#Russel Thorson

[loveboatinsanity]

[kwebtv]

From the Golden Age of Television

Season 1 Episode 4

The O'Henry Playhouse - Two Renegades - Syndication - February 13, 1957

Anthology / Drama

Running Time: 30 minutes

Written by Irving Cooper

Produced by Donald Hyde

Directed by Bernard Girard

Stars:

Thomas Mitchell as O'Henry

John Carradine as Doc Milliken

Charles Bronson as Barney O'Keefe

John Alvin as Willis Burchett

Russell Thorson as Col. Derbin

[cuddles-edits]

Canon Trans Characters

To celebrate the International Transgender Day of Visibility, here's an icon set featuring 9 canonically transgender characters. Characters who were also created and/or played by trans people will be listed in bold.

Lily Hoshikawa from Zombie Land Saga

May Marigold from RWBY

Sallie May from Helluva Boss

Madeline from Celeste

Claire Russell from Cyberpunk 2077

Zoe from Monster Prom

Tyler Ronan from Tell Me Why

Rachel Bighead from Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling

Jewelstar from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

Please like or reblog if using. Credit not required but is appreciated.

Sources:

May Marigold was voiced by Kdin Jenzen, who is a non-binary trans woman.

Sallie May is voiced by Morgana Ignis, who is a trans woman.

Madeline was created by Maddy Thorson, who is a trans woman.

Claire Russell was voiced by Maddie Taylor, who is a trans woman.

Zoe is voiced by Casey Mongillo, who is non-binary.

Tyler Ronan was voiced by August Aiden Black, who is a trans man.

Jewelstar was voiced by Alex Blue Davis, who is a trans man. In addition, the showrunner of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power was ND Stevenson, who is transmasculine and bi-gender.

[ulkaralakbarova]

Based on the autobiographical novel, the tempestuous 6-year relationship between Liberace and his (much younger) lover, Scott Thorson, is recounted. Credits: TheMovieDb. Film Cast: Liberace: Michael Douglas Scott Thorson: Matt Damon Seymour Heller: Dan Aykroyd Bob Black: Scott Bakula Dr. Jack Startz: Rob Lowe Ray Arnett: Tom Papa Mr. Felder: Paul Reiser Carlucci: Bruce Ramsay Mr. Y: Nicky Katt Billy Leatherwood: Cheyenne Jackson Tracy Schnelker: Mike O’Malley Adoption Attorney: David Koechner Cary James: Boyd Holbrook Frances: Debbie Reynolds Lou: Eric Zuckerman Assistant Director: Eddie Jemison Director: Randy Lowell Stunt Actor: Tom Roach Camera Assistant: Shamus Cooley Sound Mixer: John Smutny Rose Carracappa: Jane Morris Joe Carracappa: Garrett M. Brown George Liberace: Pat Asanti Dora Liberace: Casey Kramer Assistant Stage Manager: James Kulick Make-up Artist: Paul Witten Gladys: Deborah Lacey Sue: Susan Caroll Todd Backstage Flirt: Austin Stowell Backstage Flirt: Francisco San Martin Stagehand: Anthony Crivello Scott’s Half-Brother, Wayne: Kiff VandenHeuvel Dorothy: Nikea Gamby-Turner June: Charlotte Crossley Liberace’s Attorney: Josh Meyers Joel Strote: Harvey J. Alperin Dr. Ronald Daniels: Jerry Clarke Anchorwoman: Lisa Frantz Health Department Spokesman: Shaun T. Benjamin Priest at Funeral: John Philip Kavcak Young American Dancer (uncredited): Kelly Allen Funeral Mourner (uncredited): Gregg Atwill Patron (uncredited): Greg Baine Guy Outside Casino (uncredited): Brian Blu Party Guest (uncredited): Paul Borst Angie Liberace (uncredited): Barbara Brownell Sex Club Patron (uncredited): Lee Christian Kazarian (uncredited): Kass Connors Showgirl (uncredited): Jacquelyn Dowsett Concert Fan (uncredited): Timothy Skyler Dunigan Deposition Reporter (uncredited): Fielding Edlow French Guy #2 (uncredited): Corey Eid Impossible Dream Dancer (uncredited): Krystal Ellsworth Young American Dancer (uncredited): Kelli Erdmann Hair Stylist (uncredited): Amber Lee Ettinger Young American (uncredited): Derek Ferguson Adult Bookstore Patron (uncredited): Joe Filippone Adult Bookstore Worker (uncredited): Aussie Guevara Dancer (uncredited): Brandon Henschel Young American Dancer (uncredited): Kara Hess Stage Manager (uncredited): Lenny Jacobson Mourner (uncredited): Richard Allan Jones Valet (uncredited): Adam J. Kassel Impossible Dream Dancer (uncredited): Dominique Kelley Cameraman (uncredited): David Dustin Kenyon Theatre Stage Hand (uncredited): Kirk Krogstad Billy (uncredited): Kristin Lindquist Showgirl (uncredited): Rachael Markarian Patron (uncredited): Hugo Pierre Martin Sex Club Worker (uncredited): Paul McDade Young American Dancer (uncredited): KC Monnie Bar Patron (uncredited): Max Napolitano Tailor (uncredited): Gregory Niebel Show Boy (uncredited): Cassidy Noblett Dancer (uncredited): Ryan Novak Young American (uncredited): Meredith Ostrowsky Sex Couple #1 (uncredited): Lance Patrick Liberace Showgirl (uncredited): Brittany Perry-Russell Dancer (uncredited): Ferly Prado On-Air News Reporter (uncredited): Mike Jerome Putnam Maitre d’ (uncredited): Thure Riefenstein Second Anchorwoman (uncredited): Stephanie Maura Sanchez News Reporter (uncredited): Jimmy Scanlon French Guy #1 (uncredited): Roby Schinasi Reporter (uncredited): Nellie Sciutto Bookstore Patron (uncredited): Franklin J. Sterns Startz Surgeon (uncredited): C.J. Stussi Showgirl (uncredited): Becca Sweitzer Stagehand (uncredited): Trace Taylor Stagehand (uncredited): Anna Wendt Print Reporter (uncredited): Ryken Zane Nightclub Patron (uncredited): Judy Bruno Bennett Bookstore Guy (uncredited): Cal Rein Reporter (uncredited): Brian Neil Hoff Young American Dancer (uncredited): Nick Lanzisera Mourner (uncredited): Charles Moniz Showgirl (uncredited): Ayesha Orange Young American Dancer (uncredited): Jason Williams Self (archive footage) (uncredited): Johnny Carson Self (archive footage) (uncredited): Peggy King Film Crew: Editor: Steven Soderbergh Screenplay: Richard LaGravenese Book: Scott Thorson Book: Alex Thorleifson Producer: Susan Ekins Fir...

