DVD Review: John Adams (HBO Miniseries)

DVD Reviews

By April MacIntyre Jun 16, 2008, 12:01 GMT

HBO's seven part mini-series, John Adams is based on historian David McCullough's Pulitzer Prize winning book.

Clocking in at seven hours, the mini-series gives you just a juicy slice of the story of how America became a nation. The visually stunning series is of Massachusetts favorite son, John Adams, played by Paul Giamatti, over the course of his life. It also sings the well-deserved praises of intellectual and love partner, Adams' wife Abigail Adams, who is played to perfection by Laura Linney.

Depicting the extraordinary life of America's most underestimated founding fathers, HBO's "John Adams" chronicles the journey of the second President of the United States who historians consider one of the primary shapers of America's independence and government.Giamatti's heartfelt performance gives viewers a sense of the urgency and time at hand in colonial America, it is do or die time boys, and the thinkers of the time set the states off in a race towards independence.Executive Producer Tom Hanks spoke of the historic series location: "Colonial Williamsburg is really an American treasure, and I was so impressed by the scale and scope of it; I appreciate the fact that the staff is dedicated to making sure that every building is built the way it was originally, lit the way it was, and even the food is served the way it was then. It's a brilliantly imagined and maintained piece of America that everyone should experience."Adams was a simple man and complex, an educated lawyer and a farmer who believed that the law was "the great equalizer." In his final address to the court when he defended soldiers accused of firing unprovoked shots during the Boston massacre, Adams political career was thus born: "The law... will not bend to the uncertain wishes, imaginations and wanton tempers of men... On the one hand it is inexorable to the cries and lamentations of the prisoners; on the other it is deaf, deaf as an adder, to the clamors of the populace."A cracking supporting cast rounds out Giamatti and Linney's Emmy award worthy performances. George Washington (played by David Morse), is tall, stately and commands attention in every scene he is in.Also of note is Declaration of Independence author Thomas Jefferson (Stephen Dillane) is played as complex, erudite and witty with a self assuredness that even catches Abigail off guard at times.

This series is mandatory buy if you have school-aged children or are a history buff. It combines a lifetime love story with one of the most dynamic periods of our country's genesis. You will treasure it.The DVD set comes at a patriotic time, near our celebration of the fourth of July. The seven-part series comes in a three-disc set, tracing Adams' life as he balances politics and the presidency with devotion to his family. The set features a forty minute documentary, "David McCullough: Painting With Words" provides an overview of the Pulitzer Prize winning authors life and work.The three disc set is presented in widescreen and the audio is presented in 5.1 Dolby digital surround sound."The Making of John Adams" is a nicely turned out featurette. It gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the painstaking production and includes interviews with David McCullough, executive producer Tom Hanks, the miniseries' stars and key crew members, such as director Tom Hooper, production designer Gemma Jackson, and costume designer Donna Zakowska."Facts are Stubborn Things" is an online guide that offers facts on John Adams and his times. As an added bonus, the set also includes an offer to receive an admission pass to Colonial Williamsburg, where the mini-series was filmed.

John Adams (HBO Miniseries) is now available at Amazon. It is available for pre-order at AmazonUK for an Oct. 13th release. Visit the DVD database for more information.

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Josephine KeenanAug 4th, 2008 - 17:34:29

Nothing was mentioned in the review of John Adams about the Declaration of Independence having been misquoted in this production. In part II the word 'unalienable' is substituted for 'inalienable,' which is the actual word used in the original document. Also when Abigale Adams (Ms. Linney) is quoting a passage of the document from a letter she has received, she omits the word 'to' from in front of abolish. The line should read '...it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it...' The Director should take care to have his actors accurately quote such an important document, especially since most of us had to memorize that portion of the Declaration in school and were severly reprimanded if we said 'unalienable' instead of 'inalienable,' or if we omitted the 'to' before abolish. Thank you.

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DVD Review: John Adams (HBO Miniseries)

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