Rating: 
Summary: One Of The Best Documentaries I Have Ever Seen
Review: I enjoyed this documentary very much. I couldn't believe the incredible film footage, and beauty that was displayed on my TV screen. The music is beautiful, and blends in with the incrediable story that is brought to life, about a city that became so unique, built with determination through many years of sweat, blood, and tears. I recommend it very highly, and you'll not regret it if you purchase it for yourself. This is a film that will haunt you, and you'll cherish and keep it in your library for years to come.
Rating: 
Summary: Broad, sweeping and incomplete
Review: As other reviewers have commented, this is a grand and interesting movie well worth watching. I wont repeat the praises in the other reviews which were stated so well. A couple of comments and observations which might be helpful before you buy the series. First, and nost significantly, the series ends on tape 5 in 1931 and says To Be Continued...I'm not sure why the history from 1931 to present isnt covered. (Perhaps lack of money or time??) It's somewhat disappointing to watch NY history and then not see how it turned out in modern times. (WWII, the bankruptcy of NY, the drug scourge, racial tensions etc.) Also, by virtue of the vast ground it covers, the movie is limited in the depth with which it covers some issues and does not do a particularly good job on some items. For example, in discussing the Stock Market Crash of 1929, a historian attributes the calamity to "wild speculation". Although there was certainly wild speculation present, the crash was a very complicated event linked to money supply, trade protectionism and other factors which are given no air time. There is relatively little coverage of the very important business/market history of NY which is presented so well in books such as Ron Chernow's "The House of Morgan." Also, the political views and agendas of figures such as Al Smith and others are presented quite favorably without presenting the other side of the issue. Specifically, Al Smith is presented as a beloved figure who sponsored over 60 bills to address the many real labor/social problems in NYC. I cant imagine that more libertarian leaning individuals, at the time and now, wouldn't take issue with some of Al Smith's agenda. All in all, these are minor issues and I would encourage anyone to watch this series to get a terrific overview of a very important American city.
Rating:
Summary: Actually, 4 1/2 Stars
Review: As another reviewer indicated, only one thing kept me from giving five stars, and that's Mr. Burns' pre-occupation with F. Scott Fitzgerald. I thought the reliance on Brooklyn native and one-time favorite son, Walt Whitman, was more appropriate. Other than that, the movie gave me an understanding of New York City's culture and history that I never culled from my several recent visits.Prior to viewing this series, and as a southerner, I've always had difficulty understanding New York and New Yorkers. Everything about NYC's culture and politics had me baffled yet constantly intrigued. The videos went a long way to clarify my misconceptions and made me realize that for almost 400 years, New York City is a grand, ongoing experement that serves to bring all the people and cultures of the world together like no other place in time. Ric Burns covers almost all of the seminal events in New York's history which also had a profound impact on the entire country's history. An important Revolutionary War battle, the City's near secession from the union, the Triangle Shirtwaist tragedy which gave rise to the modern labor movement, Abe Lincoln's political rise, Tammany Hall, Hamiltonians vs. Jeffersonians, and so much more. It's all here, it's all riveting, and for five nights your life will be on hold.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: Quite simply this is one of the finest works ever done. Ken Burns has out done himself and it really should be seen by all. Living here in the city I found his early history to be of special interest, as well as the shots from the 40's and 50,s. As much as the city has changed, this work really sets the groundwork perfectly. Agreed...put it on DVD!
Rating:
Summary: THE MUSIC IS EXQUISITE!
Review: Simply magnificent! I was moved to tears, many many tears throughout the viewing of New York. Over and over again I continue to watch and listen. I have purchased the cd as well and can tell you that listening to the soundtrack on long drives makes the beauty of this place for me (a native New Yorker now living in Hawaii) more beautiful. The music is brilliant, simply exquisite! Heartfelt thanks to the composer of this work for bringing into life music so perfectly aligned with the spirit of New York. I intend to gift New York to my nearest and dearest.
Rating:
Summary: As Great as The City itself
Review: Simply mesmerizing. Astounding. Compelling. What could make it better, you ask? PBS releasing it on DVD!
Rating:
Summary: History as it should be told
Review: This is brilliant work. The journalistic approach to history (using the words of contemporaries as much as possible) together with the contributions of academics, politicians, poets et al. is a winning combination. Everybody who knows anything about New York will regret that some aspect or other of its past did not get sufficient attention in this documentary. No matter. May there be many imitators and sequels, please.
Rating:
Summary: Gotham: The Capital of Capital
Review: Somewhere in the middle of NEW YORK'S ten hours of "lyrical historical documentary film," or whatever you want to call it, there are a few minutes where lines from a Walt Whitman poem are read over a series of shots of New York harbor. The combination of music and poetry and image comes about as close, I think, to perfection as filmmaking can get. There are a thousand stories in the naked city and this is just one of them, just one way of conceptualizing the history of the Americas' great city. I am not suggesting it is "true" or the whole story. I thought of things that might have been included but were not (Brendan Gill's insightful commentary on McKim, Mead & White's Villard Houses at Madison and 51st, to take just one example). But no one, in any medium, will ever craft a more powerful, brutal, or telling account of how New York has come to be. The film is so elegantly put together, so magical, you are constantly pushed to ask yourself whether this is not the film that Arthur Dove or W.C. Williams would have made, had their generation turned from painting and poetry to film. Just like New York or the nation's history, this documentary can break your heart.
Rating:
Summary: Great Work!
Review: I've lived 5 years in NY now and never really knew alot of the things that this documentary told me. Its funny how we just walk by places and never realizing the history behind them. Even though I had a limited history of the city before, this documentary gave me alot more to get my interest going. Its the best NY presentation that ive ever seen. not that ive seen alot of them, but the way that is put together makes it very entertaining to watch, another great PBS project. When this series came on in ch 13 here in ny(in a span of 3 days i think), everybody that i spoke to was watching it and everybody said it was a great show.
Rating:
Summary: AMAZING!
Review: If you are from New York this DVD set is a must have. Absolutley riviting and informative.The old film footage and other epherma that was collected for this compilation is remarkable. I literally sat through all 7 DVDs in one sitting without a moment of boredom. If you love history this will be a valued addition to any collection, even if you are not from NY.
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