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 - PBS Video has a quality control problemI bought this video as a gift, and so far Amazon had sent me two defective copies. Neither copy will play all the way through on any DVD player we have tried. The problem on both is shortly before "The Portage" begins. I have never had a problem with any other DVD, so I was extremely surprised that PBS Video has failed twice. I would love to be able to give this gift permanently, as the narrative is interesting, and the scenery is beautiful, and I would otherwise give 5 stars. Amazon's customer service also deserves some of the star deductions. I've never had to test the return policies of any other DVD distributors. Rating:  - Lewis & Clark - The Journey of the Corps of DiscoveryMore than a historical account of the Lewis & Clark expedition, this is a moving portrait of the journey and its participants. The music--as in all of Mr. Burns' productions--echoes the story, and Mr. Holbrook's narration is without peer. Most heart-wrenching of all is the recounting of Meriwether Lewis' post-expedition mental decline and suicide. I cannot say enough about this show: I've seen it on PBS at least twice, and doubt I'll ever tire of it. Rating: - Another American History Classic by Ken BurnsThis is a pure classic of American History. Before Neil Armstrong and "Buzz" Aldrin" walked on the moon, Lewis and clark began a journey of equal importance over 150 years before. We are now approaching the bicentennial of that voyage. This journey is equal to the United States quest of the moon. In the video they commented that during the Apollo 13 emergency JIm Lovell and crew were in constant communication with mission control in Houston. Lewis and Clark were completeley isolated from Washington. Any communication would take weeks to travel. In 1803 Thomas Jefferson Purchased the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon. Jefferson Comissioned his friend Merriwether Lewis to explore this new territory. Being a naturalist, Jefferson wanted Lewis to record all of the nature of this new area. His main purpose was to discover the northwest passage. In 1804 Lewis and his partner William Clark set out along the missouri river. Ken Burns does a great job of capturing the beauty of this area. The Buffalo herds today were not any where near the size of the herds when lewis and clark first saw them. They also saw prarie chickens as well as prarie dogs. Lewis sent a couple of prarie dogs back to Jefferson. Lewis and Clark never found the northwest passage, but they returned as heroes. Ken Burns includes what happened to Lewis and Clark after their journey, including the tragic suicide of Merriwether Lewis. The journey of Lewis and Clark was a major accomplisment for the young United States. Rating: - One of the Finest Documentaries EverI first saw this film on PBS quite by accident. I was channel surfing, and in a very restless mood. When I came upon it, what initially transfixed me was the spectacular photography. The sweeping vistas of the American West captured in this film are almost breathtaking. Then the narrative itself reeled me slowly into shore and I could not stop watching it. I have seen hundreds of documentaries over the years but few have made me almost forget that what I was watching and hearing was fact, not fiction. Ken Burns, the director, producer, and jack-of-trades behind this production has put forth a yeoman's effort nearly rivaling in vision what the explorers themselves were guided by. The film editing is superb--giving the story a variety of narrative voices needed to sustain it over such a lengthy project. I was especially impressed by the way the commentary of historians who have written on this monumental undertaking were added to the voices of the journals themselves. Even if you are not a history buff, you will enjoy and appreciate this film. It is instructive on many levels, both practical and spiritual. As others have said, its retelling is poignant, sensitive, and engaging, particularly in relating the fates of these men and women. This is one of those films you buy as a family investment, to share with the younger generation when they are ready to receive it. Rating: - A wonderful telling of one of the great American storiesThis is another well-made documentary by Ken Burns. What I love most about his films is that they incorporate beautiful and relevant images and scenery with important quotes, figures, and anecdotes from the event in question. It would have been a difficult task to produce a four-hour documentary on this expedition--there were no photographs taken, and little physical evidence still exists from the trip. But the scenery is still there, and Burns makes ample use of it. The best part about this documentary, however, is the characterization--not only of Lewis and Clark, but also of their men. This film portrays them as a closely-knit family, a band of brothers. And, most importantly, it shows that they were ALL heroes, down to the last and weakest of the men. Lewis and Clark are portrayed as the extraordinary individuals and talented leaders that they were, but the ugly side of both men is also apparent. Lewis and Clark were human, and this is one of the things that makes them such spectacular models of American spirit and courage. This film helps us to see Lewis and Clark, as well as Thomas Jefferson, as the great heroes they were. Like Burns's documentaries on Mark Twain and the Civil War, this film successfully conveys the emotion, the feeling of the Lewis and Clark expedition. This is much more than just a rambling of dry historians or a rattling of dates and facts, this is a story. Most importantly, it is a true story, told in a true manner, one which will give inspiration and courage for many generations to come.
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