- Actors: Mrs. Vincent Astor, Edward Herrmann, Gene Jones, Eric Lipton, Patrick McGrath
- Directors: Ric Burns
- Producers: Donald Rosenfeld, Helen Kaplan
- Format: NTSC, Import
- Number of tapes: 5
- Studio: Pbs Home Video
- VHS Release Date: Nov 23 1999
- Run Time: 600 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00001IVFP
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon.com
If you're a fan of Ken Burns PBS documentaries such as The Civil War and Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery, then you'll want to add New York, produced by Ken's brother Ric, to your collection. This exhaustively thorough documentary chronicles the evolution of the city from its time as a Dutch settlement in the early 17th century to its current status as megalopolis extraordinaire. Famous New Yorkers including Martin Scorsese, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Fran Lebowitz, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, and former mayor Ed Koch lend their colorful local perspective. In addition, there's commentary by numerous historians and writers, most notably Pulitzer Prize-winning Mike Wallace (not of 60 Minutes fame, but rather author of Gotham) and the late Brendan Gill, who notes the distinctly capitalist foundation of the city. As he succinctly states, "New York was based upon greed." There's no mistaking that this is a Burns documentary; the story is told through the now-familiar mosaic of images, interviews, music, and narrative chronicling past events. However, there are noticeable differences in the two brothers' style. While Ken Burns tends to linger over his subject matter and personalize it, Ric is more focused on the task of recounting the events in chronological order. New York is also more upbeat, as it thankfully does not employ the tiresome, whining violin dirges of which brother Ken is so fond. You don't have to be a fan of New York City to enjoy this PBS production. You just have to enjoy the experience of discovering history through the popular Burns documentary style. --William Carr
Video Details
Known round the world as "The Big Apple," the thriving metropolis of New York offers everything one could want in a big city - action, arts, nightlife, culture and so much more. So how did this city turn from a Dutch trading post in 1624 into the thriving global and cultural center? Find out in this unprecedented six-part series! Begin your exploration in the early 1600s when the Dutch arrived to the great state's role in the American Revolution. See how a massive wave of immigrants began the metropolitan melting pot and created new social problems, culminating in Civil War riots. As the city grows, it experiences a new political corruption and a new found wealth with robber barons. As the late 1800s and early 1900s approach, more immigrants arrive, skyscrapers rise from the ground and the subway roars into action. New York becomes a nucleus of cultural activity blazing with glamour and excitement. Get an extraordinary view of the last 70 years from the Depression to the New Deal, economic and population booms to social revolution, rebuilding and resurgence. Through unparalleled archival paintings, portraits, photographs and newsreels and through interviews with celebrated and ordinary citizens, New York paints a brilliant picture of a city's birth. A Ric Burns production.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
AMAZING!,
By A Customer
This review is from: New York: A Documentary Film (DVD)
If you are from New York this DVD set is a must have. Absolutley riviting and informative.The old film footage and other epherma that was collected for this compilation is remarkable. I literally sat through all 7 DVDs in one sitting without a moment of boredom. If you love history this will be a valued addition to any collection, even if you are not from NY.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Learn history painlessly,
By
This review is from: New York: A Documentary Film (DVD)
I have told several friends that they need to watch this wonderful series. Almost everyone seems to think that history is boring. It isn't - you just had boring history teachers in high school, that taught history in a boring manner. If history was taught as the clash of great personalities and the range of choices they had, and it was explained why the person choose the path they did based on the limited resources they had to divide between all their goals and aspirations - people would recognize that alot of history is facinating. As you learn the history of the city of New York you will also learn a great deal about American history - because they are so intertwined.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Series for a Great City,
By
This review is from: New York: A Documentary Film (DVD)
Though there are many older cities than New York, in the (relatively) short time of its existence, no city has captured the imagination, desire, love, and even hatred, that New York City has. Ric Burns has captured all of these emotions and more in this, one of the finest documentaries ever put on film.The series traces the history of NYC from its earliest days as a Dutch trading post through 2000 (an additional volume was produced after the September 11th terrorist attack). Using interviews, stories, & archival material (prints, paintings, photographs, and old silent films), Burns pulls the viewer in to the life of all types of New Yorkers through the last 300+ years.
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