Runing Time 660 Min
Format: DVD MOVIE
Amazon.com
Exactly why was America in Vietnam? This remarkable and essential seven-volume series--six years in the making and originally broadcast on public television in 1983--tells the agonizing history of Vietnam's lengthy conflicts with some of the largest powers on Earth. While the primary focus is on the United States' miserable efforts to prop up a porous, anti-Communist government in South Vietnam as a bulwark against Chinese and Soviet expansionism, the series' makers expend no less energy detailing important antecedents to America's intervention. Of vital interest are the first two hours, which tell the compelling story of France's 80-year colonial rule in Southeast Asia and the rise of a European-educated generation of Vietnamese intellectuals turned warriors, chief among them the architect of Vietnam's prolonged revolt against the West, Ho Chi Minh. By the time a viewer comes to understand how and why America shrugged off Vietnamese independence after World War II, it is easier to grasp the tragic context for the disastrous military campaign of the 1960s and '70s. The rest of the series covers the various expansions of America's war in Vietnam through a succession of presidents from Eisenhower to Nixon, carefully explaining the sundry issues that drove each commander-in-chief to send more money, more troops, and more weapons into a seemingly unwinnable and dubious battle. The later volumes take the story into Laos and the horrible siege of Cambodia by a U.S.-supported Khmer Rouge, and examine the history of the antiwar movement in America. No stone is left unturned in this important project, which runs some 13 hours and should be considered one of the most important television series in history. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews:
Vietnam - PBS -The American Experience.......2007-05-12
Bought it for my brother who told me it is well done, and great.
Cost a bit over 50 dollars though - but he's happy with it.
Obvious anti-American bias but good combat footage.......2007-03-18
Those of you that might suspect that a glowing NY Times endorsement would ineluctably imply a pleasingly treasonous grossly anti-American bias and that claims to "balanced" reporting accords every sympathy and benefit of the doubt to the enemy will most definitely not be disappointed. Needless to say the "peace accord" that gave the North Vietnamese carte blanch to wage a unrestricted terminal war against the SOL South Vietnamese is accorded its usual high praise. Ironically enough President Johnson is the embattled sympathetic patriot juxtaposed to the compliant Nixon complicit with Congressional cowards who shamefully desserted our ally to the mass murders, tortures and other heinous barbarities of the communist dictator "liberators". Its truely one of the most disgusting chapters in American history. This along with the near defeat but ultimate celebrated stalemate in the Korean War marks the beginning of perversion of American values wherein treason is patriotism, cowardice is bravery, moral fatigue is virtue, weakness is strength, and defeat is victory.
Nonetheless the combat footage is interesting, depicts the undeniable brutality of war (similar to the unbelievable yet conveniently uncovered brutality of the carnage on our highways - to both humans and animals - yes you know as well as I, the dismemberments, decapitations, immolations, and disembolations).
Most of the combat footage, unintentionally, no doubt, actually shows our soldiers as good and brave men. Never will I forget the footage of our weary grizzled soldiers firing away at the enemy during the hectic days of the Tet offensive. I saw some of that footage as a child and despite liberal anti-war parents and what to me even at that age was a brazenly biased evening new anchor, Walter Concrete, it made an indelible heroic impression on me. I wanted to be a soldier and I wanted to fight in VietNam.
Since the narrative and production bias in this series is so patent as to laughable if the subject were not so serious, it is to be recommended for its cinematographic flair alone.
Matt Reardon
Thought-provoking and compelling.......2007-02-17
To give this documentary a one-star review simply for the PBS re-editing saddens me. I walked away from this DVD with a vast knowledge about the war I never had before. While I haven't seen the original, and would very much like to now, this bare-bones retelling of the entire war from A to Z is absolutely one of the best documentarys I've ever seen. There is no flour, no sugar, no flashy History Channel editing with heroic music in the background, no interviews with anyone not personally involved in the war (i.e. Historians or war analysts) and simply no misinformation. Just knowledge. Pure and simple.
Unparalleled!.......2007-02-16
Firstly, the ads are very brief and inoffensive. They're the sort of message you see before most shows on PBS these days and are virtually unnoticable to anyone who is exposed to media on a daily basis. Given the annoying studio adverts we have to watch before every conventional movie these ads are lost in the noise. Furthermore, you can fast-forward them!
