Ken burns has been a documentary filmmaker for over 40 years, directing and producing critically acclaimed films such as the civil war 1990, jazz 2001, and the roosevelts 2014, among many others. Ken burns american stories is a production of florentine films in association with weta washington, d. To its credit, huey long may inspire viewers to further study, to read the warren novel or see the fine film based upon it. Empire of the air is a fascinating study of broadcasting pioneers who are laregly forgotten now. No one captures the american imagination quite like the kingfish. He describes creating his own company in the 1970s, florentine films, and the 1981 documentary brooklyn bridge. Ken burns on balancing fact and fiction in documentary. Both the documentary and the movie portray a hero of the common people, who rises to be dictator of his state, then falls to an assassins bullet. Huey long is a complex and comprehensive portrait of the man and the era, his politics and the power he so obsessively sought. For more than three decades, ken burns and his colleagues at florentine films directors, writers, producers, editors, and cinematographershave produced. Huey long, russell long, david mccullough, jennings randolph. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. Huey long he was a populist hero and a corrupt demagogue, hailed as a champion of the poor and reviled as a dictator. Burns spent his youth in ann arbor, michigan, where his father was a professor at the university of michigan.
This film collection from ken burns offers an anthem to the nation and its people. The technique, previously known as animatics, predates his use of it, but his name has become associated with the effect in much the same way as alfred hitchcock is associated with the dolly zoom. Long was the inspiration for robert penn warrens pulitzer prizewinning novel all the kings men a film version of which earned broderick crawford an academy award. All ken burns documentaries ranked from best to worst. Huey long speaks passionately about income inequality and the wealthy in. Where to stream 11 essential ken burns documentaries nyt. Brooklyn bridge and statue of liberty recall the building of two new york monuments. The world of american politics has long been peopled with interesting characters but few of them have been more colorful than huey p. Senator on a platform of social reform and justice, all the while employing graft and corruption to get what he wanted.
Huey long has been the subject of more than 70 books, countless articles, and a documentary film. Huey long a film by ken burns dvd,no one captures the american imagination quite like the kingfish. Americas memory of huey long owes a lot to two films. All ken burns documentaries ranked from best to worst imdb. Archival footage depicts the charismatic builder of roads. Huey long is an american documentary film on the life and career of the politician huey long. His legendary known documentary series include the civil war in 1990, baseball in 1994, jazz in 2001, the war in 2007, the national parks.
A biographical film about the united states influential and profoundly enigmatic founding father. In his twohour archive interview, ken burns talks about his modest upbringing and his early interest in filmmaking. Ken burns celebrity profile check out the latest ken burns photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. Along with his life story, this poignant film reveals the polarization of louisiana over huey long. Archival footage depicts the charismatic builder of roads, bridges, and schools, whose brutal corruption ended in a hail of bullets. Huey long dvd, 2004 at the best online prices at ebay. The huey long film is excellent, worth the purchase price alone. Ken burns, in full kenneth lauren burns, born july 29, 1953, brooklyn, new york, u. Artist thomas hart benton and politician huey long emerge in compelling biographies, while the shakers is a. This finely crafted film by ken burns reveals a complex and comprehensive portrait of the man and the era, his politics and the power he so obsessively sought. Long s spellbinding personality and political machine might have taken him to the white house had he not been assassinated in 1935. The ken burns effect is a type of panning and zooming effect used in video production from still imagery.
Ken burns film traces huey long s spectacular career from the 1920s, bursting out of louisiana under the banner every man a king. He was a populist hero and a corrupt demagogue, hailed as a champion of the poor and reviled as a dictator. Long, historian arthur schlesinger explained in a 1986 ken burns documentary about the populist politician, was the closest thing to a dictator the u. An unsatisfying portrait of huey long chicago tribune. We found the following resources to be credible and accurate. Americas best idea in 2009, prohibition in 2011, the roosevelts. Library of congress lavineken burns prize for film. Ken burns was enjoying the first modest rush of success as a documentary filmmaker when huey p.
The better angels society, the library of congress and the crimson lionlavine family foundation today announced that the first library of congress lavine ken burns prize for film has been awarded to flannery, a new film directed by elizabeth coffman and jesuit priest mark bosco that documents the life of georgia writer flannery oconnor. This film is not currently playing on mubi but 30 other great films are. Ken burns film traces huey longs spectacular career from the 1920s, bursting out of louis. Awardwinning documentary filmmaker ken burns captures the charisma that made long the peoples politician, the kingfish. The populist governor of louisiana and united states senator, huey long captured the american imagination with his dramatic speeches and promise of every man a king. If any of that occurs, huey long will have served its purpose. Ken s films have been honored with dozens of major awards, including fifteen emmy awards, two grammy awards, and two oscar nominations. The populist governor of louisiana and united states senator, huey long captured the american imagination with his.
Brooklyn bridge is vintage ken burns and the statue of liberty film is ok. It was directed by ken burns, and produced by ken burns and. This documentary chronicles the worldfamous brooklyn bridge in new york city. As this fascinating documentary by ken burns the civil war, baseball, jazz vividly illustrates, truth.
Long, author robert penn warren, and political contemporary and opponent cecil morgan. Ken burns reveals a complex and comprehensive portrait of the man, his politics and the power he so obsessively sought. Ken burnss fine, featurelength documentary, huey long, beautifully evokes not only the kingfish, as mr. Ken burns film traces huey longs spectacular career from the 1920s, bursting out of louisiana under the banner every man a king. It was directed by ken burns, and produced by ken burns and richard kilberg in 1985. Watching is the new york times s tv and film recommendation newsletter and website ken burns is going to war again.
Empire of the air recounts the creators of radio, while the congress depicts a unique american institution. Long styled himself after the character on the amos n andy radio show, but. This was in the early 1980s, and burns, brooklyn, n. Ken burns bio, age, height, net worth, wife, brother. Ken burns kenneth lauren burnsis an american filmmaker and also a writer. Monsters and critics ken burns american history night on pbs plus bonus content for homebound teachers. Louisianas huey long built his remarkable career as. With huey long, russell long, david mccullough, jennings randolph. Louisianas huey long built his remarkable career as governor and u. Pbs revisits the ken burns take on the kingfish movies. The name derives from extensive use of the technique by american documentarian ken burns.
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