[qudachuk]

Tributes have been flooding in for the comedian, including from the Queen Consort, Sir Elton John and Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies.

[dweemeister]

The Stalking Moon (1968)

By the late 1960s, the American Western’s zenith had passed, and the genre was reinventing itself. Bonnie and Clyde (1967) unleashed a wave of films in all genres depicting violence more openly and graphically; meanwhile, the rise of the Revisionist Western (1962’s Ride the High Country, 1966’s The Professionals) led to the deglamorization of the genre’s protagonists and their sense of morality. Released by National General Pictures (NGC), The Stalking Moon reunites producer Alan J. Pakula, director Robert Mulligan, and Gregory Peck – no longer a dashing young man – a six years after To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). Though the team is a throwback, the mindset of The Stalking Moon fits squarely within a Revisionist Western. Mulligan’s dialogue-light film incorporates elements of atmospheric thrillers and, in its tensest moments, seems to resemble a proto-slasher. As a hybrid thriller-Western, The Stalking Moon – once the narrative pieces are in place – is a sharp-edged, gorgeously-shot affair.

On Sam Varner’s (Peck) last day before retiring from the U.S. Cavalry, his regiment surrounds and arrests dozens of Apache warriors. Among the group is a white woman, Sarah Carver (Eva Marie Saint), and her half-Indian son (Noland Clay; Clay’s ethnicity/race is unclear). That afternoon, Sarah pleads for an immediate escort from the Cavalry’s camp instead of waiting for five days for an official military escort. The boy’s father, Salvaje (Nathaniel Narcisco in redface; Narcisco’s ethnicity/race is unclear), is a ruthless assassin and, according to Sarah, almost certainly in pursuit of their son. The Cavalry commander rejects Sarah’s request, but Sam agrees to take them to a remote train station. At the station, disaster strikes, and Sam invites Sarah and her son to stay with him at his rugged, mountainous ranch in New Mexico. Sarah and her son find the personal adjustments to live on Sam’s ranch difficult, but they have help thanks to ranch hands Ned (Russell Thorson) and Nick Tana (Robert Foster, whose character is a half-Indian scout). But even in this ranch, protected on three sides by treacherous rock formations, Sarah and her son have not yet eluded the violence to come.

