Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: nicollo
I couldn't watch much. I hope to see more later. President Bush introduces the program. Edward Herrmann, whose career got started playing FDR, narrates, and Richard Dreyfuss reads TR's words, which is not such a good idea, because I always think of the Saturday Night Live impersonations of Dreyfuss whenever I hear him talk. Though now that Mel Blanc is dead, Dreyfuss is a good choice if they want to make TR sound like Daffy Duck.

The show is a mixture of old photos, films, and graphics with reenactments by a TR impersonator and words from various talking heads: Morris and his wife, professors, Governor Pataki, Clinton (yes, Bill Clinton), and various Roosevelt decendants. It looked very good -- or rather it is very good for the basic information and the scholars contribute a lot, too. The look of the film is its chief drawback: too many sudden transitions between color and black and white, too many blurry shots, too much jerky camera motion, too many giant labels identifying scholars whose names aren't so important. So I wish the director had taken lessons from Ken Burns, but I definitely want to see more. And the limo show, too.

Sorry I can't help with the content more. I'll get back to you in a few days when I've seen more. One thing I did notice. TR looked to be pretty fat by today's standards, both the actor and the President himself. I don't think he'd pass muster as the picture of vitality today.

I can recommend PBS's Chicago, City of the Century series, though. Fascinating look at old Chicago lore. It peeved me though that, unless PBS is holding back some episodes for the next fundraising, the century in question ends in 1893. PBS will also be having a documentary on the transcontinental railroad next week or so.

17 posted on 01/20/2003 10:45:51 PM PST by x
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies ]


To: x
...and Richard Dreyfuss reads TR's words, which is not such a good idea, because I always think of the Saturday Night Live impersonations of Dreyfuss whenever I hear him talk

Yes! Good call. Couldn't get past the sniveling Dreyfuss to watch it all because of that.

"I was in Jaws!" - LOL

34 posted on 01/23/2003 9:59:19 AM PST by Textide
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson