Janson Media today announced the release to worldwide television, VOD, DVD/video, and New Media markets of The Making of Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the classic Western about the lives of two of America’s most famous outlaws.
An Emmy Award-winning documentary produced by Robert L. Crawford, The Making of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, is notable as one of the first extended documentaries to look at the creation of a major dramatic feature - in this case, George Roy Hill’s winner of four Oscars and one of the most popular films of 1969. Featuring off-camera commentary by director Hill, actors Paul Newman and Robert Redford, and scriptwriter William Goldman, this documentary also provides a fascinating historical look at location filmmaking in the late 1960s, just as the old studio system was rapidly fading away. Some of the experiences of bringing the film to life, both good and bad, are revealed in the rare behind-the-scenes footage of this classic movie. The documentary is all the more unusual because it was made before any of the principals knew the movie itself would be such a box-office success.
Said the DVD Movie Guide of The Making of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, “The piece works tremendously well. That’s partly because the video footage is revealing and interesting to watch, but it’s mainly due to the frank and fascinating comments. Hill especially seems very honest and up-front with his statements as he relates problems on the set and things he dislikes about the film. This would be surprising enough had the track been recorded recently, but seems even more surprising since it happened before the movie even hit theaters! Such honesty is rare in these kinds of programs, and it’s tremendously refreshing to hear it from all the participants.”
The Making of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1 x 43′) was produced in 1970. As the result of a recently-signed, exclusive long-term distribution agreement between Janson Media and Yale University Films, the film is now available to worldwide television, VOD, DVD/video, and New Media markets.