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The 2004 Alamo Movie FAQ
The following is a list of Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to the new Alamo film that was released in 2004 by Touchstone Pictures.
• What is the difference between John Wayne's Alamo of 1960 and today's modern Alamo re-make?
The first of these was released in 1960 by Batjac Pictures (Wayne's film company). It stars John Wayne as Davy Crockett, Richard Widmark as Jim Bowie, Laurence Harvey as William B. Travis, Frankie Avalon, Chill Wills, Patrick Wayne, Linda Cristal, Joseph Calleia as Juan Seguin, Ruben Padilla as Santa Anna, and Richard Boone as Sam Houston.
The movie was written by James Edward Grant and directed by John Wayne. It was shot largely on an extensive full-scale replica of the mission near Brackettville, Texas constructed for specifically for the movie. The set, now called Alamo Village, has since been used in over 100 other westerns , including depictions of the 1836 battle. Wayne had lobbied Republic, previously known mostly for B-grade westerns, to make a full-budget epic about the Battle of the Alamo. During production, Wayne's office was inside the reconstructed mission.
The film tells a highly romanticized, hagiographic version of events, in which the defenders are all portrayed as larger-than-life martyrs , and none of the Mexican characters is developed in depth. Critic Leonard Maltin has described the script as being "full of historical name-dropping and speechifying," but notes that the climactic battle scene is spectacular.
The film was considered a success and a vindication of Wayne's gamble with Republic Pictures. The Alamo won the Academy Award for Sound and was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Chill Wills), Best Cinematography, Color , Best Film Editing , Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture , Best Music, Song ( Dimitri Tiomkin and Paul Francis Webster for The Green Leaves of Summer ) and Best Picture .
The film is thought to have been denied winning more awards than the one it got due to an overblown campaign that alienated Academy voters, including one Variety ad that stated, in effect, that the film's producers were praying as hard for Chill Wills to win his award as the defenders of the Alamo themselves prayed the night before the battle.
For several years, the Alamo Theater in San Antonio, Texas played The Alamo repeatedly.
In 2003, a second major studio film about the legendary battle was shot and scheduled for release initially in December 2003 and then rescheduled for release in April 2004 . This remake was directed by native Texan John Lee Hancock , and produced by Ron Howard , Brian Grazer , and Mark Johnson . Its script is credited to Hancock, John Sayles , Stephen Gaghan and Leslie Bohem . Its production budget was $90,000,000. Touchstone Pictures , a division of Buena Vista International , handled US distribution.
It was shot near Austin, Texas between January and June 2003 , mostly on a local property named Reimers Ranch . Here, what is reported to be the largest outdoor film set in history was built, comprising the entire Alamo mission and the nearby town of Bexar . The film's art direction devoted the greatest care to historical accuracy and verisimilitude; for instance, the mission's facade does not feature the well-known "hump" at the top, a detail that was actually added years after the battle during a restoration.
In contrast to the earlier 1960 film, the 2003 script makes an effort to depict the political points of view of both the Mexican and Texian sides. Santa Anna is featured as a much more prominent character.
The cast includes Billy Bob Thornton as a demythologized Crockett, Jason Patric as Bowie, stage actor Patrick Wilson as Travis, Dennis Quaid as Houston, Emilio Echevarría as Santa Anna, and Jordi Molla as Seguin.
The movie opened on Easter weekend to mostly middling reviews and a low box office turnout. In its first weekend, it was defeated in box office numbers by a resurgent The Passion of the Christ . It cost over $140 million USD to make and market the film but earned only $9.1 million USD in its first weekend. By the end of its run, the film had mustered around $30 million in domestic earnings.
• Why didn't the filmmakers use the old "John Wayne" set in Brackettville, Texas?
Back in the 1960s when creating John Wayne's version of The Alamo, Warner Brothers Studios built an "Alamo Village" replica around Brackettville, Texas. Today, the "village" is still used by many television shows and films. Surprisingly, Ron Howard and Disney agreed not to shoot in Brackettville because of the desert-like landscape and dry conditions in the area--something the filmmakers and their historical advisors said was "historically incorrect" for the real Alamo's time (rumor has it that the filmmakers decided to film it near Austin so they could party in the local bars at night).
The real Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, does not allow any commercial productions on the hallowed grounds, thus, the filmmakers decided to build their own set just outside Dripping Springs, Texas, a hilly area with lush green wilderness, streams, and open ground--apparently a location which was just like the actual Alamo location of 1836.
• Is the Alamo movie set open to the public?
Yes! However, due to potential land tax problems, it may not be open for long. The set is only available for groups and not individuals. For inquiries, please post in our forum for more information.
• Where was the film shot?
Dripping Springs, Texas, for the Alamo battle sequence. Bastrop, Texas, will fill in for the Battle of San Jacinto. Austin's historic Paramount Theatre and the State Capitol also doubled as Washington D.C. Pedernales Falls, a scenic national park outside of Austin doubled as Zacatecas, Mexico. A compound of 17 buildings that will be San Felipe de Austin and double as Gonzales; a Cherokee village set at Wimberley's Blue Hole.
• How long was the shooting schedule?
About 101 days and lasted from January 2003 to June 2003.
• What was the budget for The Alamo?
Set in stone at 90 million. Nothing more, nothing less. Relatively cheap for an epic of this scale. However, the film fizzled at the box office and only made about 30 million. DVD sales are expected to pick up the rest of the tab.
• What is the film rated?
PG-13 for battle violence. It will be no problem for the kids, bring them along.
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