"Eyes on the Prize" (1987) TV series

User Rating:

9.3/10   

Director:

Henry Hampton

Seasons:

1 | 2

Genre:

Documentary | History

Plot:

A documentary about the American Civil Rights Movement from 1952 to 1965.

Plot Keywords:

Civil Rights Movement | Boycott | Freedom Rider | Racial Tension | Heroism

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 7 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Julian Bond

...

Narrator (14 episodes, 1987-1990)

Also Known As:

"Eyes on the Prize II" (USA) (second season title)

Runtime:

360 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Company:

Blackside

Trivia:

The series was unavailable from 1995-2006 due to copyright issues. Licenses for "Happy Birthday", news footage, various photographs, songs and lyrics used in the film expired in 1995, and the film Company Blackside could not afford to renew these licenses. A grant from the Ford Foundation enabled them to renew the licenses. The series was rebroadcast and released to DVD in October, 2006.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Critic: Eyes on the Prize (#1.6)" (1994)

No doubt - best documentary ever.

I have seen parts of the series in no fewer than 3 academic classes of varrying topics during my time at Pepperdine University. This outstanding series is professional to the core, attracting the biggest names of the day to give interviews (from both Civil Rights fighters to pro-segregationists) and give an honest look at the moment in the 1950's and 1960's. Powerfully moving, it brings me to tears each time I watch certain scenes. As comprehensive as any documentary I've seen, Eyes on the Prize gives the low down on the movement, its highs and lows, and provides a very real perspective on why the events played out as they did. A winner in every sense, I give the PBS produced Eyes on the Prize a 10/10 without a second thought.

Kudos for the series.