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The Civil War: A Film by Ken Burns
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. 5-Disk Set. DVD. Amazon.com
Civil
War Combat: America’s Bloodiest Battles
With beautifully shot footage of reenactors, Civil War Combat illustrates
aspects of four particular Civil War battles that are rightfully considered
legendary. Filmed on location, the reenactors depict the violent mayhem
of the hornet's nest at Shiloh, the valiant charge on the sunken road
at Antietam, the carnage in the wheat field at Gettysburg, and the brutal
fighting at Cold Harbor. Produced by the History Channel, the episodes
all benefit from insightful appearances by historians as well as rangers
from the National Park Service. The format of putting the focus on specific
points of action in larger battles allows for narratives about specific
soldiers and commanders, in both the Union and Confederate ranks, to develop.
For instance, the segment on Antietam profiles commanders and individual
soldiers from the Union's Irish Brigade and the Alabama regiment they
charged during some of the most violent action of the entire war. The
Civil War reenactors provide a credible look at how the war must have
appeared to participants (though purists will note that some of the reenactors
appear too clean and too well fed to have been marching behind Robert
E. Lee). The discussions of strategy and the importance of the events
depicted, combined with the uniformly excellent cinematography, make this
an entertaining and enlightening look at critical events of the Civil
War. 2-Disk Set. DVD. Amazon.com
Civil
War Legends
VHS. Amazon.com
Civil
War Minutes VHS Set
American Heroes – The human character of heroes has remained unchanged
for 140 years. This series explores these everyday heroes of the Civil
War through the personal stories of those that lived, loved, fought and
died for their cause. Entries from personal diaries and letters to home
reveal the real stories behind the battles found in the history books.
4-Tape Set. VHS. Amazon.com
Civil
War Journal by The History Channel
6-Tape Set. VHS. Amazon.com
The
Civil War Legends: Robert E. Lee
VHS. Amazon.com
The
Civil War Journal: The 54th Massachusetts
VHS. Amazon.com
Songs
of the Civil War
VHS. Amazon.com
Civil
War Journal: Days of Darkness - The Gettysburg Civilians
An interesting and often overlooked part of Civil War history. VHS. Amazon.com
Civil
War Journal: Zouaves
A look into the Zouaves of the Civil War. VHS. Amazon.com
Civil
War Journal: Greatest Battles
VHS. Amazon.com
