Lead's Historical Film Festival is underway in the mining/underground labratory town of Lead. More info at KEVN-TV.
The festival runs through Saturday.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Help solve a mystery!
The South Dakota Office of Tourism recently received an inquiry that hopefully someone out there can help with.
Ruth is looking for a movie that was filmed here in the mid-1970s -
"I am not sure if you can help or not, but I am trying to find this movie: Brother, My Song, directed by Christopher Cain aka Bruce Doggett (originally from Sioux Falls).
Parts of this film were done in Hartford, Mitchell, and I believe a television studio in Sioux Falls. I also believe the choir from SF College was in it, but not entirely sure about that. I just know that I am one of the many extras in that film and I really would like a copy. I have only seen it once and that's when it was first released back in 1976.
Can you help? I have tried every website that I can think of to find this movie, but obviously I have not been able to find it."
This was a completely new one to me, so if anyone has any information I'd be glad to pass it along to Ruth.
Ruth is looking for a movie that was filmed here in the mid-1970s -
"I am not sure if you can help or not, but I am trying to find this movie: Brother, My Song, directed by Christopher Cain aka Bruce Doggett (originally from Sioux Falls).
Parts of this film were done in Hartford, Mitchell, and I believe a television studio in Sioux Falls. I also believe the choir from SF College was in it, but not entirely sure about that. I just know that I am one of the many extras in that film and I really would like a copy. I have only seen it once and that's when it was first released back in 1976.
Can you help? I have tried every website that I can think of to find this movie, but obviously I have not been able to find it."
This was a completely new one to me, so if anyone has any information I'd be glad to pass it along to Ruth.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Battles of Chief Pontiac 1952
The hows and the whys of "Battles of Chief Pontiac" being filmed in South Dakota's Black Hills are something I'd like to dig up.
This 1952 black and white tale of pre-Revolutionary War struggles between whites and Native Americans stars Lon Chaney and Lex Barker. I'm going to guess that a big part of filming outside of Rapid City had to do with the availability of Native extras, even though Chaney plays the title role of Chief Pontiac.
Based on actual historic events, the action is set in Michigan. The two main locations in the film are Fort Detroit (in a valley in the Black Hills) and Pontiac's Ottawa village, which looks to me to be the shores of Sheridan Lake west of Rapid City.
For a movie of this era, it's interesting to see the whites portrayed as evil conquerors and the Ottawas as victims.
Attention to period-authentic detail apparently wasn't a big deal, as tire tracks are clearly visible in grassy areas and the Ottawas wear Lakota-style warbonnets and live in teepees.
Barker, a former Tarzan, is likeable as the honest whiteman trying to appease tensions between the Hessian soldiers and the Ottawa tribe. Chaney, of course, was most famous for playing movie monsters. He starred in "The Wolf Man," "The Ghost of Frankenstein," "The Mummy's Tomb," and "Son of Dracula."
"Battles of Chief Pontiac" is available from Amazon.com.
This 1952 black and white tale of pre-Revolutionary War struggles between whites and Native Americans stars Lon Chaney and Lex Barker. I'm going to guess that a big part of filming outside of Rapid City had to do with the availability of Native extras, even though Chaney plays the title role of Chief Pontiac.
Based on actual historic events, the action is set in Michigan. The two main locations in the film are Fort Detroit (in a valley in the Black Hills) and Pontiac's Ottawa village, which looks to me to be the shores of Sheridan Lake west of Rapid City.
For a movie of this era, it's interesting to see the whites portrayed as evil conquerors and the Ottawas as victims.
Attention to period-authentic detail apparently wasn't a big deal, as tire tracks are clearly visible in grassy areas and the Ottawas wear Lakota-style warbonnets and live in teepees.
Barker, a former Tarzan, is likeable as the honest whiteman trying to appease tensions between the Hessian soldiers and the Ottawa tribe. Chaney, of course, was most famous for playing movie monsters. He starred in "The Wolf Man," "The Ghost of Frankenstein," "The Mummy's Tomb," and "Son of Dracula."
