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Category:    Home > Reviews > Biography > Cable TV > Mini-Series > Drama > American History > John Adams (2008/HBO Mini-Series Blu-ray)

John Adams (2008/HBO Mini-Series Blu-ray)

 

Picture: B+     Sound: B+     Extras: B     Film: A

 

 

HBO's mini-series on John Adams is perhaps one of the most expressive cinematic experiences ever captures in a mini-series.  It’s a breathtaking venture through American History as seen through the eyes of one of the most important figures.  The fact that they actually spent adequate money to produce this, plus cast great actors and really make this a unique story that embodies much of Adams life is just astonishing that truly makes History interesting and educational.  I also found it quite interesting that two of the key figures in the signing of the Declaration of Independence (John Adams and Thomas Jefferson) not only died exactly 50 years after the signing, but they also happened to die on July 4th, which is the precise date in history 50-years later in 1826....what are the odds?

 

So what makes this mini-series so great?

 

Well, first is the fact that it's not treated like a documentary nor does it try to squeeze a large chunk of history into 7 parts. Rather the treatment of John Adams life is done so through his perspective on the major events in history, yet at the same time the series has gaps in time that are paced in a slower manner rather than attempt to do several history lessons in 8 or 9 hours.  By doing so we are taken through pivotal moments in American History through the lens of one of the most important keystone figures in all of that - Adams.  Most people are unaware of the link that he provides to Jefferson, Madison, Washington, Franklin, and just about every-other important figure of that era, plus he is uniquely linked to the Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, Signing of the Declaration of Independence (he convinced Jefferson to write it), The Constitution, and was also highly responsible for treaties between France and England.  There is no doubt that Adams was largely responsible for carving out the initial framework from which we [Americans] still stand today.

 

There was also a price to all of this, which the series also brings forth in the emotion that is conjured up over years and years of Adams life as he was away from his wife and kids, there is a passionate scene in which Abigail Adams reconvenes with her husband in France after many years apart, it is in this scene that they look at each other with some distance as if they were looking at each other for the first time, then moments later as Adams is showing his wife the many rooms of the house he lives in there is a non-verbal communication happening here as the two are in many ways falling in love again, they are re-connecting a lost tie.  Moments later Adams is returning to American soil for the first time in many years with Abigail and all of his kids are waiting for him, though they are now adults and he looks at them and realizes in this single moment that time has escaped him and that he has sacrificed nearly everything for America and the price was his family and not seeing them grow up before his eyes.

 

Towards the end of the series there is yet another great moment that some may overlook.  Adams and Thomas Jefferson were quite close in the early days of the Nation and eventually were President and Vice-President together, although they quickly had a falling out after the first term, which lead to a bit of rivalry and semi-hatred of one another.  Their opposing beliefs became apparent and they went their separate ways.  However, late in years Adams and Jefferson begin to write to one another again and they end up forgiving and forgetting their past and re-establish a close connection via letters.  This is truly a great moment in this series as both men choose to let their opposing views rest to the side, while they accept friendship through their encouragement to one another through letters, this all happens once Abigail passes away and Adams begins to seek comfort through the letters of Jefferson, who is without a doubt the only man who understood Adams fully.

 

Unlike many mini-series this one has some amazing depth and scope, yet at the same time chooses very carefully on what it wants to focus on and really encapsulates the complexity of John Adams, while at the same time painting a very vivid picture of an early Nation being formed and the pains of that process.  The production value here is very key as makeup and costume are top-notch considering we end up seeing about 85 years of history altogether.  The casting is superb with Paul Giamatti as John Adams and Laura Linney as his wife, plus David Morse plays an exceptional George Washington.  All of the casting is top-notch here!  The other key factor was getting a cinematographer who understood how to capture not only history being re-created, but also the feel, the look, the emotions....Tak Fujimoto, who has lensed other important films and his most notable being the modern classic Silence of the Lambs.  His work here is astonishing and sets this mini-series apart from the crowd.  Together with all of these factors this is easily one of the best mini-series ever produced.

 

On Blu-ray the experience is taken to a whole new level, I had the privilege of viewing the original HBO broadcast on High Definition, which looked good, but the Blu-ray takes that to a more significant level with richer colors, less HD blocking, and the black levels are far deeper.  Not really sure why HBO decided to release the Blu-ray many months after the DVD though.  The 1.78 X 1 framed High Definition transfer is presented in 1080p and showcases what a terrific production this truly is.  Early in the film we enter quickly into the showdown of the Boston Massacre, there is snow on the ground, it’s almost pitch black and yet exceptional detail can be revealed to us as Fujimoto’s camerawork demonstrates contrast and yet detail as well.  The warmth of the candle-lit internal scenes reminds us of the beautiful natural lighting from Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece Barry Lyndon in 1975.

 

The original broadcast was also limited in the sound department, but for this Blu-ray release HBO has issued the film in a stunningly clear DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix, which brings forth much of the ambiance and subtle nuances mixed throughout the series, in addition to the dialogue and the musical score, which is as refreshing as it was integral to the enriching story, some cues reminded me of the score from 1993’s made-for-television (and eventually theatrical) Gettysburg.  The DTS-HD mix has moments of high activity during several of the war scenes, which are treated uniquely in that we don’t see battles, but we hear them, we see the results of them, that is enough to tell the story in this case as the material is handled with such superior writing and directing that we understand that results without seeing the effects. 

 

For Blu-ray the seven parts are spread over three 50GB discs, with the third disc also containing supplements, which are mostly exclusive for this Blu-ray release.  There is a very terrific HBO making-of which runs about 30-minutes and really captures most of the production elements and gives the viewer a new appreciation of the meticulous nature of what it took to make the mini-series look as authentic as it is.  There is also a 40-minute segment called Painting With Words, which is a detailed look at writer David McCullough and is narrated by him as well, this is also a good insight into the source material, inspiration, and the attraction to Adams, which helps manifest more of an appreciation for the origins of the series. 

 

Exclusive here though is an enhanced fact track, which allows you to interact with a pop-up historical guide through each episode, which helps give even more insight into the historical context and relevance and only allows for a greater experience of the series after seeing it once prior to this, these were also featured on the DVD edition, but here the format enables the supplement to have more depth. 

 

While some may wish to have even more supplements, the series itself is so fantastic that really anything beyond that is just icing on the already delicious cake.  John Adams is not just a beefed up experience for History buffs, it’s an experience that anyone should take part in for a greater appreciation of American History.  This is certainly a series that school libraries and institutions should have readily on hand, but more importantly the demand for excellent productions such as this should inspire more high caliber work like this to be produced and green-lit, the payoff here is tremendous, the Blu-ray brings forth a better technical viewing overall and that leaves little else so say other than… Join or Die!

 

 

-   Nate Goss


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