Civil War
The most remarkable aspect of this most remarkable documentary is the emotional weight it carries. Comprised almost solely of slow passes across old black and white still photos (now known as a Ken Burns move) this expertly narrated film makes you weep and cringe and sail with deep understanding. It reordered my notion of the deepest scar (the largest war ever) on this continent. At 11 hours it’s a long journey, but well worth it. It is hard to watch this series and not come to see it as your view of the Civil War. And it changed the language of documentary filmmaking, too.
By Ken Burns
1990
680 min