Ken Burns

1
Ken Burnss The Civil War

• Documentary Film and History

2
Viewing The Civil War

• September, 1990 11-Hour Series Appeared on PBS
• Shattered all records for a PBS educational
  series
• 13.9 million watched the first complete broadcast
• 40 million watched one or more broadcasts
• Millions more have watched repeats, VHS, DVD,
  etc.
• The Civil War helped renew popular interest in
  American History.

3
Characteristics of the Film

• Deliberate decision not to use historical
  re-enactments
• Extensive use of The Ken Burns Effect (panning
  in and out over a photograph to show details).
• Many shots of landscapes battlefields
• Reliance on historians as talking heads
• Precise use of authentic footage
• Soundtrack attempts to remain in period

4
History Film

• What role(s) should documentary film play in
  teaching about history?
• Is the market success of programs such as The
  Civil War and even networks such as The History
  Channel good or bad for historians?