Starring: Paul Winfield, Cicely Tyson, Tony Bennett, Roscoe Lee Browne, Lonny Chapman Directed By: Abby Mann Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Binding: DVD Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC Label: MGM (Video & DVD) Number of Items: 2 Region Code: 1 Release Date: January 11, 2005 Running Time: 272 minutes Theatrical Release Date: February 12, 1978
Product Description: Nominated for nine Emmy Awards this "astute and compelling" (Variety) biography based on the remarkable life of Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. takes an intimate look at one of the world s most public heroes during one of the most tumultuous times in American history. Starring Paul Winfield Cicely Tyson and Ossie Davis King is a riveting tale that appropriately honors a true legend. In 1950s/60s America the civil rights movement found its leader in a Southern Baptist minister. Using lyrical eloquence Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. motivated masses of people black and white to demand equality by way of nonviolent protest. But in spite of his peaceful agenda Dr. King was often the target of terrible violence. He was never swayed from his path however; for by the time he was assassinated in 1968 Dr. King had already defined a dream that would change a nation forever.System Requirements: Running Time 271 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: NR UPC: 027616917201 Manufacturer No: 1007640
Amazon.com: The late, great Paul Winfield tackles the role of his career in King, an NBC miniseries originally broadcast over three nights in February 1978. Demonstrating a deeply inspired commitment to his performance as civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Winfield's voice and presence are different from King's, but he flawlessly conveys the physical and psychological essence of the man. In the six-hour telefilm written and directed by Judgment at Nuremberg Oscar®-winner Abby Mann, King is portrayed as a courageously devoted crusader for a just cause, whose commitment to nonviolent protest was a heavy burden he bore with miraculous poise and conviction, often at the expense of his health and well-being. Like Winfield, Cicely Tyson is uncannily convincing in her role as King's noble wife, Coretta.
From King's beginnings as a Baptist minister in the early 1950s to his assassination in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968, King recreates the pivotal events and speeches of King's life in meticulous detail, and many of those who participated in these historical civil-rights milestones appear in the film (including Rosa Parks, Ramsey Clarke, Ossie Davis, and singer Tony Bennett) or served as consultants during production. And while Mann's first and only directorial effort is somewhat dry and artless, his devotion to factual detail is apparent in every frame, making King the definitive dramatization of MLK's extraordinary life and legacy. The DVD bonus features include three substantial mini-documentaries that explore King's struggle, the civil rights movement, and the making of the film, featuring extensive interviews with Ossie Davis (who plays MLK's father in the miniseries) and civil rights leader Bishop Kenneth C. Unger. --Jeff Shannon
Important, Worthwhile, Skimpy If you're looking for a detailed review, look elsewhere. This IS an important, well done three part "docu-drama" that is well acted.
This review is added solely to point out that the "extras" are deplorably skimpy. The mini-"documentaries" aren't worth a lot (though what Ossie Davis has to say is interesting). One of the most significant figures in modern American history and we get this? The film itself deserves 5 stars. One star is deducted because this DVD could and should have been a far more profound teaching tool about King, the Civil Rights Movement and not only where we've come from but where we need to go from here.
King Written and directed by Oscar/Emmy winner Abby Mann, "King" is a meticulous recreation of MLK¹s mystical odyssey from spirited young Baptist preacher to anointed spokesman for the vast non-militant wing of the Civil Rights movement. The revelation here is the extent to which King did not choose his thorny path, but was chosen, both by his own people and a higher power. Winfield and Tyson (who¹d starred together in the fabulous "Sounder" six years prior) are both superb as Martin and Coretta, and along with Mann¹s incisive script and a stellar supporting cast, they make "King" a powerful and enlightening experience.
King Entertaining and educational. An excellent portrayal of a great american leader and how he changed history. I came away with a better understanding of U.S. history and of non-violent methods for creating political change.
A Civil Rights History Lesson This series allows the viewer to see inside the private and public life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his family. Paul Winfield is an exceptional actor and his protrayal of Dr. King is outstanding. Viewers of this series will learn details of the courtship of Coretta Scott King through Dr. King's assassination. Most notable and enjoyable to see are the cameo appearances of all four of Dr. King's children throughout the series. It is a must see.
The struggle to do good I've seen a few movies on King and have gotten something out of all of them. What I particularly enjoyed about this presentation is how it showed King's vulnerability, his concerns over where political activism would take his life, and how it would effect (even endanger) his family. That's a quandary for many activists, activists we'll never know the names of. I know lawyers who have challenged large polluting businesses and have received threats for their efforts. There are people all over this country/world challenging powerful interests in one way or another who encounter challenges similar to those that King did, or Jesus did. This DVD provides a good depiction of how it is that people often choose to keep supporting efforts for justice, including people in the entertainment industry like Tony Bennett, and people who once were part of the establishment like Ramsey Clark - both of whom make appearances in the film. I'm going to get a copy of this DVD and donate it to a Goodwill after all my friends and co-workers have seen it. I want to be sure that people with few resources have a chance to discover it.
"The United States is the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today." -MLK
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