Public television has a rock star. His name is Ken Burns.
You’ve seen some of his incredible documentaries — they include lengthy examinations of World War II, baseball, jazz, the Civil War and more. PBS is the perfect venue for Burns, because it allows him to go long and deep into a subject.
I’m thrilled by his latest subject — “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.” Burns’ new series begins at 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27 on KIXE Channel 9 . It’s a 12-hour, six-part series that runs two hours each night, Sunday through Friday. It will airs at 8 p.m. each night and then repeat at 10 p.m.
To read more about the series, watch video excerpts, download wallpaper etc., visit www.pbs.org/nationalparks .
I watched a 30-minute preview of the series, which got me primed.
Ken Burns
I’ve loved National Parks and National Monuments all my life and believe they offer us sanity as a nation. Burns’ documentary promises to tell the human stories behind the formation of the parks, but there will also be stunning cinematography, great narration by people like Peter Coyote, Tom Hanks and Andy Garcia, and music by Duke Ellington, Aaron Copland and Peter Ostroushko.
For most Americans, there’s such a personal connection with the National Parks. As the series will unveil, we all share an ownership in these amazing natural wonders. Preserving these areas is one of the greatest things we’ve done as a country.
(I was seething in anger at the Bush-era attempt to open up oil and gas leases on 77 parcels of BLM land near a number of my favorite National Parks in Utah, including Arches and Canyonlands. The leases were recently overturned by current Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, which is a huge relief to those who treasure these areas. The idea that oil platforms would litter the view behind Delicate Arch in Arches National Park seemed criminal to me.)
Delicate Arch
For the series, Burns’ crew visited 53 of the 58 National Parks over a period of five years. Often, his crews paid several visits to the parks to catch them in different seasons. (Talk about a dream job! Does it get any better than that?)
I’m looking forward to seeing how some of my favorite spots in the world have been filmed. I know it will make me want to get back to some of my favorite parks.
Speaking of that, what are your favorite National Parks, Monuments or recreation areas?
Some of mine include (in no particular order): Arches, Canyonlands, Yosemite, Lassen and Whiskeytown.
I’ve never been to Yellowstone, Glacier or the Grand Tetons, but would love to.