Clevercell Very disappointing...

BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Listonixio Fresh and Exciting

Spidersecu Don't Believe the Hype

bootlebarth I'm writing this when there are only seven other reviews. Compared with the hundreds or thousands of reviews of popular cinematographic dross (the greater the dross, the more the reviews), is there any point?The Journey of the Corps of Discovery is an amazing story, beautifully told. President Jefferson sends his secretary to find a route to the Pacific Ocean across thousands of miles of largely unknown territory. The adventure proves that truth can be stranger than fiction. This is an epic trip. Ken Burns has made some marvelous series, but none better.There are so many memorable moments that it seems pointless to select a sample. I'll never forget Meriwether Lewis's diary entry on his 31st birthday, rueing his indolence and lack of achievement at what he thought would be the half-way stage of his life.Everyone should see this wonderful series. Unfortunately, the bulk of the popcorn-eating, couch-potato viewing public prefer banality and fantasy to fact. Treat yourself to one of the best series ever.

gpeevers Documentary by Ken Burn's about the expedition commissioned by Thomas Jefferson, and led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark setting out from St Louis to explore the Missouri River and find a passage to the Pacific Ocean. The expedition would also provide; an invaluable map, details of new plants and animals including samples and the establishment of diplomatic relations for the United States with various Native American tribes.The story of this expedition is quite interesting, although I did not find the presentation as dynamic as I would have liked. Fortunately there is considerable material from the expedition's journals that allows us to get a real feel for these men, their hardships and their discoveries in their own words.One major limitation for me was that as a result of the time period in which this occurred, as there were no photographs from the era and the filmmakers were forced to rely on either paintings, present day footage of parts of their route (only those where signs of current civilization are not evident) and some non-specific usually distant recreations showing the keel boat or men in silhouette.For those unfamiliar with the details of the expedition the story of Sacagawea, the young native American girl is fascinating.The story is narrated by Hal Holbrook and features the vocal talents of Mathew Broderick, Sam Waterston and Adam Arkin.This film is not nearly as good as Burn's masterworks on the US Civil War or Baseball, but this is still an interesting well told documentary on an interesting subject.While Lewis and Clark were the first American's to cross the continent Sir Alexander Mackenzie a Canadian had already done so 10 years earlier.

CitizenCaine Ken Burns directs this PBS documentary on the expedition taken by Lewis & Clark from 1804-1806 at the behest of then President Thomas Jefferson. The film traces their journey, with nearly 50 expedition party members, northwest from St. Louis across the northern Louisiana Territory, into Oregon Territory, and to the Pacific Ocean and back. The film's composition includes beautiful cinematography and bridging music and the typical voice over narration that we've come to expect from a Ken Burns film. The narration includes commentary by historians and writers as well as excerpts from the actual daily journals of expedition members. The film details the many perilous obstacles they confront along the way, including changing river currents, disease, hostile Indians, lack of direction, lack of shelter, mental and physical fatigue, never-before-seen animal species, and weather changes.It took them two and a half years to complete the journey, without ever finding a northwest passage to the ocean (which, of course, did not exist). However, the film highlights some of the important discoveries they made, such as plotting a map of the undiscovered West, documenting new plants and wildlife, and being able to diplomatically negotiate with different groups of Indians along the way. This is a skill America would later lose sight of. The film spends less time detailing the return journey, but illustrates a few important principles that we like to think of as American today: democratically voting when it was time to make a tough decision for the group, treating others as equals, and remaining steadfast in attempting to achieve goals. There's also a bit of sad irony when the expedition encounters the Nez Perce, if you know American History. The film is exciting and inspiring, without being too reverent. It's quite clear that these men and women faced tremendous hardships, had great courage and luck, and took great risks in making a journey, whose historical significance none of them realized. The journey itself is an extension of the visionary thinking that great, early Americans, like Jefferson, had. It was a journey of a lifetime for them and the journey of the century for the history of the United States. This should be required viewing in every high school History class. ***1/2 of 4 stars.

TxMike Ken Burns' film is a landmark study of the 1804 through 1806 Lewis and Clark expedition, starting in St Louis, and returning there two years later, having found a route to the Pacific Ocean. Put your political leanings aside, this film does not judge whether the USA, Spain, and France *should* have been able to grab and trade the native lands occupied for centuries by various Native American tribes. Lewis and Clark, and the men that went with them, were true explorers. Their journey is almost unimaginable. When you fly west over the USA during a clear day, and can see the wide expanse of mountains, you can begin to understand what an ordeal it was for them to cross over to what we now call the Columbia River. This is not a dry historical film. Everyone should see it, for the historical significance of the journey. The city of St Louis built a high arch in commemoration of the journey, and it is called "The Jefferson Expansion Memorial."I saw the DVD, and it is a really fine one. I got it as a free loan from my local library, maybe you can too!!