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| The Civil War - A Film by Ken Burns | 
 enlarge | Actor: Civil War
Studio: Pbs Paramount
Category: DVD
List Price: $129.99
Buy New: $77.26
You Save: $52.73 (41%)
New (43) Used (14) Collectible (1) from $70.90
Avg. Customer Rating:  59 reviews
Sales Rank: 2062
Format: Box Set, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 5
Running Time: 660
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.6 x 1.1
MPN: 841887051248
UPC: 841887057059
EAN: 0841887051248
ASIN: B000BITUE8
Theatrical Release Date: September 23, 1990
Release Date: September 28, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com
The most successful public-television miniseries in American history, the 11-hour Civil War didn't just captivate a nation, reteaching to us our history in narrative terms; it actually also invented a new film language taken from its creator. When people describe documentaries using the "Ken Burns approach," its style is understood: voice-over narrators reading letters and documents dramatically and stating the writer's name at their conclusion, fresh live footage of places juxtaposed with still images (photographs, paintings, maps, prints), anecdotal interviews, and romantic musical scores taken from the era he depicts. The Civil War uses all of these devices to evoke atmosphere and resurrect an event that many knew only from stale history books. While Burns is a historian, a researcher, and a documentarian, he's above all a gifted storyteller, and it's his narrative powers that give this chronicle its beauty, overwhelming emotion, and devastating horror. Using the words of old letters, eloquently read by a variety of celebrities, the stories of historians like Shelby Foote and rare, stained photos, Burns allows us not only to relearn and finally understand our history, but also to feel and experience it. --Dave McCoy On the DVD
The DVD features on The Civil War provide a wealth of insight, creative philosophy, historical perspective, and educational enjoyment. Twelve years after its premiere broadcast, the film was given a digital facelift, sharpening image clarity, correcting color, and enriching its soundtrack with a remastered 5.1-channel mix, as demonstrated in the "Civil War Reconstruction" featurette. In interviews from 2002, producer-director Ken Burns, historian Shelby Foote, journalist George Will, author Stanley Crouch, and composer-musicians Jay Ungar and Molly Mason reflect upon The Civil War's enduring significance. And Burns's eloquent commentary--selectively included on each disc and totaling five hours--illuminates the historical importance and creative impulse behind crucial chapters of the film. Fifty-seven onscreen biography cards detail important North, South, and civilian figures, and two 1990 featurettes—"Making History" and "A Conversation with Ken Burns"--provide a more personal perspective on the creation of this extraordinary film. Useful for both personal and academic study, these features stand as a fitting supplement to one of the greatest documentaries ever produced. --Jeff Shannon
Product Description
No Description Available.
Genre: Documentary
Rating: NR
Release Date: 28-SEP-2004
Media Type: DVD
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| Customer Reviews: Read 54 more reviews...
 One Of The Best Documentaries Ever Made August 9, 2005
144 out of 147 found this review helpful
There aren't too many productions from television that one can call "noble," but Ken Burns' The Civil War qualifies. Burns uses photographs, music, speech, maps and historical context to tell the story of the second most formative event in the nation's history. And since in those days people wrote...diaries, letters, journals...there is the written record not just of the great leaders, the politicians and generals, but of the wives and sweethearts, the nurses and doctors, newspaper editors and farmers. Most of all there are the words of the soldiers. Burns shows the importance and the sweep of the war, but in part he does it through the lives of average people caught up in events they may not have completely comprehended, but which they believed in.
If the words themselves have power, so do the voices. Burns recruited great voices, some actors, some not, to speak the words, distinctive voices that give great resonance to what we see. Julie Harris as Mary Chestnut, Charlie McDowell, a Virginia reporter, as Sam Watkins, Arthur Miller as William Sherman, Jason Robards as Grant, Studs Terkel as Benjamin Butler, Sam Waterston as Lincoln, and many others. He has David McCullough as the narrator. McCullough, an outstanding historian and writer, does a wonderful job. Burns also uses a number of historians to underline key points. Foremost, in my view, is Shelby Foote. Foote is the author of the epic three-volume Civil War. With his Southern accent, common sense and soft irony, he's a fascinating raconteur.
The program is never dry or dull. It is gripping and emotional. Both sides felt they were fighting for a pure cause. What is particularly touching is that, as a people, we had not yet lost much of the capacity for simple, unadorned, unembarrassed feelings, whether it be patriotism for one's country or love for one's wife. I challenge anyone to read this letter from Sullivan Ballou, a 32-year-old soldier in the Union Army, to his 24-year-old wife, and not sit stunned with emotion. Ballou was killed in the first battle of Bull Run a week later.
July 14, 1861
Camp Clark, Washington
My very dear Sarah:
The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days-perhaps tomorrow. Lest I should not be able to write again, I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more . . .
I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how strongly American Civilization now leans on the triumph of the Government and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and sufferings of the Revolution. And I am willing-perfectly willing-to lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this Government, and to pay that debt . . .
Sarah my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break; and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me unresistibly on with all these chains to the battle field.
The memories of the blissful moments I have spent with you come creeping over me, and I feel most gratified to God and to you that I have enjoyed them for so long. And hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years, when, God willing, we might still have lived and loved together, and seen our sons grown up to honorable manhood, around us. I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine Providence, but something whispers to me-perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little Edgar, that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath escapes me on the battle field, it will whisper your name. Forgive my many faults and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless and foolish I have often times been! How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness . . .
But, O Sarah! If the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the gladdest days and in the darkest nights . . . always, always, and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath, as the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by. Sarah do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet again . . .
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The program flows over 11 hours on five discs. In addition to the documentary, the discs are stuffed with background information...maps, documents, biographies and additional interviews. This is a superb production and is worth every penny.
