The Civil War - A Film by Ken Burns | 
 enlarge | Actor: David Mccullough
Studio: Pbs Paramount
Category: DVD
List Price: $129.99
Buy New: $69.95
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New (50) Used (14) Collectible (1) from $59.92
Rating:  62 reviews
Sales Rank: 773
Format: Box Set, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 5
Running Time: 680
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.6 x 1.1
MPN: PARD705124D
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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Product Description
Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 09/30/2005 Director: Ken Burns
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
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| Customer Reviews: Read 57 more reviews...
 A Great History Lesson, But Lacks The Emotional Punch Of "The War" November 3, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
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.
 Civil War November 1, 2008
Ken Burns did a fantastic job with this. It is enjoyable to watch and so very informative. I, and my entire family (including grandchildren) watched it and enjoyed it.
Ken Burns' Civil War October 24, 2008
I had watched this series when shown on PBS and enjoyed it very much. It portrays an important part of our history that everyone should watch.
Absolutley Fantastic August 13, 2008
If there was a 6 star rating, I would give it that. I saw bits and pieces of this series, and decided to get the whole series. I live close to the Lincoln museum and library, and have a special interest in the Civil War. Ken Burns did a GREAT job of describing the causes and trials of the war. Would recommend it to anyone even remotely interested in this subject.
Why Confederates Deserted... Dead for anothers bad pruchasing August 8, 2008
0 out of 4 found this review helpful
decision. The Southerners knew enslaving people was wrong when they bought the salves from the North since 1833 when slavery was not outlawed in States by one vote.
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