Roots: The Complete Collection [DVD] [1977] [2007]

This was a second d vd it plays ok

You will not be disappointed with this DVD set - we cannot re-write history, but we can learn from the mistakes!

Great film

Great value for money and quickly delivered

I watched the complete Roots story right through last weekend and found it gripping, powerful and a vivid portrayal of the journey of one family through history from the mid 1770s to the present day. It starts with Kunte Kinte, a young man of the Mandinka tribe living in Gambia being captured by slave traders, transported in appaling conditions in the hold of a slave ship to America and his descendants facing the horrors of race murder, exploitation, hostility, prejudice and discrimination. It tells of one of the greatest crimes one race of humanity has inflicted upon another to the discrimination faced by black people in the southern states of America. The story is unfinished as slavery still exists today in certain countries, many people in the third world are disadvantaged by globalisation that has been imposed by the west and works to their advantage, black people still face discrimination in America and elsewhere and do not enjoy equality of opportunity and their place in the sun.The story finishes where it starts in Gambia as the author, Alex Haley, journeys to the scene of Kunter Kinte's capture and Haley is welcomed by the Mandinka tribe like a returning son.Haley claims that all the events in his family's history actually happened and although some have questioned this claim it does not negate the essential truth told in Roots that despite all the odds stacked against them black people can overcome them and find success.On a more mundane level I found the very small writing on the discs difficult to read and the double sided discs could be confusing at times when you forget which side you have watched when you take a break but this is a minor inconvenience and should not put anyone off watching such an oustanding and memorable drama.David Rowland

ROOTS 30th ANNIVERSARY BOX SEThttp://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000W70GY6/ref=cm_rdp_product"ROOTS 30th ANNIVERSARY BOX SET": I find it hard to believe that 30 years has passed since is saw the tv series & due to me staying with my Step-Mum at the time, i was never allowed to miss an episode & i dare not speak while it was on or she would roar at me like a lion saying 'be quiet' (well, that was me told) I was pleased & surprised to see it on "Amazon" & cheaper than anywhere else, this is what i call "a must have item". I was in my late teens/early 20's when i first saw it. Roots made me aware of slavery & how people were bought & sold which really shocked me, i know it started over one or two centuries but it opened my eyes as to what went on, they never mentioned much about it at School. All i can remember is the terrible sale of Africans in to the life of slavery. and through the magic of tv i saw the entire miniseries, i am now 56yrs old & live alone. Explanation: I am disabled, housebound & have to take medication daily which in turn causes short term memory loss(no! i ain't looking for sympathy, far from it) i wanted you to know i am disabled because it makes sense when i say, 'i know that i am going to enjoy watching the "Roots 30th Anniversary box set' what with my bad memory & 30yrs on i've probally forgotten a lot about Roots & i'm really looking forward to watching it again & there's more! Included in the box set is Roots - The next Generation(new to dvd) the 12 hour miniseries continues the saga from the post-Civil war era to Alex Haley's ancestral discovery, & for the icing on the cake you get "Roots: The Gift (new to dvd) 'The Heartwarming Holiday Movie' & here i was just expecting to get "The Roots 30th Anniversary Box Set" but boy was i wrong!, but i was blown away & pleasantly surprised to receive two box sets & a movie. You get all this for £8.79 plus Amazon delivers this Colletion free of charge. I would recommend this box set to anyone & am not sure if this box set is on offer or not as there is up to 70% of dvd'a just now, so for the sake of £8.79 you would be buying a gripping & powerful drama series, well acted plus you get two miniseries & a film too. Nice one Amazon *****

If you are wondering whether it is worth spending your money and over 1300 minutes of your time on something made over 30 years ago and which has been awarded the dubious label 'a landmark in television', then fear not-for once the hype is justified. The reason Roots is so special lies in the fact that it has an utterly compelling story to tell and it manages to tell it without ever having any sections where the action flags or where you lose concentration. The acting has real conviction and the series achieves that rare alchemy of having real human interest meshed with actual events so that you have a personal view of history as it was lived and experienced by 7 generations of the Haley family. Along the way you will be introduced to many of the big issues of the African American heritage from the unspeakable wickedness of slavery to the equally evil system of discrimination known as 'Jim Crow' up to the tumultuous Civil Rights struggles of the 1960's. This is not however documentary history, but a families' struggle for survival and a better life and it makes for truly inspiring and moving viewing. I first saw Roots as a child of 11 and could remember some of its scenes over 30 years later-they angered me then as they anger me now. The worst mistake we could make watching this splendid series is to think the evils it portrays are ancient history. They are with us still-remember Nelson Mandela had 13 more years to serve when Roots was made. One of the supreme bargains of the DVD catalogue with good vision and sound for the period.

I hadn't watched Roots since I saw it on TV when I was still a child so I'd forgotten most of what happens. Really enjoyed watching it again and I learnt a few things from it this time round. Got it at a good price, I'm very happy with my purchase.