Reviews (8)

A story lost to history
I'm a woman in a male-dominated field, engineering. But I always cringed at the "feminist" viewpoints and attitudes of some of my friends. I did my work and didn't really think about being the only female in class. All that changed when I saw this documentary.

For the first time, I understand what a woman's life was like back 150 years ago. I understand how much progress has been made, and how everything that I take for granted every day -- being able to choose my career, have a life separate from my husband, vote, own property -- was gotten only through the incredible struggle of women like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucretia Mott. They faced mockery, disdain, insults, dismissal and a millenium of tradition at every step, but never stopped fighting. They fought not just for themselves, but for me and every generation of women that came after them.

The fact that I graduated from high school and college without knowing the story of these two great women is almost unforgivable.

Worth every cent
I saw this brilliant and beautiful documentary when it was aired on public television and while it has been readily available on VHS, I have been holding out for a DVD. Finally the long wait is over! The only thing that surprises me is that it wasn't offered on DVD earlier. This isn't just some angry feminist rant or emotional tirade against men--the suffragist movement is dealt with as the historical event it actually was, and this documentary goes in-depth with historical details, letters, photos, and even comments from very old women who were just young women when they voted in the first-ever election in which women could vote. After seeing this for the first time, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, one of the unsung heroes and leaders of the suffragist movement, became one of my heroes, and I immediately sought out a copy of "The Woman's Bible". I have been returning to Amazon over and over, checking to see if this was on DVD yet, and it had gotten to the point where I didn't hold out much hope that I would find it. I can't begin to describe how excited I am over this!

One of the top 5 best video documentaries I've ever seen...
And I've seen a LOT of video documentaries!

I always thought of myself as somewhat well-informed on the topic of American History, but I knew virtually nothing about these two incredible women.

Their friendship, the beautiful blending of their unique gifts to create one stupendous and powerful whole of a suffrage movement, their dedication and devotion - all these elements combined to make this story perfectly wonderful.

I borrowed the video from our local library, but I think I need to buy it. I've watched it twice and wept tears of joy and gratitude at these womens' sacrifice and unselfish labors for all womankind. It is a delight to watch.

I just had no idea women had to fight so hard and so long to be granted a basic human right like voting.

And Elizabeth's "best" lecture, "The Solitude of Self" was one of the most powerful essays I've ever heard. Very stirring and inspiring. Even the [background] music was superior.

This video will not leave you where it found you. Should be required viewing for everyone. Period.

Something for the entire family
Both men and women need to understand where human rights were once and how far they have progressed at the sacrifice of the very few during the past 150 years. This is classic Ken Burns offering his unique kind of perspective. I am giving this to my niece who will soon be leaving home as a young woman. I hope EVERYONE in her family - both male and female - will view this tape since both sexes need to better understand what women have faced and continue to face in making meaningful lives through their own talents and abilities. If nothing else this video exemplifies courage and determination in the finest and yet most human sense.

Not for Ourselves Alone
This film is truly a must-see. I was appalled at how little I knew about this remarkable and significant history. It is inspiring to see these women struggle for basic human rights. It is moving to hear about the tremendous friendship between Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. It is amazing to hear the words of one of the most provocative and profound writers in our nation's history (Stanton). (How can her works be so unknown! ) It is informative to learn about this very momentous period in American history. Bravo for Ken Burns. This film fills a void in our understanding of American history. Plus it is a very riveting story. ... Read more

Description

What do you do when things don't quite go your way?Give up?Try something new?Not if you're Rick Rosner.Obsessed with "getting it right," Rick went back to high school.Not once, not twice, not three times.Four separate times.In fact, he kept going back until he was 34 years old using a combination of fraudulent IDs, wigs, and prosthetics.You might consider him an expert, not on make-overs, but on do-overs. Now a bouncer, a nude model, and a cosmologist, Rick has taken that same committment to repetition to the television program, Who Wants to be a Millionaire.Rick was on the show, and he lost to a bad question.With his record-breaking IQ, he didn't take it too well.After two years of exhaustive statistical analysis, looking at every question in every version of the game, he has come close to ruining his life.Now on the edge of sanity, he is advancing a theory of cosmology in which the universe is seen as trillions of years old. "Why so old! ?" you might ask:To give the universe the opportunity to endlessly redo itself. ... Read more

Description

Sent by President Thomas Jefferson to find the fabled Northwest Passage, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the most important expedition in American history a voyage of danger and discovery from St. Louis to the headwaters of the Missouri River, over the Continental Divide to the Pacific. It was the United States' first exploration of the West and one of the nation's most enduring adventures. This extraordinary film tells the remarkable story of the entire Corps of Discovery not just the two famous Captains, but the young army men, French-Canadian boatmen, Clark's African-American slave, and the Shoshone woman named Sacagawea, who brought along her infant son. Journey with them all, across a breath-taking landscape in an unforgettable experience that explores both the history and promise of America. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Relive one of the greatest journeys of all time
With trips to the summit of Everest now quite routine, there are no more places on the surface of the Earth left to explore. The greatest feat of exploration of the past century was the manned landing on the moon. However, it was more a feat of technology than a voyage of discovery. In the nineteenth century, the greatest feat of exploration in North America was the journey of the corps of discovery, where Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led a small expedition up the Missouri river and over land to the Pacific ocean. Sent by President Jefferson shortly after the Louisiana Purchase, their mandate was to map, gather scientific data on the wildlife, search for a Northwest passage to the Pacific and to make contact with the native American inhabitants. Amazingly, they did all three, being more successful than even the greatest of optimists could have foreseen.
Retracing their journey and interspersed with dramatic reenactments, this tape is truly history in action. With no possibility of relief arriving for years, they were required to live on what they could carry as well as what they could find on the land or obtain from the natives. What was most interesting about the tape is the descriptions of their relationships with the various tribes they encountered. Truly, without the active assistance of several tribes, they would have starved to death or have been forced to turn back. In fact, a Shoshone woman named Sacagawea traveled with them for most of the journey, carrying her infant son every step of the way. It is a tribute to Lewis and Clark that they kept such accurate and honest journals. From them, we can learn what happened, and there is no hint of personal embellishment in their writings. In hearing these accounts, you cannot help but wonder if the native tribes understood that their world had changed forever, and of course not for the better.
I have traveled most of their route by vehicle, and when you move up the mountains, you cannot help but be impressed by how difficult it was for them to move over them by horseback. Keep in mind that they were also carrying extensive munitions, goods for trade and other miscellaneous necessities. Furthermore, there was only one fatality among the members of the corps, and that was most likely appendicitis, something that no medical person on the planet could have successfully treated.
The journey of Lewis & Clark irrevocably changed the social structure of half of what is now the continental United States. This tape is an accurate historical account of their adventure and should be a requirement for graduation from high school.

Ken Burns does it again!
I am a HUGE Ken Burns fan and absolutely love his other works that I've watched: Civil War and Thomas Jefferson. This one is top notch in bringing history alive and all its current signifigance in an enjoyable fashion.

