Connections 1
Starring: James BurkeDirector: Mick Jackson
Studio: Ambrose Video Publishing, Inc.
Format: NTSC
Running Time: 500 minutes
DVD Release: March 1st 2007
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DVD Review
The original and still most requested science series in our collection. Produced in 1978, the series has been digitally re-mastered onto DVD to upgrade the viewing experience. James Burke begins his tracking of 12,000 years of science history in this ten part series. Winner of the Red Ribbon in the American Film Festival, the scope of the series covers 19 countries and 150 locations, requiring over 14 months of filming.
As
the Sherlock Holmes of science, Burke tracks the clues that lead us to eight great life changing inventions. Burke postulates that such changes occur in response to factor he calls "trigger," some of them seemingly unrelated.User Reviews
Can't get enough! - Rating: 5/5
First off, I like to say the first time saw the Connections series I was hooked. When Connections 2 & 3 came out I had to watch them as well as the series The Day the Universe Changed. James Burke really knows how to make history interesting. He made connections you wouldn't see or even think about. Wish he made more of this kind of stuff can't get enough if it.
OK, now a word of warning. These great series are now public domain; people are starting to put together copies of their own disks and selling them. These copies may not be of good quality and may even be duplicates of the disks made by Ambruse Video. If you see a new seller or just listed with a price less than $80 it is probably one of these copies and I don't recommend buying them.
An Alternative View Of History - Rating: 5/5
This series by James Burke is just superb. Although 30 years old, the history is presented in such a way that it all seems brand new. He takes everyday objects and after detailing our modern day dependance on them, goes on to describe some improbable and yet refreshing connectins to various points, places and people in history without whom some of these modern objects may have taken longer to discover, and in some cases not discovered at all. A very good "potted" history lesson, and more importantly, you will enjoy the time spent watching.
A series ahead of its time... - Rating: 5/5
James Burke shows us how a society increasingly dependent on technology is a product of unpredictable events, chance, disaster, good fortune but above all insight and inventiveness. Everyday objects, such as the television, are shown as a result of a series of connections culminating in everyday objects we take for granted. Each one presented as a series of events which at any point in time may have taken a different direction. A great series which is highly entertaining and incredibly informative and don't let the age of the collection put you off, it is still relevant even after thirty years as energy demands, war and the influence of polititians over populations is put under an analytical spot light.
Learn some really interesting stuff - Rating: 5/5
I saw Connections when it first aired, and now I am delighted to see it again. James Burke is always interesting, and his explanations of how events in history are interrelated are wonderfully done. My own children were quite young when we saw it first, and it was a program that they never wanted to miss; this is a series that will do wonders for any child who thinks history is boring, and it might teach him/her to look a bit more deeply for cause and effect amid all that information. I would think that most children from about age eight up--certainly by ten--would be fascinated by this enchanting look at our civilization's attributes, their origins, and their relationships with each other.
Much as I love this series, though, I do think that if there is only one set to be bought at this price it should be _The Ascent of Man_, by Jacob Bronowski. The Connections programs delight the mind with their clever choice and analysis of facts; Bronowski's series offers a great deal of information, well presented in a way that reaches directly to the heart and reminds us of our own humanity and the need for an understanding of it.
Absolutely Superb! - Rating: 5/5
An absolutely superb series that introduces a concept connects its relationship its creation regarding science and history with a twist of philosophy. Wittingly presented by James Burke you'll find him well adapt at tounge and cheek humor as well as a stunning explination of the facts. It was the first in a number of Connections programs to be produced but the only one to be produced by the BBC. The sequential series Connections2 and 3 were produced for TLC and lack the impact and fluidity of the original.
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Connections was a ten-episode documentary television series created and narrated by science historian James Burke. The series was produced and directed by Mick Jackson of the BBC Science & Features Department and first aired in 1978. It took an interdisciplinary approach to the history of science and invention and demonstrates how various discoveries, scientific achievements, and historical world events built off one another in an interconnected way to bring about particular aspects of modern technology. The series is well-known for Burke's impeccable narration (especially its dry humor), historical reenactments, intricate working models, skillful use of classical music (most notably O Fortuna from Carmina Burana), and shots on location as far afield as Penang. The popular success of the series led to two sequels, Connections2 in 1994, and Connections3 in 1997, both produced for TLC. (Wikipedia)
