with his empty rifle and holding his section of the wall of the Alamo until cut down by bullets and bayonets, to his survival as a slave in a Mexican salt mine.

So please make educated comments based on viable and accessible information. Thank you.

An uninteresting and speculative account of the Alamo.......2003-04-14

This is a unique look at the Alamo, but not a particularly good one. I have found that some History Channel documentaries are grossly inaccurate, and I suspect this one of just that flaw. Everyone knows something of what happened at the Alamo--the movies, books, and legends of the battle that took place there are many--but this film seems to concentrate on removing the myth from the Alamo, and of dismissing as fable most of the stories about that fateful battle.

The problem, however, is that the film is not very convincing in its dismissal of legend. It denies that Col. Travis ever made his famous line in the sand, and that the defenders of the Alamo were there only because they thought reenforcements were coming soon. It alleges that Davy Crockett surrendered, and that he was executed while pleading for his life. I have no problem with dispelling myths in an attempt to retain history, but there is a problem with all of this: there were no American survivors. How are we to know that Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie did not die fighting? The very problem of this film is that it is every bit as speculative (and sometimes more) as the 'legends' it is trying to disprove.

Description

INVESTIGATES THE HISTORY, MYTH AND POPULAR CULTURE OF THE ALAMO!

Controversy has always been part of the history and legend of the Alamo. Whether they hold traditional or revisionist views, people are passionate about their opinions.

TOTAL RUNNING TIME APPROXIMATELY: 115 MIN.

Customer Reviews:

The Alamo Documentary.......2007-03-08

I thought the film was informative. During the early part of the film there was a lot of history, interesting observations from both sides of the war. But I was bored to tears when they began the Davey Crockett memorabilia segment. But if you are a Texas history buff, it is worth spending the time watching. I particularly enjoyed the black and white segments that were add ins. Quite humorus.

If you must watch a film about the Alamo, watch this one.......2006-07-20

Richard Reyes Flores is a very smart man with an insightful take on how "the Alamo" became such a huge deal, and so destructive to real live human beings. This documentary, however, doesn't do Flores' profound analysis justice. Better to read _Remembering the Alamo: Memory, modernity and the mastery symbol_(2002), his edited volume of Adina de Zavala's writings, his book about _los Pastores_, or one of his articles (Google Scholar will help you out there)....Relative to other Alamo productions (yuck), this film is excellent, but in itself, just okay.

Remember the Alamo - forget this DVD.......2006-05-28

The main problem with this 75-minute documentary is it does not give a sense of the historical "big picture".

It starts off with historians and museum curators telling us what was wrong with all the movies made about the Alamo and the depiction of the characters in them, then wanders around the subject of the battle itself. However, it fails to present a decent time-line of history, and leaves you wondering what all the fuss was about.

Extras include the 40-minute 1937 movie called "Remember the Alamo", which at least gives a little historical perspective on the subject. Also is a 5-minute piece about weapons and uniforms described by an unusually dressed (in real life) man from the main documentary. Finally there is a trailer from John Wayne's 1960 version of "The Alamo".

There must be better presentations of the subject, though the inexpensive price makes this DVD not a total waste as a second source of information.

Investigates the Alamo as no other documentary has done!.......2004-04-21

This documentary explores the history and pop culture as no other has done before: it explores how the Alamo became a cultural icon, and tours Alamo collections (including some rare John Wayne memorabilia!). There is also a re-enactment battle scene, which I found rather interesting as I may not ever get a chance to see it in person.
This DVD is a rather fascinating look at things about the Alamo that you never knew before. There is an introduction by Frank Thompson, noted Alamo authority!