The issue of the ommissions from the original is more difficult for me to address, but although I also remember watching the series years ago I haven't noticed even the slightest change in the overall theme. It's still nearly 11 hours long, which should keep you out of trouble for a while.
Some reviewers have predictably attacked this series for it's content, but I am under the strong impression that in most cases it is because of the fact that it does not fit within a preset world view. As a historian myself, I can vouch for the fact that all historical works (even those created with the best intentions) are at least somewhat biased. It is dangerous to expect any work of history to be completely comprehensive.
The harsh truth of it is that Vietnam was a truly unique war in how it was recorded. Never before or since has a human conflict been given such attention both during and after, and because of this we get a unique glimpse into what war does to people. We now live in an age where spin has been perfected and those that would ask us to march off have learned their lessons about controlling information. For that reason alone this series is worth the investment.
FOOLS! FOOLS! THEY ARE FOOLS!.......2007-02-16
I WAS PLANNING ON PURCHASING THIS DIRECTLY FROM PBS UNTIL I READ THE REVIEWS. TALK ABOUT CENSORSHIP! THOSE NUTS AT PBS ARE LOSING A LOT OF RESPECT AND A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE PUBLIC BECAUSE OF THE ATTEMPT TO LIMIT FREE SPEECH. I DON'T KNOW WHY ANYONE WOULD SUPPORT PBS IF THEY ARE GOING TO CONTINUE PUTTING A GAG ON FREE SPEECH. THEY EDITED A LOT OF CUSTOMERS OUT OF PURCHASING THIS DVD BECAUSE THEY EDITED SO MUCH FROM THE SERIES.
Average customer rating:
- Interesting Documentary Of Films From The Golden Age of Fright
- A truly superb ode to the golden age of horror.
- Insightful, Respectful Documentary
- the best doc on horror movies, ever!
|
The American Nightmare - A Celebration of Films from Hollywood's Golden Age of Fright
Starring: David Cronenberg , Tom Savini , John Landis , John Carpenter , and Tobe Hooper
Director: Adam Simon
Manufacturer: New Video Group
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
 General
| Horror
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
John Carpenter
| Horror Masters
| Horror
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Wes Craven
| Horror Masters
| Horror
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
David Cronenberg
| Horror Masters
| Horror
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
George Romero
| Horror Masters
| Horror
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Documentary
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| History
| Documentary
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Politics
| Documentary
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Vietnam War
| Military & War
| Documentary
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Docurama
| Series & Studios
| Documentary
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Canada
| By Country
| Art House & International
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Craven, Wes
| ( C )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Cronenberg, David
| ( C )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Landis, John
| ( L )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Savini, Tom
| ( S )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Simon, Adam
| ( S )
| Directors
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Used DVDs
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
| Action & Adventure
| African American Cinema
| Animation
| Anime & Manga
| Art House & International
| Classics
| Comedy
| Cult Movies
| Documentary
| Drama
| Educational
| Fitness & Yoga
| Gay & Lesbian
| Horror
| Kids & Family
| Military & War
| Music Video & Concerts
| Musicals & Performing Arts
| Mystery & Suspense
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Special Interests
| Sports
| Television
| Westerns
Canada
| By Country
| Foreign & International
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
DVDs Under $14.99
| Today's Deals in DVD
| Special Features
| DVD
| Video
( A )
| Titles
| Features
| DVD
| Video
Similar Items:
- A Decade Under the Influence
- Horror Business
- Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film
- Easy Riders, Raging Bulls
- 100 Years of Horror
ASIN: B00018YCJQ
Release Date: 2004-03-30 |
Amazon.com
The explosion of gruesome horror cinema in the wake of George Romero's Night of the Living Dead is explored in this serious documentary, which has a welcome respect for an easily derided genre. A few academics make piquant observations (no film critics, although Robin Wood pioneered this line of thinking years ago), but mostly we hear from the filmmakers themselves: Romero, John Carpenter (on Halloween), Wes Craven (Last House on the Left), Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), and David Cronenberg (Shivers). The directors focus on those films, not their entire careers, which limits the scope of the movie. Juxtapositioning newsreel horrors with movie scenes introduces provocative ideas about where horror comes from, but also feels a little facile. Unexpected bonus: the enthusiasm of John Landis, in describing the out-of-kilter experience of watching these affronts to good taste, and suggesting why they thrill as well as scare us. --Robert Horton
Description
Disfigured knife-wielding murderers. Buxom teens fleeing for their lives through dark woods. Hordes of the undead limping along deserted streets. These images, now synonymous with horror movies, were born in the groundbreaking films of horror masters su
Customer Reviews:
Interesting Documentary Of Films From The Golden Age of Fright.......2006-02-15
This is a documentary about horror films and their impact on the world between 1968-1979. We get to hear the points of views of the directors of some of the most frightening classic horror films ever made. IFC interviews Tobe Hooper, John Carpenter, David Cronenburg, John Landis, Wes Craven, George Romero and more. We get an in depth look at the politics and upheaval of the 60's and 70's and how they influenced everyones life and the horror genre.
