Lots of great archival footage from more than a 100 years ago
346815
Lots  of  great  archival  footage  from  more  than  a  100  years  ago .
Nothing  like  seeing  the  past  for  real  !
450061
It is great to see this documentary that captures two time periods, the 1990s, as well as the earlier times, when TV entertainment was new.
These types of movies show how things were in reality.
Plus, it was interesting to watch Peter Johnson grow up during the filming.
4638317
I bought this book for the same reason I bought Tom Moon's "1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die." I am fascinated by the topic and this book has exposed me to films I might not otherwise have ever been aware of.

The first movie I remember seeing in a theater was "The Absent-Minded Professor" in 1961. I was nine.  So my knowledge of the first fifty-plus years of film making is a bit sketchy. Of course I'm familiar with (and own) copies of such titles as Chaplin's "The Gold Rush" (1925), Buster Keaton's "The General" (1927), as well as most of the domestically available films of the Marx Brothers, Laurel & Hardy, and W.C. Fields.

However, this book has intrigued me to look deeper into the silent film era, and there are no fewer than forty silent films listed. Of special interest to me are the two earliest entries:  French director George Melies 1902 film "Le Voyage Dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon)," 14 minutes; and what most regard as the first western, 1903's "The Great Train Robbery," 12 minutes, which was made by the Edison Company.

The author makes no attempts to rank the films included, and please note that nowhere does the title suggest that these are the 1,001 "best" films. Sure, many are great films. However, some are included mainly because of their historical or cultural significance. Bottom line, this is fascinating reading, and will certainly make for spirited debate around the office water cooler. If you approach this book with an open mind, you will not only be entertained but you might learn something as well. [Note: This is the 2011 updated edition. The final eight films are all from 2010; the most recent being "True Grit," which was released in December of that year.] RECOMMENDED
4182446
Wow..amazing stuff here..it is rare to get a chance to see clips like these uninterrupted by narration. You truly get a sense for the era and people..this dvd is  like a time machine that will hurl you back to that amazing era. Apparantly many of the clips included in the set have never been released in any form as they were newsreel out-takes that were not even seen back in the day...
For anyone who really wants to experience what that era FELT like..check this DVD/CD out...and the CD is fabulous..just the tune THE PANIC IS ON is worth the price of purchase!
4717152
A visual reference and inspiration of the early development of vocabulary of film as well as a history. These DVDs are the result of massive restoration/preservation project for the films researched and found by the editors.

There is a book:&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Unseen-Cinema-Early-American-Avant-Garde-Film-1893-1941/dp/0962818178/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Unseen Cinema: Early American Avant-Garde Film 1893-1941</a>&nbsp;that has essays on the films and film makers that complements the contents of this DVD set.

I bought the book and have the DVDs but correlating the two (finding on the DVD after reading about it in the book) takes some effort. Along with the contents of the DVDs there is a 20 part programs that the editors listed in the book as presentation series of the films. Some are not included in the DVD.
299153
Very well put together.  I loved seeing the art work of Don as well as all of the early film footage.
3123688
I love all three documentries in this set. I hate that I bought the 2 disc sets first then a year later I find this. But the extra footage of all is worth it.
1017451
The Police Tapes leaves me wanting to see more - footage from this era is difficult to come by, and what is present on the DVD is fantastic.  If you're curious about this era of NYC/policing, you can't go wrong with this one.
3400323
I own a VHS copy of this title which I purchased shortly after it was broadcast over PBS in the early 1980's.  The date should be 1980 and not 1990 as described in the heading.  This video can be viewed over and over and over (I have almost worn mine out and I hope it's reissued in DVD some day!).  For large format photographers it's quite exciting and inspiring to see an elderly Ansel describing (in effect) his autobiograpy with Georgia O'Keefe and friends over the years in a positive way.  If you want a more comprehensive portrait, I would suggest reading any of the biographies.
2662582
It's not that every moment in it is scintillating, but many are, and it's also just an amazing documentation of a great swath of motorcycle racing history. As a collection of short pieces, I'm amazed at how much of it there is, and continue halfway through to hugely enjoy pulling it out and gleaning more details of bikes, racing, and the people enmeshed therein.
2987167
I was expecting a recent documentary but this is apparently a re-release from the 80's/early 90's. Some grainy footage but then this mostly footage unavailable anywhere else and well worth seeing. And Robeson is tied in with MLK and Malcolm X footage and commentary as well as a critique from the always succinct Paul Robeson, Jr. on the then current civil rights leadership. All Robeson fans should see this. It is an important link in the restoration of his history and as it was released shortly after Duberman's seminal biography it is the first collegiate look at Robeson's political philosophy.  GREAT DVD!
3056308
It's great to have this classic slice of American showbiz at home, each segment preserved here in wonderful, rich color videotape from as early as 1962. Also, the sound quality is very good, which says a lot about the excellence of the professional equipment they were using at the time and the care lavished on the show by the crew. The image is somewhat grainy, but it shows remarkably little of its age when you consider this material is now about 50 years old. Also, it's good to see the disc is region-free, making it available to customers over the world.