Average customer rating:

Remember the Alamo
Starring: Dennis Quaid
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ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000BITU2U
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Average customer rating:

Great find!
Alright early silent
Not the First, Not quite the Worst, Possibly Worth a Look
A Treat for Alamo and History Buffs

The Martyrs of the Alamo
Starring: Ora Carew , Sam de Grasse , John Dillon , Douglas Fairbanks , and Juanita Hansen
Director: William Christy Cabanne
Manufacturer: Delta
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ASIN: B0001LYFHC
Release Date: 2004-03-30

Description

THE MARTYRS OF THE ALAMO The earliest surviving Alamo film, produced in 1915 by American film pioneer D.W. Griffith, Martyrs of the Alamois truly a rare cinematic treat. Telling the tale of the courageous American stand against oppression and tyranny, with its impressive sets, wonderful battle scenes, and expressive performances, Martyrssurpasses the expectations implied by the words "epic filmmaking." Witness the birth of Texas and get the true meaning to the immortal words, "Remember the Alamo," with this rare and thrilling cinematic treasure. (1915 • 72 Min. • B/W)

SPECIAL FEATURES
~Introduction by Alamo expert Frank Thompson
~The Alamo: Shrine of Texas Liberty Lost & Found (9 Min. • B/W & Color)
~The Alamo: "Shrine of Texas Liberty" (16 Min. • B/W)
~The Spirit of Independence (5 Min. • Color)

TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 102 MIN.

Customer Reviews:

Great find!.......2007-07-07

Too cool. If you haven't seen it, do. It'll be a great addition to your Alamo video collection.

Alright early silent.......2005-10-30

Alright, early (1915) silent film on the Alamo has the usual suspects - Davy Crockett, James Bowie, Colonel Travis - repelling the overwhelming, Santa Anna-led, Mexican force attacking the Alamo in 1836.

This disk seems to have been released to coincide with the theatrical release of the Dennis Quaid/Billy Bob Thornton `The Alamo' in 2004. I haven't seen the recent one, or inexplicably (to me, at least) the John Wayne version of 1960. According to THE MARTYRS OF THE ALAMO, Santa Anna is a notorious drug fiend - hey, it's on one of the inter-title cards, and the Texas historian introducing the movie draws our attention to it - a drug fiend who's constantly on the lookout for some reason to attack the American settlers in San Antonio. Santa Anna's rowdy soldiers accost Captain Dickinson's wife on the street, an act that inflames Dickinson's Tennessee sense of honor. One dead Mexican officer later and Santa Anna sets about planning his attack.

Unlike other early silent movies I've seen, THE MARTYRS OF THE ALAMO has relatively subdued acting and some well choreographed action scenes. The defenders, including the desperately ill Bowie, are appropriately gallant, and the distant Sam Houston is appropriately tardy with the relief troops, to more or less convince me this is at least a loose representation of historical facts. That belief is challenged by the thick fur Davy Crockett caps and the that-don't-look-like-the-Alamo, French rococo, studio built church meant to represent the Alamo. It's possible the Mexicans weren't that decadent and depraved, either. If the history is a bit shaky, at least the print is in good condition.

Bonus features on the disk include the 1938, 15-minute `The Alamo: Shrine of Texas Liberty.' Locally produced and silent with a voice-over narration, this short film, we're told, was intended for use in history classes. Looks like it, too, although in the introduction we're told it contains some interesting footage of late-thirties San Antonio, before it was developed, as well as a couple of that city's more prominent citizens who had acted in the film. The other bonus feature is a 5-minute animated short put out by the Federal Government in 1976 as part of the bicentennial celebration.

Not the First, Not quite the Worst, Possibly Worth a Look.......2005-05-07

"The Martyrs of the Alamo" is not the first movie made about the famous siege during the War for Texas Independance but it is the earliest one to survive. It was made in 1915 by D.W. Griffith of "Birth of a Nation" fame (or infamy). In fact, the subtitle of this production is "Birth of Texas" and the 2 movies do have some things in common.

The main thing in common is bigotry. In this film, the war is depicted as a buch of upstanding white men trying to save white women from the lecherous ravages of those savage Mexicans. Mexicans are portrayed as an inferior race. This is patently untrue.

The second thing it has in common is a lack of historicity. There was a Texas Revolution. Gral. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna did rule Mexico and command the Mexican Army. Travis, Bowie and Crocket did die at the Alamo and Sam Houston did defeat the generalisimo at the Battle of San Jacinto. These elements are present in this film but most of the rest of what is present is fiction or even contrary to known facts. Don't look to this film as a history lesson. (It is interesting to note that this is one of the rare Alamo Movies that does bother to portray the Battle of San Jacinto)

Griffith, in producing this movie, conveniently forgot how may of the Alamo defenders were Mexican citizens. Bowie was anglo but had a Mexican wife and was a citizen. SO for that matter were most, anglo or hispanic. He set the tone for bad relations between the races for years to come. This is portrayed most viciously in two manners. During the fall, a Mexican soldier bayonettes a young toddler, seemingly for the fun of it. Also, a blond woman is saved so that Santa Anna "the notorious drug fiend" can have his carnal way with her. Uh, Uh.

