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You must remember this
Ken Burns makes deeply emotional films that pluck America's chords of memory. In the case of World War II, this approach feels absolutely right.
By Gary Kamiya [2007-09-25]

  • Ken Burns has made no claim that this is the definitive history of WWII...

    Rather, each episode of "The War" begins with the disclaimer that it is NOT that, only a record of America's involvement, specifcally seen through the lens of four separate towns.

    Ken Burns has no obligation to make a global history of WWII. That was already done by the BBc in 1974, with "The World At War" which was pretty good but kind of stuffy.

    It is pretty clear that without the Russian sacrifice we would have a very different world today. I have seen many good films and documentaries on Kursk and Stalingrad.

    That's not what this film is about. To criticise it for not being something which it never claimed to be is a little unfair. It would be like me critiquing a Russian documentary about that countries involvement in WWII for not mentioning the Americans enough.

    Every country invlved in WWII should produce a history of what it was like. That is what Ken Burns has done, and he should be applauded.

    -- moondogger
    [Read moondogger's other letters]
    Tuesday, September 25, 2007 07:31 AM
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