Roots 2016 (1 Viewer)

Starts Monday, 23 May on the History Channel and A&E.

HISTORY® premieres "Roots" on Memorial Day 2016, airing over four consecutive nights at 9 p.m. beginning Monday, May 30, it was announced today by Paul Buccieri, President of A&E and HISTORY. The four-night, eight-hour event series developed by HISTORY, from A+E Studios, is a historical portrait of American slavery recounting the journey of one family and their will to survive and ultimately carry on their legacy despite hardship.

"'Roots' will allow new audiences to experience this epic family saga with a new vision that is both inspiring and tremendously entertaining," said Buccieri. "We are proud that HISTORY will be able to bring new life to this powerful story that remains as important today as it did when the original 'Roots' first premiered."

 
All,

When I was kid I loved watching original Roots series when it first came out...I remember the title being Alex Hayleys-Roots. Now fast forward to the new release of the series only as "Roots". I've read Roots and Malcolm X and respect Alex Hayley for his work. However, I cannot hail him with out acknowledging the fact that he admitted to plagiarism from Harold Courlander's The African.

It is a great story I just wish it was tainted by Alex Hayley's copying.

John from Texas
 
hotel3alpha said:
All,

When I was kid I loved watching original Roots series when it first came out...I remember the title being Alex Hayleys-Roots. Now fast forward to the new release of the series only as "Roots". I've read Roots and Malcolm X and respect Alex Hayley for his work. However, I cannot hail him with out acknowledging the fact that he admitted to plagiarism from Harold Courlander's The African.

It is a great story I just wish it was tainted by Alex Hayley's copying.

John from Texas
Click to expand...

I was wondering something similar--will the remake have the made-up stuff, too?

The original was great, though, ushered in the Age of the Mini-Series. I have to ask in this case, as in the case of all other remakes--Really? Did "Roots" need to be remade? What's next--a remake of "Shogun"? "The Thornbirds"? "North and South"? "Winds of War"?

Prost!
Brad
 
theBaron said:
I was wondering something similar--will the remake have the made-up stuff, too?

The original was great, though, ushered in the Age of the Mini-Series. I have to ask in this case, as in the case of all other remakes--Really? Did "Roots" need to be remade? What's next--a remake of "Shogun"? "The Thornbirds"? "North and South"? "Winds of War"?

Prost!
Brad
Click to expand...

Brad,

I feel you man. After 12 Years a Slave I was like "okay I get it" and just the other day I watched the tail end of Amistad that was just awful. Awful as in the story not the filmmaking. Both were great films and vivid to the memory of the audience, but again after 12 Years a Slave I just could not stomach another slave era flick...at least for a while.

But remaking Roots is a whole other topic. Yeah, you wonder why they decided to give it a "do over". I mean what did the original not cover that will be covered in this remake? I don't know, but I will watch it to see. I say leave it alone and let the original stand as a classic. Heck, I bought the classic on DVD just in case I needed a Chicken George fix.

Anyway, Alex Haley spent a little time in San Antonio when he was younger and lived on the RiverWalk. Doing what I don't know, but he did live here for a spell. I just find it sad that he admitted to plagiarism to one of the most famous Novels in the last Century. I mean there is In Cold Blood by Capote, For Whom the Bell Tolls by Hemingway, On the Road by Kerouc, To Kill a MockingBird by Lee and on and on. In my opinion, Roots ranked up there with those novels of the century, but after the revelation it was sadly tarnished.

Anyway Brad, I hope we don't have a run of re-makes like we have seen from the Toy Soldier manufactures.

John from Texas
 
Wasn't the greater issue that he made stuff up about 'his' family history? I loved that book and was stunned to find later that is was a bit of a hoax.
 
I've watched the first episode -- the Middle Passage -- and most of the second an am enjoying it, if that's the right word. I thought the first one was very good as it showed the transition from a man to a slave. The second was good (so far) but not as good. The difference may be that each two hour episode has a different director. My quibble with the seond one so far is that it shows the clothes the slaves wore as fine and new looking whereas in reality they mostly wore rags.

As to the question of why a remake, I didn't see the original as I was in Law School at the time (and as the saying goes, the Law is a jealous mistress) so let me answer it this way: this year they did a remake of War & Peace, as opposed to perhaps showing one of the older versions. I don't think I would have watched one of the older versions but I watched the remake (people are always interested in something new) and it got me interested in reading War & Peace and in Russian History; I'm nearly done with W & P. If the remake of Roots gets people interested in our history, reading about it, and discussing it, then this series will have been worth it.

Brad
 
For myself I thought it was well made but I know I'm going to get slammed for this but I thought the people in it were a little too cocky for the times it portrayed.I know there were revolts and rebellions and I understand that but for the day in day out living they knew the repercussions of stepping out of line.
Mark
 
I have not seen the remake yet, but I do plan to watch it at some point.

My guess on all the reboots is that we probably are not the target audience. Maybe classic stories being redone to capture a new (Ok, younger!) audience.
 
bradleyl30 said:
I have not seen the remake yet, but I do plan to watch it at some point.

My guess on all the reboots is that we probably are not the target audience. Maybe classic stories being redone to capture a new (Ok, younger!) audience.
Click to expand...

A headline I saw in one of the reviews I read was "A new Roots for a new generation" so I suspect you're right.
 
I can't see a younger generation burning with desire to see a reboot of Roots. I think the experience of African Americans is much better understood today (in part because of Roots) than when it was dealt with in the original. It was something of a revelation to many people in the 1970s that not all our history has that positive Walt Disney quality to it. It was somewhat shocking at that time to see American history play out from the perspective of slaves. There is a better understanding of that today which doesn't diminish the importance of the issue but renders it somewhat less novel. Most people now have an understanding of the basic history. Which is a positive development even with all the growing pains that has entailed for those who equate America's being great with it always having to be perfect.
 
When the original aired back in the 70's that's all you heard people talk about but not one person has mentioned it to me this time.
Mark
 
marco55 said:
When the original aired back in the 70's that's all you heard people talk about but not one person has mentioned it to me this time.
Mark
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It aired on ABC in days when there were few channels and the channels catered to all demographics. Today there are hundreds of channels each geared to
a specific demographic. I doubt many younger viewers even watch the History Channel, A&E, or Lifetime. Viewership is much more divisive. Little for families to watch together and talk about.

Too many commercials to interrupt. Even with FF.
 
I finished watching the series last night and thought it was very good. I particularly liked the two last scenes when the master's son has a confrontation with Chicken George's family and the last scene where Alex Haley imagines himself with his ancestors.

I have no idea if it had a wide viewership but I hope so.
 
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