Ken Burns America collection

DVD Wholesale Quick Overview:

This collection contains seven of Ken Burns’ shorter documentary works that range from his early days as a film maker to those that show him at the height of his craft. While “The Brooklyn Bridge” is rather weak, the other six films more than make up for it. Truly an excellent showcase for Burns. See below for a review of each film in this collection.
“The Brooklyn Bridge: Running Time: 60 minutes Narrated by David McCullough
Although parts of “The Brooklyn Bridge” hint at the excellent work Ken Burns would produce in later films, this particular documentary falters in its last 20 minutes.
The Brooklyn Bridge is many stories, but it’s mainly the tale of how perseverance can make an almost impossible vision take form. The Bridge took many years and several million dollars to build. It faced political and social opposition. It weathered scandals and corruption. And when it was over, it stood as a monument to mechanical brilliance and souful aspirations. Burns only spends forty minutes on the story of the Bridge’s construction. He spends the last 20 minutes focusing on what the Bridge means to various scholars, poets and New Yorkers; this is where the film lags. Admittedly, the Bridge is important as a cultural icon, not just for New York, but for America. However, if Burns was going to devote this much time to testimonials, then the film should have been at least 90 minutes or, better yet, two hours.
When the film concentrates on the Bridge’s construction, it shines. Burns has carefully selected photos, drawings, contemporary newspaper accounts and personal journals of key participants in the Bridge’s inception to vibrantly tell this story. He just should have spent more time on his subject. The pace of this documentary is so hurried and awkward, you can tell where Burns is skipping key parts of the story in order to get to the testimonials. A good effort, but it pales before his later output.
“The Statue of Liberty” Running Time: 60 minutes Narrated by David McCullough

“The Statue of Liberty” by Ken Burns is a moving testament to the spirit of the American ideal. Like Burns’ earlier “Brooklyn Bridge,” this film also chronicles the construction of an American landmark as well as the reactions of various people to what that landmark stands for. Unlike the “Brooklyn Bridge,” however, this approach works in “The Statue of Liberty.” What the Statue means to one person or another is part of its importance, and Burns has captured that beautifully.
Using wonderful footage, sketches, photos and personal accounts of its construction, Burns ably documents the struggle to make a vision a reality. Burns well captures the engineering brilliance required to build the Statue. He also illustrates how the Statue has become a representation of the best and worst of our American ideals. The Statue is a symbol of new hope and second chances, and this film illuminates the power of that symbol.

“The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God” Running Time: 60 minutes Narrated by David McCullough
In “The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God” Ken Burns truly hit his stride as a documentarian. By combining personal journals of early Shakers, historic and social commentary of scholars and contemporaries, and wonderfully insightful interviews with present day Shakers, Burns tells a simple story, but tells it beautifully. By illustrating the Shaker life and ideology, Burns presents a group of dedicated people who strove to put God into every aspect of their lives.
If you know the Shakers for only their furniture and ritual dancing, then this film will illuminate your understanding of early America’s most powerful Utopian movement.

-Joseph T. Reeves

I have been waiting for this box set to come out – Now for the first many of Mr. Burns best work are collected in one set – Having seen several of these works on PBS, I feel qualified to rate this set highly – He can take an interesting subject matter and enchance it or take a subject I know little about and have me fascinated – Buy this set, enjoy and learn- Caldutti

DVD Wholesale Main Features:

Actors: Paul Roebling, Julie Harris, Arthur Miller, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Richard Pini
Directors: Amy Stechler, Ken Burns
Writers: David McCullough, Amy Stechler, Ken Burns, Bernard Weisberger, Geoffrey C. Ward
Format: Box set, Color, NTSC
Language: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number of discs: 7
Studio: PBS Paramount
DVD Release Date: September 28, 2004
Run Time: 540 minutes