Mulligan also appears to make comments on how the United States treated the American Indians of the West, but ultimately never does so. The Stalking Moon never highlights indigenous perspectives, declining to even give Sarah’s son a name or expressive space. These perspectives only exist through implication – the wars of the American West are going poorly for the tribes, and white settlers are moving ceaselessly westward and are cementing themselves in these lands. Sarah and Salvaje’s child, being of mixed race and approximately eight or nine years old, would almost certainly be the target of sociopolitical discrimination and the suspicious gazes of many a stranger. Never discussed by any of the characters is the possibility of such behavior towards the child; if Mulligan and screenwriters Wendell Mayes (1959’s Anatomy of a Murder, 1972’s The Poseidon Adventure) and Alvin Sargent (1977’s Julia, 2004’s Spider-Man 2) attempted to insert subtext regarding the child’s treatment, they do so far too subtly.

Salvaje himself is a largely faceless antagonist who never exchanges any dialogue, let alone a grunt, a cry of pain, a primal exclamation. Like numerous American Western movies too numerous to name, this is a reinforcement of stereotypical depictions of American Indians in Hollywood – anonymous, without specific bearing to the lead characters. Is he pursuing his son to reclaim him or the murder him? The movie never says. To Salvaje’s credit, he is a physical menace that could easily overtake an aging Sam Varner. More often than not during the Western’s heyday, indigenous Americans – whether individually or as part of a collective – would be all too easily slaughtered in a hail of protagonists’ gunfire or explosives (in part because of their antagonistic anonymity). Such developments would serve The Stalking Moon, which is partly a thriller, poorly. Thus, Salvaje is an aversion of the too-easily-killed Indian trope, but his complete lack of non-violent interaction with any character and empty characterization beyond his capacity for violence and vengeance uphold the trope of the anonymous indigenous menace. His physicality and obvious threat to the protagonists serve thriller genre; his nature as a blank slate killer is a legacy from American Western narrative traditions (and now largely a relic to that tradition’s contemporary practitioners).

Now in his 50s when he made The Stalking Moon, Gregory Peck – if only because of Hollywood’s obsession over age – was reaching a point in his career where opportunities for lead roles inevitably begin to decline (but not his influence, as Peck was currently serving as the President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences). The Stalking Moon will, on paper, appear to be typical material for Peck. His Sam Varner, when no one else will tend to Sarah and her son’s safety, will take the initiative even though this decision, at best, is an inconvenience or, at worst, might cost him his life. As it is so often with Peck, his screen presence – assuredness of posture, the timbre of his voice, and calming persona – engineers a great performance. Even with a screenplay that avoids providing dialogue-driven details about his character’s life, Peck makes Sam Varner another entry in his long filmography of upstanding heroes.

The screenplay also consigns Eva Marie Saint to playing her character as a trauma survivor whose apprehension is pervasive. If one is seeking a role where Saint is able to display the fullest breadth of her acting range, The Stalking Moon is certainly not that movie. But for how the screenplay portrays her character, this is a capable performance from Saint alongside child star Noland Clay as the boy (this film remains Clay’s only screen credit).

Cinematographer Charles Lang (1947’s The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, 1959’s Some Like It Hot) and editor Aaron Stell (1958’s Touch of Evil, To Kill a Mockingbird) pay lip service to the Western genre with luxurious takes of the mountains and rock formations that mark their landscape photography. With on-location filming in Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada, the low-to-the-ground, slightly upward-angled camera shots suggest that Sarah and her son, while making Sam Varner’s ranch house their new home, have nowhere to escape to. Dry shrubs line this small, sloped canyon with somewhat steep angles that make even walking without ascending or descending hazardous. Yet Lang and Stell’s collaboration truly impresses during the action setpieces – most notably in a scene where Gregory Peck, in a darkened room, awaits the entrance of the man who has been hunting the people he has been protecting. Before the naming and identification of the slasher subgenre of horror film, The Stalking Moon – noting its selective cinematography and editing in its tensest moments – relies on numerous lighting and staging techniques that the likes of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and Friday the 13th (1980) would later adopt. Though shot and edited like a thriller, much of the film has scenes of people-watching: adults observing children, children observing adults, people noticing small behavioral details otherwise glossed over in a less patient movie. These moments of observation substitute for the dialogue and are as important as the most critical pieces of dialogue in the film.

An unconventional score from composer Fred Karlin (1970’s The Baby Maker, 1973’s Westworld) is a restrained effort, making use of a full orchestra but rarely employing the aural grandiosity that an orchestra is capable of. Repeated often throughout The Stalking Moon is the opening motif whistled in the main titles, with the sparse melodies – usually performed by the whistler or a limited number of woodwinds and/or brass – suggesting the vastness and emptiness of the American West, even in the days of westward expansion. Karlin’s music has an unsettling quality that permeates into The Stalking Moon’s most joyous scenes. When Sarah and her son arrive and Sam’s residence for the first time, the cue “Sarah’s New Home” opens with solo triangle before the entrance of a lone flute. The occasional dissonance from the triangle conflicts with the flute – a subliminal, harmonic message (in addition to the various string harmonics used throughout) that Sarah’s dangers have not passed. So often in modern film composing, a director will relegate the music as background noise or the composer themselves will dispense almost entirely of melody. In the latter, numerous modern film score composers have reasoned that melody cannot serve action films or thrillers, so they will compose a wall of amelodic texture instead. But, as Karlin so ably demonstrates in his score to The Stalking Moon, the juxtaposition of memorable melodies and effective action scoring is more interesting dramatically and musically.

