The Open Road: America Looks At Aging
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Documentary: B-
A new PBS program about aging takes on the subject of the
77 Million Baby Boomers who will be retiring, turning most states
population-wise into what Florida is now synonymous with as a place with many
elderly retirees. One of Arthur C.
Clarke’s Odyssey sequels even envisioned EPCOT Center as being converted
for such purposes. The Open Road
lasts an hour and wants to rethink what aging and retirement is.
It begins by showing old black and white footage about
retirees just heading for a life of time-killing activities in lieu of
death. The rest of the program shows
more active elderly, elderly battling against the brainwashing that age makes a
person disposable and does what it can to suggest a whole new world of
possibilities in later life. The title
at first suggests a road show to visit older people, then ends actually
referring to the final years having thousands of possibilities. This program is likely to be the first in a
long series we will see from many sources that battle and overturn aging myths
once and for all.
The full frame 1.33 X 1 NTSC image (digital or not) is
fine for a recent taping and has the usual detail limits. It looks fine otherwise. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has no
surrounds to speak of, but is a clean recording, much of which is from the
location taping. Extras include a
smaller “Civic Engagement” segment running just over 9 minutes long, resources,
text on filmmakers, and seven First Run trailers, including an extended one for
this program.
- Nicholas Sheffo