I had read about Lewis and Clark in grade school...everyone has...but it's not until I'm 40 years of age watching these Ken Burns movies do I finally understand the context and the signifigance of the events.

Highlights in this movie for me include:
1) The portrayal of Sacagawea. I am going to have to biography of this strong and fascinating woman to learn more and satisfy my curiousity.
2) The comments by one of the historians named Duncan. At one point his lip is quivering and he is on the brink of tears as he describes Lewis' suicide several years after the journey. I am going to have to find a book or two by this historian on this topic.
3) The DVD extras. There are some interviews with Ken Burns and the making of this DVD that are excellent. After seeing several of his movies I had no idea what Ken Burns was like, his life, his motivation...and these shorts gave me some insight.
4) The beautiful scenery and music.

I watch one of these movies and I invigorates my enjoyment of history and I end up adding 2 or 3 related books to my reading list. If this is your first Ken Burns movie, you'll love it and this is a good one to start with. If you're already a Ken Burns fan, you will not be disappointed. Highly recommended.

I am watching this for the 10th time. At least.
Ken Burns has pulled me into this story like nothing else could have. This presentation combines stories told in a most compelling way, readings from the journals, pictures and paintings, and music in a way that makes the Lewis & Clark expedition come alive. It's an adventure story that transcends time. I was so blown away when I first saw it on PBS that I bought the book, the VHS video, and now the CD/book combo. I am watching it now for the 10th time, and I still cry when I get to Grinder's Stand. My son is now writing a report on Lewis and Clark for school, and he is using this DVD as his primary source. He chose the topic, and it's one of the few stories that has captured his attention other than Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. (Thank you, Ken Burns!) This is a real-life adventure story that is expertly told. (I would love to get the soundtrack that PBS used to sell, but they apparently no longer sell it.)

Visually beautiful with fine narration of an important story
The expedition of Lewis & Clark is one of the great events in American History and is all but unknown today. This wonderful program is a great way to become more familiar with this fascinating story and that great band of explorers (including the woman on our Golden Dollar: Sacagawea). Hal Holbrook is a great narrator and the writing is quite good. The visuals are even better. It is stunning to view and brings some real appreciation to what the Corps of Discovery accomplished. Just taking that boat upstream for so many miles is stunning, let alone all the cataloging they did in the face of a very real struggle for survival.

It is also amazing to see how many vistas Burns and crew were able to find in such a seemingly pristine state. One of the real shocks to me was to understand how nearly deadly the Great Plains were to the Corps because of the lack of wood. Growing up in Michigan with trees everywhere, we take wood for granted. On that expedition, its lack was a real hardship.

While not as dramatic as war and without and the lack of contemporary illustrations requires a different presentation style than Burns normally provides, this is still a visual feast and good solid food for the brain. Worth viewing many times for many reasons.

Don't forget to read Stephen Ambrose's "Undaunted Courage" as well.

PBS Video has a quality control problem
I bought this video as a gift, and so far Amazon had sent me two defective copies. Neither copy will play all the way through on any DVD player we have tried. The problem on both is shortly before "The Portage" begins. I have never had a problem with any other DVD, so I was extremely surprised that PBS Video has failed twice. I would love to be able to give this gift permanently, as the narrative is interesting, and the scenery is beautiful, and I would otherwise give 5 stars. Amazon's customer service also deserves some of the star deductions. I've never had to test the return policies of any other DVD distributors. ... Read more

Description

Considered lost for nearly 70 years, Victory of Faith is again available to viewing audiences. A key work in the evolution of National Socialist propaganda, it provides an ambitious record of the 1933 NS Party rally at Nuremberg. The film ran afoul of authorities, however, after the "blood purge" of 1934, which rendered Brownshirt leader Ernst Rohm, a central figure in of the 1933 rally, a non-person. Across Germany, references to Rohm were obliterated from the public record, and all prints of Victory of Faith were tracked down and destroyed. Until now, the film seemed little more than an intriguing postscript to Third Reich history. Though far from a masterwork, the film is a revelation on many counts, offering a fascinating first draft of the ideas and techniques Riefenstahl would pull off so powerfully in Truimph of the Will. In their contrasts, the two films shed much light on the early evolution of NS propaganda, its evocation of heroism and collective will! , its portrayal of the 'national people's community,' and its depiction of Hitler most of all. Where Triumph of the Will showed Hitler assupreme symbol and absolute master of the movement, the Hitler of Victory of Faith is still first among equals, a man with an unrulyforelock, a presence not yet wholly in command. Moreover, Victoryof Faith provides a revealing look at the NS movement in the firstblush of its 1933 triumphs. Here, the movement still bears themarks of its street-fighter origins; its rituals are often raw,lacking the orchestrated precision and theatrical grandeur weassociate with later stagecraft. In these and other ways, Victoryof Faith fills a gap in our understanding of the Third Reich,capturing the Hitler state at a pivotal stage in its earlydevelopment. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

PERFECTION- ALL TIME MUST BUY
This truly is the holy grail for students of National Socialist Germany in particular and World War 2 generally.Long thought to have been lost to history some determined researchers managed to unearth this movie gem and have it available on DVD...Bravo.

Anyone who is anyone has Triumph of the Will in their Collection but Riefenstahl herself did not know that a copy of this movie still existed so you need to get it before they sell out.

I got my copy and finding it to be Region 1 only had to go out and buy a multi region DVD Player,(I'm based in England) despite the expense I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED.

I could have done with this DVD whilst at University studying origins of WW2 and if your a student of history you will NEED to buy this DVD. I am no great student of film technique but again due to the rarity and the genius of Riefenstahl and her methods of movie making which are still considered amongst the best ever I would recommend those studying Film/Photographer to make sure they get a copy or at the very least get their Library to buy a copy.

All in all some may deride it as another piece of Nazi propaganda, nonetheless judge for yourself, you WILL NOT BE DISAPPINTED.

Incredible and fascinating example of early Riefenstahl
Incredible and interesting example of Leni Riefenstahl's first attempt at documentary film making. Why did she try to cover this film up? In the documentary by Ray Mueller she becomes physically violent toward the interviewer when this film is mentioned. The film really gives the viewer a fresh perspective on Nazi Germany in Hitler's first year in power. The DVD is very well produced, with liner notes, the original trailer for the film and a short film by Fritz Hippler. After seeing this film you will never see Triumph of the Will in the same way again. She used the same cameramen, same sound people, same composer Herbert Windt and the main characters are of course the same except for the omnipresent SA leader Ernst Rohm. He is literally presented as the #2 man and this film was released only a few months before Hitler had him assassinated. Again its an incredible film and any film student or historian will need this in their film collection! If the option were available I would give it 10 stars!

