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	A Man, A Plan, A Canal: Panama [VHS]
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	List Price	$19.95
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	Categories	WGBH Boston   Keach, Stacy   Lithgow, John   Lyman, Will   Schreiber, Liev   Stiers, David Ogden   VHS   Unrated   Closed Caption   General   World History & Culture   History   General AAS   Television - WGBH Boston - General
Description
Thirty years of dreaming. Fifty miles of shortcuts. Thousands of dollars spent. Thousands of lives lost. The construction of the Panama Canal was just intellect-boggling. Now you can obtain an exceptional look at the inside operations of the 30-year construction of this magnificent water works. Meet the pioneers one on one and listen to firsthand what obstacles they faced. Study why France jumped ship afterwards 10 years and 20,000 lives later. Step-by-step follow the men who braved the building and turned a dream into reality by carving into the earth together with their jaws of steel. Narrated by David McCullough.
When European explorers first set foot in Central America, they dreamed of building a waterway to join the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. This dream would get nearly four centuries to materialize. The French began digging in 1880, but abandoned the task 10 years and thousands of lives later, having completed only a third of the job. The Americans picked up where the French left off, and as they worked, film crews and journalists recorded the feat for posterity. Today, these pictures are compiled in this comprehensive video, and as one watches it, one can't help but be amazed this building such a canal was even attempted. Workmen's diaries and sepia-toned photos inform stories of tropical disease, snakes, sharp saw grass, and smothering heat. Modern-day computer diagrams illustrate just how immense a construction feat the American and French had taken on, endeavoring to dig a 50-mile crossing throughout jungles, mountainsides, and lakes. This documentary is likely to appeal to together geography buffs and those only casually acquainted together with the engineering marvel known as the Panama Canal. --Demian McLean
Customer Reviews
Who Knew How Interesting it Could Be?   2003-01-29
I saw this video on a cruise through the Panama Canal. Going through the canal after seeing this video, I could imagine so vividly the experiences of the workers that labored in the oppressive tropical heat under the threat of construction dangers and disease. This film made the experience much more human.
Seeing is Believing   2001-02-16
By Glen F. Bergert (Camp Hill, PA USA)
I saw this video onboard the sailboat Le Ponant just prior to entering the Panama Canal. The video was incredible and allowed each of us to better understand the magnitude and complexity of the project. David McCullough does a fantastic job of commentary.
Documentary Heaven!!   2000-08-10
By WAYNE BURDEN (Tampa, Florida)
This video, narrated by David McCullough, is beautifully done! Hats off to NOVA for a first-rate job. Mr. McCullough, having written the book, "The Path Between the Seas", along with his storytelling ways, was the perfect choice to narrate this documentary. It informs, enlightens, and entertains. MUST VIEWING for anyone truly interested in the building of this engineering wonder!
Brilliant documentary about the Panama Canal   2000-01-19
By mdv (Los Angeles, CA USA)
David McCullough's 1987 documentary about the politics, acts of God and obstacles that were overcome to construct the Panama Canal is a reminder of what an amazing achievment this was. As a new century begins, and on the heels of the U.S. turning day-to-day control of the canal over to Panama, this is a good time to catch up the history of the canal. This piece is as good an hour as Nova has ever produced and McCullough's story telling and narration are perfect.
an excellent look at american inginuity and know-how!   1999-07-07
this video does an excellent job of showing the history of the canal from the earliest french involvement, and eventual failure, to the intervention of teddy roosevelt and the american inginuity, skill and force of will that made the canal a reality. an excellent watch for anyone interested in american history, foreign policy, or science and technology. a must for educators!