Roots: The Complete Original Series [Blu-ray]

Overview

This award-winning six-part historical epic was one of the first examples of the miniseries format and one of the highest-rated television programs in broadcasting history. Based on the best-selling novel by author Alex Haley, Roots chronicles the progress of Haley's own family across many generations, from the kidnapping of an African warrior by American slave traders to eventual post-Civil War freedom. Kunta Kinte (LeVar Burton) is a young tribesman of coastal Africa who has passed the rituals marking his transition into manhood. Searching for wood to build a drum, he is set upon by slavers who sell him in the United States after a nightmarish Atlantic crossing. Defiant, Kunta refuses to consider himself a slave, despite some sage advice from his mentor, the more mature Fiddler (Louis Gossett Jr.). As the years pass, the aging Kunta (John Amos) is hobbled for his repeated escape attempts. Realizing he'll never return to Africa, Kunta settles down, becoming husband to Bell (Madge Sinclair) and father to Kizzy (Leslie Uggams), a girl infused with her father's independent spirit. Sold and then raped by her new master, Kizzy has a son, Chicken George (Ben Vereen), a happy go lucky cockfighting expert who uses his skills to buy his freedom. George paves the way for his children, the great-grandchildren of Kunta Kinte, who finally become free in the aftermath of the Civil War. Roots (1977) was followed by a sequel miniseries, Roots: The Next Generations (1979), and a made-for-television feature, Roots: The Gift (1988), as well as another telefilm based on the family history of the Haley clan, Queen (1993).

Product Details

Release Date:	06/07/2016
UPC:	0883929525096
Original Release:	1977
Rating:	NR
Source:	Warner Home Video
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo]
Language:	English
Time:	9:47:00
Sales rank:	20,177

Special Features

Roots: The American Story Continues; Roots: The Cast Looks Back; Also Includes:; Crossing Over: How Roots Captivated and Entire Nation; Connecting with the Past; The Struggle to Make Roots; LeVar Burton: Original Screen Test; Alex Haley Interview by David Frost; Roots: One Year Later

Editorial Reviews

Based on author Alex Haley's bestselling novel (and his family's lineage), Roots (1977) is a sweeping 12-hour historical drama that opened the floodgates for the golden age of television miniseries. Enslaved African warrior Kunta Kinte (LeVar Burton) refuses to bow to oppression alongside his mentor, Fiddler (Lou Gossett Jr.), and repeatedly attempts to escape. Even in his hobbled old age -- played with dignified perfection by John Amos -- he refuses to accept his slave name, Toby. Kunta's defiant legacy endures in succeeding generations. Eventually, Chicken George (Ben Vereen) uses his skills as a plucky handler of gamecocks to buy freedom for himself and his children, the great-grandchildren of Kunta Kinte. Each of the six two-hour programs in the series is an enthralling journey into the emotional and physical torments of one of the most shameful times in American history. Amid beatings, rapes, and the forced separation of spouses and families, Roots tells the epic story of a family's struggle to maintain a solid identity against all odds. The cast is as impressive as the scope of the story: Maya Angelou, Ed Asner, Lloyd Bridges, Todd Bridges, Scatman Crothers, Lorne Greene, Moses Gunn, Richard Roundtree, O. J. Simpson, Burl Ives, and even Haley himself all make fine turns, among so many others. The series' original broadcast broke ratings records, won five Emmys, and left a legacy of its own: 1979's Roots: The Next Generations; the 1988 TV movie Roots: The Gift; and 1993's Queen, featuring Halle Berry. The Roots 30th anniversary DVD set includes a feature-length audio commentary plus a behind-the-scenes documentary, "Remembering Roots."

Barnes & Noble - Stuart Gazzo