The DVD contains clips from events in history such as the Vietnam War, assasinations of some of the most prominent figures in America, clips from classic horror movies and discussions on what horror is about and why we go to see these films. The directors discuss some of their inspirations for the films, what scared them as a child and the horrors of the real world. Theres many striking and powerful images in this documentary, both real and fiction.
In a way it reminds you reality can be just as frightening as fiction, the real events that happen can be compared to the horror films, just with a diffrent face. Some of these events do happen in real life, yet we dare to face them, facing it gives you the illusion of control or knowing and that is the first step. Confronting it. And you can even examine what parts frighten you and what parts you enjoy and ask yourself why?
Professor Tom Gunning's words- Why do you go to see a horror film? some compare it to a roller coaster ride, theres a desire in a funny way for stimulus, we sometimes get disatisfied with that protection and we want it to be pierced.
Director Adam Simon left out some important horror/thriller films of the 70's like The Exorcist, Jaws, Carrie etc.. But i assume the movies he covered were some of his personal favorites. The ones he covered were enough to satisfy but i would have liked to have seen more films discussed.
Very good documentary and Highly recomended.
A truly superb ode to the golden age of horror........2006-02-13
This documentary is an absolute treasure for any true horror film buff. Containing insightful interviews from film philosophers and sociologists analyzing the films and the circumstances and reflections of the times in which they were made along with detailed and compelling interviews with such pioneering genre filmmakers as Tobe Hooper, Wes Craven, David Cronenberg, George A. Romero, John Carpenter and others. The interview with special effects master Tom Savini in which he recalls gruesome images from his tour in Vietnam is riveting, adding to the overall bleakness of the piece. Fascinating, thoughtful, chilling and ultimately unforgettable. I applaud director Adam Simon for assembling the components to pull off this highly analytical serenade to the most profound and influential horror films and filmmakers and his ability to do so with integrity and intelligence and an obvious love for the genre. Extra kudos for the Godspeed You Black Emperor soundtrack. Brilliant.
Insightful, Respectful Documentary.......2004-08-26
A well directed, informative documentary that explains the links between horror films of the late sixties and seventies and the social changes going on in the United States at the same time. This documentary serves as a great companion to David J. Skal's book "The Monster Show" and other essays that tackle horror movies from a more sociological standpoint. One cannot ignore what was going on in the world at the time their favorite film was made. Even with escapist fare, the social and political goings on of the era often trickle into horror movies in the most surprising of ways as this doc shows. I've always been a fan of George Romero's Zombie movies, but was even more impressed with the way this doc dealt with Wes Craven's "Last House on the Left" and David Cronenberg's "Shivers", two movies that I've found in the past to be pretty unredeemable. Hearing the filmmakers discuss their motivations for these two movies helped me understand them better and made me want to give them another look! My only complaint with this movie was that it was not longer. I think that the film makers could have expanded on their thesis and covered more ground. I would love to see a sequel documentary that deals with the slashers of the later seventies like "Friday the 13th" and the arrival of the more psychological and fantasy oriented "Nightmare on Elm Street" series that came on the scene in the eighties and how they were linked to their respective decades.
the best doc on horror movies, ever!.......2004-04-03
a beautiful documentary that treats these horror films with the respect they deserve" dawn of the dead, shivers, halloween, last house on the left, texas chainsaw massacre.
it combines interviews with the directors, tom savini, and several film scholars; as they all describe how the films were actual unconscious reflections of the times. combined with the beautiful music of "godspeed you black emperor," this film gives overdue creedence and social justification to these films.
and, i have to say, the ending of shot of the leatherface dance, combined with music from "godspeed" is one of the most beautiful pieces of film i've ever seen!
