Ute Pass Historical Society: Film Exploring Pikes Peak Region Dude Ranches Premier

'Dude Ranches' will premiere on Sunday, April 16 at 11 am at Gold Hill Theaters in Woodland Park, CO.

We plan to do more films. I would love to have the rest of Colorado learn about the unique past of our region.”
— Donna Finicle, UPHS President
WOODLAND PARK, COLORADO, UNITED STATES, March 29, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- From director and producer Robert Adriel and ‘A Watchful Eye Studio Productions’ comes Dude Ranches: In the Shadows of Pikes Peak, a documentary that speaks to the soul of our country.

Dude Ranches will premiere on Sunday, April 16, at 11 am at Gold Hill Theaters in Woodland Park for $7 per person. The movie is presented by the Ute Pass Historical Society (UPHS) and voiced by local actors Christy Cole and Charlie Chambers. Immediately following the premiere, the director, actors, and members of the UPHS Board will be available to answer questions.

Donna Finicle, UPHS President, explained that “in July of 2020, our first storyboard for a documentary was created. The ball started rolling and then stopped because of COVID. Now after almost three years, we are finally ready to premiere! My hope is that the film will be a way for UPHS to reach a wider, younger audience, especially after going through the COVID pandemic. Our job here is to preserve, protect and share the history of our area, so we decided a film was another way for us to do this.”

“My inspiration in writing, producing, directing, and editing this movie was being able to work with friends and family whom I had worked with on past projects, as well as helping the UPHS get their story told,” said Adriel. “Each ranch we filmed was unique with its own storyline.”

The documentary is about the owners of each of the featured dude ranches and their unique characteristics, from a judge and his heroic wife, a criminal, a husband and wife lawyer team from Brooklyn, a veteran and his wife who was the only medical personnel in Woodland Park at the time, to the local love story born on the trail of romance.

Eight separate filming locations included areas from Woodland Park to Divide, and Cripple Creek, Teller County. The documentary, once started, was filmed in only two days on a tight schedule of early mornings and late nights; all the voice-overs were recorded in a 12-hour session, and then it took a little over eight months to edit and finalize the movie.

Christy Cole, one of the principal actors who enjoy the eccentric narrative and filming style of director Wes Anderson, shared that “one of my favorite parts of the documentary was the Card Table Scene for the Paradise Ranch, which we filmed at the historic Creek Restaurant, in Cripple Creek. The outro was also quite memorable - while battling the smoke from a nearby wildfire, dry eyes, and parched lips, we tried to deliver the last line without cracking up…’in the shadow of Pike’s Peak’”.

“We were a small crew, and the collaboration was incredible. I had the ability to share ideas and even re-write portions of the narrative to make deliveries more natural to our style,” continued Cole. “I hope that people will feel more connected to their community and its rich history, hopefully understanding the heart and soul that each ranch owner put into their ranch and the challenges they faced during the early to mid-1900’s, without the modern conveniences we’re all used to today.”

“We plan to do more films,” said Finicle. “I think we have a very interesting history. It is a part of the westward expansion, with many of the things that happened in the West coming through our region. I would love to have the rest of Colorado learn about the unique past of our region.”

“This was an incredible effort from everyone involved,” said Adriel. “So many people came to volunteer their time, locations, personal finances, and equipment. Strangers became friends, and friends became family. I hope people will take away from this documentary a better understand of the fascinating, entertaining, and rich history of Woodland Park that took place right under their feet. We are proud to share this documentary with the community.”

A trailer of the film is available for preview at https://youtu.be/v4NvcYojmwk.

A special VIP premiere showing will be held on April 2 for Pikes Peak region community members. Copies of Dude Ranches: In the Shadows of Pikes Peak will be available in early Summer at the Ute Pass Historical Society Museum located in Woodland Park.

For press inquiries and passes for either the VIP or main premiere, please email newsmedia@periniassociates.com.

ABOUT THE UTE PASS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
UPHS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of the Ute Pass region’s historical heritage with families and communities since 1976. Call us at 719.686.7512. Email: uphs@utepasshistoricalsociety.org.

Website: https://www.utepasshistoricalsociety.org

Michael Perini
Perini & Associates
+1 719-651-5943
email us here

Dude Ranch Movie Trailer