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From Amazon.co.uk
A classic from what now seems like the Golden Age of TV documentaries, Alistair Cooke’s America was first broadcast in 1972-3 and it remains, along with the contemporary The World at War, an example of how documentaries should be made: there’s none of the flashy editing, wobbly camera-work, over-intrusive music or costumed actors prancing around in the mode of Simon Schama’s fussy History of Britain for example. Here there is just scenery, the odd map or illustration and—most importantly—Cooke himself talking directly and unhurriedly to camera. Over 13 leisurely hours, he narrates a "personal history" of his adopted country, beginning with his own arrival as a fresh young Cambridge graduate in the 1930s before taking us back to the very foundations of America, its colonisation, the war of Independence (told in an admirably non-partisan way) and so on through momentous and turbulent decades right up to the early 1970s, where Civil Rights and protest movements are high on the agenda.
Throughout, Cooke interweaves anecdotes and digressions into the main narrative, charming the viewer with his storytelling precisely in the manner so beloved of listeners to his admirable Letter from America. By the end he has a warning that, although delivered in 1973, remains as telling today as it did then: America, like Ancient Rome as depicted by Gibbon in his Decline and Fall, stands poised between its remarkable vitality and its equally remarkable capacity for decadence. Whether, like Rome, the USA becomes a victim of its own internal divisions or somehow manages to pull back from the brink still remains to be seen.
On the DVD: This four-disc set is neatly presented in digipack format, and includes a Pebble Mill at One interview with Cooke in which he discusses the series. --Mark Walker
Product Description
This 1972 TV documentary series offers a personal view of the history and development of the USA by esteemed Anglo-American journalist Alistair Cooke, who died in 2004 at the age of 95 after a long and illustrious broadcasting career. Combining specially-shot and archive film with photographs, paintings and sketches, the series starts with the colonial period, continues through the revolutionary war and pioneer expansionist eras, looks at the global conflicts and economic domination of the 20th century, and concludes with a study of the social upheavals and counter-culture revolutions of the 1960s and early 70s. The series was born as a spin-off of Cooke's exceptionally long-running (58 years) radio slot, Letter From America.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
44 of 44 people found the following review helpful
By L. M Young
Format:DVD
I fell in love with this series when it was first shown on American television in 1972-1973. I was fifteen years old, mad about history, and immediately embraced this marvelous narrative accompanied by location visits, old paintings and prints, and period music. When videotapes of television series began to be sold, I would have gladly paid almost any price for AMERICA, but it was sold only to libraries and educational institutions. I unashamedly borrowed the series from the library and copied it off for my own use and played the tapes over and over until they were worn out. Now I have had the opportunity to legitimately purchase the series, and what a beautiful job has been done on the episodes: the color is bright and beautiful and the sound impressive for a 30+ year old series. I have watched this series so many times and am now seeing details that only a clear picture can provide. Thank you, BBC, for finally making my dreams come true!
63 of 64 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This major piece of television was produced in the early 1970's and was billed as "A Personal History of the USA" by Alastair Cooke. It has aged very well and indeed should be compulsory viewing for the modern documentary maker as it is a classic in terms of style and presentation. Modern TV programmes feature presenters making one line pieces to camera and then moving off stage right. Cooke is a natural teacher - he talks to the camera without notes, without autocue, and he talks with great authority, like a favourite uncle. He speakes for several minutes at a time - mostly fluently but sometimes with the odd fluff or stumble which you tolerate as it makes it feel more conversational. Like his famous "Letter from America" - he is talking to you, the viewer, as if you are the only person in his sphere. The content is fascinating and it certainly has helped this reviewer's understanding of the history of the USA - the men and women who moved west in the late 19th century and carved a life out of a virgin land; the constitution, the relationship beteween the federal government and the states,the inventors like Edison and John Deere; the money men like Vanderbilt and JP Morgan; the philanthropists like Andrew Carnegie.
