In the remote California ghost town of Death Valley Junction (pop 10) stands the Amargosa Opera House, where for the past 33 years former New York dancer and artist Marta Becket has performed her own ballets in the theater she spent seven years handpainting with stunning murals. For Becket, the creative life is an obstacle course of self-doubt, criticism and abandonment—a high price to pay in the pursuit of self-expression. But for the seventy-six-year-old dancer and painter who is isolated in the badlands of Death Valley, the process of creating and performing is her refuge. In this Emmy™ awardwinning
documentary, Becket recounts how she first came to live in this unlikely desert oasis, and describes her unquenchable need to create and perform her work. Marta Becket's life is an inspiring testament to dreams and creative endeavors everywhere.
Video ID: 35
Legacy Video ID: 35
Release Date: April 16, 2000
Genre: Documentary
Country: United States of America
Languages: EN_NATIVE
Runtime: 1h 27m
Credits
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Director: Todd Robinson
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Writer: Todd Robinson
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Producer: Kenneth A. Carlson
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Himself: Paul Becker
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Herself: Marta Becket
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Himself: Ray Bradbury
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Himself: Omar Felix
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Executive Producer: Traci Robinson
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Producer: Sidney Sherman
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Sound Effects Editor: Michael Mullane
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Supervising Sound Editor : Roland N. Thai
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Production Sound Mixer : Roland N. Thai
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Production Sound Mixer : Ken King
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Film Editor: Clarinda Wong
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Cinematography: Curt Apduhan
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Original Music: Randy Miller
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Himself: Tom Willett
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Best Boy : Tom Holm
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Camera Operator: Second Unit : Douglas S. Holgate
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Key Grip : Randy Hodges
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Steadicam Operator : Bruce Alan Greene
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Additional Cinematographer : Frank Q. Dobbs
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Camera Loader: Andre de Castilho
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Crane Operator: Daniel Canamar
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Grip: Craig I. Burns
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Himself: Paul Lyday
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Narrator (voice): Mary McDonnell
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Camera Operator: Todd Robinson
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Colorist: P.J. Marsiglia
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Color Timer: Chris Regan
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Assistant Editor: Heather K. Weide
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Steadicam Operator : Kurt Jones
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Gaffer: Kent Turansky
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Assistant Camera: Ryan Jay
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Assistant Camera: Steve Madigan
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Production Companies: Sundance Channel
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Production Companies: Triple Play Pictures
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Camera Equipment: Keslow Cameras
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Scoring Mixer: Jeff Vaughn
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Technical Consultant : Frank Q. Dobbs
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Helicopter Pilot : David Gene Gibbs
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Production Assistant : Leah Bathe
Awards
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2000: (Winner) Gold Award Independent Theatrical Feature Films - Documentary
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2000: (Winner) Nashville Film Festival Best of Festival Award - Honorable Mention
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2000: (Winner) Rhode Island International Film Festival Positive Lifestyle Award
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2000: (Winner) Wine Country Film Festival Documentary Film Prize
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2001: (Winner) Cinequest San Jose Film Festival Best Documentary
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2001: (Winner) Newport Beach Film Festival Audience Award
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2003: (Winner) Emmy Awards Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Cinematography
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2003: (Nominated) Emmy Awards Outstanding Cultural & Artistic Programming - Long Form
Reviews
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San Francisco Chronicle (5.0): "The film is an engaging testament to the pursuit of dreams."
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The Boston Globe (5.0): "...Amargosa is a remarkable documentary about an even more remarkable life..."
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The Hollywood Reporter (5.0): "...an ethereal dreamscape..."
Film Festivals