Two Words, One Answer.
civil unions
 Civil War Minutes - Union DVD Box Set $39.95 The concept behind the Civil War Minutes video series is a great one; take little known facts about the Civil War and have an expert explain them in short segments. Each segment would be able to stand alone, but the DVD could be watched in a single sitting if the viewer wanted to. With a noted historian like Michael Kraus providing the stories and acting as the face of the series it should be a no-brianer. It's safe to say that the best laid plans of mice, men and documentary producers often go awry. These two discs, one about the Union and one about the Confederacy, reminded me of the educational films that we used to get in junior high school when the teacher wasn't prepared for class. The production values on the DVDs is not much better than you could do at home with a high end digital recorder. There are many times when Michael Kraus nearly washes out of the video and the picture he's superimposed over dominates the scene. Plus, the producers thought that putting Kraus in military uniform would somehow make him look more like an authority. Instead it made him look uncomfortable. The highlight of this set is Michael Kraus. He clearly is an expert on the Civil War and has a deep passion about that time in history. I found almost every segment to be informative and interesting to listen to. Kraus must have know how bad this series was destined to be because he worked hard to make what he was doing stand out. I have to recommend that you take a pass on the Civil War Minutes. The information is good, but the production values make it difficult to watch. |
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