Erik's next film is just a Google search away

Folks, I need a minute of your time before I tell you what is taking place at the Panida’s Little Theater this afternoon and evening. I thought when we stopped saying to cinematography Erik Daarstad, “Stay, Erik, Stay” and changed to, “Go, Erik, Go,” all would be well.

I was wrong by not taking into account the awesome power of the Viking blood coursing through his veins. Erik realized his friends wanted to keep him in town to see his films, but after some thought, they wanted him to go wherever he wanted to make more documentaries. It was against his natural temperament to be told what to do — stay or go. So he became confused and, for a period, could not think of any place in the world to go and shoot people.

I am happy to report that this changed recently when he waved Sheri Jones, credit manager of the Bonner County Daily Bee, over to the curb and asked for her help. She saw his dilemma and advised, “Erik, you can buy an atlas or Google it — but go, Erik, go.” He left Sheri muttering, “I guess I don’t have to stay here and I can go as I wish without harassment — free at last, free at last.” I know we all rejoice with him because there is nothing sadder than a hemmed-in, camera-toting Viking.

Now I’m finished, and I want to tell you about this afternoon and tonight, July 10. The third in the series, “A Visit with Erik,” will screen at the Panida’s Little Theater at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Erik will present a film that was shown on national PBS, “Butte, America.” The film was directed and produced by Pam Roberts and depicts 120 years of Butte history using Butte residents in interviews and archival film. More than 170 rolls of film was shot interviewing miners, their families, historians, and scenes of Butte — emphasizing the effects mining had on the area. The following reviews give a good picture of the scope and impact of, “Butte, America.”

“Butte, America tells the story of “the most important city between Chicago and Seattle” from the rise of copper mining in the late 19th century to its decline in the postindustrial era. The film is representative of the United States during this era and the broader themes of American history that played out on “the little stage” called Butte.

“Capitalist greed, the human health and environmental consequences of industrialization, the rise of labor unions, women’s history, and European immigration are some of the primary themes woven into the fabric of this great film.” Erika Yakowich — Montana Standard

“There is much story to be told in the forces that shaped Butte’s community, and this is where Butte, America really shines. From a brief but notable summary of the struggle for dominance among the Copper Kings, to a detailed and riveting account of the savage wars between mining companies and labor unions, to a finely woven portrait of a group of people who stood united against the financial interests that ruled nearly every aspect of their official lives.” — Missoula Independent

The documentary, “Butte, America,” is both entertaining and a learning experience. When asked what he learned while making the film, Daarstad stated, “I learned a lot about the history of Butte and was impressed by the fact the town was populated by the Irish and other eastern Europeans. I learned what a big part Butte played in the industrialization of America — labor unions and the environmental devastation it caused. The film illustrates the human greed involved in the mining industry in Butte and that was prevalent in the fight between labor and management up to a few years ago. The open pit mines shut down in the early 1990s but the underground mines closed earlier, in the 1980s.”

I hope you enjoy the film and the question and answer period that follows. You might think about making Erik feel more secure by saying, “Erik, go or stay — your choice.”

The series, “A Visit with Erik,” is sponsored by Mountain West Bank and The Bonner County Daily Bee. All proceeds go to the Panida Theater.