Today, The Stalking Moon’s influence has been limited in part due to NGC’s dissolution and sale to Warner Bros. in 1974. For anyone willing to dive into this relatively undiscovered piece of American Western, few of the film’s immediate contemporaries adapted its thriller-influenced cues for their own purposes. Its depiction of American Indians is not as egregious as other Westerns and it appears to make some sort of attempt at commentary, but many of the damaging preconceptions of indigenous Americans make their way into the film’s screenplay. Yet considering the undemonstrative approach that Robert Mulligan takes for his film, The Stalking Moon is a serviceable Western torn between the passing of eras for the genre.

My rating: 7/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. Half-points are always rounded down. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog (as of July 1, 2020, tumblr is not permitting certain posts with links to appear on tag pages, so I cannot provide the URL).

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

[grandmastv]

Wanted Dead or Alive, Fatal Memory (1958).

[ozu-teapot]

Valentino | Ken Russell | 1977

Linda Thorson, Rudolf Nureyev

[michigandrifter]

Cowboy 1958

[coupdetorchon]

Noirvember Day 24 - Please Murder Me! (1956)

[oldshowbiz]

character actor Russell Thorson

[meanstreetspodcasts]

The CBS Radio Workshop premiered on radio on January 27, 1956. ”Dedicated to man’s imagination - the theatre of the mind,” the anthology show was a revival of CBS’ earlier Columbia Workshop broadcasts. The stories were experimental dramas, documentaries, and observations on the world boasting casts of radio’s greatest performers. WIlliam Conrad, Raymond Burr, Stacy Harris, John McIntire, Larry Dobkin, Hans Conried, and many more - some of the best voices of the era - could be heard on the Workshop.

The series opened with a two-part adaptation of Brave New World introduced by author Aldous Huxley. Among its guests were Edward R. Murrow, comedian Stan Freberg (presenting an examination of satire), and Senator John F. Kennedy. Jack Johnstone, William N. Robson, and Anton Leader served as directors for radio’s last gasp at experimental programming. CBS Vice President Howard Bariss reportedly said “We’ll never get a sponsor anyway” for the series, “so we might as well try anything.” They did, and the result is a fascinating radio program from the last years of the era. Listeners were treated to an “interview” with Shakespeare, an exploration of extrasensory perception, a glimpse into the life and work of a radio soap opera writer, and more.

One of my all-time favorite radio episodes comes from the Workshop - “Report on E.S.P.” (originally aired on March 9, 1956). It’s a creative docudrama exploring precognition, extrasensory perception, and other elements of the supernatural, and it boasts an all-star radio cast including Larry Dobkin, Russell Thorson, John McIntire, Stacy Harris, and Raymond Burr.

Experimental and engrossing, The CBS Radio Workshop is a spectacular series - a combination of immensely talented performers and technicians fueled by the freedom to push the medium they loved in exciting new directions.

[heroizinhodemeiatigela]

* LISTA / FAMILIAS

A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · J · K · L · M · N · O · P · Q · R · S · T · U · V · W  · X  ·Y  · Z

AL GHUL (ra’s)

Talia Al Ghul - Beren Saat

Nadia Al Ghul - Gemma Arteton

AL GHUL (talia)

Anisha Al Ghul - Emeraude Toubia

BARNES

Xavier Barnes - Nathaniel Buzolic

Nikolas Barnes - Aidan Gallagher

BARTON

Nathaniel Morse-Barton - Zachary Levi

Nicole Morse-Barton - Jenny Boyd g*

Natalia Morse-Barton - Kaylee Byrant g*

BARTON (nathaniel)

Samuel Barton - Jack Dylan Grazer g*

William Barton - Asher Angel g*

BRADDOCK

Juniper Braddock - Chloe Bennet

Maisie Braddock - Lulu Antariksa

DANVERS

Jesse Drew-Danvers - Sam Claflin

Alexie Danvers - Tiera Skovbye

Cage Danvers - Tom Holland

GREY

Roman Grey-Howlett - Kit Harrigton

Auradon Grey-Summers - Sophie Turner

Scarlett Grey-Summers - Sadie Sink

Caytilin Grey-Summers - c*

KINNEY

Daisy Kinney - Maisie Willams

LANG

Sara Lang - Lily Collins g*

Hunter Lang - Max Irons g*

LESHNERR

Wanda Maximoff g*

Pietro Maximoff g*

Lorna Danvers

Bran Leshnerr g*

Silver Leshnerr g*

MAXIMOFF (Wanda)

