American Experience: New York: A Documentary Film by Ric Burns

An extraordinary 8 part, almost 18 hour history of New York City; its politics, economics, architecture, and above all humanity, from the first arrival of white settlers. (I would have been curious to know more about the Native Americans who had been living there, but the focus is on New York as a city, which arguably started with the arrival of the Dutch).I was born and lived the first half of my life in NYC, was always passionate and curious about it, and yet the program had so much fascinating information I didn't know – not only about the distant past, but the complex back-room city politics and policy decisions (some disastrously wrong headed, even aggressively racist) that were going on in my early years.It's always lively, often touching and asks important questions about what makes a city and why they're so important -- as well as "how can a city keep 'modernizing', but not lose it's soul?" It also forced me to abandon some supposed "facts" I'd been brought up with as a New Yorker, like the idea that names of immigrants were commonly changed at Ellis Island.The last episode, made after the rest of the documentary, is devoted entirely to the Word Trade Center; it's inception, it's building (and the complex, sometimes dark politics behind it), it's successes and failures as architecture and urban planning, and of course its horrifying demise. While it's the most emotional of the episodes, it does feel a bit apart from the others, spending it's entire length on one very focused subject. Not a problem, other than a bit of change in style.If I had to nit-pick it would probably be the use of hyperbole in some of the narration. I lost count of how many crises were 'the worstthe city ever faced'. But that is a tiny fly in a ton of ointment.The images, still and moving, are beautifully chosen (great seeing moving images from the turn of the century New York), the various expert talking heads are passionate and articulate, and I learned so much more than I expected, and often felt on the edge of my seat, as if I was watching drama, not history.It's interesting that film-maker Ric Burns' brother Ken has received so much more attention. I find Ric's many documentaries often the equal ofKen Burns' work, and indeed sometimes find them more emotional.

Everything you wanted to know about NYC. Lots of history. Some repetitiveness. One thing I found it lacking is that it didn't explore the development of the arts in NYC. With all the theatre, museums, Broadway, and ballet in NYC - the only slight mention of the arts is Harlem and jazz but even jazz isn't explored fully. Not a mention of 52nd street and all the jazz clubs during the 1930s. And not a peep about Broadway theatres.

No documentary of the sheer audacious immensity of this one will be without flaws. The biggest is the sometimes painfully obvious and belabored effort of interviewees to find that "lyrical" sentence that will make the final cut. At times, you wish they would inform and leave the lyricism to our imaginations. There were a few too many "New York would never be the same agains". I occasionally found myself wishing the documentary would dry its eyes and give us just the facts, Ma'am.But I can't remove a star. It deserves the full five for bringing us from the native villages to the spires of lower Manhattan and tearing through history in immense detail but never without a sense of momentum. And sometimes the lyricism is really affecting and memorable, as the account of Walt Whitman's reaction to the death of President Lincoln or the story of the composition of Emma Lazarus's paean to the immigrant. It deserves five stars for the bit about the Eerie Canal alone. I had no idea of the significance of the canal in the history of the city and indeed the history of the nation. I should have, but I admit I didn't. And the story of the Brooklyn Bridge. And Al Smith. And the Empire State Building. And Robert Moses, his rise and fall. And the knitting together of five boroughs. And all the artists, poets, architects, scoundrels, bosses, thinkers, writers, criminals, journalists, activists, politicians, businessmen, and common Joes who made a city.And at the end of it you are fully in the sway of this documentary's thesis, which is simply that there has never been a city in the history of humankind as interesting and as civilization-changing as New York. I'll be a New Yorker for the rest of my life. I've always been one. And I've never done more than visit the city.

A fabulous historical presentation with illustrations for the very early years , photos ( once the camera was invented ) and of course film .This is not some bland bla bla bla with history data but a rather engaging presentation of the story with interviews from a variety of people .I personally was grateful that Burns had pulled together so much film because it is far more effective as a learning tool than text books .It also gives a very real look at the 1800s and early 1900s when New York was not just a town full of well to do yuppies .The Triangle Shirt fire and back story are also very well presented . ( as is Robert Moses' career )All in all , there is way too much to cover in a review BUTIf we had films like this in high school , more people would Not be history dummies !Maybe Burns can get histories done for the rest of the country ?

Best Doc I've ever seen on anything. Mr. Burns is the man. Great everything!!! Great Narration, great footage, meaningful music, well paced, makes you think about your own life and what it means to live in this world. I love the interviews with all the crazy university profs. Particularly the super stoned guy, the "Urbanist". I'am not saying he's a joke, just odd. I love this guy. Great work from a master Film Maker. Good to watch with a hangover.

Da die DVDs aus den USA kommen, haben sie für Normaluser 2 Hürden:a) die Abspielgeräte müssen NTSC können (ist meist schon gegeben)b) die DVDs sind mit dem Regioncode 1 (USA) versehen!ansonsten: Lieferung und Inhalte OK

Ric Burns' New York is clearly made in the style of Ken Burns' excellent documentary series, but, whilst it achieves the mixture of informative commentators and historical detail, it lacks the pace and interest of Kern Burns' long documentaries such as the Civil War, The West, and The Roosevelts. This is an editing deficiency rather than a content problem, so whilst the first four episodes are rather languid the latter half of the series picks up pace and is quite fascinating. It is rather pricey, but if one is prepared to stick with it, and be patient, it repays in its informativeness.

Very interesting topic , excellently presented .The 9-11 episode is really intense !I feel like a New Yorker having watched these !

The actual content of the DVD videos is mostly great!