The Dust Bowl (2012-Ken Burns)

[Rita Hayworth]

Another thing that was so interesting was the documentation of how a combination of mechanized tractors and the economic pressure had led farmers during the 1920s and early 30s to plow more and more grassland for planting. In the process, they removed the native buffalo grass that had become a native plant on the relatively dry prairies, with roots that could go five feet down to the moist clay under the turf. This buffalo grass had been ideal for grazing herds of buffalo supporting relatively sparse Native American tribes. Yet, the "beef bonanza" that developed on the plains in the 1880s and went bust after drought and blizzards wiped out the massive cattle herds that over-grazed on the land left things pretty sparse. Then, the mechanization of the farm with the new types of plows that pulverized the soil came along just at the time of the loss of worldwide access to the wheat that had been provided by Russia once WWI & the Revolution eliminated them. The money to be made by unscrupulous speculators with no commitment to their community or the land and hard-working farmers as well in wheat, created a "perfect storm" of conditions out in the area around the Oklahoma panhandle.

Gee...all that has an awfully familiar ring to it...

I know that Moira written the above paragraph ... It's makes perfect sense. Well Written Moira!
I enjoyed reading it.

[Lzcutter]

MrCutter and I watched the first half of the Burns documentary last night. I had forgotten how young writer Timothy Egan, the author of The Worst Hard Time, is (or looks).

I remember the miniseries Centennial had a section on the Dust Bowl. I think it was Lois Nettleton who played the farmer's wife undone by the wind and the government sponsored contests to see who could plow the straightest lines in their fields and the soil scientist who pleaded with them not to do that. Long before I began reading up on the Dust Bowl, that miniseries and Michner's book have long stayed with me.

As for the documentary, we were astounded at the plethora of pictures that Burns uncovered. The lined, weathered faces of the men and women betrayed by the land they so invested in and unwittingly abused, were just as heartbreaking as the stories of the now grown children who spoke of the hard times and the tragedies they endured.

Tonight, I hope we get the opportunity to watch the second half.

[mrsl]

Thank heaven for PBS. The hospital I was in and the rehab place afterward had the worst cable lineup I've ever seen in a medical facility. But because of that I saw the Dust Bowl, a couple of Masterpiece Theater shows and other documentaries I would have otherwise missed because like a fool, even though I thoroughly enjoy most of what PBS offers, I often forget to check it out when I'm looking for something to watch. That is an amazing and educational show that really holds your interest.
.

[charliechaplinfan]

I've just watched the first episode of The Dust Bowl, I think this is my favourite of his documentaries so far. The imagery and narration captured me from the first, although there doesn't seem to be as many contributors, it doesn't matter, I was completely hooked, can't wait to watch the next episode.

Does anyone know what Ken Burns is planning for his next documentary?

[moira finnie]

Does anyone know what Ken Burns is planning for his next documentary?

Vietnam is the next (painful) topic reportedly being explored by Burns and crew, though it is not expected to be completed until 2016.

[charliechaplinfan]

And knowing how much detail he goes into there are going to be no stones left unturned and it hits closer in home, date wise.

I'm loving The Dustbowl, The Prohibition series was very good but this just tops it for me. He does personal suffering and family stories very well, he gets the right mix of the personal in with the bigger picture, the government, the issues, the causes etc. He tells history well.

[Lzcutter]

I hope that Ken Burns has already been interviewing historians for his Vietnam documentary. Historian Stanley Kranow, who wrote the definitive book on the conflict which became the basis of the great 13-part PBS series Vietnam (the title of his book, incidentally) and was considered one of the go-to guys on the history of the country and the conflicts there, just passed away.

I hope Burns was able to interview him before his passing.

Somewhere in my library I have Kranow's book and the PBS documentary series produced some 30 (or more) years ago set the bar very high. I suspect Burns will hit that mark and hopefully raise that bar even higher.

Here's hoping on all my points!

[charliechaplinfan]

I hope so too, there are perhaps more people willing to talk so long after the conflict who are now in retirement and are able to talk more freely. On the basis of his othe documentaries I would say that Ken Burns had set the bar high for himself.

The first documentary of his I watched was his Jazz series, I've no idea where this came in his body of work but since then I've looked out for his work. It's usually shown on pay TV so I tend to borrow the DVDs from our library.

[RedRiver]

I like the one on WW2.

[charliechaplinfan]

I'd love to see that. I love The World at War that was made in the late 60s early 70s in the combatants lifetimes but I'd like to watch an up to date documentary and this is the one I'd chose.