Customer Reviews

American Experience: The Rockefellers

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This series is lllllloooonnnngggg!!! Still, I enjoyed it. I wonder about how the rich get rich and stay rich. This work illustrates that via one family. Some may feel that the Rockefellers are yesteryear's news, but the topics presented here are very similar to what Bill Gates is facing. This work moves from monopolies to philanthropy to politics. What stood out to me is how ever Rockefeller generation did something differently once the parents died and couldn't chastise them. I think many young people may relate to wanting to free themselves from older authorities.

The first rich Rockefeller lost all his hair. They had an interviewee with no eyebrows. I wonder if they purposely chose her because she was missing hair that most people still possess. One interviewee had really bad teeth that any dentist could have fixed. One Rockefeller descendant interviewed had a Band-Aid on his head. I think that points to his humanity that he was willing to be filmed bandaged when he could have requested an interview after the cut on his head healed.

Several Rockefellers, of various ages and genders, gave interviews for this work. They must have approved of the documentary if they willingly participated. Though the work speaks of condemnation of the Rockefellers by the public, they also just reported the facts. Perhaps the neutrality of the work persuaded the family to get involved in it.

I was going to title my review "For those whom much is given" and then one Rockefeller actually spoke that line himself. Perhaps it's a given that the mega-rich have responsibilities in addition to their numerous advantages.

"The Rockefellers" is well researched documentary of a family with power going beyond money alone. It is over three hours long, and could have been done in less than two hours to get the main points and still hold interest. Overall it shows the shady beginnings and the family's ultimate mission of public service.

As someone who is a lover of biographies, especially political biographies, I was thrilled the first time that PBS ran this series on the Rockefellers. I only knew bits and pieces about the family from articles that I read. But, watching the miniseries really sparked my fascination. To see how the family evolved from the patriarch, old "devil" Bill Rockefeller, into the philanthropic dynasty that we know was a particularly interesting journey. I would encourage everyone to buy this series because it combines all the elements of a good story: love, sex, angst, losses and victories. You won't be disappointed.

Bought the DVD after visiting the Rockefeller estate in Westchester County, NY.
Wanted to know more about the family. The DVD gave a good in depth understanding with the good and the bad about the Rockefellers from the parents of John D. to now.
Learned a lot.

"The Rockefellers" It's a lousy product. I could not watch it without interruptions. The worst thing is the background music. Most of the time it is very loud. Moreover, the choice of music does not match to its contents at all.

It makes me DIZZY time to time; sometimes it makes me feel I'm going crazy. And this is not the only one. There are some other PBS DVDs with too loud background music.

The contents? It's OK. Four stars.

But, still....

How could anybody watch a DVD when it discomforts you so much? This product deserves ony one star, overall.