Vanessa Maximoff - Phoebe Tonkin

MURDOCK 

Daniel Murdock - Matthew Daddario g*

Murdock - Alexandra Daddario g*

PRINCE

Antiope Prince - Daisy Ridley

ROGERS

Meredith Rogers - Lily James

James Rogers - Hayden Christensen

Queenie Rogers - Lili Reinhart

ROMANOFF

Svetlana Romanoff - Laura Berlin

Anastasia Romanoff - Madelaine Petsch

Elaonora Romanoff - Katherine Mcnamara

QUEEN

Sarah Queen - Norma Kuhing

QUILL

Skylar Quill - Teresa Palmer

Iris Quill - Gabriella Wilde

SMITH

Camille Smith - Lizzie Gilles

Celeste  Smith - India Eisley

Camden Smith - Gavin Leatherwood

Cailic Smith - Abbey Cowen

Cornelia Smith - Katie Douglas

Charlotte Smith - Danielle Russell

Christel Smith - Lilia Buckingham

Cadenza Smith - Millie Bobby Brown

STARK

Margareth ‘Maggie’ Stark - Danielle Campbell

Violet Stark - Emily Browning

STRANGE

Olivia Strange - Dianna Agron

Abbadon Strange - Jessica Rothe

Christine Strange - Kacey Rohl

ROTH

Abel Roth - Garret Hedlund g*

Alistair Roth - Garret Hedlund g*

THORSON

Gustave Thorson - Dominic Sherwood

Theo Thorson - Grant Gustin

WAYNE

Lana Kyle-Wayne - Olivia Wilde

Trevor Prince-Wayne - Cody Christian

Agatha Kyle-Wayne - Camila Mendes

[kwebtv]

          Passages - The Detectives

Robert Taylor   (August 5, 1911 – June 8, 1969)

Tige Andrews   (March 19, 1920 – January 27, 2007)

Russell Thorson  (October 14, 1906 – July 6, 1982)

Lee Farr   (April 10, 1927 – March 23, 2017)

Ursula Thiess   (May 15, 1924 – June 19, 2010) 

Adam West   (September 19, 1928 – June 9, 2017)

[doomonfilm]

Thoughts : The Learning Tree (1969)

I first learned about Gordon Parks the same way that many people did : through his powerful photography.  It wasn’t until my teens (and my introduction to the Blaxploitation genre) that I discovered Shaft, and I was surprised to find that Parks directed the film.  It definitely makes sense that a renowned photographer could transition into the world of film, something that Stanley Kubrick proved with his iconic film catalog.  I’d been putting off digging deeper into the Gordon Parks filmography for a while, but with Black History Month upon us, it felt like the perfect time to check out the motion picture considered to be the first one directed by a Black director for a major motion picture studio : The Learning Tree. 

Newt Winger (Kyle Johnson), Marcus Savage (Alex Clarke) and their friends spend most of their days getting into mischief and adventures.  One day the group decides to steal apples from the orchard of Jake Kiner (George Mitchell), who catches the group in the act, but when Jake gives chase, he finds himself on the receiving end of a beatdown from Marcus, which lands Jake in the hospital and Marcus in jail.  While Marcus festers in jail, Newt does his best to thrive in the real world, including a burgeoning relationship with Arcella Johnson (Mira Waters) and aspirations of higher education, but he quickly learns that life as a Black man with visions of success goes against the intended status quo.

It is interesting that a film about coming of age and maturity would focus on a protagonist that seems much more developed than his peers.  It is this very development and awareness, however, that seemingly makes it so hard for Newt to accept the flow of life despite his outwardly positive disposition.  While Newt’s journey and the journey of Marcus are polar opposites when held in comparison, a slightly deeper examination reveals that both children face equal systematic racism, prejudice and bigotry despite their clearly different trajectories.  The unflinching portrayal of young love and fractured dedication that often comes with being young is the fuel that drives the film forward as it threatens to break Newt’s spirit.

