The American Revolution: A Film by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein & David Schmidt
5 | 2 ratings
Price: 69.99
Last update: 12-01-2025
Product details
- Aspect Ratio : 16:9
- MPAA rating : PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
- Product Dimensions : 0.58 x 6.63 x 5.11 inches; 6.08 ounces
- Media Format : Blu-ray
- Run time : 12 hours
- Release date : November 18, 2025
- Actors : Claire Danes, Hugh Dancy, Josh Brolin, Kenneth Branagh, Liev Schreiber
- Subtitles: : Spanish
- Studio : PBS
- ASIN : B0FHYVBRQD
- Number of discs : 6
- Best Sellers Rank:#117 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
- Special Interests (Movies & TV)
- Customer Reviews:4.34.3 out of 5 stars(62)
Top reviews from the United States
- James QuinnA near masterwork.I’ve taught American history at the elementary level for over 40 years, and in the course of that time I’ve found and used a number of videos about the Revolution. None ever even came close to this one for the sweep of its coverage, the honesty of its portrayal of so many of the aspects of the conflict , both good and bad, or the depth of its examination.
I have only one complaint: that besides the coverage of Washington’s military exploits and even those of Horatio Gates at Saratoga and Camden, those of Nathaniel Greene got relatively short shrift. His extraordinary sccomplishments in the southern theater made possible the final defeat of British arms in the colonies and thus the successful conclusiin of the war.
Apart from that, this was a masterwork. - MRHWell made documentary of the American RevolutionThis is about as close as you can get in 12 hours of encapsulating the events surrounding the American Revolution. Ken Burns lays it out in the sequence of events as they took place. For those whom have not studied this topic it will be revelatory. For those that have, it may or may not fall short. But with so much written accounts by so many, Burns kept it manageable at 12 hours. This is one video from the classroom to the home that needs to be seen. There are no politics other than the obvious ones. And no revision history.
Just a well managed origin story of We The People.
So, buy this series for your children's children. And let us not forget this story. Our Story. - JoshuaWorth the waitClassic Ken Burns!! This long awaited documentary by Ken Burns is FINALLY available and doesn't disappoint. It is informative, educational, and everything you come to expect and love whether you are a Ken Burns fan, an American history buff, military history guru, or just a fan of documentaries.
- Gigi9A magnificent filmThis is a magnificent film. I'm extremely moved by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein's, and David Schmidt's documentary—and the unbelievable undertaking to make it. I wept throughout every episode. (I currently live in Morristown, NJ, so I'm surrounded by the history.) The sacrifices that were made by Indigenous Americans, enslaved and free Blacks, and patriots who were subsistence farmers and mariners who endured smallpox, typhus, starvation, and the most savage violence - and how they prevailed for these ideals of liberty and freedom to claim a new way of living - are extraordinary. The Bill of Rights is still being fought for. It is a reminder not to hand over our government to a despot and tyrant. Everyone who is a citizen, or wants to be one, should watch this film to be reminded that we should all be united in our sacred rights. p.s. Brava, Sarah. I'm a Bard alum and remember you as a little girl! Can't thank you enough for making this extraordinary film.
- Amazon CustomerOutstanding Audio/Visual Introduction To The History Of The Founding Of The U.S.A.This newest DVD/Blu-ray audio/visual set on the American Revolution is a great starter for persons interested in American history and the founding of the United States of America directly after this eight year ordeal which split the ties to Great Britian. Another Ken Burns/PBS splendid carefully researched, and documented historical record for all
persons interested: who, why, when, where a permanent break with Great Britian became both necessary and proper.
This work should be viewed by persons coming into the United States as emigrants seeking citizenship in order to
learn about the meaning of American Liberrty and the human costs and sacrifices that made it possible. - TVery disappointing- NOTHING like the Civil War film.I hate to give a 10 year project anything less than 4 or 5 stars, but this does not even come CLOSE to the Civil War film that was done by Ken Burns in the 90's. I'll just list a few of the more disappointing lowlights:
1) Unlike the Civil War film that so many of us loved and wanted the soundtrack for, the music was not unique to the Revolutionary War Era & just didn't evoke the emotion it should have.
2) The individual stories just lacked gravity- I didn't care as much as I'd like to have for many of the ones who were included. A few, yes, but not at all like the Civil War characters.
3) Again with the Deist thing!...only 3-4 were actual Deists & maybe a few more who only qualified as Deists because they were not very committed to their religions of choice. And when it comes to the ones who were NOT Deists (Washington & Hamilton for example), no real mention is made of their true faith- sorely lacking was the very famous prayers of Washington before crossing the Delaware & again at his resignation- whether we share his faith or not, it is important to understand that it was part of the driving force that kept them in the fight. And a Deists does not appeal to "Almighty God" before going into battle- he doesn't believe that God inserts himself into the affairs of men.
3) While not completely overboard on political correctness, it's still all through this film. IMO, they should have gone into the fact that many of the Founding Fathers were against slavery. Instead, we hear that most were either for it, or looked the other way...which is also true, but ignores those who pushed for abolition in the laws they WERE able to pass, but got ignored well into the 1800's.
What did I like? The maps were very well done & helpful to understand where/why certain battles mattered more than others, and the proximities of the forces involved. One thing we almost always underestimate, is how difficult it would have been to know where your enemy is with the topography and tree-lines that were almost everywhere in the 1700's.
If I hadn't pre-ordered this film, I never would have bought it, unlike the Civil War series, which I bought twice and gave out as gifts. If you think along the same lines as I do about the film, I'd suggest seeing it on PBS and moving on. When you think about the Civil War vs this one, Burns tried to give an honest look into the people and their viewpoints in that film. Didn't do much to demonize either side for their views, just stuck to the facts and let history be the judge- but this one felt hollow at times, and if we can't learn from the history of the story (there was enough of the bad included, but not enough of the good in this film), it might as well be fiction. Very disappointing.