If you have been wanting to watch a documentary that covers the global history of the oil business, from its origins in the hills of Pennsylvania and Ohio, up to its role in the Middle East, Europe, Indonesia, and elsewhere, then this is what you want to watch. There are profiles of some of the leading characters in the business, and chats with some contemporary oil men. Not a lot of historians or analysts were consulted, this all comes from the excellent work of Daniel Yergin, whose book the series is based on, and he is interviewed quite a bit.
This was released in 1992, so naturally some of it is outdated, especially the final section, which looks forward and speculates about the future. Well, Russia did not become the next Middle East, in terms of it being exploited by international oil companies and so forth. But the historical sections are as fascinating as ever, and they are very well illustrated with historical video and shots of derricks and other oil equipment. Yergin wrote another book that analyzed the global energy industry; that too is now past its prime, but "The Prize" is still essential reading and viewing.
