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Where God Put the West: Movie Making in the Desert
"TV you can make on the backlot, but for the big screen, the real dramas, you have to do it where God put the West." ---John Wayne A fascinating compendium of photographs and memories of the cinematic legends who made movies and advertisements in the Moab-Monument Valley area.
- GenresHistory
184 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 2, 2021
Where God Put the West — in Moab, Utah, and environs, — Monument Valley.
Author Bette Stanton really puts it all together in this collection of about everything there is to know about movie making in this scenic region. However this means some chapters may not be for everyone, such as the beginnings of the local film commission, but don’t worry, there’s plenty of movie anecdotes; tales of John Ford making his classic westerns in the area from ‘Stagecoach’ with John Wayne to ‘Cheyenne Autumn’ with Richard Widmark. The stuntmen, what happens between movies, behind the scenes, are all chapters and it’s all fun stuff.
There’s a lot of local history, which is perhaps the most valuable asset of this book, that is, how the local folks became integral with making the films with their particular talents of the West or just being available as an extra in such a remote spot of the country, far from Hollywood studios and resources. These are all stories that may have been lost without the author collecting them before the people involved were gone (published in 1993).
There are plenty of lists of actors, movies, directors and hundreds of black and white photos, (as most movies were made in the era ). Contemporary films are also covered from Outer space settings to ‘Thelma and Louise’ as well as filming TV shows, documentaries and commercials.
Purchased at Red Cliffs Lodge Museum of film and Western Heritage, Moab Utah. Sept 2018
Author Bette Stanton really puts it all together in this collection of about everything there is to know about movie making in this scenic region. However this means some chapters may not be for everyone, such as the beginnings of the local film commission, but don’t worry, there’s plenty of movie anecdotes; tales of John Ford making his classic westerns in the area from ‘Stagecoach’ with John Wayne to ‘Cheyenne Autumn’ with Richard Widmark. The stuntmen, what happens between movies, behind the scenes, are all chapters and it’s all fun stuff.
There’s a lot of local history, which is perhaps the most valuable asset of this book, that is, how the local folks became integral with making the films with their particular talents of the West or just being available as an extra in such a remote spot of the country, far from Hollywood studios and resources. These are all stories that may have been lost without the author collecting them before the people involved were gone (published in 1993).
There are plenty of lists of actors, movies, directors and hundreds of black and white photos, (as most movies were made in the era ). Contemporary films are also covered from Outer space settings to ‘Thelma and Louise’ as well as filming TV shows, documentaries and commercials.
Purchased at Red Cliffs Lodge Museum of film and Western Heritage, Moab Utah. Sept 2018
April 9, 2024
This book was a history, but felt more like a cross between a promotional pamphlet and a yearbook for people from Moab from the 1940's to the 1990's. A lot of great content, but could be better organized; felt like it each chapter covered the same info, but from a slightly different angle. The film commission prospective (which was probably the most interesting), the directors' perspective, the films themselves, the locals. Heavy bias towards Moab in this book on Moab and Monument Valley, so wasn't surprised to see author calls Moab home. Not necessarily a complaint, just it what it is.
I could be, and am probably, wrong, but I could have sworn "Once Upon a Time in the West" was filmed in Monument Valley, but there is no mention here.
Author made their thoughts pretty clear on films that are not Westerns and environmental regulation/protection.
Would love to see an updated version with maybe another couple passes from an editor. Newest movies covered were "Lightning Jack" and "City Slickers II: The Search for Curly's Gold."
I could be, and am probably, wrong, but I could have sworn "Once Upon a Time in the West" was filmed in Monument Valley, but there is no mention here.
Author made their thoughts pretty clear on films that are not Westerns and environmental regulation/protection.
Would love to see an updated version with maybe another couple passes from an editor. Newest movies covered were "Lightning Jack" and "City Slickers II: The Search for Curly's Gold."
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews