Ken Burns Movies
After earning his BA at Hampshire College, Brooklyn-born Ken Burns pursued a career as a documentary filmmaker. At age 22, he formed Florentine Films in his home base of Walpole, New Hampshire. Dissatisfied with dry, scholarly historical documentaries, Burns wanted his films to "live," and to that end adopted the technique of cutting rapidly from one still picture to another in a fluid, linear fashion. He then pepped up the visuals with "first hand" narration gleaned from contemporary writings and recited by top stage and screen actors. Burns' first successful venture was the award-winning documentary The Brooklyn Bridge, which ran on public television in 1981. While he was Oscar-nominated for his 1985 theatrical release The Statue of Liberty, Burns' work has enjoyed its widest exposure on television: such films as Huey Long (1985), Thomas Hart Benton (1986) and Empire of the Air (1991) (a bouquet to the pioneers of commercial radio) have become staples of local PBS stations' seasonal fund drives. In 1990, Burns completed what many consider his "chef d'oeuvre": the eleven-hour The Civil War, which earned an Emmy (among several other honors) and became the highest-rated miniseries in the history of public television. Civil War was the apotheosis of Burns' master mixture of still photos, freshly shot film footage, period music, evocative "celebrity" narration and authentic sound effects. In 1994, Ken Burns released his long-awaited Baseball, an 18-hour saga which, like The Civil War, was telecast at the same time as the publication of a companion coffee-table book. Over the coming decades, Burns would continue to ingrain his reputation as the biggest name in long-form documentary film making, creating multi-part histories of Jazz, WWII, Baseball, and Prohibition. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi- 2013
- NR
Famed raconteur André Gregory reflects on his enduring career as an entertainer, his brief foray into Hollywood, and the revelation that altered the course of his life in this documentary directed by his wife Cindy Kleine. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2012
Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns (Prohibition) teams with his daughter Sarah and her husband David McMahon to examine the facts in the case of five minority teens from Harlem who in 1989 were accused of committing a heinous rape in Central Park, and the failure of the authorities and the media to ensure that justice was served. Hastily tried and convicted as racial tensions in New York City spiked, the innocent teens all served time in prison before a serial rapist shocked authorities by admitting sole responsibility for the brutal sexual assault. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2012
Ken Burns' four-hour documentary recalls the 1930s-era environmental catastrophe that destroyed the farmlands of the Great Plains and caused massive dust storms and "dust pneumonia." The 1920s saw a wheat boom in the region, but the Depression led to a drop in prices. In a bid to recoup losses, farmers -- acting against the recommendations of the government -- harvested more wheat. But that left fields open and, once drought hit in 1932, created the Dust Bowl. The documentary includes first-person stories, photos, and film footage. ~ Jeff Gemmill, Rovi
- 2011
Ken Burns explores the history of America's prohibition era (1920-33), when alcohol was outlawed after the passage of the 18th Amendment in 1919. It was the culmination of a movement that began in the mid-19th century, but instead of truly banning booze it merely pushed it underground, giving birth to criminal organizations that traded in the commodity and turned ordinary men and women into outlaws. ~ Jeff Gemmill, Rovi
- Starring:
- Peter Coyote
- 2009
This sumptuously filmed documentary series from Ken Burns explores the origins of America's national parks, from their genesis in the mid-1800s to the present. It features archival photographs, personal memories, more than 40 interviews, and gorgeous cinematography of such locales as Acadia, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone. ~ Jeff Gemmill, Rovi
Discover how some remarkable soldiers found the strength to face almost certain death to save the lives of others in this documentary tracing the history of the Medal of Honor from the Civil War to the Iraq war. It was during the Civil War that the Medal of Honor was first created. Though one woman was bestowed the Medal of Honor at that time, that commendation was soon revoked. Since then, many brave men have received the Medal of Honor. These are their stories. From the Holocaust survivor who single-handedly defended a hill from advancing enemy forces during the Korean War to the Navy Seal who swam two hours in the ocean with his wounded comrades in tow and the Marine who cleared a fiery path for his demoralized company at Iwo Jima, these tales are some of the most inspirational stories of bravery every to emerge from the battlefield. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alfre Woodard
