Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery

This is what we would now all call a typically enjoyable film by Ken Burns, if one could only get past the gawdawful music accompaniment.

"Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery" is a very lengthy documentary that seems almost as long as the group's two year journey! This really isn't a complaint--more a comment about how incredibly thorough the show is. It's yet another exquisitely made documentary by Ken Burns--using the same wonderful and familiar style you'll see in his other PBS films. And, perhaps, it's made a bit better--very slow and lovingly rendered. The cinematography might just be the best thing about it--with wonderful vistas of the west and northwest United States. There were a few interesting surprises in the film--especially concerning Lewis' sad life due to debilitating difficulties which today would be diagnosed as a Bipolar Disorder. The interactions of the expedition with the natives was also an interesting surprise. All in all, a terrific film--just know that you'll need to devote a lot of time to it. However, IMDb indicates it's four hours long but the DVD was only about three and a half. I am not sure what this discrepancy is all about--I assume that the time listed on IMDb is just a simple mistake.

By the way, it's never mentioned in the film, but I wonder if President Jefferson sent OTHER expeditions as well but these were just never heard from again. Could this be the case? I do know that Zebulon Pike was soon sent on another western expedition--but there must have been others.

Perfect in every way--not to be missed.

Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan are excellent film makers, but their focus on relying on still photography and reenactors in this documentary left much to be desired.

The lack of research is obvious. Images used throughout the film are of the post expedition period, at times decades after the event. Why the lack of period images? Hundreds, if not thousands of artifacts from the era, including drawings and paintings were ignored.

Historical accuracy of the reenactors left much to be desired, they are not clothed in the accoutrements issued by the U.S. Army nor correct civilian attire of the time frame. This is clearly evident by anyone wishing to review documentation produced by The Company of Military Historians, who published information on the 1st U.S. Infantry back in 1951. Lewis and Clark reenactors are notorious for their lack of historical accuracy.

Interviews with some historians (friends of the film makers) left much to be desired and did much to lesson the impact of this film.

Overall, it was an interesting endeavor but one which suffered from too much emotionalism. If you want to learn about the U.S. Army's Corps of Discovery, read the original journals.

Nothwithstanding the celebrity endorsements and hype, the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Celebration has become a monumental flop.

Beautiful Cinematography. Excellent narration. Inspiring. What a Journey !!!

Brilliant documentary.

The story of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, the two adventurers who, in 1804-06, explored and charted North West America, from St Louis to Oregon.

Written and directed by master-documentarymaker Ken Burns, the man who gave us the greatest documentary series ever made, The Civil War. Thus, you always knew this was to going to be excellent.

In incredible detail we see the perils they faced, the ordeal of their journey and the importance of their efforts.

Very engaging - even though it is only a documentary (rather than a drama), you are engrossed in their travails and discoveries.

A must-see for anyone with an interest in history.