Ken Burns Dust Bowl (1 Viewer)

Rob

Rob

Four Star General
Joined
May 18, 2005
Messages
26,622
Has any of our US members seen this new docu yet, if so is it good?

Rob
 
It has been on my radar, but I don't think it has shown yet. I believe it is supposed to be on this Sunday, Nov. 18. -- Al
 
Ken Burns set a new standard for documentary programming with his "The Civil War". If you look at documentaries on the Revolutionary War produced shortly after TCW, you can see the influence, especially in using famous actors to voice the various participants, reading from their works and letters. But I wasn't so impressed by his other documentaries, starting with "Baseball". As someone writing for the Inquirer put it--may have been Jayson Stark--if you knew nothing about baseball and watched the series, you'd come away thinking that the whole sport was the Yankees, the Giants, and the Red Sox, and the Negro Leagues. You'd never know about anyone like Pete Rose (the good and the bad), Stan Musial, or Mike Schmidt. I think Burns has some biases, which color his content. So, I'd be curious to see it, but not interested enough to re-subscribe to cable to be able to.

Prost!
Brad
 
theBaron said:
Ken Burns set a new standard for documentary programming with his "The Civil War". If you look at documentaries on the Revolutionary War produced shortly after TCW, you can see the influence, especially in using famous actors to voice the various participants, reading from their works and letters. But I wasn't so impressed by his other documentaries, starting with "Baseball". As someone writing for the Inquirer put it--may have been Jayson Stark--if you knew nothing about baseball and watched the series, you'd come away thinking that the whole sport was the Yankees, the Giants, and the Red Sox, and the Negro Leagues. You'd never know about anyone like Pete Rose (the good and the bad), Stan Musial, or Mike Schmidt. I think Burns has some biases, which color his content. So, I'd be curious to see it, but not interested enough to re-subscribe to cable to be able to.

Prost!
Brad
Click to expand...


I do agree re his ACW series, wonderful programme and what first got me interested in the conflict (followed some years later by Bobs dio's). The weaving of statements from combatants and historians along with a voice over that was just perfect made this unmissable. There is I believe a new anniversary dvd box set of this just about to be released .

Rob
 
I thought Ken Burns and his team actually did a good job on the Baseball series. I recently saw his update on it and thought it was good. From the 1920s through the early 1960s, the history of Baseball is essentially New York baseball.

I thought his Jazz series was ok. There I have more quibbles. He basically ignores many developments in the 1950s and 1960s but overall it's better that these series were made than not.

His recent program on Civil War dead was very well received (I have it on my list to watch, just have not been able to do so yet).
 
This dust bowl show should be good. I saw one on the History Channel and you would think the world was ending. Sandstorms that would fill your lungs. Crop failures. Large crickets eating everything. Swarms of rabbits.
Ken Burns Civil War and Jazz shows were really good. His WWII was junk imo. I didn't watch the baseball one (not interested).
 
jazzeum said:
I thought Ken Burns and his team actually did a good job on the Baseball series. I recently saw his update on it and thought it was good. From the 1920s through the early 1960s, the history of Baseball is essentially New York baseball.

I thought his Jazz series was ok. There I have more quibbles. He basically ignores many developments in the 1950s and 1960s but overall it's better that these series were made than not.

His recent program on Civil War dead was very well received (I have it on my list to watch, just have not been able to do so yet).
Click to expand...

Brad your right. Growing up in the 50,s here in St louis all I ever heard about were the NY Yankees, Giants & Dodgers. It wasn,t until 1964 when the Cardinals beat the Yankees in the World Series that I even knew the Cardinals existed! Then I also found out about the Gas House Gang, Rogers Hornsby, Enos Slaughter, and some fellow named Stan Musial. Where the Cardinals some double A club during all those years?
Gary
 
Not exactly Gary but when you look at the history of baseball the NY teams won a lion's share of the pennants and World Series in those days so it's natural that they would garner a lot of attention.

Just look at the number of times there was a NY team in the World Series in the following decades:

1921 through 1930 7 out of 10 times.
1931 through 1940 6 out of 10 times.
1941 through 1950 6 out of 10 times.
1951 through 1960 an incredible 9 out of 10 times and in 1959, the transplanted Dodgers were the other team.

After that it falls off as the Yankees declined: from 1961 through 1970, 5 out of 10 times, still not a bad showing.

Even in the 1970s it wasn't bad, 4 out of 10 times.

The 1980s were the leanest, only twice.

1991 through 2000, a respectable 4 out of 10 times.

2001 through 2010, again lean times, only 3 out of 10.

From the above, it's obvious that the history of the game has been NY-centric, for better or for worse.

Brad
 
Not a huge fan of Burns. The Civil War series was great, but he is otherwise a whiny wimp. His WWII series was unwatchable.
 
Had not heard of this documentary. I'm currently reading a book about the dust bowl and watched a PBS show about it. Regarding Ken Burns, thought his Civil War series was "magic." His National Parks series was good as well. Chris
 
It was on all night last night on the local PBS. I watched some of it. Signature Ken Burns slow sad piano music.
 
Saw episode 1 and thought it quite good as I knew very little about the events. Very tragic. Now watching episode 2. -- Al
 
Was looking forward to this show. I struggled thru the first 2 hour episode, I mean how many times can you talk about dust being in your house? Seems that,s all they said for two hours. Watched a little bit of last nights show but switched half way thru to watch American Pickers.
I did learn one thing that I never knew. This "dust bowl" problem was partially man made.
Not required viewing.
Gary
 
It's on demand right now and I thought is was pretty good.I new it was pretty bad but it was even worse than I thought.Prohibition,Great Depression,Dust Bowl,WWII,man our fathers and grandfathers went through a lot.
Mark
 
gk5717 said:
Was looking forward to this show. I struggled thru the first 2 hour episode, I mean how many times can you talk about dust being in your house? Seems that,s all they said for two hours. Watched a little bit of last nights show but switched half way thru to watch American Pickers.
I did learn one thing that I never knew. This "dust bowl" problem was partially man made.
Not required viewing.
Gary
Click to expand...
The man-made part of the disaster was quite interesting. I was also surprised to find that the people leaving the 'dust bowl' made up a much smaller percentage of the California bound migration than I had previously thought. Those were some tough people. Really liked the interviews. Great personel views expressed. One guy expressed the view that, after growing up as he did in the Dust Bowl, he would do anything to support himself except be a farmer. He was very adament. I also found the many photos of the approaching dust storms to be quite impressive. I liked the show. -- Al
 
I had never heard the term "dust pneumonia" before the book I am currently reading. Very tragic concerning the death of small children from breathing all the dust. They didn't know to blame the drought on global warming back then. Chris
 
There was a highly regarded book call "The Worst Hard Time" by Timothy Egan on the topic. I think someone made a documentary based on it (maybe the History Channel).
 
Terp152 said:
I had never heard the term "dust pneumonia" before the book I am currently reading. Very tragic concerning the death of small children from breathing all the dust. They didn't know to blame the drought on global warming back then. Chris
Click to expand...

Pesky scientists and their book larnin'.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Community platform by XenForo® © 2010-2024 XenForo Ltd.
Back
Top