Pioneer Barbie Dreamhouse turns into cannibal chili cook-off. The American Dream dies hungry.
What starts out as a voyage to the West in pursuit of the American Dream quickly turns deadly for the Donner party after a series of bad decisions and severe weather. Trapped in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, this group of nearly 80 settlers fell prey to sub-zero temperatures, torrential rainfalls, extreme heat, and ten-foot snow drifts. Punishing storms trapped the party with nearly no food or shelter for 5 months in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Many died, some succumbed to cannibalism to survive, and others delved deeply into their faith while waiting to be rescued. “The Donner Party” explores this exciting journey through a hybrid of first-person narration, remarkable reenactments, expert interviews, CGI, and archival materials.
Acting
Darby Hinton's doomed patriarch energy hits different.
Practical Effects
Blizzard reenactments that'll make you check your thermostat.
Editing
Seamless archival-to-drama cuts keep you uneasy.
Director
Doug Glover
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Donner Pass still has the 'cannibal cabin' site, though nothing original remains—tourists kept stealing pieces for souvenirs.
This disaster literally changed how Americans traveled west; the 'Hastings Cutoff' became shorthand for catastrophic shortcuts.
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