The selection kicks off marvelously with an uninterrupted sequence showcasing the versatile talents of Andy Williams, The New Christy Minstrels, and especially Sammy Davis Jr., presenting his singing, dancing and vocal mimicry in the best possible light. This is followed, among other things, by Bill Cosby's great 'street football' comedy monologue, presented here in full (he was one of the few guests who was allowed to completely improvise and run overtime), and a wonderfully deadpan clockwork pantomime starring Sid Caesar, in which Andy suddenly manages to look a dead ringer for Buster Keaton.

There are also stunning vocal tours de force from Righteous Brother Bobby Hatfield in his classic "Unchained Melody" and Ella Fitzgerald in her freely improvised rendition of "Sweet Georgia Brown", fine laid-back duets and banter with Bing Crosby on "In a Little Spanish Town" and "Don't Fence Me In", and stellar singing from Julie Andrews with Andy and The Osmond Brothers. In her case, though, it's a pity we're missing out on the equally great duet with Andy on "Our Language of Love" from the same show, and a surprisingly raucous, thrilling turn on ... a rhythm 'n blues medley with Ray Charles' "Hallelujah I Love Her So" as lead-in and cue.

This omission points to some serious flaws in the format, as scene choices often become patchy with erratic edits and interrupted sketches. It's certainly nice to see the NBC peacock logo in its full glory once or twice, but do we need to have this type of introduction over and over again in a 'best of' selection, along with random end credit sequences and even Kraft cheese sponsor logos?

Also on the minus side, how can lengthy footage of Andy's co-star Sandra Dee modeling various luxurious costumes for their joint movie appearance in "I'd Rather Be Rich" be considered part of the best segments of Andy's shows? Why on earth is Andy shown singing only a few lines from his standard closing song "May Each Day", when full versions are also available from his shows? And why is Tennessee Ernie Ford likewise only singing a small part of his massive hit "Sixteen Tons", when both listings suggest these are complete performances? There are a number of odd cuts like this, and remarkably few solo vocal turns from Andy, which must be his most lasting legacy, along with his great duets with guests.

On the whole, a fine selection to have, but some very questionable choices and sloppy editing.
4585549
Very interesting documentary on the history and importance of the World's Fair and what has happened to US participation. I saw this film at the Knoxville Film Festival, where it won first place in feature documentaries. Beautiful footage from past fairs.
338664
I saw this on the History Channel many years ago, and purchased the VHS tape set for the first half. I bought this for myself as a Birthday gift, and am thrilled with it.
2734971
I was impressed with the quality in this DVD presentation.  This documentary succeeds in many ways and preserves for all time some integral interviews of those who knew the Stooges.  Some of the rare photography (including much from the Larry Fine family) was amazing, to say the least, and the DVD is well worth the purchase. It's much better than any previous or current documentaries on the comedy team or Ted Healy. The radio interviews with the Stooges add a nice touch as supplemental materials.
4911540
This video has been cleaned up and can be enjoyed by a new generation. The interviews in the extras add a lot of insight into how major this work  was to produce. It is timeless and will be enjoyed for generations to come.
3753280
I recommend this for every history buff!!! It has amazing archival footage. A purchase very well worth the money!!