Theatrical Release Date:March 16, 2008 Release Date:June 10, 2008 Availability:Usually ships in 1-2 business days Shipping:Expedited shipping available Condition:Brand NEW!! Never used!! Still in the shrink wrap!! Ships with Delivery Confirmation!!
Product Description 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.Running Time: 501 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 883929020065 Manufacturer No: 1000038820
Amazon.com 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
Very well done...August 18, 2008 Perhaps not as historically accurate as some would like, but I still thought they did an exceptional job of potraying both the events of the period and the lives of John and Abigail Adams.
HBO provides another quality historical drama.August 17, 2008 HBO's special miniseries and projects have been the gold standard in quality television productions in the last decade. They have delivered many popular portrayals of American history, such as the notable mid-90s TV movie with Gary Sinise as Harry Truman, and the recent FDR bio "Warm Springs". The former work made use of David McCullough's excellent biography, and now comes "John Adams", following McCullough's book the same. The result is a quality production overall, though it is a bit slow in places.
Adams was a major player in the American Revolution, and his contribution is deservedly celebrated here, though his life presents some challenges to filmmakers; in particular, he was not really a presence in the field (so no big battle scenes or such moments of martial heroics), so the main drag comes after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, when Adams is shuffled off to the Continent to impotently lobby for aid from Europe.
The basic outline of the story begins in Boston in 1774, when lawyer John Adams is recruited by the British to defend the soldiers under arrest for the famous Boston Massacre, when protestors were gunned down. The question is whether their captain gave the order to fire. This first episode plays out like a legal drama; in episode two, the scene shifts to Philadelphia, and we get a new rendition of the familiar scenes of the Declaration being argued-over and drafted, and meet figures such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. Episode three, the weakest of the seven in my opinion, sees Adams in Frnace, doing little of consequence and bemoaning his separation from his beloved wife Abigail. Adams his little talent for diplomacy or the foreign French court, and he often finds himself getting in the way of the more skilled Franklin. Upon his return to the United States in the final episodes, he must deal with the maddeningly inconsequential role of the Vice President, the rivalry between Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, his troubled presidency (with the focus being on the prospect of war with France), family squabbles (most of all his drunken failure of son, Charles), and, finally, his physical decline in retirement.
The title role is essayed by Pail Giamatti, who is a rather interesting choice for the main character in a 19th century drama; he is not the sort of heroic type one might expect. This is suited to the Adams of the story, who is, for all his positive qualities, frequently petty and short-sighted, given to bursts of anger. His wife Abigail is played by Laura Linney, who sometimes skirts too close to being a stereotypical Supportive Wife, but other times is accorded more in the way of emotion and personality variance (and Linney is a great actress). Other performances of note are Stephen Dillane as Jefferson and a drole Tom Wilson as Benjamin Franklin.
Given that the story pans from 1774 to 1826, the actors require extensive use of age makeup, and the stuff used here is very good. Giamatti, in particular, spends the last few episodes as an extremely believable elderly Adams. Being HBO, the series makes a point of giving as 'realistic' a setting as possible, rather than the spotless look of movies like "1776". Bad teeth abound as Adams grows older. The series begins and ends with two especially memorable moments of period gruesomeness: the first, a grisly tarring-and-feathering of a British loyalist, the second a wince-inducing depiction of a 19th century mastectomy.
There is a rather bizarre scene where Adams rants about historical inaccuracies in the depiction of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which seems out of place, given that this miniseries takes liberties with history as the average production does (right down the Adams' rant itself, ironically, which he did not give). It's hard to know what to make of that moment.
Regardless, this is overall a very interesting piece of work.