Ken Burns Best January 1, 2005
68 out of 73 found this review helpful
Ken Burns has established himself as one of the greats in terms of historical documentaries. The Civil War is Mr. Burns' greatest work. The attention to detail brings the history to life. Mr. Burns does an excellent job of bringing humanity to the tragic time in America. With the use of solder's and family letters it is evident what a difficult time it was to be an American. Originally aired on PBS in September of 1990, nearly fifteen years later the series remains the ultimate narrative about the United States darkest time.
The series is finally released on DVD. While the price is a little high the amazing quality of the series makes the cost very reasonable. Ken Burns' Civil War is required for any Civil War historian's collection. The series is also a great way for those wishing to learn more about the Civil War. I would recommend this to anyone that loves historical documentaries. It does not get any better than The Civil War - A Film by Ken Burns.
The Best Documentary Ever Made...Now Even Better December 3, 2004
35 out of 38 found this review helpful
Having owned and viewed the VHS edition of the Civil War numerous times, I didn't know if the DVD would make that much of a difference. Believe me, it does. Every frame of the film is digitally remastered and color corrected. The entire soundtrack is also digitally remastered. It's almost like seeing the film for the first time.
Concerning the film itself, for those of you who have been hiding under a rock and haven't seen it yet, this is probably the best Documentary ever made. Just get it.
so tragic January 15, 2005
34 out of 39 found this review helpful
"One must study the past,..." to understand the present. So, I've modified my favorite quote of Confucius somewhat, yet one has to understand the present and past "to divine the future"; I think Confucius implies that. The American Civil War was a significant event of American history, no doubt about that. I watched a bootlegged VHS version of this recorded from the PBS series. What I like most about this film is the commentaries from different historians about the Civil War years. I particularly enjoyed Shelby Foote's and Barbara Fields' remarks. Shelby Foote's three volume set on the Civil War is a classic; he is a southerner who is also a veteran who served in WWII. Barbara Field is an African American historian. I felt that it was not biased and succeeded in showing faithfully what life was like during that era for people on all sides, and not just soldiers on the battlefields, by showing photographs of battle scenes and sites and soldiers, and by revealing the emotions of men and women who lived and died during that time through letters they wrote. On such an emotionally charged subject and divisive one at that, the series ends on a note of unity and understanding and caution. And I add we must understand this past, its real causes, to avoid repeating such tragedies in the future. Ken Burns and company did a beautiful job at illuminating an ugly and harrowing subject.
One of the songs that plays wordlessly in the background at various times during this documentary is a tune that was recycled probably from an Irish tune from 1688 during the Glorious Revolution there. It was known during America's Revolution as Johnny's Gone for a Soldier, in the late 1600's and before 1776, it was also called Shule Agra and Buttermilk Hill. One must wonder at why the southerners suffered so many deprivations during the war to keep fighting like they did without shoes on their feet and little food, marching and marching for countless miles, 20-30 a day. I agree with others when they say that the subject of reconstruction is not dealt with in this film. It is an important subject too but is more than enough for a film of its own. After the war, southerners had their properties confiscated which engendered the term carpet bagger to denote the true motives of northern transplants to the south. Such were some of the liberators of American slaves. It was such a tragic war and as Ken Burns and others comment at the end, its consequences are still with us.
All citizens of this country should watch this at least once.
'Here I sit on Buttermilk Hill/Who can blame me, cryin' my fill
And ev'ry tear would turn a mill/Johnny has gone for a soldier.
Me, oh my, I loved him so/Broke my heart to see him go,
And only time will heal my woe/Johnny has gone for a soldier.
I'll sell my rod, I'll sell my reel/Likewise I'll sell my spinning wheel,
And buy my love a sword of steel/Johnny has gone for a soldier.
I'll dye my dress, I'll dye it red/And through the streets I'll beg for bread,
For the lad that I love from me has fled/Johnny has gone for a soldier.'
"The Real Civil War" ! Thank you Ken! June 29, 2005
22 out of 23 found this review helpful
I used to watch documentaries with my dad when I was growing up from time to time. Being African American and from the deep deep South (both parents from the Atlanta area) we never really watched the ones having to do with the Civil War or Black perspective because they tended to be slanted one way or the other. I never wanted to see those kind of documentaries and my parents had such pained expressions on their faces whenever something of that nature was on tv it just wasn't worth it to me. Seeing as my parents lived such trying times day to day when they were growing up, I guess they could never be interested in other's views since they lived it.
Both my parents passed unexpectedly 2 months apart from each other my mother dying after my father. (This documentary originally aired literally days after my fathers passing.) I know I was in shock from his loss at that time otherwise I never would have watched, but since it reminded me of watching documentaries with my him I watched it.....then I became captivated.
The presentation rang so true, because it wasn't just opinion from the modern viewpoint feeding us information from their own perspective. There were period photos, correspondence, diaries from actual people and Good Lord...the MUSIC was wonderful. Things from North and South, White and Black woven throughout giving authenticity to the series. It was like a tapestry. ALL sides were never ever presented as a whole to see why things were as they were. Especially in such an eloquent manner. Although I in no way agree with why any Southern slave holders (not just White, but there were Native American and Black as well) felt the way they did, I began to understand that this was all they knew since the time this country began. Slavery was not aggressively addressed then because it was too divisive.
Because slavery was too painful to speak of it was never examined in my household. It truly changed me, I HAD to know more. Then when the movie "Glory" came out on video shortly afterwards I was a goner. I became a true Civil War buff. This is honestly a truly perfect documentary that should have been named "The Real Civil War" God Bless you Ken Burns.
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