John Adams (HBO Miniseries)
(Click here)
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: Laura Linney, Paul GiamattiBrand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled)
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.77:1
Running Time: 501 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-06-10
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: HBO
Product features:
- John Adams is a sprawling HBO miniseries event that depicts the extraordinary life and times of one of Americas least understood, and most underestimated, founding fathers: the second President of the United States, John Adams. Starring Paul Giamatti (Sideways, Cinderella Man, HBOs American Spendor) in the title role and Laura Linney (You Can Count on Me, Kinsey) as Adams devoted wife Abigail, Joh
DVD Reviews of John Adams (HBO Miniseries)
DVD Review: Good, but some disappointments
Summary: 4 Stars
HBO's attempt to be the liberal, secular media outlet they are certainly made sure this movie didn't have near the flavor of the book itself. Nonetheless, the movie was good, but it made me wonder how far from real life the movie was.
The book by McCullough referenced continuously how deep the Christian faith of the Adams were, as were nearly all of the Founding Fathers. Christianity was the basis of the formation of America's independence. For those who doubt that, just read the Constitution as well as the Declaration of Independence.
The other disappointment was that Amazon's clip of McCullough has David saying how the movie characters actually talk the way they did in Adams' time. The quotes in his book show that the Adams wrote with far more elegance and flair than the characters in the movie used. There was no resemblance whatsoever.
Those two items made me wonder how accurate the movie truly was.
DVD Review: John Adams Series, a must-see for the whole family
Summary: 5 Stars
This is an amazing series that the whole family needs to watch. Very entertaining but also educational. I learned things that I had either forgotten or never been taught. DVD Review: Gritty Realism And Incredible Acting Make This Miniseries A Rousing Success
Summary: 5 Stars
Though most people may be drawn to this HBO miniseries for its look at the founding fathers and events of our nation in the early years of existence, I would like to add another reason (well, two actually): the gritty realism that the period is portrayed in, and the incredible acting that really brings the characters to life.
Now, don't get me wrong...this series is indeed a fascinating look at the formative years of the United States of America through the prism of John Adams' existence. Though those events now take on an air of legend, viewers will quickly take pleasure in seeing the events not portrayed as overly epic (unless they actually were!) but as the real-life struggles of some pioneer thinkers.
However, what continues to stick in my mind after viewing the entire series is how "real" the entire experience seemed. From the macro level (like the general living conditions and attitudes towards women/slavery) to the micro level (the crude nature of medicine and the sound of flies that can be heard buzzing in almost every scene), it felt as if I really had been transported to that time period.
Also not to be overlooked is the incredible acting throughout the series. Paul Giammatti (Adams) is one of the most underrated character actors of the modern day, and yet he is matched word for word by Laura Linney (Abigail Adams). The actors portraying such characters as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington are even able to bring forth the traits of the real-life luminaries they are portraying.
Thus, I would recommend this seven-part miniseries to pretty much any viewer who has any interest in historical topics whatsoever. Experts on the period will enjoy the realism of the series, while more casual viewers will just be transported away to a life that, while difficult, produced men and women that turned the U.S. into a nation to be reckoned with.
DVD Review: Great
Summary: 5 Stars
Absolutely one of the best, most informative mini-series I have seen. It covered much of the verifiable facts without using alot of todays's revisionist/PC jargon. Many have little information on Adams, and this series covers quite a bit of ground from all angles; again - job well done.
I would highly recommend this for factual history lessons/classes in school, and also for avid history buffs.
DVD Review: Simply Fabulous!
Summary: 5 Stars
We missed this show when it was released. We had heard that it was a fabulous and very accurate portrayal of the events surrounding our founding as a nation. Our family LOVED it and highly recommend it for family viewing. There is one "love scene" between John and Abigail that wouldn't be appropriate for younger children and a couple of surgeries that were graphically portrayed so keep your remote handy to fast forward.
The production values are magnificent, the character development is excellent and overall it made us want to buy the book and read it as well.
