thomasvenneker
As an eight year old boy I watched all episodes in a row at my grandma's house while sick, years later I re-watched it and was captivated exactly the same way I was all those years ago. The music fits great, and so do the actors. Now I watch the entire thing almost every year, still on VHS. If it is available on DVD near you, don't hesitate and buy it!
glimmerin-116-650335
What a story! I cannot begin to say how much I enjoyed the scope and messages of this wonderful film series. I have absolutely no idea how I missed it when it came out, and I am at a loss that it has taken so long to see it and that I saw it totally by accident. But OH, am I glad I saw it! Michener has created great characters to love and admire, an so many of them. Several personal favorites are Alexander MacKieg, Jim Lloyd, Ley Zendt...oh and so many others. Everyone has a strong stake in the development of Centennial and all the main players play with passion to achieve their ends. all perspectives are explored. Had I seen this many years ago perhaps I might not have understood how ambitious, pertinent, and ambitious its messages were. In the light of another 30 + years having gone by I can say unequivocally that this film was way ahead of it's time. Every time I got through with one tape I could not wait to get another tape into my player to continue the saga, and thank goodness there were 10 tapes because the story was that rich with content. Centennial could have and should have been a television series so much more could have been said and the characters were that engrossing.I wanted to see more of EVERYTHING and EVERYONE. it is amazing to me that the producers and writers were able to fill in as much as they did in the time that they had to do it. And they way they chose to do it was interesting as well. Even when one of the main characters died, and they did die because you were watching whole lives play out and how even THAT impacted the story, a short while later you found yourself looking at another aspect of their life and see them again, and glad to be able to do so The only time Centennial faltered for me was when it switched from the 1930's to the 1970's, after having taken me from the 1850's and into the 20th century. For me the final characters and play out of the story were not as powerful as the contents of the preceding 9 tapes, and it seemed more forced and awkward. A failing I have noticed in many films when it comes time to end stories. Inspiration is somehow lost in the process for many filmmakers. But by that time I had grown to absolutely love most of the townsfolk of Centennial so I will chalk it up to the fact that I was to see little of them in the final tape and that disappointed me. The story none the less wrapped up with a nice bid for a future of ecological husbandry that to this day has not lost it's meaning or impact. Bottom line...I LOVED this film so much I will go back and watch it over and over again. This one is for me...a keeper.
Poseidon-3
Staggering is a good word to describe this mammoth, epic miniseries which traces the birth of a Colorado town from the first time a white man sets foot on in up to the present day (of the time it was filmed.) The story is multi-generational, beginning with French-Canadian trapper Conrad and continuing on with his descendants and those of people he knew. Conrad and best pal Chamberlain's story eventually gives way to Pennsylvania Dutch pioneer and trader Harrison's, which in turn passes the torch to Dalton and his 6,000,000 acre ranch and then to town sheriff Keith and so on, before landing in 1978 with Janssen's bid at a political career. Along the way, many vignettes depict the vast changes, conflicts and hurdles, which affected the birth and growth of the town and its inhabitants. The cast is nothing short of jaw dropping with a plethora of notable television series stars appearing for either long or short stretches of time. Conrad, Chamberlain, Everett, Harrison, Weaver, Karras and Keith all get strong roles that afford them the chance to shine. There are several women, however, who also get to play terrific parts. Carrera is unforgettably gentle and beautiful as an Indian maiden, Zimbalist is wondrous as Harrison's determined wife and Redgrave has one of the best parts of her career as an English girl who transforms over time to a powerful and important pillar of the community. Naturally, there are a few folks who don't measure up in the acting department as well. Some of the smaller roles are essayed by people with limited thespian ability and McHattie is outrageously bad and over the top as Conrad's rebel Indian son. Also, Carlson, as Conrad's white daughter, and Raines, as his Indian one, have flat, unenthusiastic voices and give bland performances. Mostly, though, the cast is strong, although several actors are forced, due to the longevity of their characters in the storyline, to endure some really obvious, even shoddy, age makeup. Sadly, some folks, such as former screen hunks Walker, Rivero and Williams, get short shrift and barely appear at all. Among the more memorable sequences are Harrison and Zimbalist's trouble-plagued trip west, Weaver's taxing and dangerous cattle drive, the scheming of actors Zerbe, Nettleton and McKeon and the love story between Redgrave and her ranch hand Atherton. In truth, the miniseries could have ended one night early, with the prophetic words of Redgrave to her grandson, but it did not and so a lengthy and somewhat dull finale included Griffith, Janssen and Gless chewing over environmental issues with shady Vaughn. Exciting and dramatic sequences of the earlier hours segue into watching a red Ford truck follow Griffith and Gless around a muddy construction site, as if the driver and his pal could hear anything anyway! This, paired with the needless and protracted flashbacks, leaves a mildly unpalatable taste in the mouth. However, the bulk of the series is terrific, capped off by some great musical scoring by John Addison. Somewhere in the mêlée of period St. Louis (actually a redressed Augusta, KY riverfront) is teenage George Clooney as an extra townsperson! And where else can one find Dr. Kildare, Dr. Joe Gannon, Dr. Gonzo Gates, Dr. Sam Loomis, Dr. Sam Quinn, Dr. Buck James, Dr. Richard Kimble and Dr. Bobby Caldwell all in the same program?!
raykilleen
Absolutely the finest thing ever done on TV. Book was great, and mini-series beyond description it was so good. I teach American History and show parts of it from time to time during the year. My students love it! I have former students stop by once in awhile and one of the first things they ask is I still show CENTENNIAL. When I put it on the weekly agenda they get very excited. Great story and much of it is historically accurate (Rendevzous, French fur traders, Skimmerhorn's Raid {Sand Creek Massacre}, Jim Bridger, cattle drives just to name few. Robert Conrad, Richard Chamberlain, Sally Kellerman (gorgeous), etc. do a great job of acting. I am buying the DVD when it comes out as a gift for my grown son. He is 35 yrs old and loves it as much a I do.