Customer Reviews

National Geographic: Inside the U.S. Secret Service

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well this wasn't an easy topic to do reseach on.Well,you could tell that because of the name "Secret Service." National Geogrphics was allowed access to a alot of interesting things.The secret service has always facinated me.There whole operation are here in full detail.How they perpare a sight weeks in advance for the president.It shows all the assassinations and assassination attempts that were caught on camera.I really like the pace of this documentary.One of the best narrarated National Geographic has really done a terrific job.Compared to the Inside the F.B.I Doc,I would say that this is alot better in detail,pace,length.If you are interested in this topic you should buy this.It also contains two 20 minute documentary on x-presidents.I highly recommend this. A+

i would highly recommend that anyone who has an interest in or fascination with the Secret Service purchase this video. I have long been interested in the Secret Service and all that the agents do. This video did not let me down. Obviously highly sensitive protective measures are not revealed during the film, but the viewer is still able to get a nice, general idea of all that agents do on a daily basis. The film takes you through the procedures that agents perform when they are securing a location for a presidential trip. The film also provides the historical context for the origins of the Secret Service, and talks about some of the major assassinations and assassination attempts on presidents and presidential candidates in the history of the country. Finally, the film also gives a look at how the Secret Service works to protect presidential candidates. There are interviews with numerous current and former special agents, including Clint Hill, Larry Cockell, Brian Stafford, and Jerry Parr to name a few. There are also interviews with former Presidents Clinton, Ford, and Bush Sr. The former Presidents explain how difficult it can be to adjust to life in the bubble and how the agents do their best to make it work. The film even addressed the sensitive issue of agents having to disclose private things they see when protecting the President (think Larry Cockell and the Lewinsky scandal). I thoroughly enjoyed the film from the moment it began until it ended. I was even sorry to see the credits roll; I wanted more. So as I stated previously, if you have any interest at all in the Secret Service, this is a video you should purchase.

This documentary is a solid and enjoyable examination of the key historical events that shaped presidential protection, an overview of the secret service's two principal duties (safeguarding both the commander-in-chief and the nation's currency), and a demonstration of some of the training and procedures involved in presidential security. The video is of pretty good quality, and as someone who is a West Wing fan, a political science nut, and a fan of educational/documentary film-making, I really felt that this doc put it all together nicely. All of the interviews, anecdotes, and various pieces of footage were both interesting and quite informative. It's good stuff.

As a proud former member of the United States Secret Service, I believe that this product is worth your time and money...and I also feel it is my perogative to inform everyone here that, while Vince Palamara is to be commended for his notable research acumen and getting many of my colleagues-and myself- to speak to him, he has also done so at the expense of many of their feelings, beliefs, and trust. In short, Vince Palamara believes the means justifies the ends.
So, imagine my horror when I turn on the television a few years back and I SEE the young researcher who promised myself and many others that he was not a journalist, stating facts, theories, and innuendo as the gospel truth. Emory Roberts, for one, cannot defend himself. I will concede that I have no good explanation for what transpires on the film Palamara shows-but does that have to lead to conspiratorial conclusions? Does it, Vince?
From what I gather, many members of the AFAUSSS, myself included, are quite upset with him, as well they should be.

Can we let sleeping dogs lie? Lee Harvy Oswald killed President John Kennedy, acting alone. Yes, my colleagues did not do their jobs as effectively as they could have or probably should have-but will that bring back the man? No. What useful purpose is served by defaming Kennedy's memory and all the still-living former agents with calling into question the very painful loss of said man, as well as their job performance.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
T.R., proud alumni/ past member of the folowing organizations:
MSU
Army 1957-1959
USSS 1961-1982

Lots of talking heads and conference rooms, so NG chose to overcompensate by doing tons of extraneous swooping camera movement and inducing nausea so you don't notice the utter lack of content.

Don't waste your time buying this. Instead, buy the outstanding book Standing Next to History: An Agent's Life Inside the Secret Service and read that cover to cover. I can't in good conscience even recommend renting this DVD. I was bored stiff and disgusted by the emotional manipulation.

Polygraphs have no scientific basis, so don't portray them like they "break" criminal masterminds. That's nonsense and it's propaganda and it casts doubt on every other fact in the documentary. And second, President Bush is not personified by the Twin Towers, so don't spin the 9/11 attacks as though they were a personal attack on GWB. I don't buy that either and it insults the viewer. This was a 30 minute documentary padded into 90 minutes. I hit fast forward skim numerous times.

This is the very last NG documentary I will ever waste my time and money renting.

The Secret Service perform an amazing service, at enormous personal cost. This documentary did not do their dedication justice. Shame on NG for putting their name behind this sub-par documentary.

I'm quite happy with the video. It has some nice photos of the presidential limo, Air Force One, and agents protecting the president. It has many neat historical facts and video clips. It doesn't reveal any juicy details about the Secret Service, as many of their operational procedures are classified. However, it is quite specific about some of their general procedures.

Very interesting documentary of the elusive US Secret Service and its work. Insightful, objective and factual; kudos to the production team, research and the men for sharing! Well done! Thank you!

This documentary was very immense, intense and mind boggling. You learn many new things that you have never ever realized possible with this documentary. The Secret Service is what I believe to be the most experienced federal agency. This video teaches a lot about the Secret Service and the way they do things. Their adaption to the many environments the President travels in and through are just very surprising. This is a must see for people seeking education into the Secret Service.

- Scott

Very good presentation. As a retired Special Agent I saw many friends. The product is well done without jeprodizing security and procedure.

While I think this dvd is highly entertaining and informative, and while I also think the layman out there will truly enjoy it, for the very well informed like myself (I am the leading civilian authority on the Secret Service, especially with regard to the period from FDR to Reagan), I have some mixed emotions. For one, like the 1995 History Channel and 1995 Discovery Channel documentaries (both available only on vhs), this was an officially-sanctioned production, so, needless to say, trade secrets and controversy are kept to a bare minimum, to put it mildly. Second, while Clint Hill appears on all 3 productions, I feel even more could have been said by him about not only the events of 11/22/63, but with regard to the JFK/ LBJ years, in general (he DOES state that the back of the head behind the right ear was gone, thus corroborating his own 1963 SS report and 1964 WC testimony; it's good to hear him actually say the words). In addition, as with the Discovery Channel production (and the 1996 PBS special re: Truman), former ASAIC/ #2 agent under JFK Floyd M. Boring makes a noteworthy appearance, but, as with his other two appearances, only to deal with the infamous 11/1/50 Blair House assassination attempt on President Truman; nothing about his role as planner of the Texas trip and so forth.

In addition to the "usual suspects" (Hill, Boring, Jerry Parr), it would have been nice to seem some new faces like Joe Petro (with a book out right now) and Robert DeProspero (SAIC during part of the Reagan years, between Parr and Shaddick).

Still, for 90-99% of the viewing audience, you will find much to like about this documentary, arguably the best of the 3, although I feel the 1995 History Channel documentary is the best for the early days of the Secret Service. For the JFK years, please read "Murder In Dealey Plaza" by Fetzer and "The Secret Service" by Melanson, as well as "Survivor's Guilt: The Secret Service & The Failure To Protect The President" by yours truly, due out soon.