Average customer rating:
- This is the real deal!
- Vietnam Nurses
- A thought provoking tribute to nurses
- Touching
|
Vietnam Nurses with Dana Delany
Starring: Dana Delany
Director: David H. Smith
Manufacturer: Creative Street Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
General
| Special Interests
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Vietnam War
| Military & War
| Documentary
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Delany, Dana
| ( D )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Documentary
| Independently Distributed
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Special Interests
| Independently Distributed
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Used DVDs
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
| Action & Adventure
| African American Cinema
| Animation
| Anime & Manga
| Art House & International
| Classics
| Comedy
| Cult Movies
| Documentary
| Drama
| Educational
| Fitness & Yoga
| Gay & Lesbian
| Horror
| Kids & Family
| Military & War
| Music Video & Concerts
| Musicals & Performing Arts
| Mystery & Suspense
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Special Interests
| Sports
| Television
| Westerns
Independently Distributed
| Indie & Art House
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
( V )
| Titles
| Features
| DVD
| Video
Similar Items:
- The Education of Shelby Knox
- RISING FROM THE RAILS: The Story of the Pullman Porter- DVD
- The Supreme Court
- Sir! No Sir! - The Suppressed Story of the GI Movement to End the War in Vietnam
- Marie Antoinette: A Film by David Grubin
ASIN: B000IMV3XS
Release Date: 2006-08-18 |
Customer Reviews:
This is the real deal!.......2007-06-17
My history professor used this dvd in the classroom on the Vietnam War. It stands out for me as one of the best illustrations of what women in war are all about. The interviews with the real participants and the inserts of the TV show" China Beach" are priceless! A great reminder that history is about real people not just a date or a battle.These nurses/ women are my heroes.
Vietnam Nurses.......2007-05-08
A great story about some wonderful nurses. I wish it was longer because they did a terrific job !!
A thought provoking tribute to nurses.......2007-03-25
This dvd offers a thought provoking look into what the lives of nurses who served in Vietnam was really like. It is a story that the public did not hear about very much and is brought to life my real nurses who experienced it. As a nurse myself, I saw in these women all the attributes that a nurse should exhibit such as compassion, dedication, the healing power of touch and a kind word, and empathy. Like many of the soldiers that served, these nurses were in their late teens to early 20s when they went to serve and were not prepared for what they were going to experience in war. These experiences definitely impacted their lives and is something they can never forget. Their story needed to be told and the recognition of these real life heroes is long overdue. Without these nurses, more lives would have been lost. I also found it fitting that they had Dana Delay narrating the documentary since she had portrayed a Vietnam era nurse in the TV Series "China Beach."
Touching.......2007-03-14
Very well done!! Worth every penny and provides insights not only into the nurses who served, but also anyone who served in that confusing time and place. The saying that "there are no unwounded soldiers in a war" is very much a reality.
Average customer rating:
- Investigation of a Flame is a tribute to an urgent idea
- Memorable subject, horrible cinematography
- Essential Viewing for All Patriots!
- I saw this, it's great.