- 2007
Ken Burns continues his exploration of massive, sweeping subjects with his 15-hour documentary The War; in this case, the conflict in question is World War II. Yet within the scope of that gargantuan subject, Burns and co-director Lynn Novick narrow their scale of emphasis, honing in on four "average" American towns and charting the experiences of individual young men who enlisted to go overseas and fight against the encroaching shadow of fascism. The film covers each major "region" of the U.S. by transporting audiences to the west coast (Sacramento, California); the south (Mobile, Alabama); the east coast (Waterbury, Connecticut) and the Midwest (the farming community of Luverne, Minnesota). Within that geographic framework, Burns uncovers a series of astonishing tales about bravery in the midst of adversity - from the story of a young man who transported 12 American soldiers from the Normandy beach on D-Day, to the accounts of innumerable young men who falsified their ages and enlisted early. Burns and Novick thus repeatedly emphasize the human side of war - an aspect all too often glossed over when documentarians treat WWII on a broader scale. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Glenn Frazier, Sam Hynes, (more)
Cinematographer-turned-documentary filmmaker Patrick Creadon takes a compelling look at the brainy world of crossword puzzles, the masterminds that conceive them, and the folks who struggle to solve them in a film that offers a close look at one of America's most popular pastimes. For 12 years, the name Will Shortz has been indelibly linked to the wildly popular New York Times crossword puzzle. As filmmakers speak with Shortz and the puzzle constructors with whom he collaborates, viewers are treated to a rare look into the minds of the people whose intellect entertains a nation of puzzle-solvers on a weekly basis. Interviews with a variety of celebrity crossword-puzzle enthusiasts including Bob Dole, Ken Burns, and Jon Stewart are also included, and a trip to the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament -- an annual event founded by Shortz himself -- offers an entertaining look at a world where the brain power and colorful personalities of contestants combine to create a lively atmosphere of friendly competition. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Will Shortz, Merl Reagle, (more)
- 2004
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An artist whose life was as bold and startling as her work, Frida Kahlo battled physical infirmity and a male-dominated art establishment to become one of the most acclaimed and influential painters of her generation. Kahlo also had a passionate interest in politics with her leftist views informed by the Mexican Revolution; she was an outspoken advocate of Communism and a powerful symbol of the progressive movement throughout her life. The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo is a documentary which tells Kahlo's story as a woman, as an artist, and as a symbol of women's rights and Latin progress. The film is narrated by actress Rita Moreno, while singer Lila Downs provides the voice of Kahlo. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 2004
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Experience legendary boxer Jack Johnson's remarkable struggle both in and out of the ring in documentary filmmaker Ken Burns' two-part look at the career of one of the sports world's most remarkable athletes. From his childhood in Galveston, TX, as the son of former slaves to his triumph as the first African-American Heavyweight Champion of the World in 1908, Johnson's career was a defining moment in the realm of sports history. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2003
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This Ken Burns documentary is a vivid celebration of pioneering "automobilist" Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson. In 1903, Jackson accepted a 50-dollar bet to drive from San Francisco to New York City in his 20-horsepower Winton touring car, the Vermont. With only 150 miles of paved roads in the entire country, virtually no worthwhile terrain maps and absolutely no filling stations, Nelson and his co-driver, Sewall K. Crocker, literally had their work cut out for them. Accompanied by their pet bulldog, Bud (fitted out in goggles and duster like his human companions), Nelson and Crocker embarked upon America's first transcontinental motor trip at a rate of 20 miles per hour -- and before their 63 1/2 day odyssey was over, they found themselves in the middle of a "race to the finish," thanks to the last-minute maneuverings of two competing automobile firms, Packard and Oldsmobile. Producers Burns and Dayton Duncan recreated Jackson's historical journey under many of the same condition, with a special camera mounted on their own car to simulate Jackson's point-of-view; and in typical Burns fashion, the two-hour documentary is rounded out with vintage still photos and recitations of Jackson's personal letters (with Tom Hanks providing the good doctor's voice). Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip was originally telecast by (who else?) PBS. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Keith David, (more)
