The National Parks: America's Best Idea

As the subtitle of Ken Burns' six-part PBS documentary suggests, the decision to safeguard certain lands from commercial exploitation in order to preserve them as government-maintained oases for the public to enjoy was arguably America's best idea—one that originated in the United States and spread to the rest of the world. Burns traces the history of America's national parks with the familiar approach used in his earlier mega-documentaries, with loads of archival material—stills lovingly caressed by the camera in the earlier episodes, film footage in the later entries—accompanied by magnificent outdoor shots, sober narration (intoned by Peter Coyote), and interview excerpts. The amount of detail is staggering as the series proceeds from Congress' establishment of the first park, Yellowstone, in 1872, through the setting aside of millions of acres in Alaska by President Jimmy Carter a century later. The narrative pauses periodically to offer biographical sketches of heroic figures in the movement—such as John Muir, one of the earliest promoters of conservation, and President Theodore Roosevelt—as well as anecdotes about others who were instrumental in the establishment of various parks or have simply enjoyed what they offer. While the pace is leisurely, this is a worthy and sure-to-be-popular addition to Burns' films focusing on Americana. DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “making of” featurette, short films, music segments, and outtakes. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)