Description of John Adams (HBO Miniseries)
John Adams is a sprawling HBO miniseries event that depicts the extraordinary life and times of one of Americas least understood, and most underestimated, founding fathers: the second President of the United States, John Adams. Starring Paul Giamatti (Sideways, Cinderella Man, HBOs American Spendor) in the title role and Laura Linney (You Can Count on Me, Kinsey) as Adams devoted wife Abigail, John Adams chronicles the extraordinary life journey of one of the primary shapers of our independence and government, whose legacy has often been eclipsed by more flamboyant contemporaries like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin. Set against the backdrop of a nations stormy birth, this sweeping miniseries is a moving love story, a gripping narrative, and a fascinating study of human nature. Above all, at a time when the nation is increasingly polarized politically, this story celebrates the shared values of liberty and freedom upon which this country was built.DVD Features:
Documentary
Featurette
Production Notes
Based on David McCullough's bestselling biography, the HBO miniseries John Adams is the furthest thing from a starry-eyed look at America's founding fathers and the brutal path to independence. Adams (Paul Giamatti), second president of the United States, is portrayed as a skilled orator and principled attorney whose preference for justice over anti-English passions earns enemies. But he also gains the esteem of the first national government of the United States, i.e., the Continental Congress, which seeks non-firebrands capable of making a reasoned if powerful case for America's break from England's monarchy. The first thing one notices about John Adams' dramatizations of congress' proceedings, and the fervent pro-independence violence in the streets of Boston and elsewhere, is that America's roots don't look pretty or idealized here. Some horrendous things happen in the name of protest, driving Adams to push the cause of independence in a legitimate effort to get on with a revolutionary war under the command of George Washington. But the process isn't easy: not every one of the 13 colonies-turned-states is ready to incur the wrath of England, and behind-the-scenes negotiations prove as much a part of 18th century congressional sessions as they do today.
Besides this peek into a less-romanticized version of the past, John Adams is also a story of the man himself. Adams' frustration at being forgotten or overlooked at critical junctures of America's early development--sent abroad for years instead of helping to draft the U.S. constitution--is detailed. So is his dismay that the truth of what actually transpired leading to the signing of the Declaration of Independence has been slowly forgotten and replaced by a rosier myth. But above all, John Adams is the story of two key ties: Adams' 54-year marriage to Abigail Adams (Laura Linney), every bit her husband's intellectual equal and anchor, and his difficult, almost symbiotic relationship with Thomas Jefferson (Stephen Dillane) over decades. Giamatti, of course, has to carry much of the drama, and if he doesn't always seem quite believable in the series' first half, he becomes increasingly excellent at the point where an aging Adams becomes bitter over his place in history. Linney is marvelous, as is Dillane, Sarah Polley as daughter Nabby, Danny Huston as cousin Samuel Adams, and above all Tom Wilkinson as a complex but indispensable Ben Franklin. --Tom Keogh
General DVDs
DVD Video
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness & Yoga
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Bestsellers in General DVDs
Twilight (Two-Disc Special Edition)Universal; Release date: 2009-03-21; DVD
Best price: $15.88
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Full-Screen Edition)Release date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
Lost: The Complete Fifth SeasonRelease date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $36.99
Price in other shops:
The Proposal (Single Disc Widescreen)BUENA VISTA HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2009-10-13; DVD
Best price: $8.99
Price in other shops:
![Angels & Demons [Blu-ray] Image](/images/Angels-Demons-Blu-ray-B002O5M4SU-X.jpg)
Angels & Demons [Blu-ray]SONY PICTURES HOME ENT; Release date: 2009-11-24; DVD
Best price: $18.90
Price in other shops:
Four ChristmasesNEW LINE HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2009-11-24; DVD
Best price: $12.66
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Two-Disc Limited Special Edition + Digital Copy)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $19.99
Price in other shops:
Julie & JuliaRelease date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
Angels & Demons (Single-Disc Theatrical Edition)SONY PICTURES HOME ENT; Release date: 2009-11-24; DVD
Best price: $11.99
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Widescreen Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
John AdamsLANE,ROB; Release date: 2008-04-22; Music CD
Best price: $10.99
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Widescreen Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $9.98
Price in other shops:
Centennial: The Complete SeriesUNI DIST CORP. (MCA); Release date: 2008-07-29; DVD
Best price: $22.49
Price in other shops:
Up (Single Disc Widescreen)Example Product Brand; Release date: 2009-11-10; DVD
Best price: $12.70
Price in other shops:
John Adamsby David McCullough
Simon & Schuster; Published: 2008-01-29; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.93
Price in other shops:
Julie & JuliaSONY PICTURES HOME ENT; Release date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
![Rome: The Complete Series [Blu-ray] Image](/images/Rome-The-Complete-Series-Blu-ray-B0028RXXFC-X.jpg)
Rome: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]Release date: 2009-11-17; DVD
Best price: $76.98
Price in other shops:
The Adams ChroniclesGRIZZARD,GEORGE; Release date: 2008-04-15; DVD
Best price: $39.85
Price in other shops:
Benjamin FranklinParamount; Release date: 2006-01-24; DVD
Best price: $13.25
Price in other shops:
Thomas Jefferson - A Film by Ken BurnsParamount; Release date: 2004-09-28; DVD
Best price: $16.73
Price in other shops: