I happened to wake up around 3am this morning and opened my foggy eyes to my TV which was flickering away on PBS with images of billowing clouds of sepia-toned dust like something straight out of The Wizard Of Oz. It was all part of the promotion for the upcoming Ken Burns documentary The Dust Bowl which is set to premiere this coming Sunday November 18th and Monday November 19th on PBS. The critics have once again been blown away by Burns’ trademark directorial skill which brilliantly captures a rich atmosphere all while conveying a huge amount of emotion, information, and imagery. NEWSDAY’s review gives the film an A+ with journalist Verne Gay writing: “This beautiful and often moving film resonates even more powerfully with Sandy in our rearview mirror, while Burns’ favorite theme — the American character — is drawn here with great clarity.” If you happen to catch this post in time, today (Thursday November 15th) at 2pm EST Ken Burns joins moderator Paula Zahn and fellow guest panelists for a LIVE discussion about the Dust Bowl, the worst man-made ecological disaster in American history, as well as current drought conditions, the importance of environmental awareness, and the effects humans have on the natural world. To watch it live today at 2pm CLICK HERE. And to learn more about Ken Burns’ The Dust Bowl you can visit the film’s home page at PBS.org.