The original Leni Riefenstahl documentary
I had read for many years that this film was considered lost and was surprised to see it offered on Amazon. I purchased a copy immediately and wanted to be the first to comment on it. The film is historically the first documentary effort of one of the world's foremost documentarians. It is said that she had little time to prepare for the film but the final product was nevertheless quite well executed. Apparently she had deposited a print of the film at some university in England and it was not located until shortly before her death. So unfortunately she never knew her first "rally film" had been discovered. The film is identical to Triumph of the Will in many ways except it has a rougher edge to it. Maybe what you would expect from an early Spielberg or Scorsese, i.e. genius in the making. This film apparently set the standard for all Nazi propaganda films that would follow it. The early views of Nuremberg rally sites are fascinating. The Stormtroopers are in their early uniforms and cheering Ernst Rohm who was later liquidated in the Night of the Long Knives. There is one fascinating scene where Hitler Youth Leader von Schirach actually accidentally knocks Hitler's hat from the podium, right in front of Hitler. Hitler takes it in stride. This scene must have escaped Riefenstahl's keen editing eye. There is the original trailer for the film in the features and there is also a short film "Wort und Tat" from an equally controversial director, Dr Fritz Hippler, and this is apparently his first documentary as well. If you have Triumph of the Will, you must see this film, if for no other reason than to see how Triumph of the Will turned out so well, it was a remake! That is my opinion of course, but I believe that had she not had the experience of the first film she would never have done the magnificent job she did on Triumph of the Will. ... Read more

Description

Revered as the author of the Declaration of Independence, the most sacred document in American history, yet condemned as a lifelong owner of slaves, Thomas Jefferson remains the enigma that is America. Part One: A young Thomas Jefferson from the Virginia wilderness is transformed by the fire of the Enlightenment into his country's most articulate voice for human liberty. Torn between serene family life at Monticello and his passion for politics, Jefferson suffers heartrending personal loss, even as he gives voice to a new era of democratic government. He then journeys to Paris as U.S. Minister to France for George Washington and supports the rising French Revolution. Part Two: Returning from France, Jefferson strives to preserve the new, fragile American government and helps create the first political party through his bitter struggles with the Federalists. As third President of the United States, he doubles the size of the county with the Louisiana Purchase, but faces controversy and scandal, finally retiring to his beloved Monticello. His last years are spent founding the University of Virginia and re-establishing his friendship with John Adams. By the end of his remarkable life, he had advanced the cause of religious, political, and intellectual freedom everywhere and had changed the course of human events. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A Good First Start
This Ken Burns film is a good introduction to Thomas Jefferson. It is a remarkable overview of one of the most controversial figures in American history, touching on most of the well known discussions about him, such as, what heretofore were thought to be Sphinx-like, enigmatic characteristics. As this was made several years ago, however, you need to be bring yourself up to date. For example, on the Sally Hemings issue, DNA first was pitched by some as evidence that Jefferson fathered Hemings' children, but currently, it has actually served as proof that he almost certainly did not father Hemings' children. And on Jefferson's enigmatic, Sphinx-like characteristics, a new work by a previously unknown author/researcher by the name of Norman Thomas Remick titled "West Point: Character Leadership Education, A Book Developed From The Readings And Writings Of Thomas Jefferson" is a completely unique approach to understanding Thomas Jefferson that dispels the prior alleged "enigma" and brings Thomas Jefferson into clear focus. It's a must read after watching Ken Burns' wonderful DVD for all who are interested in Jefferson and what it is to be an American.

Another Ken Burns' triumph...
Six years ago this three hour biography of America's third president was telecasted for the first time on PBS. It should be retelecasted annually on July 4th as part of the annual celebration of the nation's independence.

Gore Vidal and George Will, at the opposite ends of the political spectrum, are among the historians and commentators that appear, reflect and illuminate on the life and ideas of the most contradictory of America's founders.

Like most, if not all, of Ken Burns' productions, "Thomas Jefferson," the program's script/narration is its most distinctive and memorable feature.

I only wish a text of program's script accompanied the DVD.

The appearance and commentary by Black historian John Hope Franklin provides appropriate balance to the program that tends to applaud Jefferson the man, his achievements and contributions.

The fact that Jefferson didn't free his slaves, and/or regularly had sexual intercourse with one of his slaves seem to me easily understood, considering his life and times. I'm not the least bit shocked, and my admiration of Jefferson is not diminished by these facts and/or speculations.

Every American should regularly be introduced to this giant of the American Experience.

"Thomas Jefferson: A Film By Ken Burns" should be every collection of quality DVD documentaries, and shown and studied in all American History classes.

I hope that PBS continues to release all of Ken Burns' productions on DVD.

The Ken Burns PBS documentary of the great American enigma
This 1996 two-part documentary by Ken Burns provides an introduction to the man who was the third President of the United States but did not feel the position was worth mentioning on his tombstone. When he was 33 years old Thomas Jefferson wrote one of the most famous and important lines in the history of the entire world in the Declaration of Independence and over the next half-century of his life accomplished enough to warrant being on the nickel, Mt. Rushmore, and, ironically given his ability to embrace contradictory positions in his life's work, the $2 bill.

Burns begins the documentary with an anecdote which is the 19th century equivalent of JFK's quip to a 1962 dinner for 49 Nobel laureates that it was "the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House-with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone." But the primary focus is on the inherent paradoxes of the man who could write the Declaration of Independence but own slaves, write about their unpleasant body odor, and avoided emancipating them. The charges continue in kind: Jefferson denounced the idea of political parties yet founded the first one, denounced the moral bankruptcy of Europe but enjoyed the gilded Paris salons, deplored a centralized government and then became the chief executive of the nation and doubled its size by buying the Louisiana Purchase.

The thesis of this documentary appears right before Jefferson's name appears at the end of the introduction: "He remained a puzzle, even to those who thought they knew him best, embodied contradictions common to the country whose independence it fell to him to proclaim in words whose precise meaning Americans have debated ever since." The key point here is not just that Jefferson is an enigmatic figure but that his paradoxes are those written in the soul of the nation. It was not until Abraham Lincoln spoke at Gettysburg in November of 1863 that America finally accepted the proposition that "all men are created equal," but it was Jefferson who wrote the proposition. The gap between his vision and his actual achievement as a human being is arguably a defining element of the American spirit.

Do I think that Jefferson fathered children by Sally Hemmings? Yes, I do; the fact that she turned out to be the half-sister of his late wife Martha, along with his promise to Martha on her deathbed that he would never remarry, seems a compelling rationale to explain his behavior, although I would never confuse seeking physical comfort with love. Why did Jefferson never free his slaves? That is the question that will never be known for sure (there is at least enough DNA evidence to show that the Hemmings children were fathered by a Jefferson, whether Thomas or one of his relatives, perhaps his brother Randolph). My best guess at this point would be that he was afraid of what would happen to his slaves if they were freed and sent off into the world out of the reach of his protection. That his economic problems were such that the slaves were sold off after his death is but another contradiction in the long line of those that defined his life.

