Customer Reviews

The Edward R. Murrow Collection

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One fact that this DVD collection helps to realise beyond any doubt, is that Murrow had an unique TV-screen presence. I'm 23 years old Polish man, so naturally I hadn't anything to do with Murrow till now (I'm to write an essay on him--hance my watching of the collection). And so I wasn't biased in any way in my first contact with the material. Murrow's silky voice is not so much seductive, as it's reassuring--the listener cannot doubt that this man here really knows what he's talking about and is NOT constatntly thinking about his looks or presence.

Murrow's broadcasting and his performances are totally free of celebrity-bias that is common among our contemporary anchormen. There's wonderful line in James L. Brooks' BROADCAST NEWS (1987-and still not dated). Albert Brooks is introducing William Hurt to the subtle art of reading the news correctly. One of his tips is: 'stress one word in each sentence - it will give an impression that you know what you're talking about' (I may have misquoted this one, since I saw the film in 1998). And William Hurt's 'Tom' does exactly that: without, of course, knowing what he's really talkin' about--but making TV-viewers BELIEVE that he does know.

Murrow didn't need this kind of tricks. His calmness, his constant pauses, his left hand holding a ciggaret, and his absolutely disarming (if rare) smiles and (even rarer) bursts of laughter, make one feel that here is the man truly concerned with what he has to say.

My favourite bit in the whole collection is one short dialogue between Murrow and Grandma Moses. He asks her about death, she remarks that she's not affraid of it, and Murrow begins a sentence, which - we cen sense that perfecly - was to be something like: "Is then death something you long for?". But as he speaks he realises that it would be impolite, so he begins to stammer (he of all people!) and changes it to some other question. At this very moment he seems wonderfully vulnerable -- that one-of-a-kind man of a steady voice, which is so soothing to hear.

Micha³ Oleszczyk, Tarnowskie Góry, Poland

If Good Night, and Good Luck makes you yearn to dig further into the Murrow mania, then this box set fits the bill. Murrow was often creidted with inventing broadcast journalism, and it's easy to understand. The four-disc set includes live broadcasts from the London Blitz and shocking reports from Buchenwald, the best of See It Now (including Grandma Moses and Louis Armstrong), his bold challenge of Joseph McCarthy and his "Red Scare" and the landmark 1960 special documenting the plight of migrant workers. See it now. And forever.

i bought this dvd collection to use in a presentation i made for a graduate school class to complement a book review of murrow. this collection is facinating for people who love murrow and those who've never seen his work. i will use this collection in future presentations that i'll make to my students as a professor.
EVERY PERSON IN BROADCASTING SHOULD BUY THIS COLLECTION AND WATCH IT to get a great look at the man who innovated our business!

I strongly recommend watching the film "Good Night and Good Luck" together with this collection. The documentary "This Reporter" is outstanding, providing much of the background information we only get a glimpse of in the film. At the same time, we realize how true and accurate the film is based on these materials -- a refreshing change at a time when Hollywood feels free to regularly bend and twist historical fact!

Five Stars!

Anyone who thinks they are a journalist -- think again. Murrow used language as no one has, both in radio and television, in war and,as he said, an ueasy peace. Those who claim that Murrow fostered the likes of Springer and O'Reilley have not seen these videos from, what must seem to some, a "land ago, far, far, away." Murrow was a genius at stating things succinctly, more often than not as objectively as possible. I find it interesting that many young people complain about the over-acting of the guy playing Joseph McCarthy in George Clooney's film, something which should be seen with the "Murrow Collection." As us oldsters know, that wasn't an actor and the struggle for truth and to "see it now" continues.

Good Night and GOOD LUCK.

This collection consists of four discs covering a broad range of work by Murrow, arguably setting the gold standard for journalism since the beginning of television. He was determined to make sure this new medium would be used with the greatest possible integrity while at the same time being immensely entertaining. There is no doubt he accomplished his goal and, fortunately, some have tried hard to imitate him and maintain credibility with audiences while, unfortunately, others have deteriorated into the journalistic versions of professional wrestling. The disc, THE MCCARTHY YEARS, was the basis for the very successful movie GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK. Those five words were his trademark parting message every show. The four DVD's include the story of Murrow and his start in radio in London during WWII, clips from his show, 'See It Now' on location in Korea during that conflict, his journey into the South during the Civil Rights demonstrations and a very interesting interview with Grandma Moses. The last two discs are the complete shows of his confrontation with Joseph McCarthy, the Jr. Senator from Wisconsin challenging his communist witch hunt activities in the Senate, including McCarthy's response, and the full show on Thanksgiving Day in 1960 about the plight of migrant workers called "Harvest of Shame", one of the most famous documentaries of all time. A must watch for those who want to see what television has the potential to be and do. There was only one Edward R. Murrow. Unfortunately, a heavy smoker, he died from lung cancer at the age of 57. Nostalgia for some, but maybe a challenge and a goal for those considering journalism and the media as a career.

Grandma Moses' interview in the "Two American Originals" segment in the "See It Now" disk could have been historic, but important substance from the full produced interview by Edward R. Murrow was not included.

Two-thirds of the produced 25-minute Murrow-Moses interview were not broadcasted and are not contained in the "Two American Originals" segment of the "Edward R. Murrow Collection" "See It Now" DVD in this set.

Edited out of the produced 25-minute interview were several highly-interesting, although in places, difficult-to-hear, accounts
having important historical and cultural value. Deleted oral histories include how Grandma Moses made soap when living in the Shenandoah Valley, and how she came to make both butter and money when living there. Also edited out were her advice to people (and her firm instruction to Mr. Murrow) on how to paint; her detailed recollection about studying (and excelling at) Geography when she attended school; her explanations about Halloween customs and pranks of the time; her views on fashion and politics; what (and who) she expects to encounter in the Hereafter; her opinions of the painting of President Eisenhower and Winston Churchill; and her detailed account of her visit with President Truman at the White House.

The entire 25-minute produced Murrow-Moses interview has been completely transcribed into English and translated into Japanese to permit it to be video captioned; however, the DVD's copyright holder has restricted any release or sharing of these historical treasures.

To watch what was the first television program to drive itself by way of a moral compass and the concern for the public good, was both refreshing and saddening. It felt so nice to see an honest reporter standing up for something despite endangering both his network and himself to do it. Also, it felt sad to know that this was in the 1950s and now...well, now we have FOX. It was Murrow who actually started the ball rolling in the long overdue decapitation of Joseph McCarthy and his fascistic crusaders...now we have FOX. Watch this series and know how far we have fallen, where television's morality, integrity and spine are concerned.