| America: The Story of Us [Blu-ray] | ![America: The Story of Us [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RGreEYZfL._SL160_.jpg)
| Director: History
Actor: Liev Schreiber
Studio: A&E HOME VIDEO
Category: DVD
List Price: $49.95
Buy New: $34.99
as of 9/10/2010 12:49 CDT details
You Save: $14.96 (30%)
Seller: Amazon.com
Rating:  42 reviews
Sales Rank: 1,003
Format: Color, Surround Sound, Widescreen, Anamorphic, DTS Surround Sound
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: Blu-ray
Region: 1
Discs: 3
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Running Time: 720 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: AAAE223040
UPC: 733961223040
EAN: 0733961223040
ASIN: B003C27X4Y
Release Date: September 14, 2010 (In 4 Days)
Shipping: Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Not yet released
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Product Description
AMERICA THE STORY OF US BLU-RAY
Amazon.com
With 12 chapters spread out over three discs and a total running time of more than nine hours (not including bonus material), the History Channel's America: The Story of Us is a sprawling primer on the history of the country and its people. Starting about 100 years after Columbus with the arrival of the earliest white settlers from across the Atlantic and finishing in the present day, the series can boast episodes devoted to major conflicts like the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and World War II; the more gradual but still significant developments that helped shape the nation (like western expansion and the mass migration to major cities); and the various elements and forces (the discovery of oil; the growth of industry, engineering, and infrastructure; the development of the automobile and other means of mass transportation, and, of course, the accumulation of vast economic and military might) that combined to make the United States the world's dominant superpower in the 20th century and beyond. To the filmmakers' credit, the darker aspects of this history--slavery and racial strife, the treatment of Native Americans, the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII--are not given short shrift. And while much of the material is dealt with in fairly broad strokes, there are also various enlightening details in each chapter. Who knew that George Washington established a network of spies who wrote notes in invisible ink in order to deceive the British, or that the most valuable currency for those who first explored the West was beaver pelts? A combination of reenactments, photos, CGI, models, and other elements delivers a great deal of information here, along with frequent references to Americans' pioneer spirit, devotion to hard work, and belief that if you can dream it, you can do it. Yet this isn't an especially scholarly document. The events depicted, from the Boston Tea Party and Paul Revere's midnight ride to the Alamo and the Gettysburg Address, not to mention more lurid tales like the Donner Party and the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, should be familiar to those with even a cursory knowledge of US history. The emphasis on star power, be it the comments from a parade of talking heads including actors, musicians, politicians (President Barack Obama among them), athletes, soldiers, and so on, or the focus on charismatic historical figures like John Brown, Daniel Boone, and many others, reflects our celebrity-obsessed culture. And the constant hyperbole (narrator Liev Schreiber intones some variation of "What's about to happen will change things forever!" at least half a dozen times in the first episode alone) becomes tedious. Then again, considering the number of Americans who can't find their own country on a map, presenting the material like a dramatic TV show instead of textbook was a shrewd idea. --Sam Graham
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 42
 Fantastic, Entertaining and Informative Overview of American History May 23, 2010
Bridge (New York)
34 out of 37 found this review helpful
I think all of the people complaining about the lack of academic level detail and scholarship in this series are missing the point. This 12 episode series is a really fantastic overview of American History. Oftentimes when we study history in school, through long, detailed books, over the course of several months, we tend to lose the forest for the trees. This medium of learning has it's place, watching this series you get a feel through a quick succession of stories, as to how America began and developed over the last two and a half centuries. What it lacks in "legitimate" scholarship it more than makes up for by it's production quality, compelling story-telling and entertainment. Another thing to note is the populist perspective of the series. Most history textbooks and academics focus too heavily on the actions of political leaders, but this series is truly about the "story of us" as indicated by its title. I was surprised to find that there was almost no discussion about the writing of the constitution, not much talk about the Presidents and the legislation they pushed through or the policies they enacted. Instead, the series incorporates a lot of anecdotes and stories of people and movements that shaped the course of this country, from the Chinese immigrants who built the railroads to the construction workers who built New York City, to historic figures like Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman and Andrew Carnegie. If I were a school teacher I would show my students this entire series at the beginning of each year, if for nothing else but to pique their interest in history and what they're about to learn in greater detail over the course of the term.
Student FInally Gets it... May 2, 2010
E. Herrera (Gainesville, FL)
17 out of 21 found this review helpful
I want to thank the History Channel for putting this all together and helping a viewer like myself finally understand the origins of our great nation. I advanced in all subjects in high school, but struggled through History as well as American History. I guess I never appreciated it growing up. Over a decade later, I have grown to appreciate where we have come from. I have only watched the American Revolution but have every episode set to record and can't wait for the Blu-Ray.
Excellent Overview/Refresher on American History May 11, 2010
Marcus Leach
15 out of 21 found this review helpful
I think it's ridiculous that people are expecting in depth coverage and explicit attention to detail in a short 12 hour TV series covering all of American History. Obviously it's not going to compare to their thousand page textbooks on American History, but this series isn't for people who want that. For people with little knowledge or interest in American History, this series is an amazing starter, and for people like myself, it's an amazing and patriotic refresher.
It's an amazing production! I highly recommend you give the first episode a watch and I promise you'll be hooked. At the end of the series, you'll be a smarter person :-) just not the college professor these other reviewers expect you to become.
Incredibly Entertaining! April 27, 2010
RJRo20 (California)
15 out of 22 found this review helpful
I like Newt! He taught history at the University of West Georgia. He's a legit scholar and historian. However, the celebrities and other odd ball commentators kind of threw me for a loop. But that doesn't matter, when it's so darn interesting! I'm so glad that I didn't miss the 2-hour premiere last night, (although I could have done without the President's special message before the second episode).
Once again...I enjoy HC's gripping narrative, re-enactments, visuals, music and sound. Of course, there's the real hard-core history buff criticizing HC for historical inaccuracies, however minor or major they are. Regardless, I bet this documentary will provide lots of insightful info unknown to most people (e.g., smallpox inoculation and its significance to the American Revolution; Friedrich von Steuben's "model company"; Washington and espionage; entrepreneur John Rolfe and his tobacco plantation; the first African Americans and Chinese and Irish, etc..)
Besides, one should read good history books for the best and most comprehensive learning about the birth and evolution of America. There's so much material out there, but this series has condensed it all to provide audiences with an incredibly entertaining and adventurous look into the history of US. I believe the average American can only benefit from watching this excellent docudrama. I don't know about the rest, but the first two episodes already makes me feel so patriotic!
Love it May 17, 2010
Akazm
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
I learned 10x more from this mini-series then from what I learned in history class. What I love most about this mini-series are the details of the smaller things that happen between the major historical events that we all know about. There is so much information given. I sometimes have to rewind to catch it all. The commentators also give this mini-series a unique touch. They are not your typical boring historian, rather they are political leaders / entertainers / businessmen that know what they are talking about. Full HD video gives you a much better sense of what life was like when compared to grainy black and white photos.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 42
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