An opportunity for self reflectionAugust 17, 2008 John Adams is an honest and engaging exploration of an extra-ordinary, everyman with lots of flaws, foibles, and virtures. More than anything else, the movie touched me personally and provided an opportunity to examine my own life and how I might do better. Paul Giamati and Laura Liney made me believe they were John and Abigail Adams as real people, not historical figures. With the exception of David Morse, playing George Washington, I felt that I was seeing the real people behind the historical figures, contradictions and all. The quality of the sets, costumes, and re-enactors was very high. The only real criticism that I have is that I think the mini-series could have been shortened a bit. Some scenes just went on longer than necessary to make the point.
Magnificent and unforgettable.August 17, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
There are two main criticisms of the HBO miniseries based on David McCullough's biography of John Adams, and I don't understand either of them. The first is that the miniseries makes Adams less admirable than he was in the book. Frankly, that was my main criticism of the book--that McCullough tended to gloss over Adams' well-documented character flaws. To my mind the miniseries presents Adams pretty much as he must have been--vain, petty, quarrelsome, yet also strong, brilliant, courageous, and incorruptible. I find I love the man all the more for his flaws, because he overcame them so wonderfully to become a truly great man.
The second criticism is that Paul Giamatti is unconvincing as Adams--a slam that to me is totally unfounded. Who did they want as Adams--Harrison Ford? I think Giamatti was the perfect actor to play Adams, and his performance is as wonderful as I expected it to be. Laura Linney is equally superb as Abigail Adams--if both she and Giamatti don't take home Emmys this year, it will be a screaming injustice--and the entire cast is first-rate, including Stephen Dillane as Thomas Jefferson, David Morse as George Washington, Tom Wilkinson as Benjamin Franklin, and Sarah Polley, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Kevin Trainor and Samuel Barnett as the Adams' children.
Everything about this miniseries seems absolutely right; this is the first drama I've seen about the American Revolution that to my mind captures the look and feel of 18th-century America. And I still can't get the soaring, touching theme music out of my head (two composers, Rob Lane and Joseph Vitarelli, are credited with the music). "John Adams" is an enthralling miniseries, one of the best in the history of the medium.
Absolutely Enthralling!August 16, 2008 I enjoyed this miniseries so much that I just had to buy it. I have since shared it with the rest of my family, and the response is always the same: Amazing attention to detail, and captivating from start to finish. It pulls you back in time, and you can almost imagine yourself back when our country was struggling to free itself from the yoke of England's Monarchy. It was such a turbulent time to live, when the peoples' desire to be independent could have led to charges of treason against the Crown, and their deaths by hanging.
We are given insight to how the Congress was formed, and how it worked. The election of the President and Vice-President was quite interesting in how it was accomplished.... so much less complicated than what we have today! Politics in general hasn't changed much, though....
The producers have gone to great lengths to make the sets as close as possible to the actual places they are portraying. The actors have been transformed to what we today acccept as how these historical figures actually looked. If you want more detail, you can switch on the program that gives facts about the times, the people, the places, the customs, etc... as the movie plays. It is similar to what the miniseries "ROME" offered, and gives so much more information than from just watching the movie. There are also subtitles for those that need them.
The performances of Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, Stephen Dillane, and the rest of the cast, are top notch. Without the chemistry they project on screen, it could have been just another mediocre historical movie. But they bring these historical figures to life, making them unforgettable!
I recommend this DVD set to anyone who loves history, or to anyone who wants to learn a little more of how our country was back in its infancy. It is truly worth the price, which, I might add, Amazon.com beat every place else, hands down!
Radio-Audiophile.com review- For hardcore Radio Audio machine ,buy cheap IPOD , accessories , speakers , electronic gadgets , mobile , iphone , garmin GPS , sound cards,digital audio interface,computer sound machine ,software , radio exciter ,broadcast ,audio power amplifier,RF power amp,AV systems ,DVD player ,HDTV, home theatre , sound effects ,mixer , DJ and accessories.Discount and lowest price "special promotion" everyday.
sponsored links
Onkyo HT-SR800 Black Home Theater System $499.00 from 1 store. User rating:0.0 out of 5.
