Rating: 
Summary: Roots is for everyone.
Review: Watching 'Roots' as a adult 25 years after its release in 1977 is bittersweet. There are scenes that I could recall very easily, like when Kunta Kinte was named in the moonlight, or when Kizzy spit in Missy Anne's water. But the rest of the 6 episodes were so brand new and fresh. It was a great feast for the eyes, ears and heart. I was overwhelmed.As a 7 year old little girl I watched with great pride. As an adult woman I watch with a renewed sense of how far we have come as a nation. I am in awe of the legacy Alex Haley has presented. A legacy that represents African people in the Western Hemisphere disconnected from our Motherland...Africa. I can't wait for ...The Next Generation to be available on DVD. This is a must for a lover of history...black, white, brown, yellow and everyone in between
Rating: 
Summary: The Roots of Roots
Review: Warner Brothers has done a wonderful job in bringing David Wolper's 1977 television classic to DVD. This 3 DVD box set comes in an attractive tri-fold insert with an extensive chapter list and summary of each episode of the 573 minute production. The picture is colorful and sharp and the audio is a satifactory digital mono. The box claims "feature-length" audio commentary. Although commentary is extensive and entertaining, it does not run through the entire feature, constantly. There are also video commentaries on each disc from various people who worked on the film, which show highlights from the film as the actors speak on their memories. Some of actors have not aged well. There is also a behind-the-scenes documentary. My only quip is that one can not switch back and forth between the film's audio track and the commentary track at whim. One has to go to the main menu and switch to the commentary feature, much like Warner Brothers's release of Ben Hur, a mild irritation. There is a Spanish language track and English, French, Spanish subtitles. It is interesting to read the subtitles to study subtle nuances of the dialog. It is a pleasure to finally discard my 6 bulky, cumbersome tapes and replace them with 3 thin discs that I can access any portion instantly. If you love the story, you'll want to own this boxset.
Rating:
Summary: have watched it again and again - really like it
Review: :) Roots is a story of INGRATITUDE. Kunta Kinte received so many things that he was ungrateful for: a free ocean cruise, swinging on a rope next to the barn when he could have had to work, and a tuition free lesson on the science of amputation. His daughter Kizzy was the same way. One of her neighbors paid to give her a fast ride in the back of his wagon but all she did was complain about it. Kunta's wife, Bell, complained about it too. Kizzy's son George got to go to England and his family didn't even thank the financier. Then George's son, Tom, dunked a guy's head in a horse trough when he was trying to give him a chain. Such ingratitude. They received food, shelter, and plenty of exercise. What more could they want? And yet in their ingratitude they chose to leave those comforts and moved to Tennessee. Since they were so ungrateful, I've concluded that they should never have been given that free ocean cruise in the first place. Next time ASK them if they want to come and then make them buy a ticket!
Rating:
Summary: The spirit and the Spirituals
Review: Two days ago, I finished watching "Roots" ( the re-edited DVD version) , a series I scarcely remembered from my adolescent years. I remembered I had liked it. That was just about it.
Well.....now I'm 40, a musician (choral conductor and educator) and a profound lover of Spirituals and Gospel music. So....let me tell you that "Roots" moved the very bottom of my heart. I cried every episode, deeply touched by the sadness of the story but also by the invincible courage that has led African Americans through a hard history in the U.S. From my knowledge of Spirituals I've always admired this courage, this strength of the spirit reflected throughout all the melodic and rhythmic richness, ( "Hush...hush... Somebody's calling my name") the spiritual and physical beauty of a race, the deep and sincere approach to Christianity!
I think and I do hope that, someday, those "in power" all around the world will open their eyes and finally come to understand that racism, and all forms of discrimination, belong to the darkest and the most ignorant side of the human heart!
Just one last question: Is it possible to buy the printed Screenplay?
Santiago Zuleta. (Bogotá, Colombia)
Rating:
Summary: Must-have TV show
Review: This show aired for the first time when I was 8. I have to say I didn't watch it -but heard a lot about it-, so when I heard it was coming out on DVD, I take a chance and ordered it. It's no wonder this show was the most watched in history. I have to say I'm not American, therefore the history itself isn't my history. Still, I felt totally touched by the series, and had to make an effort after each episode not to watch the next inmediately and go to bed. In my opinion, this is not a story for blacks, or Americans. This is a great story -whether you want to watch is as history or fiction, if makes you feel better somehow- that everyone will enjoy. Anyway, most likely you already know what roots it's about. If you don't, well, it's the story of seven generations of a black family, from the capture in Africa of a free black (Kunta Kinte) to become a slave, to the writer of the book (Alex Haley) himself. Actually note that the DVDs tell the story from Kunta Kinte until the generation where they become free, then explains in the final minutes happened to the rest. The story is told complete in Roots: The Next Generations, which isn't available on DVD yet. I will comment on the DVD now. The box comes with three double sided DVDs (which I don't like, because I think they are more prone to be damaged). Total running time is 573 minutes. Region is 1. The primary track (English) is closed captioned, and there are subtitles in English, Spanish and French. Note that the additional commentary is not subtitled, so if you are impaired you will miss it.
