Categories: Opinion and Editorial

Ken Burns’ the Civil War is a Film Worth Watching

When it comes to documentaries I have a tendency to loose it if it is something that doesn’t instantly catch my fancy. But there is one documentary that I could watch over and over again without ever getting tired of it. It was so good infact that I invested close to $80 on eBay for it, something I will rarely do, if ever.

I was first fascinated by Ken Burns’ The Civil War when it first started airing on PBS in the early 90’s. I am a big fan of Civil War and Revolutionary War history, so I decided to give all 11 hours a try. I have watched the documentary at least 10 times and each time is a new experience for me. The attention to detail is thorough, with the scenery and art of the era giving an idea of the magnitude of the war itself. The reading of journal entries and letters from some of the key players of the war down to regular soldiers sending home letters to their parents and girls are at times touching and give a glimpse into the war for those who came several generations after its completion.

Ken Burns goes for giving the viewer a vivid picture through narration of the war itself and the toll it took on many people from President Lincoln to the average everyday citizen. You will see some beautiful scenery from battle fields such as Antietam and Gettysburg, and develop a mental picture of the various other battles of the war. No cheap recreations with this documentary, just a first class story about the Civil War the way it should be told. It was Burns’ imagery of Antietam that first drew me there in 1996, and it is by far one of my favorite historical spots to visit.

Burns said it best in his My Word from PBS.com:

‘…the long and painstaking process had permitted me to refine a filmmaking style that we had been evolving for more than 10 years: the careful use of archival photographs, live modern cinematography, music, narration, and a chorus of first-person voices that together did more than merely recount a historical story. It was something that also became a kind of “emotional archaeology,” trying to unearth the very heart of the American experience; listening to the ghosts and echoes of an almost inexpressibly wise past…’

I have had the chance to see a few other documentaries by Ken Burns, but his Civil War documentary is by far his best. Burns easily mixes emotions with facts, while keeping an eye on narration. You will see real pictures from a point in time when photography was still in its infancy while listening to narrations by such actors as Jason Robards, Laurence Fishburne, Morgan Freeman, Jeremy Irons, M. Emmet Walsh, Pamela Reed, Sam Waters.

Burns also said, ‘...the film was a timely reminder of the frightful cost our ancestors had paid to make this nation a truly United States’. He was correct with that.

The music used for this film also has a romantic beauty to it, and is very important to telling the story of The Civil War. I still love the music of the 19th century and Burns knows exactly when to use the music. From the early days of the nation dividing itself, to the long journey Lincoln’s body took back to Illinois and the rebuilding of the nation, the music will bring out the emotion of each moment.

Honestly, the only thing wrong with this film was that it was only 11 hours long. I was left wanting more. If you haven’t seen this epic yet, then watch it next time it is on PBS (usually around the holiday’s), or go find it at a video store now. If you have the time to devote to it you will not be disappointed. It is also an amazing tool if you want your children to be exposed to History now.