![Aftershock: Beyond The Civil War [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Caq2yKUGL._AC_UL140_SR140,140_.jpg)
An extraordinary 8 part, almost 18 hour history of New York City; its politics, economics, architecture, and above all humanity, from the first arrival of white settlers. (I would have been curious to know more about the Native Americans who had been living there, but the focus is on New York as a city, which arguably started with the arrival of the Dutch).
I was born and lived the first half of my life in NYC, was always passionate and curious about it, and yet the program had so much fascinating information I didn't know – not only about the distant past, but the complex back-room city politics and policy decisions (some disastrously wrong headed, even aggressively racist) that were going on in my early years.
It's always lively, often touching and asks important questions about what makes a city and why they're so important -- as well as "how can a city keep 'modernizing', but not lose it's soul?" It also forced me to abandon some supposed "facts" I'd been brought up with as a New Yorker, like the idea that names of immigrants were commonly changed at Ellis Island.
The last episode, made after the rest of the documentary, is devoted entirely to the Word Trade Center; it's inception, it's building (and the complex, sometimes dark politics behind it), it's successes and failures as architecture and urban planning, and of course its horrifying demise. While it's the most emotional of the episodes, it does feel a bit apart from the others, spending it's entire length on one very focused subject. Not a problem, other than a bit of change in style.
If I had to nit-pick it would probably be the use of hyperbole in some of the narration. I lost count of how many crises were 'the worst
the city ever faced'. But that is a tiny fly in a ton of ointment.
The images, still and moving, are beautifully chosen (great seeing moving images from the turn of the century New York), the various expert talking heads are passionate and articulate, and I learned so much more than I expected, and often felt on the edge of my seat, as if I was watching drama, not history.
It's interesting that film-maker Ric Burns' brother Ken has received so much more attention. I find Ric's many documentaries often the equal ofKen Burns' work, and indeed sometimes find them more emotional.
Enjoy fast, FREE delivery, exclusive deals and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery
American Experience: New ... has been added to your Cart
| Additional DVD options | Edition | Discs | Price | New from | Used from |
Watch Instantly with 
| Per Episode | Buy Season |
Frequently bought together
$44.86
Get it as soon as Friday, May 26
In Stock.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Customers also search
Page 1 of 1Page 1 of 1
From the manufacturer
Videos
Page 1 of 1Start OverPage 1 of 1
Videos for this product
0:59
Click to play video
New York: First City Of The World
Publisher Video
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 27, 2014
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 30, 2021
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 18, 2017
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 5, 2013
Top reviews from other countries
Michael Sinyangwe
The packaging was slightly damaged.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 18, 2021
Uliversal Studios
! Achtung ! nicht nur NTSC, sondern auch Regioncode
Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on October 5, 2018