Gordon Parks has an very interesting way of mixing an older, pre-Depression era time setting with the cultural and social sensibilities of the late 1960s, drawing a line between the two time periods that directly connects the long history of racial strife and prejudice.  The citizens live in a very rural setting where overalls are prevalent, shirts are scarce and picking apples from an orchard is an option, but the harsh realities of police brutality, extreme poverty and machismo posturing between the youth stands out and leaves a lasting impression.  The concept of generation trauma is also shown in terms of how the character of Marcus Savage is shown and spoken of... he is considered a delinquent by the majority of the community, but Newt and Sarah WInger both understand how poverty and the absence of a father figure have caused a negative effect on his life due to the troubles he inherited.  Watching his spirit break due to his incarceration is incredibly heartbreaking as well, and a harbinger of the countless lives that would be broken by the very real Prison Industrial Complex.  

I cannot recall a film that oscillates so effortlessly between realistic and dreamlike depictions of events... when soft focus is interjected it is immediately understandable and impactful, and some of the shot compositions are as artistic as paintings.  A director with less artistic sensibility probably would have scored the film with music befitting of the era and location in which the story takes place, but the use of classical scoring raises the level of gravitas that the film carries, making it highly cinematic by matching the quality of the visuals.  The pacing of the film is wonderfully deceptive... it seems methodical at first, but with each occurrence of racial injustice, the realization that we are headed towards a blow-up of some sort gets clearer and clearer.  

Kyle Johnson exudes a deep sense of humanity and sensitivity for his fellow man, but not at the expense of a juvenile sense of pride... he also plays his adolescence perfectly through his curious nature and willingness to get into mischief due to peer pressure, despite showing he has the sense to know better.  Alex Clarke uses his performance to show how a young person forced to shoulder a burden beyond the years of their experience can turn into a troubled, aggressive “problem child” who finds themselves lost without proper guidance.  Dana Elcar exudes all of the worst qualities of a much darker time, covering the entire gamut from causal racism to direct and targeted violence.  Estelle Evans brings wisdom and unconditional love to the table in an effort to soften the edge that such a tough life creates.  Mira Waters helps personify the hope and heartbreak that comes with young love.  Supporting appearances by Russell Thorson, Zooey Hall, Richard Ward, Felix Nelson, Joel Fluellen and many more round out the world of the film.

I am sure I am leaving a lot on the table in terms of talking about this film, but beautiful and moving pictures like this one are better served as viewing material than a discussion topic.  If you’ve got Criterion Collection access, check this one out asap, and if you don’t, give it a watch on YouTube before it gets removed.

[usfwspacific]

Something for Everyone: Public Lands Provide Myriad Opportunities

By Brent Lawrence / Public Affairs Officer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Pacific Region in Portland, Oregon

There’s something awe inspiring about public lands. Perhaps it’s the remoteness of it all, thinking that it’s just you and the wildlife. Or perhaps it’s about the connection to the land.

Whatever the reason, public lands are magical for the people who take advantage of everything these places have to offer.

There are hundreds of millions of acres of public lands managed under the umbrella of the Department of Interior. These include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wildlife Refuges, and lands managed by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation.

Find your local refuge at www.fws.gov/refuges/

On these lands there a multiple wildlife-related uses, including ranging from hunting and fishing to photography, watching wildlife and outdoor education. More than 101.6 million Americans participated in wildlife-related activities in 2016, according to a new report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

“Outdoor enthusiasts are an economic force in America, generating an incredible $156 billion economic impact in 2016. Forty percent of the U.S. population participated in wildlife-related activities in 2016,” said Robyn Thorson, the Service’s Pacific Regional Director. “Our public lands play an essential role in outdoor recreation, and our team at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is accelerating efforts to expand hunting, fishing and other opportunities when compatible with wildlife management goals. Sportsmen and anglers play a huge role in the conservation of wildlife and their habitat, so it only makes sense that refuges provide opportunities for folks to get outside to hunt, fish and enjoy myriad other wildlife-related activities on their public lands.”

On the Service’s 568 National Wildlife Refuges, permissible uses are known as “The Big Six.” It calls for refuges to support wildlife-dependent uses involving hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, interpretation, and education, when compatible, as legitimate and appropriate uses.

Regardless of your preferred use, these are incredible public lands. They’re special. They’re unique at part of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.

And they’re yours.

To celebrate National Wildlife Week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Pacific Region is highlighting the myriad opportunities on your public lands.

Take a look at how some people use their public lands.

Tammy Black of Salem, Oregon

Tammy is a regular user of Oregon’s public lands. With 97 percent of the Willamette Valley privately owned, however, her favorite local spots for a hike are Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge and Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge.

“It is super important to have public lands available. Being able to have the freedom and flexibility to hike and to be out in nature is vital to my regular health and activity,” she said. “We’re so fortunate that we have so many spots in Oregon such as the National Wildlife Refuges, particularly when the Willamette Valley is mostly privately owned. I’m going to Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge today with a friend of mine. She was looking for a place to take some photos and for a quiet walk, so I told her I’d introduce her to Ankeny.”

