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In 1960 the “Colorado Department of Public Relations”, undoubtedly eager to have more tourists falling down abandoned mine shafts in search of lost treasure, brought in Stan Brakhage to film this archetypal gold rush yarn. Stan gets to do a little urbex in a gorgeous snowy ghost town and then materializes a couple long-dead miners through double-exposed pipes, beer steins, and flashing knives. Narrated, naturally, through song.
A tale of two gold miners of the old west who struck it rich. The lonely life made them heavy drinkers, and one night when the heavyset and silent Dutchman wouldn’t talk to the feisty little Irishman, he was knifed to death. The Irishman was hanged and the whereabouts of the mine lies buried with him.Read More »