Special Feature: Hidalgo
Disney-Touchstone's 2004 Hidalgo is a reinvented Western with a global flair.
Written by John Fusco and starring Viggo Mortensen and Omar Sharif, it sports fiery
sandstorms, swashbuckling desert escapades and a cowboy-meets-Indian twist - not to
mention a dazzling cast of equines.
The inspiration comes from the memoirs of Frank Hopkins, turn-of-the-century
adventurer and horseman extraordinaire. But there's a quite a dust storm raging
around the fact that his exploits may have nothing more than a big fraud.
Now don't get me wrong - Hidalgo is a great movie. But before you take the "Based
on a true story" line too seriously, read the back story about the Hopkins controversy
and the evolution of the film.
Follow my investigation and decide for yourself [...]
Sketchbook: Navajo Woman Smiling
My latest sketch: mostly soft charcoal, some graphite. The original photo was taken by Edward
Curtis - and yes, she is smiling! (More on that here.)
Click for a larger view.
Booming Out: The Story of the Mohawk Metalworkers
The Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the World Trade Centers,
and even the San Francisco State Bridge are all on their resume...
Explore some film & photo resources that tell the little-known story of the Mohawk artisans and their
families who helped build some of the world's most famous skylines.
This Month in History:
January 6, 1832:
Birth of Gustave Dore
Dore was a French illustrator whose engravings of famous literature have become so pervasive,
they are almost inseparable from the works they depict.
For generations they were the benchmark in capturing the grandeur and mystery of epics,
religious writings, poetry and even fairy tales [...]
January 30, 1615:
Birth of Thomas Rolfe
Thomas Rolfe was the only child of the legendary Powhatan "Indian princess" Pocahontas and her
English husband John Rolfe.
After her early death in England in 1617, Thomas was raised in England, and later returned to
America where he began one of Virginia's founding families [...]
