THE PLOT THUS FAR
The revealing historical documentary The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln on DVD, the illustrated biography Abraham Lincoln: President and Icon, PLUS rare memorabilia including a reproduction of the earliest known draft of the Gettysburg Address. Few figures in American history have achieved such iconic status as Abraham Lincoln. Consistently rated by historians as the greatest president the country ever knew, Lincoln’s life reflected the ideals and ethics of a nation. A self- educated woodsman from Kentucky, his desire to improve both himself and his countrymen drove him to the highest political office in the land, but his presidency would be blighted by war, division, and ultimately assassination.This high quality box set pays tribute to `Honest Abe’ and offers a unique glimpse into his life and times. The feature-length DVD, The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, goes back to that momentous time in U.S. history when the country came together to enjoy a hard-fought peace, only for the nationwide joy and relief to be shattered by the actions of a lone gunman. The accompanying 24-page biography, filled with facts and rare photographs, tells the life story of the man history remembers as `The Great Emancipator’, while a collection of lovingly reproduced memorabilia gives you the opportunity to hold history in your hands. Honor the memory of America’s greatest public servant with this unprecedented collection, and bring the past to life as never before.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Abraham Lincoln” is a repackage of the prior American Experience release of “The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln”. You get a ton of character actors voicing the original players, but the hunt for Booth never feels more alive than it does here. There have been films about it, but few really capture that sense of urgency felt in the weeks following Lincoln’s death. Attempting to reconstruct and put a face on an American tragedy is pretty haunting. It’s quite an important part of the Lincoln mythology.
The DVD comes with material for educators and historical reproductions as the special features. The A/V Quality is strong with a supportive transfer and a Dolby audio track. The Dolby track doesn’t get much back channel action outside of the few major archival scenes. I just can’t get over the bonus value of the documents. It’s a neat mix and it’s something I’d love to see from PBS on a frequent basis. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.
RELEASE DATE: 11/12/2013
