Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4371 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-09-30
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 3
• Running time: 580 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Based on Alex Haley's bestseller, the 1977 TV mini-series Roots told the harrowing story of one man's ancestors, commencing with African warrior Kunta Kinte, captured, transported to America, stripped of his dignity, his rights, and even his name. He tries but fails to escape before accepting he can never return to Africa. He marries and bears a daughter, Kizzy, who is callously sold, then raped by her new "master". However, her son, Chicken George, a resourceful dab hand with gamecocks, lives long enough to see his own children attain a liberty of sorts following the Civil War.

Roots is told in the same, accessible televisual language as The Waltons or Bonanza, yet it is never bland or evasive. It leaves no doubt as to the torment and abuse suffered by blacks, and although the series' conclusion is fictionally satisfying, for many of the black characters their only hope lies in generations yet unborn.

It is sturdy enough drama but its greatest, most revolutionary effects were social. It persuaded American audiences to regard their history from a black perspective, and to see how--against odds far more desperate than those the pilgrims faced--Africans laid claim to their status as free African-Americans. Roots was massively popular, triggering a craze for genealogy and paving the way for series like 1979's Holocaust, which similarly raised the public's awareness of the slaughter of the Jews under Hitler. Most importantly, Roots changed forever the way black people were depicted on American TV.

On the DVD: Roots is presented in 1:33:1 format and is visually extremely well-preserved. Extra features include a "Roots Family Tree", a copious, informative audio commentary featuring members of cast and crew, and a documentary, "Remembering Roots". Although this consists only of interviews, these convey the extraordinary emotional grip this project had on those who took part in it.--David Stubbs

DVD Description
DVD Special Features:

Three separate feature-length Audio Commentaries with video inserts (Producer, cast and crew)
Remembering Roots Documentary (20 Minutes)
Roots Family Tree
Web enabled
Aspect Ratio: Full screen 4.3
Audio: Mono English
Subtitles: English and English for the hearing impaired.

Synopsis
In 1977, the miniseries ROOTS aired, changing the face of television--and American culture--forever. This highly acclaimed series, based on Alex Haley's best-selling novel, follows the lineage of Kunta Kinte (LeVar Burton), an African man abducted from his village and sold into slavery in the United States. There he contends with the cruel hardships of slavery, while trying to escape to make a better life for himself and his family. The programme features a veritable cast of thousands, including Ed Asner, Ben Vereen, John Amos, Madge Sinclair, Cicely Tyson, and Louis Gossett, Jr.

Customer Reviews

Educational and brings alive an incredible story
Although some parts of this quasi-factual story have been questioned subsequently, this story remains a powerful indictment of Slavery. The initial four episodes follows a young boy from his life in Africa through his capture and enslavement, details the horrendous Middle passage, including a rebellion on the Slave ship, onto the Americas, where, after an auction, he is thrust into the Plantation system. The description of the Plantation system portrayed in the series is adequately accurate, if rather clichéd. It becomes obvious that the main character will suffer all the injustices available and react to these injustices. The story as a whole tends to dip in pace at times but some extremely powerful scenes more than make up for this, the faults enable the series to be used educationally, especially if used selectively. The initial four episodes are used extensively in Secondary schools for the History "Black peoples of the Americas" topic, the powerful scenes, and articulate characters enable students to address key parts of this History topic, and with the introduction of Citizenship into the Curriculum, it is possible that this topic will see more interest. Dated as it is, the Roots series still remains a landmark educational tool. This video can be viewed by all with an interest in the topic, as well as those attracted by a good drama.

An amazing story of hope and courage
Roots tells the tale of slavery, the development of the New World and changes in mankinds attitudes to each other. The story was powerful enough to be one of the reasons that I studied History at University.(I watched it as a seven year old,and some of the scenes have never quite left me)When I teach my pupils about slavery and its consequences it is a way in which they can become emotionally entangled in the subject. It has its weaknesses, it can be too simplistic, but not all of the white characters are evil and it does tell the truth about how people traded (and treated) each other just because of the colour of a persons skin.I would recommend this Dvd to anyone. The story is powerful,heartfelt and emotionally challenging.There is also joy in the story as you watch the plight and development of a family generation after generation.They remain strong and proud even when their lives are difficult and cruel. An epic...

Just as I remembered it but where is the rest of the story?
I, like previous reviewers, watched this with much anticipation with my boyfriend who had not seen it before. I remember watching it when I was very young but still remember it vividly and was very disappointed when it ended (abruptly in my opinion) as that is not how I had remembered it. It appears the next generations is only available on VHS video but if anyone has found out if or when the next generations will be available I would really like to know. I was also pleased that despite being nearly 30 years old it is still as effective now as it was then.