Product Details

• Directors: A2ZCDS.com
• Format: Black & White, Collector's Edition, Flash, Full length, Full Screen, Original recording remastered, Restored, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: A2ZCDS.com
• DVD Release Date: March 21, 2005
• Run Time: 69 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00078JXRG
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #234,872 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

From the Actor

See The First Film Footage Ever Shot Of A Sitting US President! William McKinley in 1901 was the first president ever captured with the magic of motion pictures. Sadly it was later than year when he also became the first president assassinated during the 20th century! Now thanks to DVD technology we have been able to restore and preserve these celluloid masterpieces of history! This Is The First Time This Historic Footage Has Been Assembled On One DVD! William McKinley's tragic death launched Rough Rider Theodore Roosevelt into the White House, changing the course of history forever. This DVD captures the entire arc of President McKinley's second presidential term – from his inauguration to his tragic state funeral. If you are interested in politics, US history or how the media captured historic events at the turn of the century, then you need to own The History Of US Presidents: William McKinley - The 20th Century's First Tragedy on DVD today! Anarchy In The USA! President McKinley was shot down in the prime of his life by a self-proclaimed anarchist. On this incredible DVD you will see footage of the doomed president the day before his death. Then you will see several clips showing how the country mourned the first president of the 20th century! This historic DVD has the best footage ever compiled of the tragic funeral procession of President William McKinley in 1901. For any history student this disk is a must have and includes crucial historical documentation of the Pan-American Exposition where the President was assassinated. This DVD completely documents the cultural festivities that were the hallmark of the doomed Exposition.

Product Description

The dawn of a new century. Suddenly terrorists bent on anarchy cut down the President of the United States in the prime of his life! Is this the latest Jerry Bruckheimer film? Nope, this is real history – be it that from 100 years ago. All but forgotten by history, William McKinley was the first president of the 20th century - and also the first to be assassinated. It’s pretty cool to see footage of the president the day before he was shot down – when you consider just how new a medium film was in the early 1900s.

It’s amazing that this film has been preserved for so long and in such good shape (early film was shot on celluloid which breaks down into explosive material over time, so most films of this era were destroyed years ago). The footage of the doomed president’s funeral is a very moving experience and the clips of him as a happy politician at the Pan American Exhibition the day before he died is pretty chilling. This DVD is a good reminder that history repeats itself and America has weathered tragedy before – only to come out stronger.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what was expected, December 5, 2010

By 

Gary Wertz (Olympia, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: History of US Presidents: William Mckinley - The 20th Century's First Tragedy DVD (DVD)

I was expecting a documentary providing some insight on the late President and general information about President McKinley. I was disappointed because this is a series of old film footage put on a DVD but no narration. I feel this product would have been much better if there was some narration added to the very old footage. Although the film footage is well done (remember this footage was taken in the 1890s-1901). If I had known exactly what the product was I would not have bought it.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Rare Treat, May 23, 2006

By 

Deacon (America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: History of US Presidents: William Mckinley - The 20th Century's First Tragedy DVD (DVD)

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time trying to track down some of the oldest film footage I can find to check out the way that people saw the camera and the nature of film while the medium was being invented. Like the Edison films that come from a similar era, the quality of the clips here is rough and jumble, which makes sense given that they were filmed in the late 1800s. What makes it worth it is t hinking about the filming of an American president's funeral more than 100 years ago - in fact McKinley was the first president ever to be filmed, and it is sad that these clips were preserved mostly because he was the first president to be assasinated in the 20th century. The films here are very reminisant of JFK and RFK post assasinatin footage from the 1960s, except silent and in black and white.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Vintage, April 27, 2006

By 

Arthur (America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: History of US Presidents: William Mckinley - The 20th Century's First Tragedy DVD (DVD)

Ok, I have to admit that if you are looking for some of the sharpest looking films you have ever seen that this is not for you.

The footage here was shot in the 1800s and it shows in that the stock is grainy - though it has clearly gone through a decent restoration process, film from this era was not meant to last that long.

That said, the footage itself is amazing. It has both the inauguration and funeral of McKinley - the first actual recording of a united states president and for that the historical value alone is enourmous.

I found it fascinating.