The Civil War - A Film by Ken Burns

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Starring: David McCullough
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Type: DVD
Studio: Pbs Paramount
Release Date: 2004-09-28
Running Time: 680 minutes
Number of Items: 5
Hailed as a film masterpiece and landmark in historical storytelling, Ken Burns's epic documentary brings to life America's most destructive-- and defining--conflict. With digitally enhanced images and new stereo sound, here is the saga of celebrated generals and ordinary soldiers, a heroic and transcendent president and a country that had to divide itself in two in order to become one.

HIstorical Epic
The most comprehensive and concise detail of the civil war ever produced by film maker, Ken Burns.

This historical epic on the American Civil War is both informative and entertaining. I have wanted a copy of this production since I first watched it on Maryland PBS.

As an amateur film maker I fully comprehend the enormous task that was undertaken in the production of this long past event brought to life by Ken Burns. His narration and the "move on stills" photographic work create the illusion of life in the old photographs used in the film.

This production is a must for anyone interested in American history.

Outstanding documentary
I bought this DVD for my husband. He is a history buff, I am not. Still, we both enjoy the documentary equally. It gives new and suprising (and startling) facts about the Civil War, but at the same time explains historic events in a way that even someone without a lot of background knowledge can understand.
What I found most impressive were the letters written by ordinary soldiers to their wives, parents, and children (and read to the audience throughout the film). It puts the Civil War into a whole new perspective, beyond historic facts and figures and lets you understand that, ultimately, the ones least involved in the decision about starting this war were the ones most affected by it.

Fabulous!
This DVD is a fabulous tool to supplement my husband's US history classes. The item was received promptly and at a fabulous price, too!

Ken Burns' Civil War DVDs
Any serious student of American history will find Burns' account of the Civil War fascinating and enlightening. It provides a wealth of information that to me seems definitive and encompassing.
If you have an interest in the Civil War, this documentary is an absolute "must have!"

Dr. Stephen C. Wallace
Professor Emeritus

A Great History Lesson, But Lacks The Emotional Punch Of "The War"
Ken Burns' epic documentary about the Civil War is perhaps the greatest and most all-encompassing history lesson of the North/South conflict that has ever been put on film or page. Not only is every important detail of the war covered (and in such a way that the details are interesting and important, not boring), but two entire episodes are devoted to the build-up and aftermath of the conflict. Essentially, if you were teaching a class on the Civil War, this video is all you would need, as it both conveys the vital information of the war, and does so in a way that doesn't stagnate. In essence, a very tight, well-produced series.

The only reason I give this set four stars out of five, though, is that it lacks (althouht through no fault of its own) the emotional punch of Burns' more recent "The War" (World War II) series. Such things as personal interviews and live video could obviously not be obtained from the 1860s, but the reading of letters and still photographs doesn't quite measure up. The best example I can give of this is that while watching the Civil War series I found myself treating it as one extended history class session, while "The War" was almost more of a dramatic event (what with the live interviews and video footage).

So, although the Civil War documentary by Ken Burns is a brilliant work of research and cinematography, I can only give it a four-star rating due to its lacks of live video footage or emotionally moving personal interviews. I do, however, strongly recommend this series to anyone wanting to learn a bit more about the most brutal war in United States history. You may not need the tissue box while watching this series (unlike "The War"), but I guarantee you will come away with a much more solid understanding of the events that caused, prolonged, and ended the American Civil War.