By now we are as familiar with the method of a Ken Burns documentary the same way we know the conventions of a situation comedy, romance novel, or rock 'n' roll song. The camera studies historic engravings and paintings before shifting to contemporary film taken in all four seasons of Jefferson's Monticello home and other key places from his life. The documentary was written by Geoffrey C. Ward and Jefferson's words are spoken by actor Sam Waterston with Ossie Davis providing the narration. Blythe Danner does the voice of Martha Jefferson, whom she played in the film version of the musical "1776." Many of those who have followed Burns' work will no doubt find much of the music familiar and be reminded from time to time of "The Civil War" and "Baseball."

If there is a failing in this documentary it is that it has trouble doing full justice to Jefferson's words, which in the final analysis are his greatest legacy and testament. The problem is that Jefferson usually wrote on large pieces of paper and the camera cannot capture an entire line, forcing it to rely time and again on showing us a few choice words and phrases. Yet there is no denying the power of those words or of seeing them written in Jefferson's own hand.

A good introduction to this vital founding father
Given the amount of bashing Thomas Jefferson has taken it is hard to get people today to understand the extremely high regard in which he was held just a few decades ago. This very interesting program examines Jefferson in a way that clearly communicates his human limitations while still getting across what is so important and special about him. Of course, some of his detractors won't like the praise given here while some of those who revere Mr. Jefferson will find the criticisms at least irritating.

However, I believe these battling opinions have led to an even worse condition. Jefferson is too much ignored in our schools. I believe this series can help our children gain additional understanding and appreciation for this vital Founding Father without resorting to worship. It is worth viewing more than once.

Somewhat Inferior to the Best of Burns - Still Very Good
An excellent and informative overview of Jefferson's life, though occasionally dull and somewhat lacking the power and immediacy of 'The Civil War' and 'Baseball'. Footage is gorgeous, per the usual by the Burns team.

Reveals Jefferson as a very complex character who perhaps cannot be fully understood by history (let alone by his peers). Perhaps overly focused on the slavery issue in Jefferson's life, especially towards the end, but perhaps this is fair as the contradictory Jefferson displays both intellectual forwardness and the fixed attitudes of the plantation owner.

A small complaint, but Sam Waterston's voice as Jefferson bugs me since I believed he defined himself as Lincoln in 'The Civil War'. He does a solid job, however. Highly recommended documentary on American history. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Haunting, Facinating, and True!
You can probably think of a handful of movies that seemed to affect your consciousness. Like the way some people say Catcher in the Rye changed their lives. But whether they actually changed you in a real, permanent way remains to be seen.

The Thin Blue Line is a different matter. This movie fundamentally affected at least one person's life in an irreversible way. Without giving away the plot, Randall Dale Adams will certainly never be the same.

The movie deals with the killing of a Texas Trooper and whether or not Texas justice got it right. Morris reveals the facts of the case using strange and haunting reenactments to cover multiple stories and exploring what people said vs. what the physical evidence suggested. He does not push a viewpoint but carefully crafts it, allowing you to accept or reject the various positions. Soon, you are drawn into the central issue of guilt or innocence and the many areas of gray in between.

It's a documentary that plays like a murder mystery, but it is frighteningly true. It's burned as much into my mind because of the number of high-profile cases in Texas where people were either in prison on death row despite being innocent; CBS news magazine 60 Minutes profiles many of them.

But you do not have to have an attitude toward the death penalty to be drawn to The Thin Blue Line. It is entertaining in and of itself. Errol Morris fans will enjoy experiencing one of his earlier works. It also features what I think is one of the better Philip Glass scores.

If you're looking for violence, sex, car chases, or explosions - stay away, you'll hate this. But if you can handle a movie that is more seductive than explosive, this is for you. The final scene -- where a handheld tape recorder sits on a table and plays part of an interview - will chill you to the bone. It makes me shiver even now, and I'm working from memory, not having seen this movie for 15 years or so.

I've been waiting for this to come out; I even sent e-mail to Morris' website to find out when it would be released. This is a special one.
... Read more

Description

In this final chapter of Ric Burns's acclaimed series New York: A Documentary Film, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE presents a powerful portrait of the events leading up to and away from the fall of 2001. It chronicles the construction of the towers and explores the astonishing expansion of American economic power during the second half of the twentieth century. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Ric Burns got the tone exactly right
The first seven episodes of Ric Burns's spectacular documentary on the history of New York seemed to be complete-until September 11, 2001. The story of the World Trade Center, from its grandiose conception to its heartbreaking destruction, needed to be told and Ric Burns was the person to do it. Not only did he have a vast trove of footage of the buildings, at all stages of their development and in every kind of light and weather that he had accumulated during the making of the earlier New York episodes, he also had the unique perspective that only a great film-maker who has also immersed himself in the history of the city for ten years can attain. The visuals are stunning and almost poetically matched to the narrative. There is even foreshadowing and humor. But The Center of the World is not only about the buildings; it is mainly about human ambition, artistry, unbearable sadness, bravery, kindness and hope. It keeps you riveted for the full three hours and for about half an hour afterwards!

Brilliant Documentary Film!
This 8th installment of the Ric Burns' documentary series, "New York", is a fascinatingly-absorbing tale of the rise and fall of the iconic World Trade Center.

Spanning a full three hours in length, "New York Episode Eight: The Center Of The World", provides the viewer an intense, in-depth look into the planning, development, construction, and sad demise of the famous Twin Towers in Manhattan, complete with breathtaking aerial views of the behemoths during construction and after completion.

The story of the complex and almost Herculean task of creating the massive World Trade Center is skillfully and entertainingly weaved on this program utilizing new interview footage, intercut with archival video footage of the day.

I like the fact that Director Ric Burns doesn't rush to tell the story at a mile-a-minute pace. The saga of these great buildings evolves at a more leisurely, relaxed pace during the program.

The sheer scope of what we lost in just a few short seconds as the Towers crumbled into dust on September 11, 2001, might not be fully realized until viewing a program like this one, which provides many of the statistics and specifications for the Trade Center's combined 220 stories.

Also included on the program is a detailed account of the fascinating tale of high-wire artist Philippe Petit, who, on August 7, 1974, walked from the top of one tower to the other, 1,360 feet above the streets of New York. In all, Petit spent 45 minutes walking (and dancing) from one tower to the other, making a total of eight passes between the immense structures. This program shows many spectacular pictures of Petit carrying out his death-defying and one-of-a-kind performance. A performance which, for many people, "humanized" the bulky steel Towers.

The final 52 minutes of the documentary focuses on the destruction of the Trade Center on 9/11/2001. During the majority of those final fifty-plus minutes of the program, you might very well find yourself with one hand clasped over your open mouth, still in near-disbelief that this awful tragedy could have possibly taken place on that sunny Tuesday morning.

