In this episode, we wrap up our three-part Death Valley series by diving into the 2000 documentary Amargosa—and let’s just say… we had thoughts.
We get into Megan’s slow burn experience with the film (it took about an hour to click… but when it did, it really did), while Amy was immediately charmed by its very specific “1970s educational film” vibe—grainy footage, questionable cinematography, and all. Somehow, this thing both feels amateur and also won an Emmy, which… we’re still processing.
But what really pulled us in wasn’t the filmmaking—it was Marta
We talk about her resilience, her wildly difficult upbringing, her complicated relationships, and how she somehow came out the other side as this deeply optimistic, slightly woo-woo, fully committed artist who just… did whatever the hell brought her joy. Whether that was painting murals she didn’t own, performing for empty rooms, or building an entire life in the middle of nowhere, Marta didn’t wait for permission.
So, grab your wildflower seeds and join us where… The Activity Continues.
Content Warning:
We didn’t find anything we thought deserved a content warning, but we did swear.
Chapter Markers
00:00:00 Hello/Intro
00:17:00 Side Quest: School Movies from Our Youth
00:28:15 Marta and the Animals
00:29:00 Back to Wilget
00:32:54 Marta Looking Toward the Future
00:35:52 Question for Everyone
00:38:36 Other Shows Featuring Amargosa
00: 47:19 End credits
Episode links:
Amargosa: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0229976/ - you can watch on Amazon Prime ($) or Tubi (free)
Weird Tales 4: The Ghosts of Death Valley Junction: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1783417/ (Tubi free)
Ghost Adventures Season 2 episode 11: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1789274/
Central California Paranormal Investigators: https://www.facebook.com/ccpifresno/
Blog about films shown in school. Might bring back some memories! https://www.jenx67.com/2020/01/old-classroom-films.html
Cipher in the Snow (1973): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cipher_in_the_Snow
McGee and Me (1989): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McGee_and_Me!
Books:
Amazon links could generate a small commission to us at no cost to you.
If you don’t want to buy it on Amazon ask at your local bookseller. I’ve included the publishers’ names here too.
“To Dance on Sands: The Life and Art of Death Valley’s Marta Becket” by Marta Becket (2015 - Page Publishing):
Paperback https://amzn.to/4cHXIjk
Kindle https://amzn.to/4cCe3pL
Hardcover: https://amzn.to/42av4mp
(not on Audible)
Marta Becket, a Theatrical Portrait: The Artist, the Performer, and Her Amargosa Opera House 4th Edition (2003 – Creel): https://amzn.to/4tm7jn8 (newer, more complete and less $$ edition of the below edition)
Marta Becket: A Theatrical Portrait: The Artist, the Performer, and Her Amargosa Opera House (2000 - Creel) https://amzn.to/4tundfq (this is a very expensive different edition of the previous listed one)
The Activity Continues is a paranormal podcast where soul friends Amy and Megan chat about true crime, ghost stories, hauntings, dreams, and other paranormal stuff including the TV show, The Dead Files. Our recaps are full of recurring jokes about recurring tropes.
This episode was recorded on April 6, 2026, and released on May 14, 2026.
Credits:
Hosted by: Amy Lotsberg and Megan Simmons
Production, Artwork, and Editing: Amy Lotsberg at Collected Sounds Media, LLC. https://www.collectedsounds.com/
Theme song. “Ghost Story” and segment music by Melissa West
Overview music: “Beyond the Stars” by Chris Collins
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