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Certainly Ken Burns has created a wonderful product that looks at the great tragedy of the Civil War from various points of view. My only criticism is his fixation on slavery being the apparent only cause and reason for the war. An impartial analysis tell us that slavery was only one of several stemuli and certainly not the most compelling. In fact, slavery was only a burning issue with the Abolitionists. I would have expected him to have done greater research in this area and not have jumped on the slavery train that swept through the country in the later 20th Century fueled by Oprah, Jesse Jackson,Al Sharpton and others sharing their beliefs. History just doesn't support their myopic view nor Ken Burns'. Other than this, Ken Burns has produced an important work.
Every American should view this film at least once in their life. It is an in-depth look at what may be the most pivital point in American history. Ken Burns not only enlightens us, he makes it all relative to todays reality. Most documentaries, especially ones for older topics, are dry, drawn out and placid. The way this one is told grips you and pulls you in. He makes all the participents come to life, almost like you know them. The historians; Bears and Foote, commentaries are spot on, both informative and highly entertaining. The camera's movement makes the old still photographs come to life. Once you start watching, you WILL NOT be able to turn it off. You will come away with a better understanding of a time when the America we know, almost ceased to exist. It's both disturbing and fascinating at the same time. I'm proud to call myself American, but this film makes me question what that means. It also makes me wonder, Do we define the times or we defined by them?? WATCH THIS FILM!!!!Read full review
No dry, boring High School History lectures here, but the stories of those who fought the war and their families in their own words, often accompanied by period pictures of the people who did it and scenes of the actual battlefields, roadways and towns where it all took place. This is no John Wayne saga or some political group's pet gripe, but accurate, verified history told with the human touch and without any one side's propaganda. If you can watch this series all the way through without becoming just a little bit emotional, especially if any of your ancestors were involved, you just aren't human.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
This series is probably Ken Burns' most famous and popular documentary. Like his other projects (The West), it not only deals with famous, well-known individuals, but also the experiences of ordinary people involved in the Civil War. These poignant, sometimes tragic vignettes, add important depth to the series. Discourses from noted Civil War historians (Shelby Foote, Barbara Fields, et al.) are icing on the cake! Excellent musical score. This documentary was digitally remastered in 2002, and my only wish was a better implementation of Dolby surround effects (battle scenes, environment) to really put this over the top. But overall, excellent audio quality. A must-have collection for Civil War and history buffs that only gets better with repeated viewings!
I've been a Civil War buff since I was just shy of five years old. When Ken Burns' film was first aired on PBS back in the '80s, I watched every episode my schedule allowed, and was enthralled enough to tape the encore performance - tapes I wore out long ago. Had to have it on DVD, and the quality of the remastered DVD release is awesome! This film is a stellar achievement of the filmmaker's art. Sure, there are some errors in the narration - but when a film can hold a three-year-old's attention with still photos (in black and white, no less), no explosions or car chases, and straightforward narration rather than dialogue - and ten years later, have that (now not so) little boy still ask to see the places he heard about in that film...well, to me that makes it a winner. It's probably the one video I refuse to be without. (I still cry over the Sullivan Ballou letter...)Read full review
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