No matter how many times you've seen those planes hit those two beautiful pieces of architecture, and no matter how many replays you've seen of the Towers pancaking down into the street, the events of 9/11, even years later, are still powerful enough to produce the inevitable "Oh My God...How Could This Happen?!" type of emotion within us all when we see it again, such as in this PBS documentary film. It's a tragic event of such proportions that it seemingly will never grow old, and will never cease to resonate in our minds.

A more complete, detailed, and heartfelt examination of the fallen status symbols known as the Twin Towers you're not likely to find anywhere. This DVD program is a keepsake and a timeless reminder of not only the sadness of what America lost in September 2001, but also serves as an uplifting reminder of what the Trade Center stood for in its nearly 30 years of existence. The pride and sense of accomplishment in rejuvenating a decaying New York City that was felt by the many, many people who were involved, in any small way, in helping those Towers rise to become (at the time) the tallest buildings in the world, is something that no terrorist actions can ever destroy. And that sense of pride can be felt in this documentary program. This is a DVD that you'll be proud to own, and is one to be treasured for many, many years to come.

From Rise to Fall
Although I was only a few miles away from the WTC on that dreadful day, I was spared watching the disaster unfold. Like many New Yorkers, it took me a couple of years to even begin to look at the videos surrounding the event. The first thing I watched was Ric Burns' final episode to his NEW YORK documentary. Because I had seen the previous seven parts, and had loved them, I knew this subject would be in good hands, and it was.

What makes this documentary unique is the amount of time it spends on the political, economic, and architectural wrangling that went on before the towers went up. The story of its construction is an amazing tale all its own. Burns uses aerialist Philippe Petit's stunt back in the 70s as a kind of humanizing effect to the buildings' superhuman size. Of course, this makes the inevitable outcome even more devestating.

Mr. Burns has adroitly used an extraordinary amount of photos and footage, and the interviews bridging them are all expertly selected. Some of them were astonishingly moving. I never before thought that former Mayor Koch could be so feeling. In any event, this is a documentary that will probably make all other documentaries superfluous, with the exception of WORLD TRADE CENTER-ANATOMY OF A COLLAPSE which handles the more technical details. This is a terrific and befitting conclusion to Ric Burns' astounding documentary.

There Is None Other
There is none other than Ric Burns to tell this tale. This documentary is devestating. The footage, combined with Mr. Burns' use of silence to let the pictures tell the tale, make for a staggering monument. Mr Burns also realized that as the towers came down that morning, a new story sprung up. It is not the story of death and destruction, but of people coming together to heal a scar on the face of Mother Nature, a scar in the heart of a city, a state, a country, and its people. As enormous the event of the Twin Towers collapsing is, the story of the clean-up is an even greater story.

I think that now, years after the event, and the nation "healing" by falling back in to the old ways of bitter bipartisanship and political bickering, we need this film to remember what happned on that terrible morning.

The forces of evil pricked a sleeping giant, but boy was that a miscalculation their part!

An extraordinary film
I was there. Half a mile away. Saw the whole damn thing.

I was on the street within 2 or 3 minutes of the first plane hitting. I saw the second plane hit tower 2.

No matter what you saw on TV, you can't imagine.

It was a day of extraordinary power and emotion, fear, sorrow and loss, surreal - the knowledge that you'd seen something as profound as the JFK assination, the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Epic in scale, gobal in impact, yet inherently intimate. Your own personal disaster movie.

Even still,

This Ric Burns film is an amazing thing. It's just great. I've watched it a dozen times and I don't get tired of it - the writing, the music, the history, the wisdom - the personal feelings of a diverse and meaningful group of New Yorkers. It's historic, epic, emotional - up to the task of documenting the impact of 9/11 on New York.

It represents all the things that make New York great: ambition, literacy, reflection, humanity, wonder, perspective. The use of Philippe Petit - the French high wire man - as a linking device...was inspired.

A stunning thing. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

This is Great!
I read Ebert's review before I saw the movie. Although I tend to agree with Ebert, I went into the film expecting to be let down. I watched it with my wife. After the first 15 minutes we looked at each other and sighed "boring". Then something strange happened. About 2/3ds of the way through we sat there stunned. My god, this is great!

I could personally care less about other people's pets, but that doesn't matter in this film. Somehow Morris gets all of these people to go deep. The rendering plant owner who makes a business of turning pets and farm animals into soap and glue explains his practical view of the end of life. The man who started a pet cemetery triggered by his hatred of rendering plants and his profound love of animals sounds a lot like the animal rights activists of today.

The sometimes silly but poigniant commentary of pet owners dotted throughout the documentary give glimpses of love and loss.

We were really taken with the second set of pet cemetery owners. They are pure capitalists who are successful in business because they know their customers and how to squeeze the most out of a buck. In spite of that rather stark exterior, they wonderfully round out Morris's study of human nature. They show jealousy, loneliness, joy, pride, delusion, frustration and cunning, but no apparent love.

I would recommend this film to anyone, but caution the viewer to be patient and open minded, and you will be rewarded.

best documentary I have seen
What is most impressive about this film is that it manages to get ordinary people talking about extraordinary subjects without the speakers' ever even realizing the depths of their observations.

By asking people to speak of their deceased and beloved pets, Errol Morris has coaxed out of them deeply moving reflections about heavy philosophical issues.There are few films that combine humor, sympathy, and thought in so stirring a fashion.

The film is more about human beings, rather than pets.
'Gates of Heaven' is a film by Errol Morris that deals with an ambitious pet cemetery in California.What makes this documentary so facinating has nothing to do with the actual animals, but rather the people who love and care for them.As the film progresses, one will realize it is actually a study of human nature and psychology. With the central focus of giving pets a secure resting place, the film incredibly shows human frailty, ambition, and sadness.
For those who have never had pets, this film can be hard to relate to.My family has never owned any pets, but I've had friends who have had pets.They are very attached to the pets,and the pets are like family memebers.One has to watch this movie with an open heart, or they will never understand the feelings of the people in this documentary.To some of these people, a pet is more of a friend than a human being will ever be, and there is some real truth behind that.
People might get different interpertations of what Morris is trying to show here.To me, 'Gates of Heaven' uses the pet cemetary business as a backdrop to show a much deeper aspects of human nature.

ALMOST DIDN'T BELIEVE THIS WAS A DOCUMENTARY
Chanced upon this DVD by accident, and thought it was a movie. Turned out to be a documentary about two pet cemeteries, and drab as that may sound, it is a brilliant film that reaches far beyond the scope that its description would have you expect.

The cinematic production values are top notch, not a simple tryst with a camcorder (which usually serves the purpose for most documentaries) but colors that pop off the screen. The chats with pet owners are moving and poignant. Don't look for something obvious to blow you away.

Just watch it, embrace it, and feel it. And then you will wonder at it. It is immensely thought provoking. Highly recommend watching this marvel if you can get your hands on it.

