Roots was and is still a landmark miniseries for it's time and helped fuel the television miniseries as a popular form of Entertainment well into the 1980s. These were not limited series spread out over several weeks or a two-night event, Roots like the best miniseries was must-see television over a week of prime time programming back when there were only three television networks and cable TV was in it's infancy. In conjunction with the recently aired Roots miniseries remake, Warner Brothers Home Entertainment has released the original Roots miniseries remastered on Blu-ray.
Kunta Kinta was a free, African man living with his family until he was kidnapped and sold into slavery in America. Enduring years of torture and the removal of half his foot, he never forgot his freedom and where he came from and passed that knowledge on to his offspring, who in turn would carry on the tradition for the generations that followed.
Roots featured an all star cast for it's time including Ed Anser, Lorne Greene, Robert Reed, John Amos, Marge Sinclair, Ben Vereen, Louis Gossett Jr., Leslie Uggams Lloyd Bridges, Doug McClure, Vic Morrow, Chuck Connors, Carolyn Jones Scatman Cruthers, Richard Roundtree, George Hamilton, Austin Stoker, Moses Gunn, Maya Angelou, John Shuck, Sandy Duncan, Cicely Tyson, Brion James, Ruchard Farnsworth, a young Tracey Gold, O.J. Simpson, Helen Martin, Ian McShane, Burl Ives, Charles Cyphers, Todd Bridges, James Earl Jones, Yvonne De Carlo, Yaphet Koto, and the Author Alex Haley as himself. It also introduced Star Levar Burton.
The 1080p high definition video is sharp. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 is robust. The extras on the Blu-ray include a featurette with the cast discussing the impact the series had on society. Also included is a television interview between host David Frost and Author Alex Haley. Haley and a featurette with LeVar Burton visiting the plantation where Kunta Kinte died.
The Blu-ray Disc set also includes a companion booklet within the cardboard slip that houses the Blue BD case. A limited time only redeemable UltraViolet Digital Copy code is also included within the set. A true piece of television history, Roots: The Original Miniseries 40Th Anniversary Edition is now available on Blu-ray Disc at retailers on and offline courtesy of Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.
(C) Copyright 2016 By Mark A. Rivera.
All Rights Reserved.
