“But this thing is tedious.”
Yes, it’s just not working terribly well for me.
Keith David is the wrong man for this narration job, and the audio quality of his voice sounds distorted, like he’s eating the microphone or they’re using excessive compression—something.
In fact, the entire audio mix is mediocre. Poor matching of levels.
Music selections are sometimes incongruous.
I don’t know, naturally one’s expectations for a work like this are high, but it’s falling short somehow, lacking compelling impact, with some exceptions. The Ball Turret gunner’s recounting, for example.
All of that said, still a worthwhile piece.
Your specific comments about the audio production sound right to me.
I would add that this production demonstrates that everybody -- even Ken Burns -- needs an editor. I don't have any objection at all to framing the film in terms of the four communities. But at times -- especially as each of these first two episodes began -- Burns seemed almost to be stretching to fill the time. I think it happens sometimes that when a filmmaker has profound subject matter but not quite the film to do it full justice, he becomes ponderous as a way of trying to convey the significance of it all.