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DVD
WARNER HOME VIDEO
Publisher: Warner Home Video
David L. Wolper
Format: Box set, Color, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Actors: LeVar Burton, Olivia Cole, Ben Vereen, Louis Gossett Jr., Vic Morrow
Based on Alex Haley's best-selling novel about his African ancestors, Roots followed several generations in the lives of a slave family. The saga began with Kunta Kinte (LeVar Burton), a West African youth captured by slave raiders and shipped to America in the 1700s. The family's saga is depicted up until the Civil War where Kunte Kinte's grandson gained emancipation. Roots made its greatest impr
Based on Alex Haley's best-selling novel about his African ancestors, Roots followed several generations in the lives of a slave family. The saga began with Kunta Kinte (LeVar Burton), a West African youth captured by slave raiders and shipped to America in the 1700s. The family's saga is depicted up until the Civil War where Kunte Kinte's grandson gained emancipation. Roots made its greatest impression on the ratings and widespread popularity it garnered. On average, 130 million - almost half the country at the time - saw all or part of the series.DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Documentaries
Electronic press kit
Featurette
Interviews
From the moment the young Kunta Kinte (LeVar Burton) is stolen from his life and ancestral home in 18th-century Africa and brought under inhumane conditions to be auctioned as a slave in America, a line is begun that leads from this most shameful chapter in U.S. history to the 20th-century author Alex Haley, a Kinte descendant. The late Haley's acclaimed book Roots was adapted into this six-volume television miniseries, which was a widely watched phenomenon in 1977. The programs cover several generations in the antebellum South and end with the story of "Chicken" George, a freed slave played by Ben Vereen whose family feels the agony of entrenched racism and learns to fight it. Between the lives of Kunta and George, we meet a number of memorable characters, black and white, and learn much about the emotional and physical torments of slavery, from beatings and rapes to the forced separation of spouses and families. Nothing like this had ever confronted so many mainstream Americans when the series was originally broadcast, and the extent to which the country was nudged a degree or two toward enlightenment was instantly obvious. Roots still has that ability to open one's eyes, and engage an audience in a sweeping, memorable drama at the same time. --Tom Keogh
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| Great Buy! |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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I have been reading the book Roots so I wanted to see the movie. I orderd the movie from amazon.com and it was shipped to me right away witout any problems. When I recieved the DVD movie it was in great shape and was not scratched. I will definantly buy from Amazon again!
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| Roots Review |
| Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 |
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I use this video as a supplement to my 7th grade American history course. It provides a perspective of our nation's history which is difficult to find in a reading assignment.
The class can discuss things and understand the struggle and perpetual hope of this family. If you watch carefully, you will see that the white society, like any society, has those who are good and those who are not.
One problem I have is that the movie freezes at certain spots and needs to be tricked to move forward. Very frustrating at times.
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| Roots |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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The DVDs are better than the original TV Mini-Series. We also, received the set very quickly.
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| Great Gift! |
| Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 |
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This was purchased as a gift for some dear friends. They were happy to receive it and were happy with the quality of the dvd set. They said that they hadn't seen it in years and that they remembered some wonderful things since watching again!
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| History Told |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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This DVD was purchased for my daughter for a history class. She is a minor and had no idea what life was like for many African American people. Needless to say she could never imagine the pain and suffering that many people had to go through to obtain freedom and equality. Roots was written a long time ago but it is equally important to understand that racism and discrimination cannot be tolerated in todays society.
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