- 2001
The newest project from the master of documentaries deals with the life of author Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), one of America's most beloved writers and historical characters from the 19th century. Ken Burns worked for nearly three years and drew from 100 hours of filmed material and hundreds of photos to complete the two-part, four-hour PBS series. Part two deals with Twain's twilight years, which were mired with dwindling success, impending bankruptcy and the deaths of his youngest daughter and his wife. Burns' documentary takes a look at Twain's darkest novel The Mysterious Stranger, and delves into his riff with President Theodore Roosevelt over America's politics of imperialism. ~ Rovi
- 2001
The newest project from the master of documentaries deals with the life of author Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), one of America's most beloved writers and historical characters from the 19th century. Ken Burns worked for nearly three years and drew from 100 hours of filmed material and hundreds of photos to complete the two-part, four-hour PBS series. In part one, Twain's life is profiled from his birth to age 50. Burns explores his dual personality (the rich, sometimes greedy Clemens and the down-home and humorous Twain) and looks at the effect Twain's masterpiece Huckleberry Finn had on American literature. The era in which Twain flourished is captured through photographs of Twain's New York, and footage of the grand Mississippi River. Novelist Russell Banks and playwright Arthur Miller give insightful commentary. ~ Rovi
- 2001
In the tradition of his previous "living histories" The Civil War and Baseball, documentary filmmaker Ken Burns assembled this fascinating two-part miniseries devoted to the life and career of legendary American humorist Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835-1910), better known as Mark Twain. The first two-hour episode chronicled Twain's life from his humble childhood in Hannibal, MO, through a variety of fascinating adventures and professions, climaxing with worldwide renown as an author, lecturer, and social commentator, and wealth and fame beyond imagination as the creator of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1885. Part Two detailed Twain's often tragic final decades, festooned with financial failures, disillusionment, and the deaths of those nearest and dearest to him. Keith David narrated, while Kevin Conway was heard as the voice of Mark Twain. The carefully chosen visuals were complemented with contemporary observations by such notables as William Styron, Russell Banks, Dick Gregory, and -- perhaps inevitably -- Hal Holbrook, who rose to stardom portraying Twain in the classic one-man show Mark Twain Tonight! (1967). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kevin Conway, Keith David, (more)
- 2000
Episode five of Ken Burns' series deals with jazz during the increasingly bleak Great Depression from 1935 to 1937. Swing music is now the most popular music of the time. Young fans flock to dance halls to swing their troubles away. Bandleaders such as Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmie Lunceford, and Artie Shaw are worshipped by their fans like matinee idols. Then Goodman, risking his career, forms the first racially integrated jazz group with the brilliant pianist Teddy Wilson. Meanwhile, Billie Holiday emerges from a rough childhood and is soon heralded as one of the greatest jazz vocalists ever. As 1937 comes to an end, Goodman heads to the Savoy Ballroom for what is billed as "The Music Battle of the Century" -- a musical face-off with Chick Webb's big band. Despite the tough competition, it's obvious to the many dancers on the floor who is the true "King of Swing." ~ Matt Collar, Rovi
- 2000
Episode six of Ken Burns's series -- covering 1937 to 1939 -- finds swing fans decrying the commercialization of big band jazz. Soon, an exciting new swing sound, infused with the blues and centered around improvisation, is reinvigorating jazz audiences and musicians alike. The focal point of this movement is Kansas City, and Count Basie's band leads the charge of the "Territory Bands" -- so-called because of their mid-western roots. Kansas City swing enters the spotlight in 1938 when Basie's band performs alongside Benny Goodman's at Carnegie Hall. Soon after the set, the group travels uptown to the Savoy Ballroom and a legendary battle of the bands with Chick Webb. By the end of the '30s, Basie's lead saxophonist Lester Young has risen to the forefront of jazz and with a laid-back, mellow approach that will influence such later jazz luminaries as Miles Davis. Young also pairs with Billie Holiday who eventually records the incendiary anti-lynching ballad "Strange Fruit". By the decade's end, Chick Webb similarly garners fame and fortune with a young singer named Ella Fitzgerald, and as war breaks out in Europe, Coleman Hawkins records the ballad "Body and Soul" in such a way that prefigures the sound of jazz to come. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi
