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The West

  • TV Mini Series
  • 1996
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
8.4/10
2.2K
YOUR RATING
The West (1996)
History DocumentaryDocumentaryHistoryWar

Stephen Ives' "The West" is a PBS 4-Video Series co-produced by Ken Burns: - "Death Runs Riot" 85 min. - "Fight No More Forever" 85 min. - "Ghost Dance" 58 min. - "The People" 82 min.Stephen Ives' "The West" is a PBS 4-Video Series co-produced by Ken Burns: - "Death Runs Riot" 85 min. - "Fight No More Forever" 85 min. - "Ghost Dance" 58 min. - "The People" 82 min.Stephen Ives' "The West" is a PBS 4-Video Series co-produced by Ken Burns: - "Death Runs Riot" 85 min. - "Fight No More Forever" 85 min. - "Ghost Dance" 58 min. - "The People" 82 min.

  • Stars
    • Peter Coyote
    • N. Scott Momaday
    • Murphy Guyer
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.4/10
    2.2K
    YOUR RATING
    • Stars
      • Peter Coyote
      • N. Scott Momaday
      • Murphy Guyer
    • 20User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations total

    Episodes9

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    TopTop-rated1 season1996

    Photos44

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    Top cast99+

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    Peter Coyote
    Peter Coyote
    • Self - Narrator
    • 1996
    N. Scott Momaday
    N. Scott Momaday
    • Self - Writer
    • 1996
    Murphy Guyer
    Murphy Guyer
    • Self
    • 1996
    John Trudell
    John Trudell
    • Self
    • 1996
    Eli Wallach
    Eli Wallach
    • Self…
    • 1996
    Arthur Miller
    Arthur Miller
    • Self
    • 1996
    T.H. Watkins
    • Self - Writer…
    • 1996
    Richard White
    • Self - Historian
    • 1996
    Philip Bosco
    Philip Bosco
    • Self
    • 1996
    John Lithgow
    John Lithgow
    • Self…
    • 1996
    Dayton Duncan
    • Self - Writer
    • 1996
    Adam Arkin
    Adam Arkin
    • Self
    • 1996
    Tantoo Cardinal
    Tantoo Cardinal
    • Self
    • 1996
    Hector Elizondo
    Hector Elizondo
    • Self…
    • 1996
    Zahn McClarnon
    Zahn McClarnon
    • Self
    • 1996
    August Schellenberg
    August Schellenberg
    • Self
    • 1996
    Daniel von Bargen
    Daniel von Bargen
    • Self…
    • 1996
    Blythe Danner
    Blythe Danner
    • Self…
    • 1996
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews20

    8.42.2K
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    Featured reviews

    9mterra135

    Ignore the sensitive idiots who can't handle real history

    This documentary was incredibly well done and well researched. A lot of very sensitive white people on IMDB have been leaving reviews about how this documentary is a "revisionist" history and framed as all white men are evil. As a guy who teaches history I find it fascinating that so many people believe whatever version of history they learned growing should be the only version that future generations learn about. History is something that can be interpreted differently by different generations. Just because you were raised with some baby boomer propaganda filled version of American history does not mean that any other version is "revisionist" or "PC."
    10AlexMI

    Outstanding, moving, thorough, beautifully filmed

    Unique, amazing, massive project thoroughly documenting the expansion of the United States into the vast territories of the American WEST. Brutally honest, sympathetic insight into the fall of the many Native American peoples... some of the material is painful, sometimes bleak, but an absolute MUST SEE for any feeling person with even a passing interest in the history of America. Outstanding photography and the classic Ken Burns look & feel (executive & senior producer), but with director Stephen Ives' own insightful point-of-view. This series ranks right along side Burns' "Civil War" in scope and depth, IMHO. See it anyway you can, then demand the set on DVD! (DVD not available at this writing).
    10jsntaylor-95364

    Fantastic series!

    I am a huge fan of the West so watching a docu-series by Ken Burns on the West was a must for me and he delivered. High quality content and excellent narrating from Peter Coyote!
    docweaselband

    Another "Evil White Man" Revisionist History

    The series elides over mentions of how the Apache and Sioux displaced the Cheyenne and other tribes, and how the Spaniards and then Mexicans took over the SouthWest, but none of these are disparaged or spoken of as having "stolen" the land from anyone. Only the evil white Americans "stole" the land and displaced rightful owners.

