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By
WADE GOSSETT
Really a collection of four
distinct programs on two discs, unified by the
fact that all are related to the battle of the
Alamo and Texas history.
The first one, the 90-minute "Remember the Alamo,"
deals directly with the battle, and to the chagrin
of those who believe that the battle was a simple
case of heroic Texans fighting treacherous
Mexicans, most of the popular myths are dispelled.
According to this documentary, for instance, Davy
Crockett surrendered and was executed while
pleading for his life. Is it true? Well, since
there were no American survivors, anything said
about the Alamo is essentially speculation, and
cherished myths die hard. But the account of the
whole Alamo thing has been so jingoistic, it's
about time historians tried to put together a more
credible account. On thing the documentary does
very well is to provide the historical context for
the battle.
At half the time, the second feature, "The Real
West: The Battle of the Alamo," ads very little to
"Remember the Alamo" and will be more useful to
military trivia buffs. The third one, "The Real
West: The Texas Rangers," explores the famous
force that patrolled the Texas border. And the
third, "Biography: Davy Crockett: American
Frontier Legend," takes the legendary figure down
a notch or two, but still comes across as
well-balanced and serious.
Presented in full-frame format, Dennis Quaid and
Kenny Rogers provide most of the narration, and a
behind-the-scenes featurette contains a lot of
background information and looks at the 2004
feature film, "The Alamo," with Quaid and Billy
Bob Thornton. There are no other special features
on this History Channel set. |