Neatly Covering All A/V Formats, Precisely Tailored for Your Home
When it comes to all-in-one home theater, the HT-SR800 has made a clean break from the pack. You're looking at packaged home theater that neatly integrates your high-definition entertainment and your HDTV through an HDMI channel that transports video with a resolution all the way up to 1080p. Ably supported by component video switching, the HT-SR800 will handle most of the A/V components or formats currently available, as well as the spectacular quality of high-definition discs. Also, reinforcing the convenience of matched components, this package is the first to use an Audyssey room-correction technology specifically designed for integrated systems. The options - XM Radio (including 5.1 surround sound radio with Neural Surround decoding) and iPod integration-can really extend your reach, making the HT-SR800 one of the more complete home theater packages available.
Special Features-
HDMI Pass Through (2in/1out , 1080P compatible) - A separate audio connection is necessary
"Audyssey 2EQ" Auto room calibration w/Microphone
XM and Sirius satellite radio ready
Sony HT-7100DH Home Theater System $499.00 from 1 store. User rating:3.0 out of 5. Grab your popcorn and revel in the intense movie-watching experience that is the HT-7100DH home theater system. Take your entertainment to new aural heights as 900 watts of surround sound fill your room while you watch high definition DVD media or listen to XM satellite radio. For fast and easy setup, the HT-7100DH automatically calibrates the included speakers for an optimal sound field and the most dramatic effects. The Digital Media Port (DMP) is also great for when you want to listen to external sources like Bluetooth devices or Walkman music players in powerful 5.1 channel digital surround sound.
Bose 3-2-1 Home Theater System $899.00 - $1008.44 from 3 stores. User rating:3.3 out of 5. If you've been looking for a surround sound solution that doesn't require hours of setup and creative ways to hide the wires, the search is over. Introducing the Bose 3-2-1 system, a revolutionary advancement in home entertainment that's much easier to live with. Designed to provide performance and simplicity unmatched by conventional component or all-in-one solutions, this system delights the ears and the eyes.
Five speakers are replaced by two. A stack of electronics is replaced by a single media center that includes an integrated DVD/CD player, AM/FM tuner, amplification and signal processing. A patented Acoustimass module hides easily in a corner or behind your furniture. And everything is easily connected with just three wires and a power cord, making setup a snap. The 3-2-1 system combines an Articulated Array speaker design with proprietary signal processing to give you much of that same performance. Hear the roar of a train from left to right from just two visible speakers positioned in the front of your room. Enjoy a spacious soundstage and lifelike surround effects whether you're watching the game, listening to a favorite CD or enjoying the latest on DVD.
Bose 3-2-1 GS Series II Graphite Home Theater System $779.88 - $999.00 from 7 stores. User rating:3.0 out of 5. The Bose 3ท2ท1 GS II DVD home entertainment system puts you at the center of exciting home theater with greater simplicity and fewer wires. Just two visible Gemstone speaker arrays - the smallest, most powerful 3ท2ท1 speakers - and a hideaway Acoustimass module deliver enhanced sound performance from almost anything you watch. Setup is simple: no center or rear speakers means no wiring to the back of your room. An elegant media center features a progressive scan DVD/CD player with AM/FM tuner. And an easy-to-use universal remote control is programmable to run most of your entertainment devices together with your system.
Sony DAV-IS10 Home Theater System $399.96 - $799.99 from 11 stores. User rating:0.0 out of 5.
The 5.1 channel home-theater-in-a-box system features five tiny speakers - each about the size of a golf ball. The system, matched with a compact, single disc DVD/CD player/receiver, includes a unique subwoofer that helps the tiny speakers create sounds typically reserved for full size speakers.
While the system features small speakers, it packs all the power of conventional home theater-in-a-box systems with 450 watts of total system power (satellite speakers 50W x 5, plus 2-way subwoofer 100W x 2). The system is specially tuned to deliver a natural sound field that takes the focus off the subwoofer while supplementing mid range and lower frequencies.