Tammy also watched the total solar eclipse from Baskett Slough Refuge. Read more about that incredible experience at http://bit.ly/OutshineTheEclipse

Andrew McKean of Glasgow, Montana

It’s an understatement to say that Andrew hunts. As editor of Outdoor Life magazine, he has traveled and hunted all across the world. However, his “home” is Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge and the public lands in central Montana.

“I live in an extremely rural area, five hours to the nearest airport and about the same distance to the nearest Costco. But because I'm surrounded by public land, including the glorious Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, I consider everything I really need to be close at hand," Andrew said.

In his article about his epic public land elk hunt in the Missouri Breaks, Andrew wrote:

“I can hunt anywhere in the world, but I keep coming back to the Breaks, usually with my bow and almost always alone. My solitude owes to the remote roughness of the country. … My visitation frequency owes to its proximity; if I leave my house at noon, I can be deep in the Breaks by mid-afternoon. And my fidelity stems from its public ownership. My hunting homeland is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management, so I don’t have to ask anyone for permission to visit.

“The ownership – most of my hunting area is on the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge – comes with some restrictions. I cannot possess any rock, artifact, or shed antler I find here. I can’t drive off roads. And because elk permits are issued by draw, I don’t draw an archery bull tag every year. But when I do, I save vacation time and gather gear. My goal is to hike into the heart of the Breaks and camp alone for as long as a week while I hunt elk. Any elk. I’d love to hold out for a mature bull, but I’ll take any cow, calf, or meat bull that gives me a decent shot. This isn’t a trophy hunt; it’s about making meat and reveling in the weird wildness of the Breaks.”

Read Andrew’s whole story at http://bit.ly/AndrewAndTheBreaks

Wil Warren of Portland, Oregon

Wil’s passion is teaching fishing to kids. By partnering with Tualatin National Wildlife Refuge and Ridgefield Refuge, Wil’s goal is to give urban kids the opportunity to go from a simple first cast to a lifetime of angle.

“On the weekends, (my dad) would take me out fishing and that was my time to connect with him,” Wil said. “He would tell me stories and taught me how to fish. … I always wanted to be like him, so here I am giving back what was given to me. We’re introducing youth to fishing (at Tualatin Bird Fest). Are they really fishing? No, but they’re getting the experience of learning of how to use a rod and reel. We hope they get hooked on the outdoor experience and fishing.”

Wil says fishing offers two important things to kids: an opportunity to experience nature, and a diversion from the academic and social pressure that builds on kids and families.

“Smelling the fresh air, seeing the birds fly, the ripples on the water, even the flies … there’s just something about getting outdoors,” Wil said. “You get away from the internet, the television and smart phones. Getting outdoors lets the mind relax. Not just for the children, but for the parents as well.”

To read more about the role our refuges plan in teaching kids about fishing and other outdoor activities, visit http://bit.ly/WishToFish

Rachel Marlowe of Tumwater, Washington

Rachel is an amateur photographer. She got her first point-and-shoot camera five years ago, and it caused her to see nature in a new way. About 2 ½ years ago, she got her first DSL camera, and the shutterbug bit her.

“I really got into wildlife photography,” Rachel said. “I do a lot at (Billy Frank Jr.) Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge and McClain Creek nature trail. This year I’ve been hiking some more public lands in the mountains.

“For me, it’s very important to have public land available. Animals and nature are a big part of who I am, and how I was brought up. Having access to a place such as Nisqually is just amazing. It can be totally quiet and peaceful day one day and you focus on the plants or trees, and the next day there are eagles, deer and finches all around you. For people who like photograph nature, it is important to have those things available.”

Brenda and Keith Krejci, somewhere on public land

Keith and Brenda Krejci have lived in their motor home and traveled the country since November 2005. Along the way, they volunteer at National Wildlife Refuges, Bureau of Land Management, and state parks. They have volunteered across the Pacific Northwest, including the last four years at two Oregon National Wildlife Refuges – Bandon Marsh and Oregon Islands.

“When we decided to retire to a motor home, we knew we wanted to do something other than just travel, spend time in RV parks, and visit attractions. Both Brenda and I were always interested in learning more about wildlife, birds, and history, but work, family, and life in general never gave us the time.  And so we decided to give volunteering at try.

“Since (our first experience at Metcalf NWR in Montana), we’ve volunteered at other U.S. Fish & Wildlife locations, Oregon and Washington State Parks, The Nature Conservancy, and the Bureau of Land Management. With very few exceptions, we’ve been welcomed, appreciated, and best of all, educated in a new facet of nature. We’ve become proficient birders, versed in the history of the fisheries of the Western U.S., and amateur naturalists. We’ve led wildlife and nature walks, given evening programs on seals and sea lions, and guided people at Pacific tide pools. But most of all, we’ve had the opportunity to teach children about the wonders of nature as Junior Ranger program hosts.”