|
Investigation of a Flame
Starring: Daniel Berrigan , and Philip Berrigan
Director: Lynne Sachs
Manufacturer: Icarus Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
Biography
| Documentary
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Documentary
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Vietnam War
| Military & War
| Documentary
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Civil War
| Military & War
| Documentary
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Special Interests
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Documentary
| Independently Distributed
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Special Interests
| Independently Distributed
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Used DVDs
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
| Action & Adventure
| African American Cinema
| Animation
| Anime & Manga
| Art House & International
| Classics
| Comedy
| Cult Movies
| Documentary
| Drama
| Educational
| Fitness & Yoga
| Gay & Lesbian
| Horror
| Kids & Family
| Military & War
| Music Video & Concerts
| Musicals & Performing Arts
| Mystery & Suspense
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Special Interests
| Sports
| Television
| Westerns
Independently Distributed
| Indie & Art House
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
DVDs Under $14.99
| Today's Deals in DVD
| Special Features
| DVD
| Video
( I )
| Titles
| Features
| DVD
| Video
Similar Items:
- Testimony: The Word Made Fresh
- Howard Zinn - You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train
- Disarmed and Dangerous: The Radical Life and Times of Daniel and Philip Berrigan, Brothers in Religious Faith and Civil Disobedience
- Why We Fight
- The Road to Guantanamo
ASIN: B000GBFR0G
Release Date: 2006-07-01 |
Description
On May 17, 1968, three Catholic priests, a nurse, an artist and four others walked into the Catonsville, Maryland draft board office, grabbed selective service records, and burned them with homemade napalm.
INVESTIGATION OF A FLAME is an intimate look at this unlikely band - dubbed the Catonsville Nine - who broke the law in a poetic act of civil disobedience. The publicity frmo their ensuing trial helped galvanize an American public that was become increasingly disillusioned with the Vietnam War.
The film explores this Sixties protest within the context of these extremely different times: times in which foes of Middle East peace, abortion, and technology resort to violence to access the public imagination. Lynne Sachs has combined volatile, long-unseen, archival footage with a series of informal interviews with Daniel and Philip Berrigan, Howard Zinn, John Hogan, Tom Lewis, and Marjorie and Tom Melville. The meditative result encourages viewers to ponder the contemporary relevance of civil disobedience, and the implications of personal sacrifice for the greater good.
Customer Reviews:
Investigation of a Flame is a tribute to an urgent idea.......2007-02-26
Informative and visually exciting, Lynne Sachs's documentary shows the power of protest and re-ignited my interest in a period when Americans were so personally involved in politics that they risked their safety and personal freedom for the sake of humanist ideals. In particular, Investigation of a Flame is a testament to the idea, "Protest is patriotic," a characteristically American idea that our country nonetheless loses sight of whenever it's most urgent to keep it in focus. Her film illuminates an important, and lesser known, episode in that period and helps me imagine that we might, at the grass-roots level, stand up again against politicians who advocate violence and death.
Memorable subject, horrible cinematography.......2007-01-26
This is one of the most visually annoying films I've ever seen. The director intersperses between interviews with the surviving Catonsville 9 activists dizzying (and literally nauseating) highspeed segments of red flowers and streets that make you feel as if you're on a roller-coaster or acid. Repeated blurred, out-of-focus shots of newspaper print add to the general visual cacaphony, and it all gets in the way of telling the marvelous, brave story of the witness for peace that took place at Catonsville in 1968. The interviews and original footage are important. For those with technical skills, I'd suggest buying the film and re-editing it to eliminate the distracting visual craziness. If you do that, the film deserves 5 stars.
Essential Viewing for All Patriots!.......2006-06-24
This is an incredible film about how seemingly powerless individual citizens can come together to make a powerful statement, one that resonates across religious, class, ethnic and party lines, against criminal U.S. government policies. A moving look at how we are ALL responsible for what our government does, and what our obligations are as citizens to stand up for what is ethical and good.
I saw this, it's great........2006-06-21
I saw this film on Sundance Channel and it's wonderful. I'm glad it's coming out on DVD now. An important reminder of those years, and of what people can do peacfully if they open their hearts. Buy it and watch it and share it with your friends and family.
DVD:
- New York (7 Episode PBS Boxed Set)
- National Geographic - Lewis & Clark - Great Journey West
- Apollo 17 (Extended Collector's Edition)
- The Life of Mammals
- Apollo 13: The Real Story
- China - A Century of Revolution
- The Corporation
- The Fog of War - Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara
- Tiger - The Authorized DVD Collection
- NASCAR - The IMAX Experience
DVD
DVD
DVD
Six Characters in Search of an Author (Broadway Theatre Archive)
Russell Watson Live
Silent Service (REGION 1) (NTSC)
DVD: Bye Bye Birdie
Riders Anonymous
