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Yarbrough's "those Great Western Movie Locations"
Topic Started: Oct 4 2008, 09:36 AM (587 Views)
Tal Chotali
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I have just finish reading Tinsley Yarbrough's "Those Great Western Movie Locations" and would give it a solid 5 star rating. I had purchased his collection of videotapes on movie locations from Boyd Magers in the 1990's, read his movie location column in Western Clippings and heard him discuss the topic with fans at western film conventions. I had always hoped that he would put what he knew about the locations in a book one day and he has not disappointed me.

I have grown tired of seeing things written about stars, film locations and other aspects of b-western and serial production that rehashed information taken from sometimes questionable sources. This book does not fall into that trap. Dr. Yarbrough has done a large amount of original research and I was treated to not only those wonderful pictures showing the movie locations as they were when filming was being done, but also the photos as he found those same sites in the 1980's and 1990's. His history of the ranches and areas not only in California, but in other western areas is impressive. You might expect dry academic prose here, but instead you are given the facts presented by someone whose love of the genre, enthusiasm and respect for the folks who gave us so many happy hours is very evident.

I got the same feeling reading Dr. Yarbrough's book that I got when I was reading director, William Witney's books on Trigger and the serials. You feel that you are in the presence of someone who truly enjoys his work and has a passion to get things correct. For the money, it is the best investment I have made in a long time.
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Barcroft
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Tal:
I have only Volume 1 of Tinsley Yarbrough's tapes which covers Iverson's Ranch, Vasquez Rocks, Bronson Canyon, etc. and thoroughly enjoyed it. Not long after I traveled to California and got a chance to walk on some of the Western/Serial Hallow ground. I was fortunate enough to walk over most of Iverson's Ranch property not covered by Gated Communities such as the Lone Ranger Rock, Nyoka's Cliff, The Stagecoach Road below the Nyoka's Cliff, and, the Garden of the Gods. Reading about it is one thing, having videos showing the properties is another, but being able to physically walk where your cowboy hero's plied their trade is the ultimate rush. If you ever get the chance go for it. As an aside, Corriganville is now a State of California Park and is open to the Public and the State has placed markers all over the property to tell visitors exactly where the Western Town used to be located as well as the chase roads and Robin Hood's Lake. I plan on visiting it on my next trip west.
Barcroft
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Tal Chotali
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Barcroft,
I agree that there is nothing like walking that area and I had several chances to do that in the 1980's before the destruction of so many of those areas was complete. To see the upper and lower Iverson, Corriganville, Vasquez Rocks, Lake Sherwood, Bronson Canyon,the CBS lot with the Republic barn on one side and the My Three Sons house on the other, the Jauregui ranch, the Walker ranch, French ranch and others was a treat. I wish that there had been the opportunity to visit many, many more of these sites or been able to visit them at the same time as Dr. Yarbrough did.

You should purchase the other tapes in the series and get this book. You will not find another book like it with the high quality of research that is included. You will not regret it.
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Tal Chotali
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Barcroft:
I found that Leonard Maltin at his Movie Crazy website has reviewed the Yarbrough book. You might want to take a look at Maltin's comments. Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy
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Black Tiger
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Great site, Tal!
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Tal Chotali
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BT,
I think it is a great site too. I admire the work that Maltin does and when he recommends something I find that I'm usually in agreement with him. I have a copy of Don Miller's "Hollywood Corral" that I paid all of $3.95 when it first came out and I noticed that Maltin was the editor of that series. I then started buying every one of his books that I could find and have had hour upon hour of enjoyment. I've turned his "Classic Films" book into a checklist and use the Netflix service to have a look at some of his top (and bottom!) choices.

Maltin made a comment in another review of a self-published book that spoke to his being leery about buying or recommending them. I've seen a lot of these types of books at conventions and shows. Usually you will find them set in a large font, photographs sprinkled throughout that have largely been available in earlier books, interviews with people who have claimed to be close friends of the subject and a filmography that may or may not be correct. I'm especially leery when I see someone grinding out a book or two a year this way. Thankfully, it appears that Maltin does go through them and if he finds one that merits kudos, he gives it to them.

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