- 2000
The seventh part of Ken Burns' series covers the years 1940 to 1945 and finds jazz at the center of battles at home and abroad during World War II. Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw enlist in the armed forces and take their bands overseas to entertain the troops. Hitler bans jazz in Germany despite -- or rather, because of -- its underground popularity with "swing kids." Yet, as jazz serves as a symbol of American democracy in Europe, many black Americans still aren't allowed to hear freedom swing. The Savoy Ballroom is closed down to keep white servicemen from its integrated swing dances, and riots ensue. Despite the hypocrisy of the era, Duke Ellington sells war bonds and pairs with a brilliant young composer named Billy Strayhorn to write some of the most compelling work of his career. Meanwhile, a cadre of young musicians gathering nightly at a Harlem club discover a new way to play jazz: As the war comes to an end and the recording ban is lifted, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and saxophonist Charlie Parker record the song "Ko Ko" based on the chords to "Cherokee." Thus, "bebop" takes Americans by surprise and propels jazz in a whole new direction. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi
- 2000
Episode eight -- 1945 to 1955 -- of Ken Burns' series finds jazz musicians reflecting the prosperity and tension of the postwar years in their music. Charlie "Bird" Parker garners legions of devoted followers who imitate not only his brilliant soloing, but also his heroin addiction -- a problem that will plague jazz through the 1950s. As the big bands fade, small-group jazz becomes de rigeur: dancing is out and experimentation is in. Dizzy Gillespie infuses bebop with Latin rhythms, employing congero Chano Pozo. And pianist Thelonious Monk creates angular and percussive jazz all his own. Despite this surge in creativity, most people prefer the new, simpler, dance-oriented rhythm & blues of artists like Louis Jordan. Meanwhile, in California, jazz musicians influence a mellow album featuring the arrangements of Gil Evans and the trumpet of Miles Davis, creating what is soon called "cool" jazz. Dave Brubeck helps lead the charge by recording his million-selling album "Time Out". But as the '50s wear on, Davis moves away from cool jazz and begins his own creative journey as the "pied piper" of jazz. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi
- 2000
Episode nine of Ken Burns' series -- covering 1956 to 1960 -- deals with a period of immense popularity and transition for jazz music. The same year that Elvis Presley tops the pop charts, Duke Ellington records a live album at the Newport Jazz Festival that outsells all his others. Other aging artists' careers soon burn out as a result of drugs, as well as competition from young virtuosos such as Sonny Rollins and Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers. Yet these progressive young musicians remain silent as Louis Armstrong -- whom they unfairly label an "Uncle Tom" -- condemns the government's failure to act against racism in Little Rock, AK. Still the leading visionary of jazz with his minimalist approach, Miles Davis continues to put together different groups throughout the late '50s. But as the '60s approach it is one of Davis' sidemen, saxophonist John Coltrane, who envisions the future of jazz with his provocative version of "My Favorite Things." ~ Matt Collar, Rovi
- 2000
The final installment of Ken Burns' acclaimed series -- canvassing 1960 to the present -- finds jazz searching for relevance. Despite Louis Armstrong outselling the Beatles with Hello Dolly, most jazz musicians are scuffling to find work, let alone be heard. Most young people listen to rock music. The "free jazz" of artists such as John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman takes the music in increasingly avant-garde -- and non-commercial -- directions. Musicians and critics alike begin to debate the future and tradition of jazz. In typical fashion, Miles Davis at once illuminates and compounds the issue with Bitches Brew, his landmark fusion album. Toward the end of the 1970s, the deaths of both Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington seemed to mark the end of the development of jazz. But, the prodigal return of saxophonist Dexter Gordon from Europe incited a new generation to revisit the jazz of the past and rejuvenate the music. Soon a virtuosic young trumpeter, proficient in both classical and jazz music, is leading the movement to bring the tradition of jazz full circle. Wynton Marsalis, a native of New Orleans -- the birthplace of jazz music -- takes it into the next century. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi
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