Wayne's Alamo

They had a fandango in San Antonio to celebrate a big anniversary for John Wayne's version of the Alamo story, it's 50th anniversary premiere: http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/dgagliasso/2010/11/01/john-waynes-dream-the-alam0-at-fifty/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BigHollywood+%28Big+Hollywood%29&utm_content=FaceBook  Skip the political stuff in the article if you want, the real story is the making of that film and for all its faults, it's a pretty good movie.  Great character actors and no computerized special effects--those are real extras portraying soldados. 
They built an awesome set for the movie out on Happy Shahan's ranch near Bracketville.  I went there once and you really get more of a sense of the Alamo at the ranch than by visiting the real thing.  Out there, you get the dimension and relative remoteness compared to what's left of the compound in San Antonio, which is essentially the famous chapel and the foundations of a few of the blockhouses.  You don't have raspa vendors or tour buses out there, either.  I met Shahan once, and rode around on the ranch with him.  He told me a few stories about the filming of the movie and how much he liked Wayne and the crew.  BTW, Wayne and the cast and crew stayed at the barracks of the old cavalry fort in Bracketville.  If you're in the mood, you can rent those out now.