An adaptation of Alex Haley's "Roots" chronicles the history of an African man and his descendants sold into slavery in America.An adaptation of Alex Haley's "Roots" chronicles the history of an African man and his descendants sold into slavery in America.An adaptation of Alex Haley's "Roots" chronicles the history of an African man and his descendants sold into slavery in America.
- Nominated for 7 Primetime Emmys
- 5 wins & 52 nominations total
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Based on Alex Haley's 'Roots', this chronicles Alex's heritage from the Mandinka warrior Kunta Kinte who was born in 1750 Juffure, west Africa. The Mandinka kept slaves but the English brought gold and guns. Greed and revenge sends Kunta on a slave ship to America. Despite a slave revolt on the ship, he is sold in 1767 Annapolis. He and his descendants struggle under slavery all the way to Chicken George. George is the son of Tom Lea who raped his mother. He trained chicken to fight for his gambling master Tom. The mini-series ends with George who fights in the Civil War and his family being freed after the war.
The acting is tremendous. The production is terrific considering it's a TV show. There are plenty of big names and familiar faces. The new faces don't seem out of place. Malachi Kirby and Regé-Jean Page play the young leads in their respective time periods. They really shine. There is no weak acting from the main actors. The story does feel compressed from time to time as it skips through various time periods. It's an ambitious undertaking and it mostly pulls it off.
The acting is tremendous. The production is terrific considering it's a TV show. There are plenty of big names and familiar faces. The new faces don't seem out of place. Malachi Kirby and Regé-Jean Page play the young leads in their respective time periods. They really shine. There is no weak acting from the main actors. The story does feel compressed from time to time as it skips through various time periods. It's an ambitious undertaking and it mostly pulls it off.
Hi, my name is Sacha, I'm 16 years old, I'm a french guy from Angers. I like watching History movies. Before I watch Roots, I though it was boring movie, without epic or moving scenes.
The movie is about Kunta Kinte, the main character, who is captured by an african rival clan, and gave to British; we follow his history from Africa to The United States where he is sold.
During the movie, Malacky Kirby and Forest Whitaker are awesome, their acting is very interesting and moving, they managed to transmit strong emotions, by their faces, how they speak. Ht emovie was realized Will Packer and Marc Toberoff in 2016. In general, I find the movie is well realized, but there are a little of low scene, a little boring.There are period where it's a little low. In return, the soundtrack is just amazing! The traditional songs are awesome, they are moving, they beautify the scenes. For me Roots is a wonderful, fabulous, moving and beautiful movie, but also with some slow scenes and a little boring. The African culture is incredibly well done. Finally I recommend this movie, I hope you'll like it.
During the movie, Malacky Kirby and Forest Whitaker are awesome, their acting is very interesting and moving, they managed to transmit strong emotions, by their faces, how they speak. Ht emovie was realized Will Packer and Marc Toberoff in 2016. In general, I find the movie is well realized, but there are a little of low scene, a little boring.There are period where it's a little low. In return, the soundtrack is just amazing! The traditional songs are awesome, they are moving, they beautify the scenes. For me Roots is a wonderful, fabulous, moving and beautiful movie, but also with some slow scenes and a little boring. The African culture is incredibly well done. Finally I recommend this movie, I hope you'll like it.
Such a delight! Both my young daughters we're able to follow and stay interested; now they both have lots of questions about American history... Very nicely re-made. Hopefully now they will be interested in watching the original (although not in HD), or they will ask to actually read the book.
Oldest daughter is currently in APUSH and concerned about the lack of quality information regarding this period of time. My youngest tends to be in denial about this era, as she can't quite understand cruelty amongst people, in general. This was a great way to introduce her to this country's past (and maybe explain how it relates to the present).
Oldest daughter is currently in APUSH and concerned about the lack of quality information regarding this period of time. My youngest tends to be in denial about this era, as she can't quite understand cruelty amongst people, in general. This was a great way to introduce her to this country's past (and maybe explain how it relates to the present).
This show is absolutely brilliant. It really shows America's sad and dark history with slavery. The beginning sort of reminded me of the Amistad movie starring Djimon Hounsou and Anthony Hopkins, the gore violence and details really showed how people back then lived like mere products simply because of their skin color. I especially liked how it shows the lives of these slaves back in their homeland from where they were kidnapped from; the lives they once had but were ripped apart from at no warning. It's a part in history no one likes remembering, a part in history we'd all rather forget than remember. Movies and shows like these are very violent and filled with so much gore details, but it is a remembrance of the hard reality people once faced, lived, and died in.
Back in 1977 alex haley and the cast changed the face of television and the world by introducing the miniseries roots featuring great acting and great storytelling, now it's been rebooted and it's great once again, it's a story about slavery and true honesty, Laurence fishbourne, forest whitaker and the rest of them including newcomer Malachi Kirby are all standouts in this one, brilliant characterization, brilliant teleplay and everything else was magnificent, you know television these days have become terrible that we need a reboot of a classic and this is a classic right, this reboot of roots is definitely the years best TV and perhaps the year's most controversial and I Give it my highest rating A+
Did you know
- TriviaLeVar Burton: as the slave Ephraim, who is being transported in the caged wagon from the Waller plantation. He stars at Kunta Kinte. Burton played Kunta Kinte in both Racines (1977) and Roots: The Gift (1988).
- GoofsWhen Kunta Kinte is on the ship heading for America in 1767, the flag used has the red diagonals in the Union Jack. These we not added until the Act of Union with Ireland in 1801.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 68th Primetime Emmy Awards (2016)
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- Roots
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- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime
- 1h 37m(97 min)
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- 16:9 HD
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