WOW.
I chanced upon this DVD by accident, and thought it was a movie. Turned out to be a documentary about two pet cemeteries, and I was nearly disappointed. But it is a brilliant film, and don't let that descriptor fool you, it reaches far beyond this in its scope.The cinematic production values are top notch, not a simple tryst with a camcorder (which usually serves the purpose for most documentaries). The chats with pet owners are moving and poignant. Don't look for something obvious to blow you away. Just watch it, embrace it, and feel it. And then you will wonder at it. It is immensely thought provoking. Highly recommend watching this marvel if you can get your hands on it. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I LOVE KEN BURNS' STUFF
lots of fun following their voyage, hard for us to visualize 100 years ago what our country looked like and what was happening in the average persons life. no long distance travel in a matter of hours. every trip took days. you either stayed within a few miles of home, or you were gone for weeks. We memorialize rt. 66 and the Lincoln Highway, but Horatio didn't even have the ole 2 lane blacktop. no motels, no koa's with electrical hook-ups. this is roughing it to the max. Just like traveling back roads today and meeting "the People" he was saved time and again, by the good ole common man of this u.s.a. the folks who still pull over to help stranded motorists, or pitch in to rescue someone caught in natural disasters, car accidents etc. our pioneer spirit is still alive and working, and watching a movie like this shows all of us, where Yankee ingenuity, american initative, pioneer spirit, and all the rest comes from. Just like Lewis and Clark, Horatio led the way to something we all take for granted today, and most of us can not imagine ever doing without.....OUR BELOVED WHEELS...... A++

An Enjoyable DVD
I really enjoyed the story Horatio Jackson. Burn's tells of a relatively little know person who did an amazing thing that today we take for granted. The film is as entertaining as it is informative. I also enjoyed the soundtrack.

Road Trip!
What a great movie. If you enjoy road trips, wilderness adventures, or just tinkering around the garage fixing things, you will find similarities with Horatio Nelson Jackson. He drove cross-country on a $50 bet when most people thought it was impossible. He had to find his way through the American wilderness, fix the auto when it broke, find gasoline where there were no stations, and keep his spirits up when things turned bad.

Jackson grasped the opportunity to become part of history at the perfect time. Cars we becoming more reliable, Indians were no longer a threat, and America was populated enough that he didn't go too long without seeing other people. And in just a few short years roads and cars would be commonplace, which would make the feat less exciting and adventurous.

Ken Burns does a fantastic job of documenting this journey of a lifetime. He has a way to make the viewer feel like they are sitting right along side with Jackson, his mechanic, and the dog.

The birth of the road trip and the changing of America
Horatio's Drive is not simply about one man's impulsive bet that he could become the first person to drive across the U.S. in an automobile. It is also about the dawn of a new form of transportation in the United States, one that would forever change way we travel.
The story, told mostly through the letters that Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson writes to his wife as he slowly weaves his way across the continent, is about the first wave of the future passing through an American that had remained unchanged for many years. Jackson, ever the optimist, writes about how certain he is that he can make it even when faced with a hostile terrain, no road maps and an under powered car prone to breaking down at the worst possible time. As he passes through one small town after another, he and his mechanic become instant celebrities. As one newspaper account of the time read, it would have been no less of a story had a spaceship touched down in the middle of town.
I though the story was intriguing and a real history lesson. It's amazing to think of Nelson and his mechanic crossing the continent without a major highway or road, let alone in a car that needed near daily repair.
The film itself is well done and certainly worth watching. Old time car historians will enjoy the mention of models come and gone. History buffs get a glimpse at a changing America. And while Horatio's Drive may not have the depth of other Ken Burns works, this is a delightful 'light' version of an interesting time and a wonderful story.

Horrible
This was absolute Garbage. Burns is an old pompous whinbag, who glorified himself throughout this entire film. What a discrace. And who wants to know about some idiot who drove across the country? Not Me. save your money. this is without a doubt, the worst film in the history of the world. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

A Great Place to Live
I moved to Vernon in 2002 and first rented the movie downtown at the video store/tanning parlor, next door to the Dixie Dandy and the old town hall. It is amazing how little the downtown area has changed since 1982. I love my new hometown and only wish I could have been around then to meet some of the stars. This is a classic documentary and just too much fun to watch. You'll be quoting your favorite characters for years to come.... 'That's a lot of water out there.Yeah, and that's only the top.'

Errol Morris is Mistaken
His film is pretty accurate and representative of the folks who live there.We live nearby and have a fish camp on the creek.But he is wrong to make fun of the 93 year old man because he does really have a gopher and not a pet turtle.That man's pet is a now endangered gopher tortoise and they really do burrow in the ground just like a gopher.People have been known to eat them too.But I never did.

Different
I am from this town and not surprised by the original motive of Errol Morris. I do have all my limbs though.
This documentary shows the intrigue behind those who do not search far beyond their own borders, and the tales formed to keep it interesting. It is neither offensive nor disrespectful, because any place you go you will find eccentric individuals. This film brings out the qualities of people, who at first seem so alien, but then almost understandable.Most of the film you will probably sit there and say, "no, he is not serious."Yes, yes they are and proud of it.So just sit back and laugh, because on some level, our thoughts and beliefs are just as absurb to someone one else.

Great Movie!
I live close to Vernon, Florida. I also know several people from there. I accidentally came across this movie while flipping channels, and recently purchased a copy for myself. This movie features the Good Ole' Boys, or at least that's how we refer to them around here. And yes, much of what you see in the movie is real, we really act like that around here. It's just a wonderful movie. I plan to keep this to show to my children and grandchildren when I get them. It's a great example of the way we live in south east Alabama, and in the edge of Florida.

Turkey Hunter
You hear a turkey gobble and you'll forget all about your diahrea. It's the best diahrea medicine in the world.

We was working our way down through some palmettos. Now palmettos are kind of offset. When I got as close as I could get I eased out real slow and ease it up and(whew) pow! Got her off. It hit the ground like a toooon of bricks. And here he is(points to turkey beard) with about an eleven inch beard.

Now you got a ball here and a ball here and a ball here and a ball here. And if all those balls are functioning... you're not a one track mind - you're a four track mind. I can write cat s--t with one hand and dog s--t with the other. ... Read more

Reviews (89)

Great Historical Film
...He is correct in saying the film is great for history buffs and that is what I am (BA-Hist). This film depicts history. It is an inside look at Nazi Germany. Turn off the lights when you watch it and you will think you have a front row seat at a Nuremburg rally. It may have been produced as propaganda but what it is now is nothing short of historical documentation, regardless of how the images were woven together.

It has great footage and shows all of the regular Nazi Nuts and ones you have never seen or heard before. I loved being able to listen to them in German with subtitles instead of having a narrator. You can have that too. I bought the Special Edition DVD. The quality of this black and white film is the best I have ever seen. Special features include English subtitles and voice-over narration (all optional).