One of the "funnier" things about this movie is the headgear. Almost all of the Alamo defenders wear coon skin caps like Davy Crocket. That makes identifying Crocket difficult sometimes. In a similar manner, most of the the Mexicans, except for the high official wearing cocked hats, have incredibly tall shakos. I thought that was just a "movie thing" until I saw one in a museum and they were that tall.

Now that I have thorougly bashed this film, there are some good things to say about it. The production values are state of the art for 1915 and the print made into a DVD is much better quality than most from that age. The music that accompanies it evokes the era of the silent film well. There are a few historical snippets that are true and seldom portrayed. The battle sequences are pretty good for that day and age also.

For Alamo buffs, this film is a "must have". In addition to "Martyrs" the DVD also contains 2 short Alamo films and one about the recovery of one of them. None of these is particularly good in its own right but they are interesting for buffs.

If you want epic Alamo drama, choose the John Wayne version. If you want history, try the Imax version. If you just want to see the oldest thing still extant about the Alamo (and can hold your nose for the racism) choose this one.

A Treat for Alamo and History Buffs.......2005-01-08

This special edition by Delta Entertainment turned out to be much better than I had first expected: not only is the feature film a D.W.Griffith production from 1915, it is also now the oldest surviving Alamo film, and this edition adds a brief but helpful commentary by Alamo expert, Frank Thompson, a 16-minute rare educational film on the Alamo from the early 1930s, and two other rare and unusual short films from more recent times. "The Martyrs of the Alamo" has been digitally remastered and the picture quality is fairly good throughout, with fine acting performances (by silent era stars like Sam de Grasse, A.D. Sears, Walter Long) good battle scenes and overall excellent direction by Christy Cabanne. The modern orchestral score also impressed me, and I found it quite stirring and very fitting to the scenes. I'm sure that most Alamo or history buffs in general would find this early silent version about the Alamo very interesting despite some differences and special features which are explained by the Alamo expert. The rare 1930s educational film made locally in San Antonio also has some special features, and despite its very small budget and extras taken from the unemployment queues, I found it interesting and complementary to the feature film. Overall, I believe this nice DVD edition should please the history and old/rare film buff, as well as add a significant piece of film history to any collection.

Average customer rating:

Heroes of the Alamo
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Director: Harry L. Fraser
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Description

SPECIAL FEATURES
~Introduction by Alamo expert Frank Thompson
~Davy Crockett At the Fall of the Alamo (36 Min. • B/W &

Description

He is known to millions as "the King of the Wild Frontier," but the real story of Davy Crockett is not nearly as familiar as his name.

Average customer rating:

The Alamo Documentary
If you must watch a film about the Alamo, watch this one
Remember the Alamo - forget this DVD
Investigates the Alamo as no other documentary has done!

The Alamo Documentary
Starring: Frank Thompson (IV) , Stephen L. Hardin , Joan Headley , Richard Flores (II) , and Bruce Winders
Director: Lynn Stevenson
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Customer Reviews:

The Alamo Documentary.......2007-03-08

If you must watch a film about the Alamo, watch this one.......2006-07-20

Remember the Alamo - forget this DVD.......2006-05-28

Investigates the Alamo as no other documentary has done!.......2004-04-21

Average customer rating:

Excellent Alamo collection from Frank Thompson
A great collection about the Alamo!!
For History Buffs

The Alamo
Starring: Alamo 3 Pac
Manufacturer: Delta
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The Alamo
The History Channel Presents The Alamo
The Alamo Documentary
The Alamo (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B0001LYFHW
Release Date: 2004-03-30

Description

Includes:

THE ALAMO DOCUMENTARY
INVESTIGATES THE HISTORY, MYTH AND POPULAR CULTURE OF THE ALAMO!

