The Making of the President: The 1960s DVD Review

The 1960's were an amazing time in American politics, filled with mystery and intrigue. I love learning about the history of our country and especially our presidents, and a great way to do that is with the exciting new documentary DVD set, The Making of the President: The 1960s. Learn about Kennedy, Nixon, Goldwater and more. Its like getting a history lesson right on your living room. Here is a little more information on the amazing box set which is now available at Acorn Media:

The landmark documentaries The Making of the President: The 1960s debut on home video from Athena on July 5, 2011. The winner of four Emmy® awards, including best documentary and television program of the year, and broadcast in the 1960s on ABC, CBS, and A&E, the three documentaries collected here forever changed the landscape of political journalism by offering a full and in-depth look at the tumultuous presidential campaigns of 1960, 1964, and 1968. The programs are based on the bestselling books by Theodore H. White. His book on the 1960 campaign won the Pulitzer Prize. Produced by the Emmy®-winning and Oscar®-nominated David L. Wolper (Roots, North and South, The Race for Space, LA Confidential), these narratives offer a unique snapshot of an era steeped in political protest and progress. The DVD 3-volume boxed set also includes two rarely seen bonus programs, a 1964 tribute to John F. Kennedy and an intimate look at Lyndon B. Johnson ($59.99, http://www.acornonline.com/).

In the 1960s, writer Theodore H. White changed journalism forever by putting the campaign for the White House under a microscope. The first of his bestselling series on presidential elections, The Making of the President, 1960, earned a Pulitzer Prize, stayed on the bestseller list for more than forty weeks, and became a TV documentary that won four Emmys^®, including program of the year. This collection brings together three television adaptations of White’s influential books for a full, in-depth account of presidential politics during the tumultuous 1960, 1964, and 1968 elections.

These programs feature White’s insightful scripts and rare film footage that reveal the winners and losers in unguarded, behind-the-scenes moments. All the backroom deals, convention-floor drama, and campaign strategy come alive again in three historic races:  Kennedy-Nixon, Johnson-Goldwater, and Humphrey-Nixon-Wallace. From preprimary jockeying to the final vote tally, these spellbinding narratives dissect the inner workings of our democracy and trace the path to power. 

Journalist and author Theodore H. White served as China bureau chief for Time and as correspondent and editor for The New Republic, The Reporter, and Colliers. He won numerous writing awards, including a Pulitzer Prize and two Emmys^®.

BONUS FEATURES:

• Bonus programs: A Thousand Days: A Tribute to John F. Kennedy (an homage first shown at the ’64 Democratic National Convention), and The March of Time: Seven Days in the Life of the President (an intimate look at Lyndon B. Johnson)

• 16 page viewer’s guide: White essay on Wolper’s documentaries, a biography of White, and articles on each election’s major issues and some quixotic campaigners. 

• On the DVD: The Contenders after Their Campaigns: updated biographies on candidates who did not win their party’s nomination, plus more at AthenaLearning.com

 If you love a good documentary as much as I do, especially one that is a history lesson, than this is the box set for you. You can order The Making of the President: The 1960s for only $59.99 at Acorn Media.



***Please note that I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. I did receive a sample of the product to try in order to write a fair and honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way. ***