Heather in VA Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 I'm trying to decide if we will devote the time to watching this. Has anyone here seen it? Is it worthwhile? Did you find it to be a reasonable portrayal or did he seem to have an agenda? Thanks Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clwcain Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 I think it is, bar none, the best documentary on the Civil War ever made. I'm not a Ken Burns fan, but this was the documentary that established his reputation and there's a good reason. It is a very humane analysis of the whole bloody business. Definitely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeanestMomInMidwest Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 my dh is a civil war buff (nut) and he loved this documentary. I will watch anything/everything Ken Burns does....He always gets the best narrators and I think he handles everything very even - very little bias one way or the other, the way a documentary should be... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaC Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 This is a good documentary however you want to preview it before you let your younger girls watch it. He uses a lot of photos from the time period and some are graphic. My boys will watch the series for the first time in the spring due to the graphic nature. Just thought I would give you a heads up on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readwithem Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 I'm trying to decide if we will devote the time to watching this. Has anyone here seen it? Is it worthwhile? Did you find it to be a reasonable portrayal or did he seem to have an agenda? Thanks Heather Yes!! The interviews with Shelby Foote are fabulous. He was such a great human interest story weaver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Daniel Ritchie Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 :lurk5: I watched a bit of this while doing a module on the ACW at University last year. It was okay; biased against the South. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 I loved it, and the music is haunting. Wonderful. I wouldn't let the little 'un watch all of it, tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clwcain Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 :lurk5: I watched a bit of this while doing a module on the ACW at University last year. It was okay; biased against the South. Daniel, I disagree. I'm no fan of the War of Northern Agression and I think Burns did an admirable job presenting all sides in their own words. The reliance on primary sources (music, photos, and manuscripts) is part of what makes this such a fantastic documentary. If you only saw fragments, I could see how a conclusion of Yankee bias could be drawn. But taken in totality, I can't say I agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennefer@SSA Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 I would agree with the others who have said it is bar none the best piece ever done on the Civil War. I also agree that I would preview it and most likely not let me kids see the entire thing until they were at least jr. high or high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 We've watched a few Civil War Docs and this was the best. We are big Ken Burns fans and do highly recommend his films. They are wonderful. We also saw the Ken Burns Lewis and Clark and found that also highly memorable. Rather than purchase it, if your library doesn't have it. (our library has hundreds of rated R junk and almost no docs.) ...sign up for the one disk version of Netflix. You can cancel at any time, but my guess is you'll become documentary fans like us. We use Netflix a lot for education in our home, and it has proven invaluable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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