Roots was a huge cultural event when I was in high school. Ground Breaking at the time. My High School History teacher took time from class to discuss each episode and the significance of the events depicted. Every kid in my class was excited by this show and eager to discuss it and learn more.
People in todays generation claim it’s dated and they aren’t interested in seeing the old miniseries. LeVar Burton (the original Kunta Kinte) and Mark Wolper (the son of the original producer) joined forces to remake this miniseries for todays generation.
Part 1 aired tonight May 30. But it will certainly be repeated the next few nights. The entire miniseries is scheduled to run the next four nights this week.
It’s a shame they choose to air this after school has finished for the year. My generation benefited by our history class discussions. There’s a lot of material that a good teacher could use in conjunction with this fictionalized miniseries.
My thoughts on Part 1. They really **ramped **up the drama. Almost to absurd levels. But I guess that’s what it takes to grab todays generation and get them to sit still in front of a tv.
John Mace is correct. The Africa scenes were way, way over the top.
I couldn’t help but laugh that Kunta Kinte was an obstinate, pig headed, PITA in Africa and America. This guy just wouldn’t listen to anybody or do what he was told. He wouldn’t even listen to his own family in Africa. But I guess they had to make Kunta Kinte almost this mythical courageous character to get todays Internet generation interested in cheering him on. I can live with that.
Lots of fighting, whipping and so forth in both Africa and on the Southern Plantation. Kunta Kinte is a trouble maker anywhere he goes. There were some very powerful scenes with Kunta Kinte and Fiddler. Part 1 ends with the brutal and iconic whipping scene. Pretty much the same as it was done in the original series. Except more bloody.
How accurate is it? Beats me. They claim new research was done. But who really cares about accuracy? The point of this series in 1977 and today is to start a National discussion about slavery and it’s legacy in America. It certainly created a big discussion in 1977. I hope it does the same today.
Would Fiddler, a former field hand who had risen to a comfortable position as a musician allow Kunta Kinta to jeopardize his position? Somehow, I suspect Fiddler would have done whatever it took to break Kunta Kinta. But, having Fiddler befriend Kinta makes good fictional drama.
Why did the Overseer suddenly leave the Christmas party and go out to the barn to check on Kunta Kinta? Makes no sense. If anything the Overseer should have been too confidant that Kinta couldn’t escape. <shrug> I guess they needed to ramp up the excitement of chasing Kinta down.
Are you asking whether or not they rode horses into battle, or whether they rode stallions as opposed to mares? I can’t answer the second, but the Mandinka were known for their light cavalry, which they used for scouting and raiding. So Kunta Kinte as horse warrior is historically plausable.
I enjoyed part I, even though some of it is very hard to watch. I don’t recall the original showing that much of Kunta’s life in Africa but then I may be missremembering as I’ve not revisited the original since it first aired. The lead actor is very good (and sexy!) and Forest Whitaker is just as great as you’d expect. And the guy that plays the overseer; my gosh what a bastard.The actor playing him has it nailed.
Recalling what an impact the original had on me and remembering everyone talking about it the next day after each episode has me long for the day before we had DVRs and shows like this were an event that everyone watched at the same time. Not that the cultural dolts that I work with will watch it either way.
The most powerful moment, which I don’t think was in the original, was Fiddler realizing the lullaby his grandmother sang him was a Mandinka melody.
The miniseries also lacks the Battle of the Network Stars camp of '70s TV icons.
The Tom Lea:Chicken George relationship is what I’m most curious about as there are many ways to play that. I’m not a big fan of Jonathan Rhys Meyers, but will certainly watch.
They’ve left stuff out. I read that nearly all the scenes between the white characters were cut. They wanted to focus the story entirely from the slaves perspective. Quite a change from the original.
Way too much melodrama. That scene during the storm with the infatuated white girl crying out for Kizzy was over the top. I don’t recall a lesbian undertone in the original relationship between those two.
