American Experience - RFK

Starring:American Experience
Studio: Pbs Paramount
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Watch this with your teenagers!
A STORY OF HOPE AND POSSIBILITIES FOR US ALL!
There should be a 6 star rating.
RFK in a nutshell
RFK on DVD

American Experience - RFK
Starring: Blair Brown
Director: David Grubin
Manufacturer: Pbs Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

RFK
American Experience: Truman
American Experience: LBJ
American Experience - The Kennedys (Complete Set)
American Experience: FDR

ASIN: B000BITUKM
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Customer Reviews:

Watch this with your teenagers!.......2006-03-27

I got this for my kids to see. It is really good! The DVD is very heavily b&w and my 13 y.o was not really looking forward to watching it, but the PBS team does a good job of showing the human side of RFK, even in "old black and white". And of course as he gets older the clips turn to color film. I had forgotten what a rock star Bobby was in those days. He was like the Beatles, filling stadiums with people screaming for him. I guess America really wanted him to fill his brother's shoes. And the narrator is explaining all this and then, boom, you know what happens next. It was just shocking for my kids, who came to understand the 60s so much more after seeing this DVD with me. Get it and sit and watch it with your teens.

A STORY OF HOPE AND POSSIBILITIES FOR US ALL!.......2005-11-30

This was one of the most inspiring documentaries about anyone that I have ever seen!

WHAT IT IS:

Real simple - We see Robert K. Kennedy evolve like we all wish we could. We see the raw materials, the obvious potential in him early on and his high moral standards, and then we watch him go through a very fast course in empirical human experience and wisdom - THE HARD WAY!

But somehow he comes through all the adversity a better human being. WOW! His sincerity is absolutely unmistakable in this compelling story of his life.

WHAT IT MEANS TO US:

You be the judge of what it means to you. To me, it shows what could be done, what should be done and most of all that people that are highly capable and competitive don't have to become ruthless and stay that way. RFK certainly proved that point and I find myself admiring him more now than ever. Seeing his life come full circle and grow to truly care about all people is heartwarming.

Unfortunately, after he won the California Primary and had given a speech about the goodness of us as a people, he was assassinated in front of many of his supporters and the world, via television.

ALL IN ALL:

RFK's life is one which can teach us much by example. Though obviously tragic, it is a story of hope and possibilities for us all.

DVD FEATURES:

2 Bonus featurettes: an interview with the film maker plus "If He Had Lived". These give an added frame of reference to an already clear picture of RFK's life and include interviews.

There should be a 6 star rating........2005-11-08

There is nothing else to be said about this DVD. Get it and watch in awe. Well put together, very nicely done chronilogically, most topics discussed well (you really can't expect to have everything in a documentary like this), cripes man this is a video eulogy. Watch it, enjoy it like a fine wine.

RFK in a nutshell.......2005-09-27

A life packed with details such as Bobby Kennedy's is difficult to squeeze into only 2 hours (for instance, there is no mention of his living in England as a boy when old Joe was ambassador to the Court of St. James or that he had a brief stint in the Navy before going on to Harvard and Law School --serving on the Joseph P Kennedy Jr, the ship named after his fallen older brother). But these events are pale in comparison to the Bobby Kennedy that is presented here. It is honest in that it doesn't try to gloss over the much harder and meaner Bobby who existed prior to November 22, 1963. And post 1963 Bobby is a treat for those of us who love him and realize on a daily basis how unfortunate our country is to have lost him. If you don't know RFK, you will by the time this presentation is over.

RFK on DVD.......2005-08-10

Next to "RFK in His Own Words" (not yet on DVD, sadly), this is the best documentary on RFK that is out there at the present time. Covers most of the major issues (although the Cuban Missle Crisis segment is a tad too short and it doesn't include his classic South African Speech of 1966 which challenged young people around the world). Hopefully in the future, the latter could be included as a special feature.

But what it has is good. Along with the necessary biographical info, we see an all-too-brief segment on his moving speech at the 1964 Democratinc convention where he paid tribute to his brother. There is also an ultra-rare 1967 "Meet the Press" episode (the wear and age is shown on the videotape) where he pointedly asks his hosts (on his waffling on Vietnam and a 1968 run), "What would you rather me do? Get off the earth?" one could only picture say Howard Dean speaking with that kind of unscripted candor today.

We also see amazing footage of RFK calming the Indianapolis ghetto after MLK's murder (this has been seen before, but not in this much detail), and frantic scenes of his connecting with the residents of Chinatown and Watts. The Chinatown segment shows a previously unseen shot of a temporary scare in the RFK motorcade when fireworks are set off-ironically, he was killed that very night!

Overall, a must see. The features have some good commentary from RFK's associates too. D.W. Griffith once said that one day, film might replace history books in classrooms. I would not want to see that happen, but films like this do a mightly good job!