Fern Lea Peter

An account of the life and work of American film director Sam Peckinpah (1925-84), a tortured artist whose genius and inner demons changed the Western genre forever.

A portrait of director Sam Peckinpah focusing more on his personal life than his moviemaking - featuring lots of interviews, backstage footage and even some of his TV commercials and rock videos.

Portrayal of a talented, influencial and troubled artist: a filmmaker who fought his own demons and seemed to live his own legend like no other director. Against all odds Sam Peckinpah was able to create a very personal body of work in the studio system of Hollywood and with his powerful directing and editing style changed the way of filmmaking forever. Legendary for his use of slow-motion violence, various scandals and his ongoing problems with sudios and producers, the story of Peckinpah is filled with tragedy, humor, success and defeat.

Sam Peckinpah's younger sister Fern Lea Peter recalls days from their childhood and details about the Peckinpah family. Footage of her interview is intercut with scenes from Peckinpah's movies and the landscape of the area of California where he grew up. Fern Lea draws parallels between members of the Peckinpah family and characters in Peckinpah's 1962 feature, "Ride the High Country."