Calgary Stampede

Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West show premiered on May 19, 1883 at Omaha, Nebraska. It was billed as the greatest outdoor show on earth until it ended in 1916. Since 1923, the Calgary Stampede has laid claim to that title. That's the year it began an annual event that brought together some other activities that dated back to 1886.

The stampede continues well into the 21st century. Even today, it probably closely resembles Buffalo Bill's show. It includes rodeo events, wagon races, music contests. It has a midway with rides and exhibits. There are stage shows, concerts, and a parade. The event is spread over 10 days every July.

Warner Brothers made this 18-minute short documentary of the Calgary Stampede in 1948. The video is narrated by Art Gilmore. It has film clips of many of the events and crowds that flock each year to the city at the base of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The annual event involves thousands of volunteers. By 2020 it had become one of the largest festivals in Canada with more than one million people attending. The rodeo is one of the richest in the world.

It's a colored documentary short about the Calgary Stampede. The reds really pop. It's old fashion with old style narrations. Some of it is dated especially those dealing with the native participants. At the very least, this is a time capsule of this annual event. The rodeo is compelling even if animal welfare would have a fit. Hey I had fun. The chuckwagon race is always crazy. One horse doesn't look good. I'm not judging on that. As a cinematic experience, I would suggest more ground level camera work.

This is quite a lively newsreel-style report on the festival in Calgary that celebrates just about everything to do with it's pioneering provenance. With the town draped in Union Jacks and bunting, it harks back to the days when people travelled by horse-drawn carriage and, indeed, for the rest of it's twenty minutes illustrates just how important the horse was to this community in days gone by. There are flapjacks with bacon and floats galore parading down the main Street before the focus switches to the town's Victoria Park. That's where the racetrack sees the chuck wagons racing around whilst on the field, those brave (or just plain reckless) cowboys are trying to stay aboard wild horses and bulls who would as soon trample their intrepid riders to death as look at them. Now the narration is very much of it's time and does make you cringe but to compensate, there is loads of quite exciting - if maybe a touch repetitive - photography of bucking and pitching, lassoing and there's even a variation of pin the tail on the donkey - only this involves a red ribbon and a steer with foot-long horns. It's an interesting retrospective on a population that still lived off the land to a large extent as the 1950s approached and it is worth a watch.

NO MATTER HOW impressive the film footage used or the subject covered, we in the now 21st Century are not going to be truly "impressed" by any travel specialty or newsreel. We have been somewhat "spoiled" by the advancements in communications and by the instantaneous gratification provided by a 24-7, 'round the clock coverage of world news by a multitude of cable news channels.

IN ORDER TO properly and fairly judge and evaluate such relics of former less technologically developed times, we must do our best in attempting to see things as our ancestors did back in the 1920's, '30's, '40's etc. In this case, it is in the Year of Our Lord 1948. So putting things into perspective we must remember that: It was 3 short years following WWII, Harry Truman was President, Television was in its infancy, this writer (me) was 2 years of age and his wife (Deanna) was born that very year.

WITH ALL OF that in mind, we wish now to do our modest attempt at reviewing THE CALGARY STAMPEDE. Is that alright with you, Schultz?

WE DID SOME research and found that the "Stampede" is a sort of umbrella title that covers a multitude of activities which all culminate in the Canadian City of Calgary, Alberta during the month of July each year. The origin dates to an Agricultural Commission's efforts to draw populations to the Calgary area.

AS A RESULT OF these efforts, the City has been hosting this multifaceted mega-celebration for decades now. The "Stampede" name, of course comes from the Rodeo at center of this activity. But the name permeates the very culture and fabric of life there.

FOR EXAMPLE WE have: The Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League, the (now defunct) Calgary Stampeders of the World Hockey League and even the local Pro Wrestling Promotion was called Calgary Stampeder Wrestling.

WITH ALL OF this considered, all of the seemingly exaggerated portrayals of cultural events in Calgary are real and true. Instead of puffing up the beauty and inherent interest generated, it appears that filming of so much and does not give what is due to such varied events. From American Indian traditional rituals, parades, music, agricultural and the Stampede Rodeo itself, we do know just one thing for sure. A film cannot do justice to events that must be viewed with the naked eye.

THE SHORT IS done with the usual expertise in making a concerted effort to make every bit of footage count. None was wasted or could be considered superfluous. The color work was good and the scripted narration was ideally tailored to complement the visuals.

AND OF COURSE we must make mention of the guy who so skillfully read those words. I was Art Gilmore. (Ever heard of him, Schultz?)

Calgary Stampede (1948)

*** (out of 4)

Technicolor short from Warner received an Oscar-nomination for its studio. The film takes a look at a celebration in Calgary where for a week the city pretty much pays respect to its past where indians and outlaws roamed the streets. The documentary centers on the celebrations, which include various games, food, country music, rodeos and even acted out plays. Warner shooting this in Technicolor was a major plus because the life of the city really jumps off the screen and this is especially true during a parade where we get to see all sorts of rather nice visuals. The rest of the stuff is rather hit and miss but there are plenty of nice moments making this a worthy viewing. One of the highlights is a scene where a young cowboy, perhaps two years old, is shaking hands with an Indian chief. It's also worth noting that narrator Art Gilmore states that the food was free at this event, which is certainly interesting to say the least. It's also worth noting that this was Saul Elkins only credit as a director even though he did write several other projects for the studio.