The Civil War

Your Hackles will rise and your tears will fall. This is a stunning documentary that defines the time of Lincoln and in a way that brings clarity to who we are today. It is hard to comprehend what these people went through by today's standards, I found myself rethinking everything I thought I knew and you will too. Although it doesn't go into detail for every battle, that is not its purpose but rather using broad brush strokes gives more of a timeline of events and key eyewitness accounts from those who fought and or witnessed it as it highlights key battles and key moments. I recommend ken burns make a companion piece to this documentary based on the time period right after the end of the civil war called and known as the Reconstruction lasting from 1865 to 1877. A very bloody period in American history that rivals the civil war itself. You can find source material on this if you look but nobody does it like ken burns and it would breath new life into this work of his. Just a thought ken.

Not only is "The Civil War" Ken Burns' best documentary, it is one of the best out there, also. It easily mixes emotions with facts, while keeping an eye on narration.

It doesn't go for cheap "recreation" moments; in other words, we don't see a redo of the tale told with about five soldiers who look like they're dressed for Halloween; we instead see real pictures while listening to vivid narrations by such actors as Jason Robards, Laurence Fishburne, Morgan Freeman, Jeremy Irons, M. Emmet Walsh, Pamela Reed, and more.

If you haven't seen this four hour epic yet, then go find it at a video store right now.

When The Civil War first aired in 1990, it became a phenomenon. I

was a little kid, but I remember "Ashokan Farewell" and the

intriguing black and white images and voiceovers from the screen,

and people talking about it all over the place. To be sure, the

intimacy of the film eventually made me a Civil War buff, as it has

for tens of thousands across the country.

The fact is, Ken Burns created a monumental piece of television

that chronicled, if not in a general fashion, by far the most defining

moment in our history and an incredibly groundbreaking way.

The film is simple, yet is so profound in it's simplicity and style,

using just pictures and accounts and music and some bursts of

color from modern cinematography. For the first time, we heard the

accounts of real soldiers and people, and instead of taking sides,

it gave a sense of humanity to both sides in a war that is riddled

with political and social posturing, but was ultimately all slaughter.

I'm 13, and I learned more about the Civil War in these videos than I have in my entire life! It might just be that my teachers don't teach it well, but I think it's something else! When I first started watching them with my parents, I was doubtful of their quality. How is a guy going to make a documentary about a time when there were only still photographs? I thought it wasn't possible to keep the audience interested, especially in a 12.5 hour long documentary. Well, I was wrong.

Ken Burns is actually an amazing film maker. He not only gave information in his documentary, he told a story. And not just any story, he told the story of one of the worst wars in the history of the world. By using still photographs mixed with voice overs and quotes, he brought the world of the Civil War to life.

A great documentary!

As a historian I can say that there is little so difficult or gratifing as to bring history accurately alive for others. As a military historian I will say that war is both the highest and lowest achievement and calling of humanity. All wars are filled with pathos, and it is almost by definition impossible to fully understand and contextualize them until they are of the past. It may be that the US Civil War is that around which the greatest pathos exists; perhaps the last war in which honour and purpose were equally upheld on both sides - which is not to say that all those who participated were honorable or idealistic. In this work, Ken Burns brought history to life, made the war as understandable as possible, and transmitted the pathos, the honour, the horror, the vileness, and the humanity of the thing. In so doing he redefined film documentary. The Civil War is the best use to which television has been put.