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[dr_phil_physics]

The Time Tunnel DVD

Currently our Netflix subscription is sending us the DVDs of Irwin Allen's 1960 SF series The Time Tunnel. Boy I remember this from when it was first run and I was a kid -- I particularly remember that the pilot episode featured the R.M.S. Titanic. (grin) I didn't even know there was a DVD of the show until I saw a review on Locus Online, I think it was. The reviewer was impressed with both the quality of the transfer and that the show help up pretty well. So I added it to my Netflix list and a while ago we began to get the disks. I'll do a proper review later.

Tonight the first episode on Disk 4 involved our intrepid lost time travelers at the Battle of Little Big Horn. Mrs. Dr. Phil was amused by this very jaunty song that played as Custer went riding off. I pointed out that this is very famous and historically accurate, but that I couldn't remember the name of the song. It wasn't mentioned in the encyclopedia on my computer, so I Googled Wikipedia, but the article on George Armstrong Custer didn't mention it.

But the third hit on the Google search was the Finnish Wikipedia page. I went to take a look, amused as usual as how Finnish just doesn't offer many linguistic cues that I can follow. However, two-thirds of the way down was the following section:

Custer fiktiossa

Ohjaaja Raoul Walsh teki vuonna 1941 Custerista elokuvan They died with their boots on [1]; Custerina esiintyi itse Errol Flynn ja Elizabeth Baconia esitti Olivia de Havilland.

Elokuvassa ei ole oikeastaan mitään muuta totta kuin nimet, perhesuhteet ja osa historiallisesta kaavasta. Tarina on pitkälti romantisoitu ja totuuden sivuuttava - mutta kerrottu tavalla joka tekee siitä omalla tavallaan kiintoisan näkemyksen Amerikan historian kuuluisimmasta vaiheesta.

Tähän elokuvaan sävelletty marssi "Garry Owen" muodostui kuitenkin elävässä elämässä Yhdysvaltain ratsuväen lempisävelmäksi ja kohosi erityiseen asemaan. Syynä saattoi olla se, että elokuva tehtiin keskellä toisen maailmansodan kolkointa vaihetta; Pearl Harborin hirvittävä tuho tapahtui pian ensi-illan jälkeen ja se vertautui väkisinkin Custerin ja hänen miestensä kaatumiseen toivottomassa taistelussa. Kuitenkin toivo jäi elämään - ja johti lopulliseen voittoon.

Tällainen keinotekoinen "traaginen sankaruus" oli juuri sitä, mitä Yhdysvaltain tavallinen kansa tarvitsi eli tehokkainta mahdollista rohkaisua.

I have no idea what most of this section says -- it isn't the same as in the U.S. Wikipedia entry -- but I do remember that "Garry Owen" was the song in question.

Sometimes I marvel at how one can get info on the net. (grin)

Dr. Phil

UPDATE 11-28-2013 Thu: in the years since this was posted, Google Translate has gotten better at Finnish-to-English. Not perfect, but better.

Custer fiction

Directed by Raoul Walsh made ​​a film in 1941, Custer They Died With Their boots are [1] ; Custer appeared self Errol Flynn and Elizabeth Baconian Olivia de Havilland made ​​.

The film is not really nothing more true than in the names of family relationships and the historical part of the equation. The story has been romanticized and largely ignore the truth - but told in a way that makes it his own way an interesting view of the history of America 's most famous stage .

This march composed for the film " Garry Owen " was, however, in real life, the U.S. cavalry lempisävelmäksi and rose to a specific position. The reason could be that the film was made in the middle of the Second World War kolkointa stage , the terrible devastation of Pearl Harbor took place shortly after the premiere , and it is bound to vertautui Custer and his men to fall over in a hopeless battle. However, the hope still lives on - and led to the final victory.

This kind of artificial "tragic hero " was exactly what the United States for the common people needed , or the most effective encouragement.

Dr. Phil