The West

Although Ken Burns only served as executive producer to director Stephen Ives, the apple has not fallen far from the tree. In fact, this ambitious mini-series slated to debut on PBS in September is indistinguishable in style and form from Burns' classic series The Civil War. We watched Episode 3: The Speck of the Future, which expertly told the tale of the 1849 Gold Rush--the dreams of Easterners riding westward, the wave of immigrants seeking American riches, and the punitive backlash of the so-called "native" white Californians (who were very much johnny-come-latelys). If the third episode is any indication of the rest of the series (which I've no doubt it is), the mythology of the capitalized "West" is in for a serious debunking. Combining wonderful background music, letters and diary excerpts from the period, archival photos, and fine contemporary landscape footage, The West tells a truly multicultural history which has been long overdue. That it's not a politically correct version (saints and sinners are found in all camps) is much to its credit: viewers will, I think, gladly watch a revisionist history that seeks to illuminate rather than preach. Other titles in the series include: The People, Fight No More Forever, and Death Runs Riot. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: J, H, C, P. (R. Pitman)