Bill Moyers: On the Hudson – America’s First River DVD Review

 ***Complimentary product received in exchange for an honest review***

Telling the story of the mighty Hudson River, Bill Moyers: On the Hudson – America’s First River, debuts on DVD from Athena on July 16, 2013. Legendary journalist Bill Moyers (Moyers & Company, PBS) discusses the river’s 315-mile course from its source in the Adirondack Mountains to its outlet at New York harbor—and its impact on much of the nation’s history, literature, and art. In a journey that alternates between the wonders of nature and the handiwork of man, Moyers examines both the beauty that attracted the Hudson River school painters and the potential that lured America’s early industrialists. Along the way, he draws on the insights and experiences of those whose lives have been inextricably linked with this American Eden and who have fought to make it a second-chance wilderness, a paradise lost and then regained. On the Hudson debuted on PBS in 2002 and is Athena’s sixteenth release from Moyers’ acclaimed library of programs (231 min., $39.99, AcornOnline.com).

Part 1: Stories from the Hudson

Starting upriver from New York City, Moyers learns why Europeans made the Hudson an essential stop on the American Grand Tour, why West Point owes its existence to the river, and why the leaders of the American Revolution thought it the key to victory. He pauses in Troy, New York, where another revolution boomed, and in Albany, where the Erie Canal connected the Hudson to the Great Lakes and beyond.

Part 2: The Fight to Save the River

With its freshwater rolling out to the Atlantic, and the ocean's saltwater rolling in, the Hudson is a unique East Coast ecosystem and a river that flows in both directions. Moyers examines how this tidal tussle was echoed in the controversy over General Electric's responsibility for the harmful PCBs that it dumped into the Hudson.

In a broadcasting career spanning 40 years, journalist Bill Moyers has distinguished himself at Newsday, NBC, CBS, and PBS. His many honors include lifetime achievement Emmy^® and Peabody awards.

BONUS FEATURES: Bonus segment from NOW with Bill Moyers on environmental activist Fred Danback (5 min.); 12-page viewer’s guide with a map; biographies of Henry Hudson and Robert Fulton; and articles on Native American tribes of the area, West Point, the Erie Canal, and historic mansions along the river; and Bill Moyers biography.

Street Date: July 16, 2013                            SRP: $39.99  

DVD 2-Disc Set: Approx. 231 minutes, plus bonus – Documentary - SDH Subtitles

My Thoughts 

In this fantastic two-part documentary, Bill Moyers teaches you everything you would ever want to know about the beautiful Hudson River, which has both a fresh water and a salt water side to it. There are beautiful photos stills and video as well as interviews with experts. This documentary walks you through the colorful history of the river and the area that is flows through. In Stories from the Hudson you'll get a behind the scenes look at some of the classic stories that drew inspiration from the cities about the Hudson, including the story of Icabod Crane and the headless horseman and Rip Van Winkle. The Fight to Save the River takes a look at the ecosystem of the Hudson ad how modern day pollutions is effecting one of nature's wonders. The whole documentary is a wonderful tribute to one of American's greater watery landmarks.

**Please note I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. A copy of the DVD was provided to thank me for my time. This is not a review. Information was provided by the company or their representative. ***