Product Details

• Actors: Alfre Woodard, David Brower, Floyd Dominy, Barry Goldwater, Robert Towne
• Directors: Jon Else, Linda Harrar
• Writers: Jon Else, Marc Reisner, Sandra Postel
• Producers: Jon Else, Linda Harrar, Dan McCann, Jonathan Halperin, Jonathan T. Taplin
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Homevision / KTEH / PBS / Columbia
• VHS Release Date: June 16, 2000
• Run Time: 55 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0780019288
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #172,430 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

We can turn the Colorado River off, if we want to. That sobering thought is the heart of An American Nile, an exploration of the dam-building frenzy that possessed the Bureau of Reclamation in the middle part of the 20th century and nearly led to damming the Grand Canyon. Through stock footage, modern shots of the river and its surrounding country, and interviews with the builders and their environmentalist foes, we can see the struggle between two noble desires: to make the desert livable and to preserve the wilderness. Stirring and triumphant as the great dams are, they unquestionably started a chain reaction of environmental consequences unforeseen by their designers. Watching the Cadillac Desert series reminds us that we have great power, and we must use it wisely if we want the desert to continue bearing fruit. --Rob Lightner

Product Description

An American Nile charts the Colorado River's 100-year transformation from a wild desert river to the most controlled, litigated, and over-allocated river in history. The first river to come under complete human control, it can now be turned off, to the last drop.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential information for understanding western politics., January 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Cadillac Desert - Water and the Transformation of Nature: Boxed Set (Includes Chinatown 1974 Feature Film) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Essential information for understanding western politics. Essential information for anyone interested in agriculture and/or environmental problems in the western United States.

Gives a concise history of water resource development in the west. Describes how water projects became epitome of what we know as pork barrel politics.

This series is based on a book of the same name by Mark Reisner. The film is a good synopsis of the book but for any one who enjoys the film I strongly suggest also reading the book. The book covers so much more information and gives many more startling examples.

For any one in the buisness of natural resource conservation or preservation I would suggest this documentary and the book as required materials.

For anyone in the agriculture buisness I would suggest the film as required and urge you to read the book if interested in the topic.

I grew up on a family farm and have since moved in to the field of fisheries biology. I have seen how difficult it is for small farmers to survive, I have also seen how most of our native fishes are failing to survive. Both of these tragedies result, in part, from large agribuisness which is a direct product of the large federal projects you will see in this documentary.

Buy it, and enjoy learning. Knowledge is power!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good companion, April 3, 2004

By 

Bryan Pearson (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cadillac Desert (Complete Series; 4 Tape Set) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Marc Reisner's book is certainly superior, packed with eye-opening information about the evolution of water policy. Read that first.

Having said that, this video series is a fine companion, and shows a lot that just can't be illustrated in the book. Among the real treasures is footage of the profoundly beautiful Glen Canyon before it was flooded, and footage of a dam burst in action. And after reading about the larger-than-life Floyd Dominy, it's an absurd hoot to hear him declare in an interview, "Those Indians treated me with more reverance than the Buddha!"

The first three volumes follow much of what Reisner explored in the book, and he is an enthusiastic, wise presence in many video snippets. The fourth volume focuses more on worldwide water issues, and is based on a different book, "Last Oasis".

I also finally watched the movie Chinatown, which wasn't very historically accurate, and seemed to be less about water policy than about twisted family history. But screenwriter Robert Townsend weighs in with some compelling commentary in this video series.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing and Vital History!!, September 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Cadillac Desert - Water and the Transformation of Nature: Boxed Set (Includes Chinatown 1974 Feature Film) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This series is entertaining, dramtic, smart, important and true! The boxed set even comes with the feature film "Chinatown"