One of the qualities that makes Cinema Retro unique is our dedication to making movie fans aware of niche market DVDs and books they might not otherwise be aware of. As regular readers know, publishers Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer recently finished a major book about the making of John Wayne's epic The Alamo for Sundown Entertainment publishers. In the course of our research, we became aware of the good folks at Playset Magazine, a publication dedicated to the toy soldier playsets baby boomers cherished as kids. Turns out that the magazine's publisher Rusty Kern and his wife Kathy were in the process of putting the finishing touches on a unique DVD titled At the Alamo that examines the film versions of the famous battle through the most unusual angles imagineable. This is a wonderfully wacky hodgepodge of a project that incorporates recreations of the battle through elaborate dioramas featuring the original Marx playsets from the 1960s, an interesting history of the phenomenally popular Walt Disney TV series (including a recent exclusive interview with Fess Parker), coverage of the Wayne version of the film and a tour of the movie's sets that still stand in Brackettville, Texas, a visit to the actual Alamo shrine in San Antonio - and if that isn't enough- hand's on advice about how to build your own Alamo diorama. The only thing the Kerns left out is the kitchen sink.
As bizarre as the DVD sounds, it's completely engrossing from beginning to end. Rusty Kern makes an amiable and knowledgable guide - and unlike some of the big name TV talk show hosts, he knows how to ask a question then shut up and let the subject answer. For a homegrown, low budget project, the DVD boasts good production values including skillfull editing and fine use of composer Mike Boldt's rendition of Dimitri Tiomkin's classic score for the Wayne movie. It's a truly great way to - well, "Remember the Alamo!" This is one of the most creative and enjoyable DVDs of the year.
Click here to watch a special promotional trailer for the DVD
Click here to order the DVD from Playset Magazine