"Battles of Chief Pontiac" is available from Amazon.com.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Dances With Wolves relived
A reunion of cast and crew members from South Dakota that worked on "Dances With Wolves" was recently held in Pierre.
Click here for the Pierre Capitol Journal's coverage of the event.
More of these reunions are planned for the future in Rapid City and Pierre.
Click here for the Pierre Capitol Journal's coverage of the event.
More of these reunions are planned for the future in Rapid City and Pierre.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
More Kevin Costner
Just a few additional images of Kevin Costner from the 2009 South Dakota Film Festival (see post below). Pretty much every appearance Costner had scheduled throughout the festival ran late because he genuinely just wanted to tell stories.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
SD Film Festival underway
Flashing lights, theatrical smoke, Native American dancers and drummers,and motion picture star Kevin Costner got the 2009 South Dakota Film Festival off to a rousing start tonight.
Costner spent a little time chatting with Governor Mike Rounds and First Lady Jean Rounds before the festivities got under way.
Lakota Dancers and drummers blended their talents with the first few short films of the festival at Northern State University's Johnson Fine Arts Center.
Costner then took the stage with South Dakota Public Television interviewer Paul Guggenheimer. Returning to South Dakota on the 20th anniversary of the filming of his iconic western "Dances With Wolves," Costner discussed the movie, the process of making it, and how it affected his life and his family's.
Funny, fascinating, and heart-felt, Costner's address held the audience spellbound as he described the difficulties of directing his first movie, working with animals, and financing what became one of the most successful movies of all time.
Tonight also served as a reunion for some of the cast and crew of "Dances With Wolves," and Costner reminisced with Lakota actor Michael Spears who played "Otter."
Plenty more is on schedule for the rest of the weekend at the South Dakota Film Festival, including many film screenings and more appearances by Kevin Costner. Check out SD Film Fest for all the details.
There are also more posts about "Dances With Wolves" here at Cinema South Dakota.
Costner spent a little time chatting with Governor Mike Rounds and First Lady Jean Rounds before the festivities got under way.
Lakota Dancers and drummers blended their talents with the first few short films of the festival at Northern State University's Johnson Fine Arts Center.
Costner then took the stage with South Dakota Public Television interviewer Paul Guggenheimer. Returning to South Dakota on the 20th anniversary of the filming of his iconic western "Dances With Wolves," Costner discussed the movie, the process of making it, and how it affected his life and his family's.
Funny, fascinating, and heart-felt, Costner's address held the audience spellbound as he described the difficulties of directing his first movie, working with animals, and financing what became one of the most successful movies of all time.
Tonight also served as a reunion for some of the cast and crew of "Dances With Wolves," and Costner reminisced with Lakota actor Michael Spears who played "Otter."
Plenty more is on schedule for the rest of the weekend at the South Dakota Film Festival, including many film screenings and more appearances by Kevin Costner. Check out SD Film Fest for all the details.
There are also more posts about "Dances With Wolves" here at Cinema South Dakota.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Social media at it's best
Okay, I guess this is how social media, blogging, etc. is supposed to work - I posted the South Dakota Film Festival logo here a while back to help promote attendance at the festival.
Video game artist BlindOwl found it here and decided it would make an interesting looking race car. So with some creativity applied, he came up with this.
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The car is for use in the video game "Nascar Racing 2003" and BlindOwl posted it at www.riouxmods.com. I've done my share of race car "painting" for the game also, so came across it there.
So now the South Dakota Film Festival, CinemaSouthDakota.com, BlindOwl, the video game, and Riouxmods.com have all cross-promoted themselves. Wow, that's some weird twists, but a cool thing just happened I think.
Video game artist BlindOwl found it here and decided it would make an interesting looking race car. So with some creativity applied, he came up with this.
.jpg)
The car is for use in the video game "Nascar Racing 2003" and BlindOwl posted it at www.riouxmods.com. I've done my share of race car "painting" for the game also, so came across it there.
So now the South Dakota Film Festival, CinemaSouthDakota.com, BlindOwl, the video game, and Riouxmods.com have all cross-promoted themselves. Wow, that's some weird twists, but a cool thing just happened I think.
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