Looking forward to the next episode and a new generation. Kunta Kinte gets tiresome with his “I’m a Mandinka warrior speeches”. They’ve only told us, maybe. 20 times in 2 episodes? Give it a rest dude. We all know you’re the ultimate bad ass that resists slavery.
Anyway. The next chapters in this saga should be better. Chicken George is a interesting character in the original. I’m curious how they’ll handle the cock fighting. Bad,very bad and evil is probably their approach this time. Not much subtly or nuances in this version.
Best episode yet. The complex relationship between Tom Lee, Tizzy, and Chicken George is fascinating. The dynamics of love and hate through the passage of time is riveting.
Chad Coleman did a great job as Mingo. All the actors in this episode were good.
Wow, the ending scene with George and Tizzy. George becoming a complete man. Powerful moment
I hope people are watching. There’s some good work here.
kunta was a stubborn PITA in the first too…only reason he lightens up is when hes sold to the doctor who saves him after they cut his foot (or feet ?) he meets his wife
“That scene during the storm with the infatuated white girl crying out for Kizzy was over the top. I don’t recall a lesbian undertone in the original relationship between those two”
there wasn’t… it was more like she was a playmate/maid but the daughter went off to school and comes home to prepare for a trip to Europe for what I remember was a possible marriage and she was going to take kizzy with her
… in fact sandy Duncan said something like " well thats what she gets for not knowing her place " as shes hauled off screaming because she forged a pass for the one guy trying to escape
the irony of the moment is shes the one who taught kizzy how to read and write in the first place … did they include the part where the second owner stops in to put it nicely to say goodbye before she gets sold so she cam marry the coach driver ? and because he didn’t stop it (like he really could do anything about it ) she shows him the door ?
I wonder if they’ll include the last kizzy scene where during the civil war sandy duncans character is like 70 years old in a coach and her driver stops at kizzys place to get her some water and kizzy recognizes who she is and asks if she remembers her and is told no so she gets mad and spits in the water before she gives it to her…
what annoyed me in the first series is they would show a character and then youd find out their fate like an hour later with a couple of throwaway lines like when the coachman takes kizzy by whats left of the doctors place and you find out that the doctor sold kuntas wife and he basically let him self die of heartache although her marking out toby and writing kunta kinte on the grave board was a moment … the fun thing tho was pointing out all the 60s/70s tv stars they used …we got a class prize for who knew the most
I have a question… wasn’t there a controversy before haley died that a lot of roots was made up and and he said he created kunta from the general experience of African males of the period? I may be misremembering the whole thing …
Alex Hayley didn’t have the online genealogy resources we have today. Back then research meant visiting court houses, church’s and other places to look at paper records.
Heck even cemeteries are online now at findagrave
This wiki discusses research options for slave records. It’s pretty difficult just learning who the last owner was. But at least there are online resources easily found with Google.
The name was Tom Lea in the book and in real life. Aside from the fact that he might’ve been the father of Chicken George there is very little biographically the same as the Tom Lea who owned Haley’s ancestors. In the novel, the original miniseries and this one, Massa Tom is a po whitetrash boy who worked his way up with cockfighting, had a childless marriage, and hated the aristocracy who looked down on him. In real life he was from a rich planter family and had a large family with his white wife, and in fact some of his white descendants raised all kinds of hell when the novel was published, which I think is why they changed the name in the original series. In an interview Haley said the real Kizzy also had several other children.
Is it against the law to age Jonathan Rhys Meyers, btw? In The Tudors he looked 35 and had a flat stomach when the real Henry VIII was in his 50s, grossly obese, and prematurely old, and in this he looks the same age when Kizzy first arrives as he does a generation and numerous grandchildren later.
The previews look like this is going to follow George to England, which the first series did not.
This guy just wouldn’t listen to anybody or do what he was told. He wouldn’t even listen to his own family in Africa. But I guess they had to make Kunta Kinte almost this mythical courageous character to get todays Internet generation interested in cheering him on. I can live with that.