Although this is not, as the PBS press materials claim, "the first documentary series ever" to profile all 41 of the men who have held the office of president of the United States (Hail to the Chief: 41 Presidential Portraits, reviewed in VL-1/97, predates this by a full three years), this is certainly both the most comprehensive and the best. Combining newsreel footage, photographs, and interviews, The American President provides a glimpse into the early lives of the presidents (focusing on those events which framed their lives and put them on the path to the presidency) and examines their administrations in an historical context along with the contributions they made to American history. Organized into non-chronological topics, the thematic arrangement allows viewers to analyze similarities and differences in personal philosophies, political strengths and weaknesses, and major accomplishments in foreign and domestic affairs. Beautifully photographed, elegantly scripted, and boasting outstanding narrators such as Alexander Haige, Colin Powell, and Walter Cronkite (who provide voices for those presidents for whom original sound recordings are not available), The American President brings to life our presidential history in a vibrant, exciting manner. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: J, H, C, P. (L. Stevens)
The American President
(2000) 5 videocassettes, approx. 120 min. each. $99.98 ($149.95 w/PPR; $250 for indexed version). PBS Video. Color cover. Closed captioned. ISBN: 0-7806-3105-6. Vol. 15, Issue 5
The American President
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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