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| Centennial: The Complete Series (REGION 1) (NTSC) | 
 enlarge | Directors: Bernard Mceveety, Harry Falk, Paul Krasny, Virgil W. Vogel
Actors: William Atherton, Raymond Burr, Barbara Carrera, Richard Chamberlain, Robert Conrad
Studio: Universal Studios
Category: DVD
Buy New: £27.80
Buy New/Used/Collectible from £27.80
Avg. Customer Rating:  (7 reviews)
Sales Rank: 6556
Format: Box Set, Colour, Dolby, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Subtitled, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 1252 minutes
Number Of Items: 6
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 5.9 x 0.9
MPN: 61103921
UPC: 025195031776
EAN: 0025195031776
ASIN: B0018RKEQO
Release Date: July 29, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Grandest of the mini series, en elegy to the West October 23, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
As a rule, mini series have aspired to the label `epic'. By having starrier cast names, bigger sets, and of course more worldwide locations. This early mini series from the late 70's did something different - it kept the same location - the fictional town of Centennial, and charted the creation and evolution of the land and then the town, and the people that came and had an impact. So instead of the characters being large and the locations serving to tell us about the characters, the people are the ephemeral ones, passing through and hoping to leave their stamp on history. It's typical Michener in its style, and works perfectly in the mini series format - elegiac, rather than just epic.
So the story unfolds over 26 hours of TV of a beautiful bend in the river which is home to a tribe of native Americans, then comes the trappers, then the traders, the settlers, then the cattlemen, the shepherds, the farmers and civilization takes hold. It's a satisfying and at times informative unraveling of American history, told factually, but through a fictional town. That's not to say the characters are not well written - thanks to utterly memorable performances by the like of Robert Conrad as Pasquinel, Dennis Weaver as the cattle driver, Timothy Dalton as the rancher and yes, even Richard Chamberlain as McKeag amongst a huge cast, these are vignettes which will stay with you.
If the series has a weakness, it's the tendency to give extended and unnecessary flashbacks, particularly in the later episodes where the director feels the continual need to remind us at length of what has gone before. As for dating, it could be argued certainly that the sound quality and picture are somewhat dated now, but on the whole the series stands up remarkably well - paradoxically it is the later modern scenes with Robert Vaughn and Andy Griffith (and a young Sharon Gless) which have dated most.
Perhaps the most surprising element to me watching this again for the first time in 28 years, is the emphasis on harmony on the land - the give and take that the early settlers achieved, but later generations signally failed to achieve.
All in all, a worthwhile message, a handy historical summary, a fascinating cast and a collection of interesting interweaving stories - on whatever level you take it, this is well worth watching, despite its occasional flaw.
 The years have not been kind October 6, 2008
I am nearly finished watching Centennial and my god the years have not been kind. It really looks its age. The make-up is appalling. A bit of old gray face paint and a person is older. I remember watching it as a kid and I watched it again in the early 90's when I lived in Boston. Its a good mini-series but not a great one. The earlier chapters with Pasquinel are the best.Could they not get Native American actors to play the Indians. The guy who plays the Pawnee Chief just doesn't cut it as a Pawnee. Richard Chamberlain's "scotch" accent must rank as one of the worst in tv history. The last episode is half made up of parts of earlier espisodes.
Another gripe is why couldn't Michener have been a little more accurate.
Thomas Fitzpatrick (an Irishman from county Cavan and a great mountain man) was responsible for the Treaty of Laramie not "Maxwell Mercy" and "Levi Zendt". Why should the Catholic Irish be written out of the history of the West?
Speilberg's "Into the West" is a better mini-series.
One word - outstanding! September 3, 2008
Cenntennial is at last on DVD, I purchased a multi region player just to wath this series and it is wonderful. By far the best TV series ever. Great acting, super story line - hard to switch off.
The series charts the history of a typical area of the US west from 1750's up to the mid 1970's. Gripping viewing. The DVD transfer is super - very clear. I cannot praise this series too highly.
region 2??? August 14, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
anyone know if there's plans to release this in europe on blu-ray? i seriously need this mini-series!!!!
jcomic@indigo.ie
The best (mini) series ever made?? August 5, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Well, yes in my own opinion. Quite why it's taken Universal so long to release this is ridiculous, and theres still no release scheduled for the UK as far as I know. I've imported a Region 1 copy and can report that the six discs (single sided) fold out from a seperate insert inside a book type box. Picture quality is great, especially when compared to the VHS release, and the numerous pirated efforts out there. I've yet to find out whether the series has been cut for political correctness purposes, but I doubt it. The only extra here is a featurette looking back at the series with interviews from stars and crew. A real bargain if you've a multi region player. They don't make series like this any more, and if you saw it when originally broadcast in the late 70's you'll know exactly what I mean. It's hard to switch off because it hooks you right from the start. Fantastic, a real milestone in TV - BUY IT!
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