Embedded Files
The Kennedy Films of Robert Drew & Associates
This is one of the best documentary short film series I’ve ever seen. Well, now that I think about it, it might be the only documentary short film series I’ve seen. So let me rephrase that, it’s one of the best docuseries I’ve ever seen. These four shorts are absolutely generational and give one of the best looks at politics that you’ll ever see. I didn’t actually know that they existed until I saw them in the Criterion section at Barnes & Noble, and as a JFK history nut, I just had to impulse buy. So I’ll give a quick blurb on each short. ‘Primary’ is the first, and the best of the four. It gives an inside look on the Humphrey and Kennedy campaigns as they compete in the Wisconsin primary. It’s such an intimate look at both candidates, everything completely natural. ‘Adventures on the New Frontier’ shows JFK a few months after winning the presidency, and how a day in his life might look. You get to see important conversations and the workings of the Oval Office and JFK’s staff. ‘Crisis’ shows JFK during an actual presidential crisis, and how he makes decisions and consults his staff. This one was really intriguing because of how up close the crew gets to the presidential staff, as well as the actual crisis. Lastly, ‘Faces of November’ is a wordless, much shorter film that simply captures JFK’s funeral. Obviously, this one wasn’t planned, but they still decided to show how those who attended the funeral mourned. It’s probably my favorite of the four, solely because of how emotional and powerful it is. Overall, these four shorts are very educational, extremely interesting, and had a fantastic impact on documentary filmmaking going forward. My hat off to Robert Drew and his crew. I would recommend this to all history fans. These films are officially Berry Approved, so go watch them now!
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