Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Color:
Image not available

To view this video download Flash Player

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
Sell Us Your Item
For up to a $1.35 Gift Card
Trade in
More Buying Choices
Books_Jubilee Add to Cart
$18.23  & FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
Have one to sell? Sell yours here

The Congress (1996)

David McCullough , Charles McDowell , Ken Burns  |  NR |  DVD
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

List Price: $19.98
Price: $17.87 & FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $2.11 (11%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Only 1 left in stock.
Sold by newbury_comics and Fulfilled by Amazon. Gift-wrap available.
Want it Friday, May 24? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details

Other Formats & Versions

Amazon Price New from Used from
DVD 1-Disc Version $13.82  
  1-Disc Version $17.87  
"Star Trek Into Darkness" Available for Pre-order on Blu-ray and DVD
From director J.J. Abrams comes the next installment in the Star Trek saga, Star Trek Into Darkness. See it at Cinemark theaters now and pre-order on Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, DVD, and the Exclusive Starfleet Phaser Gift Set. Shop Star Trek Into Darkness and more in the Star Trek Store. Learn more

Frequently Bought Together

The Congress + Just The Facts - The United States Bill of Rights and Constitutional Amendments/ The Constitution + A More Perfect Union: America Becomes a Nation
Price for all three: $44.18

Buy the selected items together


Product Details

  • Actors: David McCullough, Charles McDowell, Barbara Fields, John C. Stennis, Alistair Cooke
  • Directors: Ken Burns
  • Writers: David McCullough, Bernard Weisberger, Geoffrey C. Ward, Ric Burns
  • Producers: Ken Burns, Catherine Eisele-Yang, Mike Hill
  • Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
  • Language: English
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: PBS (Direct)
  • DVD Release Date: November 12, 2002
  • Run Time: 90 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00007KE4G
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #289,415 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • Learn more about "The Congress" on IMDb

Special Features

None.

Watch Free Previews and Buy Episodes from Amazon Instant Video (Learn More)

Ken Burns: America Season 1

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Ken Burns's film on "the closest thing to a National Temple" is a brief and vital history of the United States Congress--the building and the institution. While the executive wing receives most of history's ink, the legislative branch has a more varied and colorful story. Starting with golden-tongued orators Henry Clay and Daniel Webster, the representatives were an eccentric lot, often pushing the limits of democracy with the power they wielded. Burns's formula of interviews, actors' readings, and wonderful photographs continue in this production although it's more streamlined. Covering 200 years in 90 minutes (the video version is slightly longer than the TV airing) is a tough job and we only stay a minute or two with key characters, many of whom you've never heard of. Burns may have bitten off more then he could chew with the vast history--much of it dealing with the slavery issue--but that was solved with his next project: his 11-hour masterpiece, The Civil War. --Doug Thomas

Product Description

In this elegant, penetrating and moving portrait of the United States Congress, filmmaker Ken Burns profiles an American institution whose ideals and actions affect us all. Narrated by David McCullough, the program employs historic film footage and interviews with "insiders" including David Broker, Alistair Cooke and Cokie Roberts to detail the personalities, events and issues that have animated Congress' first 200 years. The program chronicles the extraordinary careers of some of Congress' most notable members. It also charts the continuing growth of the Capitol building and features readings from diary entries, letters and famous speeches that have shaped Congressional history and reinvent the way America did business.

Customer Reviews

The film does include Senator John C. Stennis, which is nice. Bob Hope  |  2 reviewers made a similar statement
I'd love to see someone do an update. Barbara Frederick  |  1 reviewer made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars History of a vital, but much-aligned institution. May 21, 2000
Format:VHS Tape
Ken Burns' "The Congress" is a wonderful history of an essential but underrated American institution. In only ninety minutes, Burns captures the strengths and weaknesses of our legislative branch like few documentarians could. Congress, often accused of gridlock and pork barrelling, actually exemplifies the American ideal of self-rule. This film touches on key successes and failures of this body throughout its entire history. Burns examines the contributions of such pivotal congressmen as Joe Cannon, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, George Norris and a host of others. Burns alters our current perspective of Congress to show us an organization of great power that has, at times, ruled the country in counterbalance to weak presidents.

Burns uses contemporary newspaper accounts, archival footage, personal interviews, and journals to transform Congress's history in a fascinating parade of men and women who represented the best and worst of America. A great film.

Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A resource for Teachers, sent from heaven September 17, 2003
Format:DVD
My students loved it! My classroom was a scene of heated debate and excitement. I couldn't have asked for a better tool to aid in the teaching of our Congress.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Film with Great Insight January 12, 2005
Format:DVD
Good Film with great insight on such Congressmen as Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, Jeannette Rankin, Joe Cannon, and Sam Rayburn. I do wish the film was a little longer, but that may just be me.

It would be nice if Ken Burns makes and updated version in the next few years. I also wished Senators Strom Thurmond, Fritz Hollings and Edward M. Kennedy would have been quoted and/or interviewed. The film does include Senator John C. Stennis, which is nice. Even if Burns doesn't update the film, it stands up well over time. I think many people will like the quotes from James Madison given during the early part of the film.

I hope every Congressman owns a copy of this DVD.

"All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree." --James Madison, speech at the Constitutional Convention, July 11, 1787

Some of Daniel Webster's speeches:

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~dwebster/speeches/
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars School DVD
This DVD should get a 6 star on a 5 star scale rating except for the long monolgues of mostly Caucasian men. They did well but I was disappointed by the lack of diversity. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Charles A Berdel
4.0 out of 5 stars Ken Burns Explains Complicated Stuff
A good history and political science overview of the Congress, but pretty out of date by now. I'd love to see someone do an update. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Barbara Frederick
5.0 out of 5 stars Restores faith in the Congress
Awesome Ken Burns' film (from 1988) about the history of the U.S. Congress, with some of the great names and events profiled: Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, John C. Read more
Published on February 14, 2010 by Rodney Wilson
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent if far too short history of the main branch of government
Rewatching this documentary breaks my heart. Throughout our nation's history we've disagreed on many issues, none so intractable as slavery, but apart from that one we've managed... Read more
Published on November 16, 2009 by Robert Moore
2.0 out of 5 stars The Most Pithy Documentary in the World
If you know anythin about politics, and are interested in the INDIVIVUAL congresspeople that have served, than this is not the documentary for you. Read more
Published on February 21, 2008 by Heidi Ettinger
5.0 out of 5 stars A Highlight of Two Main Themes: Growth and Civil Rights
This richly-narrated documentary chronicles the story of the U.S. Congress through the framework of the two major themes that have dominated its proceedings since the founding:... Read more
Published on August 14, 2006 by Eagle Eye
1.0 out of 5 stars Horribly outdated and poorly made
This DVD is just an update of a VHS from 1988 with no new information. It is poorly made, shows nearly nothing about the history of the capital buildings, only stupid tidbits... Read more
Published on September 26, 2004 by B. Evans
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews


Forums

There are no discussions about this product yet.
Be the first to discuss this product with the community.
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 



Look for Similar Items by Category

newbury_comics Privacy Statement newbury_comics Shipping Information newbury_comics Returns & Exchanges