Leni did not hire Industrial Light and Magic to insert millions of regimented Nazi followers. They are the real thing. The Nazi movement clearly stirred nationalistic fervor. You cannot deny the images. They speak for themselves. The German people were caught up in a movement of incredible proportions and this movie shows you what it was like in the early years of the Third Reich. Germans killed millions and millions of Germans died in WW II. This movie will give you a very good idea of what the Allied forces were fighting against.

A most valuable historical record
It's easy to see how this now famous (or infamous) 1934 film by Leni Riefenstal could have helped reinforce Hitler's already dizzying domination of the German psyche. For our own time, it helps reveal the human complexity of the Nazi phenomenon - so much more than just a march of crazed fanatics, as it's often stereotyped today. Triumph of the Will is particularly relevant to current politics - the Austrian controversy, as well as the continued importance of various dictators who still garner so much of the media spotlight.

Sadly, the near-sightedness of the Nazi mentality and its contradictory nature were already glaringly apparent at the time the movie was shot. Hitler's frenzied admonitions to value "peace" but at the same time to cultivate "courage", bristle with contradiction and hypocrisy. Brief allusions to racial purity and clear-cut moral rectitude are darkly ominous, as are the reiterated pledges of allegiance to Hitler , the man. It's instructive to compare Nazi rhetoric with much of today's political hype. Though, as many others have pointed out, nobody else has done it with quite the same elan. Sad to think that had they watched their own film with a more discerning eye, they might have seen what we see.

From an artistic standpoint, I can appreciate why it's cited as one of the most accomplished of all propagandist vehicles. Nazi shortcomings notwithstanding, the film is stunning. Riefenstahl's contribution is self-evident - even if she didn't direct the action herself, she captured and organized it admirably. But for all that, it is still the action which is most spellbinding. The gripping facial expressions, the charismatic speeches, the thundering shouts of allegiance, the enormous scale and choreography - all of this actually took place! Combine that with historical perspective - knowing what all of it would lead to - and the movie acquires a distincively haunting quality.

I not only recommend this film to others, I strongly advise it. It captures the very essence of social fanaticism. Many will instinctively feel its primitive appeal, and then, after putting it into perspective, recognize its inherent madness. Watching this movie, appreciating the feelings it evokes and reflecting on what it all means, will make the viewer a better person.

This Special Edition is good as it gets.
The Synapse DVD Special Edition surpassed all expectations. I had Triumph of the Will on video prior to obtaining this DVD and the video's visual and audio quality was poor. By contrast, this DVD is visually very crisp and sharp and the audio quality is fine The DVD appears to be produced from an excellent original film print. I've seen another DVD of TOTW produced by different company, and its quality was the same as the video version :substandard. Make sure you get the Synapse version. This Special Edition is good as it gets.

A GREAT LOOK AT WHAT MODERN USA HAS BECOME
THIS FILM GIVES A GREAT INSIDE LOOK AT HOW THE NOW MODERN USA OPERATES IN ITS POLITICS UNDER GEORGE W BUSH. WHO IS ALOMOST A CLONE OF HITLER. I RECCOMEND THIS FILM TO ANY BUSH SUPPORTER JUST FOR THEM TO SEE HOW ALIKE BUSH AND HITLER REALLY ARE.

An Influential Masterpiece of Cinematic Propaganda
Riefenstahl's documentary made for Adolf Hitler and the NAZI party in the early 1930's. The documentary primarily covers the Nuremburg rallies and the activities that surrounded these events. Again, this is a propaganda film and was designed to stir popular sentiment and political empathy for the infamous political party.

If one understands the socio-political climate of Germany in the late 1920s and early 1930s, one can clearly see what sentiments the film seeks to evoke and hence recognize its significance and brilliant execution. For example, Germany was in a state of shambles because of the global economic depression and many Germans feared an inevitable collapse to anarchy or Bolshevism. The opening scene starts with a Wagnerian piece and shows Hitler in a plane peering down from high above the clouds as he arrives for the rally. The scene sought to reassure a worried public that The Fuhrer was omnipotent, omniscient, and was coming down from the heavens to save a troubled nation in a godlike fashion. When he arrives at the stadium, Hitler is shown walking with his SA escort out of the crowd and towards the podium instead from behind the podium to look down at the crowd; this was to instill the notion that Hitler wasn't just another Berlin bureaucrat from the old failed Weimar Republic coming to talk down to a broken people; it was done to evoke the sense that he was a man of the people for the peole: selflessly arising out of a worried crowd of fellow Germans to lead them to a better and safer future. This particular scene was so influential in film that George Lucas adapted it (and many other scenes) for the closing scene to the original Star Wars when Luke, Han, and Chewy are decorated by Lea. Other scenes of happy German blonde and blue-eyed youths or common laborers performing paramilitary/social tasks were intended to evoke a proud sense of unity, purpose, and safety amongst all true German "volk" in these troubled times. In the background, the narrative voice recites how all German women should should bear many children for the Fatherland; how men should unite for the Fatherland and not Godless Bolshevism; how youths should work to better their nation; etc., etc.

The mass communication techniques of Riefenstahl and Goebbels are still used today by virtually every modern government and media firm. This film is important not only as a histiorical tool in understanding the rise of Nazism and the dynamics of facism, it is a very important landmark in the development of film, mass entertainment and mass communication in general. I strongly believe that every person who seeks to better understand their world and media see this film at least once and study it. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Empire of the Air=Empire of the Documentary
This documentary skillfully tells the story of the three men most responsible for what radio has become today. It is also the story of radio.

Burns portrays brilliant yet egocentric FM radio inventor Edwin Howard Armstrong as the centerpiece of his film. Armstrong's friendship with RCA Chairman David Sarnoff and his personal and legal troubles with Lee DeForest and later Sarnoff are really the center of the documentary.

While Armstrong's story is somewhat heartbreaking, Sarnoff's story is alternately despicable and inspiring. It shows his rise from a Russian immigrant selling papers on the street to become, at his death, one of the most cutthroat and powerful people in entertainment.

Then, there's Lee deForest. He's portrayed as a flamboyant self promoter that built his life and career on the backs of others including Armstrong.

With the stories of these three men is also the story of radio from its early days. Burns weaves together old-time broadcasts and many interviews with popular public figures, people who knew Armstrong, deForest, and Sarnoff, and individuals associated with early radio. I acknowledge the earlier review that says the movie slights Tesla...it does. The documentary probably should have mentioned Tesla in some way, but the focus of the movie is more on the lines of the three men that made radio what it is today.

You will laugh at Lee Deforest, and you will feel deep sorrow in your heart for Edwin Armstrong. You may even hate David Sarnoff a bit. Ken Burns is a great filmmaker, and he's working with great material here. He clearly has a message in this movie. I wish Hollywood would get ahold of this book and make it into a feature-length movie. The documentary based on the book is really and truly a masterpiece. I recommend this documentary to anyone interested in the medium of radio or television. I also recommend this film to anyone interested in inventing or the history of inventing in general.

