WV filmmaker Chip Hitchcock’s Iraq doc to air on WVPBS
Chip Hitchcock has spent a lot of time lately on his three part documentary on WV troops flying from “Bridgeport to Baghdad.” Here is a Huntington Herald Dispatch story on the series which starts tonight on WVPBS TV statewide. Hopefully Chip will make the three programs available on a DVD at some point.
Mr. Hitchcock has been working at WVPBS in Morgantown for more than 20 years, having a hand in almost every production. He made a fine short film about Clyde Ware that was shown at the first WV Filmmakers Film Festival in Sutton. He was a key person on Mike Lilly’s film, “Correct Change,” and made one of the three parts of “Mountaineer” that includes John Nakashima’s great doc on stereotypes of “mountaineers” and a hilarious film called “Gilligan’s Appalachia.” It’s great that WVPBS was able to support such an ambitious series by one of its own fine filmmakers.
Full description of “Mountaineer Circles” -
MOUNTAINEER CIRCLESTime varies 1995 VHS WNPB-TV
Three video documentaries and discussion guide exploring life in
West Virginia.
Includes: PROGRAM ONE-MOUNTAINEER - 59 M. - What is the difference between a hillbilly and a mountaineer? A unique film done with collages of movie clips starting with TOL’ ABLE DAVID (1921) and coming up to the present to show how the hillbilly and
West Virginia has been portrayed throughout history. Interviews with historians, artists, professionals, the elderly, the young people of today, and just common folk tell what it means to them to be a Mountaineer. Covers areas that are desolate today but still people remain. Excellent music of yesteryear and of today’s sound. Shows that generation after generation, they still hold to their roots - even though the sound may change, the feelings remain the same.
PROGRAM TWO-FARMER -59 M. - Interviews five farmers who remember what the family farm was like in
West Virginia in the 20’s and 30’s. They each tell how a family-intensive farm activity was done, and they describe interesting aspect of their families. Featured are Titus Harris of Princeton,
Mercer
County, Kline Henry of Sugar Grove,
Monongalia
County, Leona Swisher of New Milton,
Doddridge
County, Mary Thomas of Bruceton Mills,
Preston
County, Claude Winters of Eglton,
Preston
County and Ralph Kerns of
Monongalia
County.
PROGRAM THREE - GILIGAN’S APPALACHIA - 29 M. - Uses both humorous and documentary approaches to look at our way of life in
West Virginia. Through rapidly crosscut stories and opinions of several individuals with fantasy and comedy stories, Giligan attempts to echo the “crazy quilt” of experiences that come to mind when describing our state.