THE MARTYRS OF THE ALAMO
The earliest surviving Alamo film, produced in 1915 by American film pioneer D.W. Griffith, Martyrs of the Alamois truly a rare cinematic treat. Telling the tale of the courageous American stand against oppression and tyranny, with its impressive sets, wonderful battle scenes, and expressive performances, Martyrs surpasses the expectations implied by the words "epic filmmaking." Witness the birthof Texas and get the true meaning to the immortal words, "Remember the Alamo," with this rare and thrilling cinematic treasure. (1915 • 72 Min. • B/W)

HEROES OF THE ALAMO
Nowhere in American history is there a more heroic chapter than the gallant martyrdom of the 183 Americans who died in an old Franciscan mission called the Alamo. And now, for the first time on DVD, Heroes of the Alamois a spectacular epic about the birth of Texas. A mighty saga of gallantry and valor, Heroeswill remind you of what it is to be an American. (1937 • 75 Min. • B/W)

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Alamo collection from Frank Thompson.......2004-06-26

Alamo DVD is an excellent collection of old and new Alamo movies and documentaries. If you're an Alamo fan, I recommend getting this 3-pack rather than just buying the three DVD's separately. The Alamo Documentary discusses everything from the Alamo's history to its pop culture significance to the Alamo in the movies over the years. There are countless interviews with Alamo historians and buffs which make it all very interesting. "Martyrs of The Alamo" is D.W. Griffith's take on the birth of Texas. If you can get past the completely racist depictions of Mexicans, this is an entertaining movie with surprisingly good battle scenes for 1915. In Martyrs, the Texas War of Independence is started because a Mexican officer flirts with Susannah Dickinson. "Heroes of the Alamo" is a B-western that tells the courageous story of the Alamo defenders from the Dickinson's perspective. Alamo fans will love seeing these early depictions of the Alamo while also learning some new facts about the myths involved with the famous mission in San Antonio.

The 3-pack DVD offers a ton of worthwhile extras that are not available anywhere else. The Alamo documentary DVD includes an hour long documentary, a trailer from John Wayne's The Alamo, Remember The Alamo(an educational film made from a cut down Heroes of the Alamo) and a brief interview with Alamo buff Joe Musso. The Martyrs of the Alamo DVD includes D.W. Griffith's movie, "The Alamo, Shrine of Texas Liberty(a very low budget movie made at Mission San Jose in San Antonio), and a five-minute cartoon. The Heroes of the Alamo DVD includes the movie, and the remaining footage from Davy Crockett At The Fall of The Alamo, a silent film starring Cullen Landis. Because of their age, the movies are not in the best of condition, but they are worth watching. For a great collection of Alamo movies, check out this very entertaining collection from Frank Thompson!

A great collection about the Alamo!!.......2004-04-21

The first disk, a documentary, explores the history and pop culture of the Alamo: it explores how the Alamo became a cultural icon, and tours Alamo collections (including some rare John Wayne memorabilia!). There is also a re-enactment battle scene, which I found rather interesting as I may not ever get a chance to see it in person.

Also included in this set is the D.W. Griffith film "Martyrs of the Alamo" (1915, known for being racially slanted) and "Heroes of the Alamo," (1937) both pretty good prints considering their age!

There are also some special extras like a few shorts about the Alamo, which I found interesting, as well as the original movie trailer for John Wayne's "The Alamo." Worth the watch!!

For History Buffs.......2004-04-19

I thank Delta and Frank Thompson for releasing this 3-disc set. These early films have helped to fill the gap in Alamo cultural history, and every Alamo film buff should have this set. The silent "Martyrs of the Alamo" is in fairly good shape, considering it comes from 1914. Thompson indicates that the other movie, "Heroes of the Alamo", looks like a B-western. I think he being too kind - it looks more like a D-western to me, with some of the worst "acting" I have ever encountered. The extras on these discs make for nice fillers.

Now, if only "The Last Command" (from the 1950's) would make its DVD debut, all would be right with the world. And, while they're at it, how about releasing the IMAX film, "Alamo - The Price of Freedom" on DVD. Other IMAX films have made it to the new medium, so how about this one.

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

Special Day

Accattone: The Scrounger

Will Hay - Old Bones Of The River [1938]

DVD: The Vagina Monologues

Sunfly DVD - Karaoke - Britney Spears And Christina Aguilera