Description
Price: $24.99 - $16.39
(as of Apr 02, 2025 11:41:56 UTC – Details)
Hal Holbrook. Learn about the greatest expeditions in the Northwest Passage from St. Louis to the Pacific. Follow the trails of not just Merriwether Lewis and William Clark, but also the entire Corps of Discovery, which included young army men, French-Canadian boatmen, Clark’s African-American slave and Sacagawea and her infant son. 1997/color/4 hrs/NR/fullscreen.
Aspect Ratio : 1.33:1
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
MPAA rating : Unrated (Not Rated)
Product Dimensions : 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 2.72 ounces
Item model number : 2295271
Director : Ken Burns
Media Format : Closed-captioned, Multiple Formats, Full Screen, NTSC, Color
Run time : 4 hours
Release date : September 28, 2004
Actors : Hal Holbrook, Adam Arkin, Murphy Guyer, Sam Waterston, Matthew Broderick
Dubbed: : English
Language : Unqualified
Studio : PBS Home Video
ASIN : B000BITUHU
Writers : Dayton Duncan, Ken Burns
Number of discs : 2
John Thomas –
A True Experience For The Whole Family…
This Lewis and Clark documentary is the very finest I have ever come across on the fascinating trek of these two explorers. Even for people like myself that have a deep interest in American history, particularly the old west, it is a perilous and well documented journey that so few people seem to know anything about, beyond the name of it. And yet it is in my opinion a journey inside American history in its rawest, truest form. This documentary does a wonderful job of presenting the L@C expedition in what I refer to as its natural habitat. That is to say, there is very little, if anything, in it that is conjecture, politicized, whitewashed, or just plain ridiculous. (Believe me, I have seen many documentaries on the opening of the west that were).The L@C expedition remains something that was realized decades before the west as we know it from movies and television ever came into existence. And thus for many, it will be something of a journey into a time in our history where they have never set foot before. For far too many of us, even history buffs, American history seems to take some time off, or just skip over a few decades between the revolution, and the Civil War. Like nothing really much in the way of interest or historical significance took place during that time worth mentioning. One statistic that comes out very near the beginning of this documentary that brought a snapshot of US at that time into crystal clear focus, is that in 1804, when L@C began their expedition, a full 80% of all the people that inhabited the US lived within 100 miles of the east coast. (Taking into account the population of Indians that we knew about as well). Very few people realize how not only concentrated the population was then, but how much of the vast country remained uninhabited, and unexplored. This documentary is done in a patient, sweeping, lavish style covering everything from the very essence of the idea of such an expedition by then president Thomas Jefferson, to the aftermath, and ultimate fate of L@C themselves. It is a documentary you will watch, and then watch again perhaps years later. But definitely will you watch it again and again.I would be less than honest if I was to suggest that this is the best documentary on the subject that exists. For truthfully, there is just so few of them available that I have only watched two others. Amazon carries a hefty amount of DVDs on the subject, but only two that consist of a total recounting of the expedition specifically, and in its entirety. (There is one more, but it is a mere 46 minutes long. Hardly enough time to recount a 2 year expedition of discovery) The others are: National Geographic – Lewis & Clark – Great Journey West and “The Trail” Lewis & Clark Expedition 1803-1806. I have seen them both, and neither compares to the depth and perception of this wonderful and fulfilling documentary. Both of them put together are barely half as long as this one.Whether you are someone that has an interest in the early years of our country and its exploration, or if you are a person that has never even heard of L@C before, I highly recommend this documentary for owning. It is fascinating, brilliant, consummate, and overall a true masterpiece worth your time and money. It is not easy at all to find in stores, so I also highly recommend you buy it here…
Chef Z –
Great
Very interesting subject.
Stone Dog –
To the Pacific and back.
When I was looking at the product page for this DVD on Amazon, I was a little surprised by all the glowing reviews. Now, after viewing the DVD, I have to add one more to the glowing reviews!This DVD chronicles the journey of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and the “Corps of Discovery”, beginning with the decision by Thomas Jefferson to buy “Louisiana” from France. Jefferson himself chose the man who would lead the expedition – Meriwether Lewis. Lewis, once appointed to command, immediately contacted his friend William Clark, younger brother of George Rogers Clark (a hero of the frontier in the “Old Northwest”), to join him.The video follows the path taken by these explorers in their epic trek to the west and back. The DVD does an excellent job of showing the viewer the types of terrain and the beauty of the west. The cinematography is simply excellent! The production does an excellent job of showing the challenges encountered by the explorers, from the freezing snows of the passes of the Rocky Mountains to the often dangerous Indian tribes. Though the Mandans were friendly, many tribes including the Sioux were hostile and were ever ready to rob or slaughter the explorers.It does a good job of showing the courage and fortitude required by these men who suffered through hunger, snow and cold, threat to life from Indians. Shows the vital part played by the young woman known as Sacagawea and how she was able to obtain assistance from the tribe she had been taken from and made a slave. It turns out that an important chief was her long-separated brother!This is truly an excellent production from a visual standpoint as well as effectively (and enjoyably) telling the story of “Lewis and Clark”. If it has any flaw, it’s the usual handwringing over slavery all the while making no moral point of the enslavement among Indians as exemplified by Sacagawea herself. That aside, the production is excellent and I recommend it with five stars.
Wild horses –
This is one Great Docum.
Conn Crowley –
Does not play in Region 2 (Europe). I thought as I bought it through Amazon DE that it would at least play in Europe.
wordsmith44 –
For me, Ken Burns can do no wrong. He chooses his subjects and researches them carefully, making themcompulsive viewing via the employment of photographs, diaries and actors’ voices perfectly suited to the task.Highly recommended.
PostPrandial –
A beautiful, slow paced narrative of a relatively humane exploration of the wilds of America by the Corps of Discovery. Shows real understanding of the humanity, luck, passion and drive of the expedition members and the difficulties they overcame. Includes readings of contemporary documents. Another Ken Burns masterpiece.
Gayle Gibson –
This is an astonishingly beautiful and moving account of that long-ago journey by foot and boat across the middle of the North American continent. Burns manages to bring Lewis and Clark, their men, and President Jefferson, back to life by using their own words and contemporary portraits as well as scenes that show the geographical challenges they faced. The film made me want to go to St. Louis and try to follow their journey, but also made me realize what physical strength and courage was required of the original expedition members. This film is the only way most of us will be able to go where they went, or see what they saw. It’s much better than any fictionalize version of the story. I was surprised at how moving this chapter of history is.