Sound is in mono both in the English and the Spanish tracks (dolby digital, though) and is very decent.
Video is 4:3, and it's quite clean. It's interlaced (if you care about this because you use your PC to watch DVDs).
As for the box itself, it's convinient and doesn't take a lot of shelf space, which I appreciate very much.
There are no booklets included.
Rating:
Summary: 200yrs,12yrs,2yrs,8nites= Greatest TV Mini-Series now on DVD
Review: 200 years to unfold, 12 years of research to discover, 2 years to create, 8 nights to make television history. Alex Haley's "ROOTS" a Pultizer Prize Winning Book adapated Srceen Play dominated TV and America in 1977. Winner of 9 Emmy Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, the Television Critics Circle Awards and the Golden Globe Award. This was a mini-series which Ameica watched and it change us forever. Alex Haley spent 12 years retracing and recreating his family tree. "ROOTS" was the result of this research and it tells an incredible story of one mans family and American slavery. This story is a must viewing!! A very enlightening story of slavery and America. Warner Brothers did a great job transferring this classic series to DVD. This Standard Format 3 DVD set (double sided) gives us the complete 'ROOTS" experience (over 570 minutes)to view over and over. The extras include; Complete Commentary by Producer David L. Wolper and numerous series stars, Behind the Scenes documentary, Video High lights, The ROOTS Family Tree and a documentary Remembering ROOTS (with most of the stars in the series in reflection). Summary; His name was Kunta Kinte. Kidnapped from Africa and enslaved in America in 1767. The journey began to keep his heritage and reclaim freedom. This process covered generations and through word of mouth survive until it reached a young boy growing up in Tennessee. His name was Alex Haley and he proclaimed Kunta Kinte's name to the world. Don't miss this outstanding must see family experience. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Funny & Dramatic
Review: I liked the movie. I mean, I'm kind of young but I really liked the movie. It was funny too. In the way it was funny was when like, they talk in these Southern accents when they come from New York, or something like that. The dramatic part is when they get raped and stuff like that. It's really sad to know that my people was treated like that. You know what I mean? Not the white people's people just the black peoples' people, you know. I think it was a good show. My favorite character was Kizzy my least favorite character was the overseers. You know, the slavemasters. Well, I liked the movie and I can't wait to see the Next Generation.
Rating:
Summary: Really sad!
Review: All though i only saw first part of these mini-series it's really sad.How kuntah kinte and some other blacks were forced to be in a slaver,get sold to plantation owners and such.And its really heartwrenching when they abuse the slaves and hit them with their whips,anyways this is a cool series.You sometimes think how can other people have treated other people in the past like this.5/5!
Rating:
Summary: Great educational series
Review: This is truly one of the great epic mini-series of all time. This series caused me to do research of my own. Everything told in this story happened at various places and times in the United States (both North and South) and some things even worse. One of the glaring things that was left out (that relates to modern times ) was the fact that many of the Africans were sold to Christian White European Slavers or their Black agents by conquering Arabic and Black Moslems (selling people who wouldn't convert to Islam) who were crusading through Africa. Why would the Whites want to risk getting hurt or killed when they had lots of people willing to gather this "Human" harvest for them? This program of Slavery continues today in Africa and Asia. While you can take my word or not this series should challenge people to find out the truth for themselves. Discover the true "Roots" of the modern world, not just America. Alex Haley did it, but be prepared...Alex didn't tell everything...he was being kind and politically correct. Buying this DVD and reading the book is a GREAT place to start, but don't stop at the PG version.
Rating:
Summary: ROOTS!!!! A SAGA FOR EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE
Review: Soon after finishing reading the book by Alex Haley. I wanted to get the DVD and check whether or not the depiction was exactly right or not. I was so impresssed by the performances given in this wonderful saga.
All the actors have shown a great example of how acting should be. You watch and actually feel the happiness, sorrow, or joy they feel.
I am so glad that i have seen and read Roots, both are 5 stars!!! The quality for a 70s made movie is amazing!!! The additional features are not that much but are sufficient enough. There is an interview of the cast and commentary throughout the whole series.
Overall, definitely worth every dollar. I congratulate everyone who owns this DVD.
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