Yes, but where's Tesla?
This film was a very good in-depth look at the people who were most responsible for bringing radio to the masses. However, I find it distressing that Nikola Tesla was never mentioned once in this documentary. Everyone remembers Marconi as the "father" of radio, but it was actually Tesla, in his experiments with the wireless transmission of power, who invented radio and who was the true father. Ken Burns would have done good to at least mention that fact. Other than this discrepancy, the documentary is a very good look into the early history of radio.

Excellent Program
I first saw "Empire of the Air" on PBS when it debuted in 1991. At the time, I was a junior in high school and I had heard that there was going to be a program about Radio on PBS. All I can say is this is a great program for anyone who loves Radio and Television, and it really captures not only the history behind Broadcasting and Broadcast engineering, but it also examines the lives of the great men who built the legacy of the Broadcast industry into what it is today. I also have the book that this program is based on, and it is excellent too. Ken Burns has a unique way of telling a story and taking a viewer into another place and time that few documentary filmakers today are really able to do. The late actor Jason Robards narrates this film, and he was the right guy to have as a narrator for this production. Ken Burns proved with the Civil War series that he is a master storyteller, and I will also be buying "The Civil War" DVD set in the near future. I have a degree in Broadcasting from Eastern Kentucky University and we watched this program in a couple of my classes. One professor I had told us that the film could tell us more about the history of Radio and Television in two hours than he could ever hope to. That is saying a lot, because it was coming from a professor with a PhD. who had been teaching Broadcasting for probably 20 years. I am also an amateur radio operator, and there is a little of the history that ham radio operators played in the role of Broadcasting depicted in this film as well. I have been waiting for about 4 years for PBS to finally release "Empire of the Air" on DVD, and I will be buying this title shortly. I highly recommend this video, it is able to take the viewer to another place and time before the age of entertainment that we know today when families would gather around the radio for their news and entertainment. It is really a shame in some ways that we have lost a lot of the kind of closeness that Radio brought to families so many years ago. All I can say is Ken Burns is a genius!

Interesting documentary
Though the video do not show more details of how the radio works, it presents the events that started broadcoasting business.Very much engaging.

The sun never sets on their empire.
You awaken to a clock radio, press a button on a miniature transmitter to unlock your car and chat on a wireless phone. A pager dangles from your belt and the headphones of a miniature FM radio are perched on your ears. Whether the TV shows you watch arrive over a cable, a satellite dish or an antenna, at some point, they travelled through the air.

It's easy to think we've progressed so much since the invention of radio but when you think about it, radio and its progeny are everywhere. Even the computer on which you're reading this owes its very existence, ultimately, to the trinity of Lee de Forest, Edwin Howard Armstrong and David Sarnoff. A more colorful cast of characters could not have been created by mere fiction.

De Forest, the frustrated-at-every-turn inventor who, nonetheless, stumbled upon the pivotal technology that began the age of electronics. Armstrong, voracious reader of scientific journals and tinkerer, who understood de Forest's inventions even better than de Forest himself. David Sarnoff, protege of the great Marconi, opportunistic, driven by a fierce loyalty to the company he headed at its inception until his death, RCA.

Ken Burns tells the story with remarkable detail in just 2 hours. Like his other productions for PBS, "Empire of the Air" is mostly archival footage and still photos interspersed with interviews of those who were present at the creation of radio. The stories of the three "Men who Made Radio" begin with brief histories of each and more detailed descriptions of their contributions. Lee de Forest invented the Audion tube, mostly by copying or "borrowing" the work of others, but when pressed for an explanation of how it functioned, he found himself at a loss. Edwin Howard Armstrong DID understand it, so much so that he invented the technologies that enabled de Forest's "fire bottle" to carry voice and music into the air. David Sarnoff, at first a courier for American Marconi and eventually put in charge of the brand new Radio Corporation of America, saw in radio a means of bringing information and entertainment to far-flung Americans.

Burns also captures the personalities of each: de Forest's belief in the lone inventor and that the fame he always sought was just around the next corner; Armstrong's sheer brilliance that ultimately led to the invention of both AM radio as we know it and FM radio as well; Sarnoff's drive and his faith in the corporation above all else, even to the point of choosing his allegiance to RCA over his long-time friendship with Armstrong. All three would eventually battle it out in court, at a cost of the life of one of them at his own hand.

The Radio Era began with the work of lone inventors and ended with major improvements and new technologies coming out of the well-funded and staffed research laboratories of the likes of RCA, Westinghouse, General Electric and AT&T. By the late 1950s, the days of great inventions appeared to be over. There were no new worlds for individuals to conquer. Having survived 2 World Wars with the help of radio, with color TV beaming entertainment into our homes, America and the world believed that they had seen it all. We would never again see the likes of de Forest, Armstong and Sarnoff, as well as their contemporaries Edison, Bell and Ford.

That is, until the 1970s when a guy named Steve in Cupertino, California convinced his friend, also named Steve, that they could start a company to sell computers that would fit on a desktop. That's a story for whole 'nother PBS special called, appropriately, "Triumph of the Nerds," ... ... Read more

Description

McElwee family legend has it that the Hollywood melodrama "Bright Leaf" starring Gary Cooper as a 19th century tobacco grower, is based on filmmaker Ross McElwee's great-grandfather, who created the Bull Durham brand. Using this legacy as a jumping off point, McElwee reaches back to his roots in this wry, witty rumination on American history, the tobacco business, and the myth of cinema. ... Read more

Description

In this elegant, penetrating and moving portrait of the United States Congress, filmmaker Ken Burns profiles an American institution whose ideals and actions affect us all. Narrated by David McCullough, the program employs historic film footage and interviews with "insiders" including David Broker, Alistair Cooke and Cokie Roberts to detail the personalities, events and issues that have animated Congress' first 200 years. The program chronicles the extraordinary careers of some of Congress' most notable members. It also charts the continuing growth of the Capitol building and features readings from diary entries, letters and famous speeches that have shaped Congressional history and reinvent the way America did business. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Subtitled "America's First Road Trip," Horatio's Drive captures theremarkable odyssey of Horatio Nelson Jackson, a doctor from Vermontwho--accompanied by a former professional bicyclist and a bulldog namedBud--helmed the first trip from coast to coast in a car. In 1903, aftermaking a $50 bet he could drive to New York City in 90 days, Nelson setoff from San Francisco in a used Winton two-seater than he bought for$3000 and proceeded to cross a country where most roads, if they existedat all, were still made of dirt. Pulling together newspaper articles,period movies, and Jackson's own photographs and passionate love lettersto his wife, famed documentarian Ken Burns crafts a love letter of his ownto the automobile and the ways it has shaped American life. Horatio'sDrive is both educational and completely entertaining. --BretFetzer ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I LOVE KEN BURNS' STUFF
lots of fun following their voyage, hard for us to visualize 100 years ago what our country looked like and what was happening in the average persons