Synopses & Reviews
This comprehensive film guide lists the screen credits and provides synopses of more than 5,400 silent western features, documentaries, shorts and serials released from the 1890s through 1930. Numerous one-, two- and three-reelers are included in this guide. These westerns came from both the major and lesser known American film studios, many long defunct.
The term western is hard to define; someone once commented that a western had to have a horse in it. The genre generally applies to that post-Civil War period beginning with the great cattle drives and ending around 1890. But the author has included tales about early California, Mexico, various Indian tribes along the Eastern seaboard, the building of the railroad, the gold rush of 1849 and the search for gold in the Yukon. Other films which seem to have less in common with the genre, such as northern westerns, are listed in a separate appendix.
Review
This book should serve many reference uses for a long time to come. Research collections with film interests will need this book.Book of the South West
Synopsis
More than 5,400 silent western features, documentaries, shorts and serials released from the 1890s through 1930 are listed with screen credits and plot synopses.
Synopsis
This comprehensive film guide lists the screen credits and provides synopses of more than 5,400 silent western features, documentaries, shorts and serials released from the 1890s through 1930. These westerns came from both the major and lesser known American film studios, many long defunct. Four appendices include a list of all the serials included in the book, a list of all the northern westerns, a list of the titles and stars of the major western series, and a list of the important western epics. The work is completed with an actor/director/screenwriter index.
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
Distributors
Abbreviations
A Guide to Silent Westerns
Bibliography
Appendix A: Serials Included in the Guide
Appendix B: Northwestern Feature Films
Appendix C: Series and Their Stars
Appendix D: Silent Western Epics
Index