 |
CS
Weekly Archive > DVD
of the Day > 02/09/06
Deep Valley
by dennis sampson
The Big Valley: Season 2, Volume 1
Jack Curtis, Ken Pettus, Margaret Armen, Mel Goldberg, William Norton, Steven W. Carabatsos, Arthur Brownie, Jr., Peter Packer, Gilbert Ralston
Created by A.I. Bezzerides and Louis F. Edelman
 
 
The Big Valley is a sweeping epic of a show that almost seems too big for a television screen. Set in the 1870s (translation: a time of violence and lawlessness; see David Milch’s Deadwood for more TV on this), The Big Valley is the story of the Barkleys, who run a cattle ranch in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Volume one of season two (the first 15 episodes of the season) sees land disputes, squatters, thieves, bank robbers, kidnappings, and sickness plaguing the family, which is comprised of widowed matriarch Victoria (Barbara Stanwyck), her lawyer son Jared (Richard Long), her hot-headed son Nick (Peter Breck), naiïve daughter Audra, (Linda Evans), and Heath (Lee Majors), her illegitimate child who was taken in as one of the family. The show’s most unique aspect is that it’s an action Western (a genre usually associated with brimming testosterone) that centers on a strong female protagonist (Stanwyck won an Emmy for the show’s first season and was subsequently nominated the two following years) and is more focused on the relationships and dynamics of its characters than the hostility of the era. In addition to its wide ranges and endless acres of land (30,000 for the Barkley ranch) the series also showcased network-beloved “bottle episodes” (budget-friendly, self-contained, single-location installments) like “Day of Terror,” in which Victoria and Audra are trapped in a church with an outlaw clan. The tendency to put emotion over action is the shining staple of the show and elevated it above its genre. No extras.
The Big Valley: Season 2, Volume 1
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Not rated; 765 min.
Buy it now
Dennis Sampson is a commercial production coordinator and unproduced screenwriter. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his better half, Susan, and their dog Tripp.
The Big Valley: Season 2, Volume 1 courtesy 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
|
 |
From
the Trenches
Working screenwriters discuss
in their own words a particular
aspect of screenwriting,
from the mechanics of writing
to the personal and professional
impact that writing has
had on their lives. >
VIEW
ARCHIVE
The
Art of Craft
Screenwriting experts discuss
how to approach various
aspects of writing and the
writing life. A mini-seminar
each week from the people
who write the books and
teach the classes. >
VIEW
ARCHIVE
The Big Picture
Features that cover all aspects of screenwriting, from our "Seven Best" lists to analysis of old favorites and new classics. > VIEW ARCHIVE
Expert
Witness
A panel of experts assembled
to provide the facts about
the screenwriting business.
Readers will be able have
their questions answered
by an agent, producer, entertainment
attorney, and WGA representative—and
without paying that 10%
commission. > VIEW
ARCHIVE
Son
of a Pitch
A weekly tutorial on how
to write a script. Each
week deals with a different
element of creating a script,
with the ultimate goal to
provide a step-by-step instruction
manual for new writers.
The guide for this is a
writer just diving into
screenwriting himself, who
asks the pros questions
any new screenwriter would
have about this brave new
world. > VIEW
ARCHIVE
Weekend
Read
Film, book, web site and technology reviews from a
writer’s perspective. How can these items help
a writer on his or her journey, or make that journey
more enjoyable? > VIEW
ARCHIVE
DVD
Review of the Day
DVD reviews from a writer’s point of view. What
aspects of this script and features of this DVD illuminate
the writing, development, and storytelling process?
> VIEW ARCHIVE
|
|