    Also, much is made of the extermination of Indians. I used to live in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. There were once Tuscarawas Indians, but they were extinct, because the Iroquois had warred upon them and broken up their villages and driven every last one they didn't kill or enslave into the forests where they died of exposure and hunger. This was repeated throughout the continent and the history of the American Indian. They should surely have understood genocide and extermination of enemies, because that is how they regularly waged war.

    Every piece of land in the world, from the Americas, to Europe, to Asia, Africa and Australia was conquered and displaced the previous residents, most many, many times over, throughout history. But the only time conquering territory and displacing and killing the previous inhabitants is evil: when the Americans did it. The Americans, the most selfless, righteous and generous people history has ever known, who gave their blood and treasure to rescue the Cubans, Phillipinos, all of Europe twice, the Far East, Iraq and Afghanistan and Korea and Vietnam and unlike all the superpowers of the past, the USA never took territory nor enslaved people other than in the contiguous N. American continent (Hawaii joined voluntarily).

    Ken Burns did an admirable job of not taking sides in The Civil War, notwithstanding Barbara Fields constant scolding ("I grow impatient with people who say Lincoln couldn't have freed the slaves faster because of the times"). The PC left got to him about that, I'm sure, and everything he's done since then, Jazz, Baseball, The War, The West has focused on minorities, white man's injustice, women's rights and over-played these groups actual contribution, notwithstanding 99% of the history, like the Civil War, was driven by the people who actually did the actions that made history. Like it or not, Howard Zinn fans, those were white Americans.

    Quit distorting history with liberal guilt. The conquest of North America was the greatest thing that ever happened in the history of the world, and had the most beneficial results for the entire world, blacks, Indians and all other minorities included. They are all better off in the United States, imperfect as it was and is, than anywhere else in the world.
    nospheratu333

    In defense of The West's narrative and historical 'balance'

    In response to the ludicrous comments of the aforegoing jingoistic 'type': The writers of The West must have had more than a few facets of their mammoth piece right in order to elicit such a typically moronic right-wing-styled response in its appeal to nationalistic myth, grand-narrative delusion and brazen stereotype positing. Not to mention - the ironic circumstance of contending that 'we' as the Caucasiatic race are being slighted in some way, in order to showcase the romanticised moanings of other races. The series does no such thing... in fact it habitually (and necessarily) DOES turn about much of the essential Ameri-myths of Frontier and Manifest Destiny (and sundry others), which have been/are so central to your much lauded and generalised "natioanl consciousness". The series, in the main, does NOT disparage these! - nor is there essentially any need to - since they're not altogether bad, of course.

    So, once you're finished waving your flag about, and - somewhat ironically - prattling on about the reductive "black and white", perhaps consider that an expansive narrative like The West MUST contain motifs and themes... it cannot present a comprehensive or 'complete' history (there is no such thing)... and is perfectly entitled to present perspectives that don't accord with someone-or-other's ideal of a 'balanced' account. 'Balance' is NO objective reality, and shouldn't be thought of as 'existing' as a universal truth awaiting insertion into subjectively-conceived narratives - not even quality history docos such as The West. As far as I could ascertain, The West does NOT prefigure or predetermine to depict white settlement as inherently disastrous in any event. It is celebrated as much or as far its nasty consequences are elucidated. And, the perspectives of native peoples OUGHT factor decisively anyway - it is no narrative flaw of The West to present this perspective... especially when facts abound to corroborate.

    Also, to the aforementioned 'patriot' who seems fond of collectivising white America concerning all that overstated 'swell'stuff like "fighting communism" and "winning two World Wars" ... you're okay with maintaining the 'we' for all the OTHER stuff too, right?

    The West does present narrative, production and continuity issues for me also, but I'm loathe to be allied to a K.P. such as thee.

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    Storyline

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    FAQ17

    • How many seasons does The West have?Powered by Alexa

    Details

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    • Release date
      • September 15, 1996 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Perspectives on the West
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Запад
    • Filming locations
      • Alamo Village - Highway 674, Brackettville, Texas, USA
    • Production companies
      • Florentine Films
      • Insignia Films
      • The West Film Project Inc.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour
    • Color
      • Black and White
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 4:3

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