National Geographic: Inside the U.S. Secret Service

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Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Type: DVD
Studio: National Geographic Video
Release Date: 2004-11-02
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 07/19/2005 Run time: 90 minutes

Outstanding
i would highly recommend that anyone who has an interest in or fascination with the Secret Service purchase this video. I have long been interested in the Secret Service and all that the agents do. This video did not let me down. Obviously highly sensitive protective measures are not revealed during the film, but the viewer is still able to get a nice, general idea of all that agents do on a daily basis. The film takes you through the procedures that agents perform when they are securing a location for a presidential trip. The film also provides the historical context for the origins of the Secret Service, and talks about some of the major assassinations and assassination attempts on presidents and presidential candidates in the history of the country. Finally, the film also gives a look at how the Secret Service works to protect presidential candidates. There are interviews with numerous current and former special agents, including Clint Hill, Larry Cockell, Brian Stafford, and Jerry Parr to name a few. There are also interviews with former Presidents Clinton, Ford, and Bush Sr. The former Presidents explain how difficult it can be to adjust to life in the bubble and how the agents do their best to make it work. The film even addressed the sensitive issue of agents having to disclose private things they see when protecting the President (think Larry Cockell and the Lewinsky scandal). I thoroughly enjoyed the film from the moment it began until it ended. I was even sorry to see the credits roll; I wanted more. So as I stated previously, if you have any interest at all in the Secret Service, this is a video you should purchase.

Break out the Dramamine before viewing
Lots of talking heads and conference rooms, so NG chose to overcompensate by doing tons of extraneous swooping camera movement and inducing nausea so you don't notice the utter lack of content.

Don't waste your time buying this. Instead, buy the outstanding book Standing Next to History: An Agent's Life Inside the Secret Service and read that cover to cover. I can't in good conscience even recommend renting this DVD. I was bored stiff and disgusted by the emotional manipulation.

Polygraphs have no scientific basis, so don't portray them like they "break" criminal masterminds. That's nonsense and it's propaganda and it casts doubt on every other fact in the documentary. And second, President Bush is not personified by the Twin Towers, so don't spin the 9/11 attacks as though they were a personal attack on GWB. I don't buy that either and it insults the viewer. This was a 30 minute documentary padded into 90 minutes. I hit fast forward skim numerous times.

This is the very last NG documentary I will ever waste my time and money renting.

The Secret Service perform an amazing service, at enormous personal cost. This documentary did not do their dedication justice. Shame on NG for putting their name behind this sub-par documentary.

"Nice job National Geographic"
Well this wasn't an easy topic to do reseach on.Well,you could tell that because of the name "Secret Service." National Geogrphics was allowed access to a alot of interesting things.The secret service has always facinated me.There whole operation are here in full detail.How they perpare a sight weeks in advance for the president.It shows all the assassinations and assassination attempts that were caught on camera.I really like the pace of this documentary.One of the best narrarated National Geographic has really done a terrific job.Compared to the Inside the F.B.I Doc,I would say that this is alot better in detail,pace,length.If you are interested in this topic you should buy this.It also contains two 20 minute documentary on x-presidents.I highly recommend this. A+

Inside The Secret Service
Very good presentation. As a retired Special Agent I saw many friends. The product is well done without jeprodizing security and procedure.

Worth the Purchase
I have always been fascinated with the world of the US Secret Service. National Geographic goes "behind the scenes" and explains it all to you. This video shows it all, from coverage of their intensive training, to pre-planning a "Presidential Arrival", Interviews with Special Agents and much more.

I most definitely recommend this video to anyone who is interested in becoming a member of US Secret Service or anyone who just shares the fascination that I have. "2 thumbs up"!