In 2016, dedicated U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service volunteers in the Pacific Region gave an incredible 230,919 hours of their time to conservation. That is the equivalent of 28,864 eight-hour work days!

To volunteer, contact your local National Wildlife Refuge or Fish and Aquatic Conservation station or hatchery. You can also email our regional volunteer coordinator Chelsea McKinney at Chelsea_McKinney@fws.gov for more information.

Read more about Keith and Brenda at http://bit.ly/KeithAndBrenda, or more about volunteering at http://bit.ly/FWSvolunteers.

Brogan Madden of Corvallis, Oregon

His smile seems to be as broad as the Willamette Valley, and he flashes it no matter if he’s showing you his latest wildlife photo or his compound bow. Brogan, 13 years old, harvested his first deer with a bow on a recent hunt at Finley National Wildlife Refuge.

“Getting on public lands is a good way to spend time with my family and enjoy the outdoors,” Brogan said. “It’s fun looking at the animals and learning more about them. It’s about seeing them all and everything that’s going on in nature. It makes me happy they let us hunt there. A lot of places won’t let us hunt.”

Brogan’s step-dad, Jeremiah Maghan, noted that public lands are essential to his family time.

“It is extremely important. There’s no other place to go,” Jeremiah said. “This lets you get the kids out of the house and enjoying the outdoors. It’s the greatest thing to see these young kids out there. Being outside in nature builds confidence and self-esteem, and it builds knowledge of the outdoors.”

Peter Pearsall of Newport, Oregon

Peter spends much of his time on public lands. He has worked and volunteered for the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex for the past 2 ½ years, providing many fabulous photographs of wildlife, the refuges (such as Siletz National Wildlife Refuge above) and other public lands.

For him, it’s a way of life.

“I use the Oregon State Parks all along the 320 odd miles of the coast. There are hundreds of parks, refuges and waysides that offer spectacular photo opportunities. You can see the surf, the beach, storms rolling in and the sunsets. Plus on the coastal rocks, which are part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, it’s an incredible opportunity to see the seabirds,” Peter said.

“Every day I end up on some stretch of public land. It is part of what makes the state an amazing place to live and visit. It’s a great example of conservation.”

To see some of Peter’s favorite public land photos and to get some photography tips, go to http://bit.ly/NWRphotography

Rita Poe and Nancy Zingheim of Chimacum, Washington

Rita Poe knew a lot about public lands before she died on Nov. 16, 2015. Nancy Zingheim, on the other hand, knew nothing about these national treasures.

However, their uncommon relationship and Nancy’s role as Rita’s executor after her death put Nancy on an amazing journey that taught her about National Wildlife Refuges and other public lands.

Rita left almost everything – nearly $800,000 – to eight National Wildlife Refuges and four parks across the West. That gift started Nancy on a path that culminated with a 4,000-mile “trip of a lifetime” during which she learned about wild spaces and public lands, and what made them meaningful to Rita.

“She made me realize that we live in nature and there are animals all around us,” Nancy said. “How often do we take time to sit and watch them? I never stopped to realize the little things like when the birds arrive. I do stop and watch the animals now. … Your refuges are quiet and peaceful. If you’ve never been, you should go to a refuge and spend some time there for Rita.”

In the Pacific Region, Rita donated money to Camas, Malheur and Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuges.

Read the whole amazing story at http://bit.ly/RitaLegacy

Kai Pelizza, Portland, Oregon

Sometimes hunting is just a waiting game. It’s about waiting, watching … and then waiting some more.

That’s how Kai Pelizza’s first hunt at Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge worked out. Kai, accompanied by his father Charlie, was taking part in the youth shotgun hunt for antlerless deer at the refuge in August.

“When we first got there in the afternoon, we couldn’t see any deer or anything from the top of the ridge,” said the 17-year-old high school senior. “There was just a little bit of (deer) sign, so we went back to set up camp. By time sun was going down, we went up on top again and saw the deer everywhere.”

It continued like that for the next three days.

“Each day, they were just out of range, and I couldn’t get a good shot off. Finally, on the last day we were walking back along the treeline and saw her there.”

Kai said it was his first time hunting on a National Wildlife Refuge.

“It was really pretty there,” Kai said. “It’s really good to have such a neat opportunity. Without the public lands, there were be a lot fewer opportunities to hunt.”

One of Kai’s fondest memories, however, won’t be of the deer or the refuge, but the time together with his dad.

“One of the coolest things was having my dad there with me. I enjoyed the father-son time to get out there and be alone with him.”