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Ken Burns "The War"

Johnny Dickshot Sep 24 2007 02:43 PM

Anyone? It seemed the last 30 minutes was tacked on last night -- not that the "Raiders" sory wasn't interesting ... when I recalled having read that Latino groups had objected to his documentary for having left out the influence of Latinos who fought the war. Struck me as I watched how stoopit Bush is but that strikes me almost all the time.

metirish Sep 24 2007 04:57 PM

Meant to watch it but forgot....I read that the Latino part was added on after the film was finished with help from a Latino film maker. "New York: A Documentary Film" from his brother Ric is one I own and never tire of watching. Ken Burns is at the NYPL on the 27th,door at 7pm.

Willets Point Sep 24 2007 08:49 PM

I saw clips of "The War" at the American Library Association conference in June. It really moved me. I'd like to watch the whole thing but haven't had a chance to see it yet.

Edgy DC Sep 27 2007 11:50 AM

When does this begin? Is it told as an American story or a world story? Do they include among the talking heads former soldiers, sailors and airmen who saw action and subsequently became big shots --- George Bush, Bob Dole, Yogi Berra?

Johnny Dickshot Sep 27 2007 12:12 PM

Burns uses a device to tell the dual stories of the war and how it affected America, by focusing each event in how it affected people in each of four cities: Waterbury, CT Mobile, AL Lucerne, MN Sacramento The first two were war-industry cities, with Mobile giving him the race angle all Burns films need. Sacramento was home to lots of Japanese Americans. I'm not sure why they chose Minnesota other than it being the kind of homespunny USA town where local boys became dead heroes and Tom Hanks can voiceover the smalltown newspaper editorials with just the right pathos. So the story is told, mainly, through interviews/ artifiacts/letters read of people from those 4 cities. Particularly glood so far is Mobilian survivor of the Bataan death march and ex-POW in japan, and letters from an CT infantryman who dies in Italy, I believe. There was great stuff last night about how thousands of defeated Japanese soldiers refused to surrender at Saipan and basically got themselves killed.

metirish Sep 27 2007 12:22 PM

I wish it were not on right now as it's hard to devote the time this film deserves , will it be repeated at a later date?

Edgy DC Sep 27 2007 12:25 PM

Until the end of time, if previous PBS/Burns productions are any indication. Is Garrison Keillor used? Didn't he invent Minnesota?