The life of one of the USA's Founding Fathers, its second President, and his role in the nation's first 50 years.The life of one of the USA's Founding Fathers, its second President, and his role in the nation's first 50 years.The life of one of the USA's Founding Fathers, its second President, and his role in the nation's first 50 years.
- Won 13 Primetime Emmys
- 51 wins & 38 nominations total
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaLest any modern straight (and sometimes bleached) teeth appear on camera, every last extra in the cheering crowd at George Washington's inauguration got their teeth painted with special fast-drying saliva-proof "gunk" paint. Working-class characters were given proportionately worse-looking smiles than the merchants and aristocrats.
- GoofsWhen President John Quincy Adams is discussing his goals with his father, he states that he'll outline these objectives in his State of the Union address. The term "State of the Union Address" was not in use until 1934. At that time, 1825, it was referred to as the Annual Message to Congress.
- Quotes
John Hancock: [reluctantly] God save the King.
Samuel Adams: God damn the King!
Benjamin Franklin: [happily] God bless the King. Who else could've brought such a spirit of unity to the Congress?
- ConnectionsFeatured in Moviemaking in Virginia: Take 3 (2008)
- SoundtracksChester
By William Billings
Featured review
Nearly spoiled by the camera-work
I agonised about what star rating to give "John Adams".
I cannot comment on the historic authenticity. However, the sets, sound, makeup, CGI, storyline and dialogue are outstanding. All the actors are excellent and it's invidious to single any one out. But Giamatti and Linney stand out with incredible, intimate and emotional performances.
So why the "agonising"? Quite simply, although the cinematography and lighting are technically perfect, someone somewhere - presumably the director in consultation with the producers - thought that a hand-held camera and the odd tilted horizon would add something to the story.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
There are two valid excuses for a steadycam shot: if it's physically impossible to shoot it with a crane, and to give the impression of a grabbed shot in, say, a war zone.
Unfortunately, too many otherwise first class directors have followed a craze that emerged a few years back, and appear to think that unsteady shots add to the experience. They don't: all they do is make you think about the mechanics of the filming and look for the exit. And tilting the camera for no good reason is just plain effete.
So: eight out of ten. A shame, because without the trendy camera-work I would give John Adams ten.
I cannot comment on the historic authenticity. However, the sets, sound, makeup, CGI, storyline and dialogue are outstanding. All the actors are excellent and it's invidious to single any one out. But Giamatti and Linney stand out with incredible, intimate and emotional performances.
So why the "agonising"? Quite simply, although the cinematography and lighting are technically perfect, someone somewhere - presumably the director in consultation with the producers - thought that a hand-held camera and the odd tilted horizon would add something to the story.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
There are two valid excuses for a steadycam shot: if it's physically impossible to shoot it with a crane, and to give the impression of a grabbed shot in, say, a war zone.
Unfortunately, too many otherwise first class directors have followed a craze that emerged a few years back, and appear to think that unsteady shots add to the experience. They don't: all they do is make you think about the mechanics of the filming and look for the exit. And tilting the camera for no good reason is just plain effete.
So: eight out of ten. A shame, because without the trendy camera-work I would give John Adams ten.
helpful•219
- wilsr
- Dec 31, 2012
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
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- Also known as
- Untitled John Adams Miniseries
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 11 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.78 : 1
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