The Shakers - Hands to Work, Hearts to God

Rating:
Summary: A history of the Shakers, a
Review: After viewing this beautifully mastered film by Burns et al at Florentine Films, you will never think of another task or job as a waste of time. The Shakers did not strive for producing the most things, but that each action was done to perfection. They worked as though "Today is the last day of your life" and they worked as though "they had the rest of time" to perform each and every task". Slow your life down; watch this film!

Rating:
Summary: Not worth the time!
Review: Although this video does contain some interesting photos andmusic, it's attributes end there. As a historical work it ismisleading at best by perpetuating uninformed myths andstereotypes. He does nothing to really explore the foundations ofShaker spirtuality, which gathered thousands to Shaker Villages fromMaine to Kentucky. He neglects to give the viewer a true insight toMother Ann and the Church that she brought to America. But ratherfocuses on the temporal by products of their faith (furniture,architecture, and the like). Worst of all Mr. Burns leaves theviewer with the incorrect notion that the Shakers are about tovanish. A total misrepresentation of the facts. The community atSabbathday Lake contuines to grow and is excited about thefuture. Even at the time this video was made several new coverts hadrecently joined the community at Sabbathday Lake. It seems odd thatMr. Burns would leave such an important detail out of hisdocumentary. Or maybe editorial is a better word. The BBC did videoon the Shakers in 1990, 4 years after the Burns video. It is stillavalable, and will give you a much better picture of the Shakers pastand PRESENT.

Rating:
Summary: Not worth the time!
Review: Although this video does contain some interesting photos andmusic, it's attributes end there. As a historical work it ismisleading at best by perpetuating uninformed myths andstereotypes. He does nothing to really explore the foundations ofShaker spirtuality, which gathered thousands to Shaker Villages fromMaine to Kentucky. He neglects to give the viewer a true insight toMother Ann and the Church that she brought to America. But ratherfocuses on the temporal by products of their faith (furniture,architecture, and the like). Worst of all Mr. Burns leaves theviewer with the incorrect notion that the Shakers are about tovanish. A total misrepresentation of the facts. The community atSabbathday Lake contuines to grow and is excited about thefuture. Even at the time this video was made several new coverts hadrecently joined the community at Sabbathday Lake. It seems odd thatMr. Burns would leave such an important detail out of hisdocumentary. Or maybe editorial is a better word. The BBC did videoon the Shakers in 1990, 4 years after the Burns video. It is stillavalable, and will give you a much better picture of the Shakers pastand PRESENT.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful and simple history of a misunderstood religion.
Review: In The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God" Ken Burns truly hit his stride as a documentarian. By combining personal journals of shakers, historic and social commentary of scholars and contemporaries, and wonderfully insightful interviews with present day Shakers, Burns tells a simple story, but tells it beautifully. By illustrating the Shaker life and ideology, Burns presents a group of dedicated people who strove to put God into every aspect of their lives.

If you know the Shakers for only their furniture and ritual dancing, then this film will illuminate your understanding of early America's most powerful Utopian movement.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful and simple history of a misunderstood religion.
Review: In The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God" Ken Burns truly hit his stride as a documentarian. By combining personal journals of shakers, historic and social commentary of scholars and contemporaries, and wonderfully insightful interviews with present day Shakers, Burns tells a simple story, but tells it beautifully. By illustrating the Shaker life and ideology, Burns presents a group of dedicated people who strove to put God into every aspect of their lives.

If you know the Shakers for only their furniture and ritual dancing, then this film will illuminate your understanding of early America's most powerful Utopian movement.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent documentary that left me wanting more
Review: Ken Burns brings his inimitable style and "emotional archaeology" to one of the most fascinating and least understood religious sect in American history.

I love the images and the sweeping scope of the narration. But that is where I have to fault the film -- I don't think it goes deep enough. Some of the most engaging images and topics are treated with only a cursory touch. I wanted to hear and learn much more.

Unlike Burns' later work, this film actually felt a bit rushed in places.

As a primer on the Shakers, this film is virtually peerless, but I'm afraid it had me asking more questions than it answered. Still and all, it is beautiful and compelling.
****1/2

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Documentary
Review: This Shakers documentary is well done - although not long enough or detailed as I had hoped. Even so, the information presented is more than sufficient to give the viewer an understanding of the who the Shakers are and were. As a religious sect a little more than two hundred years old and dying like the Puritans and other religious experiments, there really is not much to tell about the Shakers. Hence brevity is appropriate - since added minor details might detract from the documentary.

As a person who tries to understand the origin of art, music, song, poetry, and literature I was curious about the Shakers because of Aaron Copland's piece in Applachian Spring. The music reflected a simpler time and slower pace than the technological rat race Americans know today. This film shows Shakers had the right idea of an elementary communal life style uncomplicated by unneeded private possessions. It is interesting to note that the subtitle "Hands To Work, Hearts To God" is exactly what is expressed by Catholic monks like the Benedictines and Cistercians whose theme of "Work and Prayer" is the foundation of their monasteries.

Rating:
Summary: Good, but what about the Socialisim references?
Review: This video was helpful in my studies of the Communial Communities that sprung up around the US in the advent of our country. However, I was unhappy that the director omitted the fact that these communities depict early socialist ideals. It is important in the understanding of where American Socialist movements began or where their inspiration may have come from. I recommend this movie if you are looking for religous movement info or insight on the first religous "Great Awakenning" that took place in the US.

Rating:
Summary: Well done documentary on an interesting topic
Review: While I was watching this documentary by myself (the fam is more into action packed dramas), my hubby stuck his head in the door, became interested in this video on Shakers and watched most of it with me.

Now *that's* an endorsement!

It is a very well done piece with some amazing insights into the day to day life of Shakers, with many interesting tidbits about their history and American history.

They were an ultra-strict group and they strove for perfection in everything they did. Some of the tidbits I enjoyed most - a woman Shaker is credited with inventing the circular saw and Shakers are also credited with the invention of the clothes pin.

Shakers were devoted, devout, quiet, principled and deeply religious people. Above all, they were highly disciplined, rising at 4:30 each morning to begin prayers and chores.

I highly recommend this video - even if you have only a passing interest in Shakers. It is a compelling documentary.