This is classic stuff - and highly recommended. It was made by the BBC when they made excellent series like this one, as well as "Civilisation" by Kenneth Clark and Jacob Bronowski's "Ascent of Man". It seems to me that today only David Attenborough can hold a candle to any of these giants and we, the licence payer of the BBC are all the poorer for it.
Rent it, buy it, but above all - watch it!
This is classic stuff - and highly recommended. It was made by the BBC when they made excellent series like this one, as well as "Civilisation" by Kenneth Clark and Jacob Bronowski's "Ascent of Man". It seems to me that today only David Attenborough can hold a candle to any of these giants and we, the licence payer of the BBC are all the poorer for it.
Rent it, buy it, but above all - watch it!
55 of 56 people found the following review helpful
By Mr. K. P. Rogers
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
The BBC used to produce wonderful documentary series, and this, Alistair Cooke's America: A Personal View, is widely regarded as the best documentary series ever produced, anywhere! It was hailed upon its first airing on both sides of the Atlantic as a masterpeice, and so praised was it that Mr Cooke was invited to speak to a joint session of the Unites States' Congress during the bicentennial Independence celebrations; a truly rare privilage only once previously accorded to a non-American: Winston Churchill.
So, what have we got with this series? Mr Cooke presents his own history of the US, from the arrival of the British, through independence, the settlements throughout the US, the role of government in shaping the US and the 'modern' US (remember it was filmed in the 1970s). We also have wonderful visuals, beautifully illustrating the points he's making.
A lot of the presentation is face-to-camera, which is, these days, a lost art. Too often, modern directors go for stupifying accompanying music, dizzying camera movements, et. al. However, here we have the best of everything. Nothing distracts from that Mr Cooke is saying, and it is all shot in a wonderful colour picture.
As with his long-running radio programme, he never forgets the little stories that sometimes inform a lot more than the big, well-known, historical events, and these bring life to the picture and themes he's discussing.
I cannot recommend this enough: it is an amazing series and I reckon it's essential viewing, especially to the current crop of documentary makers.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Alistair Cooke's America DVD
I am delighted with this, the quality seems better now than the original series when I saw it on TV in the 1960s. Product arrived earlier than forecast, too. Excellent
Published 2 months ago by mikeatwrykyn
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely bloomin' brilliant!
We just loved his original series and were thrilled to hear and see it all again. Such class and style.
Published 4 months ago by Sheel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Is this the perfect documentary?
In my view it is. This is how a documentary should be made. Cooke is informative and interesting, he takes the time to allow the tale to develop and the spectacular scenery to... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Akshobia
5.0 out of 5 stars
THEY DON'T MAKE 'EM LIKE THIS ANYMORE!
Yeah, I know - it's a dreadful cliche but seriously; they simply don't make them like this anymore! This is one of the three titans of 1970s' TV documentaries. Read more
Published 9 months ago by chiggs58th
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must see
A far reaching, yet personal view of the history of America from 1492 onwards. Beautifully shot and elegantly worded it is never less than engaging. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Foden Wheatley
3.0 out of 5 stars
A WASP take on American History
Nearly 40 years old as a television production Alistair Cooke's America is a masterpiece in terms of direction and condensing the History of a diverse and defiant country into 13... Read more
Published 13 months ago by One view
5.0 out of 5 stars
Alistair Cooke's America
***** for Content
*** for Quality of the discs
Since the product is not offered in the US and I cannot order the product from
BBC UK, I ordered the... Read more
*** for Quality of the discs
Since the product is not offered in the US and I cannot order the product from
BBC UK, I ordered the... Read more
Published 15 months ago by America
4.0 out of 5 stars
Alistair Cooke's America DVD
This DVD is not available in the USA on DVD so I ordered it from Amazon UK. It arrived relatively quickly. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Leeroyski
5.0 out of 5 stars
Alistair Cooke's America
One of the great documentaries of all time. Wonderful insight into US history. Would make a great high school or under graduate college course. Read more
Published 17 months ago by M P Doyle
1.0 out of 5 stars
denden
the dvd purchased in the uk was not compatible with the dvd player purchased in the us and would not play. i wish i would have been warned before the purchase.
Published 18 months ago by denden
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