Amargosa
Closed CaptioningTodd Robinson
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Plot Summary
In the remote California ghost town of Death Valley Junction (pop 10) stands the Amargosa Opera House, where for the past 33 years former New York dancer and artist Marta Becket has performed her own ballets in the theater she spent seven years hand-painting with stunning murals. For Becket, the creative life is an obstacle course of self-doubt, criticism and abandonment—a high price to pay in the pursuit of self-expression. But for the seventy-six-year-old dancer and painter who is isolated in the badlands of Death Valley, the process of creating and performing is her refuge. In this Emmy award-winning documentary, Becket recounts how she first came to live in this unlikely desert oasis, and describes her unquenchable need to create and perform her work. Marta Becket's life is an inspiring testament to dreams and creative endeavors everywhere.
Customer Reviews
An Uncommon Life
An uncommon life in an uncommon place. Marta exemplifies what what so many people who move into the deserts of Southern California aspire to be. The movie itself does a nice job of contextualizing Marta, her life and her experiences. This is a good watch for any person aspiring to be something which their world opposes, and it is also a good watch for anyone interested in Desert Characters. Got a few tears from me, which is something I regard as a must for any five star rating.
Wonderful!!
This is a beautiful movie about an extraordinary woman, Marta Becket, who lives the epitome of an authentic life. A blooming rose in a desolate desert, she creates beauty for the sheer enjoyment of the experience. The world is truly a better place with people like like Marta in it. The filmmaker has done a fantastic job in portraying this wonderful story. I highly recommend it!
Great subject matter
Marta Becket's story is fascinating and interesting and Death Valley is always worth looking at. Unfortunately the movie is unnecessarily over sentimentalized with the mushy music score and sugary, derivative narration. The story was strong enough without going overboard in that way.
