Product Details

• Actors: Josh Hamilton, Barbara Feldon, Eli Wallach, Ansel Adams, David Ogden Stiers
• Directors: Ric Burns
• Writers: Ric Burns
• Producers: Ric Burns, Adrienne Bramhall, Annette Handley, Inness Wei, Kate Roth Knull
• Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Pbs Home Video
• DVD Release Date: January 14, 2003
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00007G1YJ
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #78,938 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  Movies & TV > Documentary > By Director > Burns, Ric

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Ric Burns's documentary for the American Experience series winningly persuades one to think of Ansel Adams as not only the greatest American photographer of the 20th century, but also one of its most treasured artists. Using the familiar formula of New York (and his brother Ken's documentaries), Burns vividly brings Adams's world to life. Narrator David Ogden Stiers is used minimally after the initial set-up, leaving the words to curators, authors, and family members who knew Adams's life and art best (Adams's own letters are also voiced). The film, sponsored by the Sierra Club to mark the 100th anniversary of the photographer's birth, makes a passionate plea for this man "who helped transfer the meaning of wilderness and what people thought about it." There is plenty of time for his magnificent pictures to be shown, often nicely accompanied by modern-day color films of the area. It's a must-see for any fan of Adams. --Doug Thomas

Product Description
Written, directed and produced by Ric Burns and timed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ansel Adams's birth, Ansel Adams is an elegant, moving and lyrical portrait of one of the most eloquent and quintessentially American photographers. At the heart of the film are the themes that absorbed Adams throughout his career: the beauty and fragility of "the American earth," the inseparable bond between man and nature and the moral obligations that the present owes to the future. Ansel Adams was co-produced by the Sierra Club and attracted 5 million broadcast viewers upon its initial airing on PBS.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant biography of Adams, August 11, 2003

By	H. David Peirce "Zossima" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I purchased this as a birthday gift for my wife, who has recently picked up photography as a hobby. We both feel like we've spent 90 minutes in the presence of a brilliant, fascinating, passionate visionary. We are amazed at his life and work. In short, this documentary does what any good, short documentary should do: It makes you want to know Adams and his work better.

PROS:
* Nice biography of Adams' life, highlighting the role his father played in facilitating Ansel's self-directed learning as a youth, his introduction to photography, his marriage (with its ups and downs), etc. We were able to see what drove Ansel Adams.
* Need I say anything about his work? There has never been and never will be another photographer like Adams. This documentary just makes me want to sit in front of his photos for hours!
* Insights into how his photography and extensive time in the wilderness shaped his philosophy/worldview.
* Insights into how he exposed and developed photographs to reveal what he saw as he took the pictures--his embrace of realism.

CONS:
* The television screen is not an ideal place to view Adams' photos. Ric Burns did a great job of panning and zooming to allow us to experience Adams' work, but if you're really interested in Adams, you need to buy some of his prints or a coffee table book or find a museum with a collection of Adams photos. This is not Ric Burns fault--he did an amazing job telling this story.

PURCHASING RECOMMENDATION:
If you are interested in Ansel Adams, photography, or even just interested in art and the creative process, this is an excellent film. Highly recommended.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ansel Adams - American Treasure, February 6, 2005

By	S. LAMONTAGNE (Eastern Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Ansel Adams: A Documentary Film (DVD)

I saw this program on PBS .. it was breath taking; this documentary reveals an interesting chronology of the life of the man along with the growth and development of his genius. It is not a technical critique of his works. Rather, it takes the viewer on a beautiful photographic journey through his life and gives one a appreciation of our American heritage and the precious beauty of our country.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth every penny..., May 20, 2003

By	Mark E. Smith "Mark Edward Smith - Risk Consu... (Connecticut, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The photo documentary for which all others should be based upon. Whether you like, love or hate AA, this is a well make, moving and informative Biography of AA. Of course is was done by one of the Burns brothers so it has to be great.

Covers the life of AA, is trial and tribulations, his highs and lows. It also covers some of his greatest accomplishments as well as is personal achievements.
MUST HAVE IN YOUR DVD COLLECTION!!!