Alex Haley’s epic television miniseries is one of the many television epics I always meant to watch over the years, but never had the chance to. Finally being given the proper window by Warner, I was not surprised that “Roots” ended up being a very good epic drama about slavery, and the struggle for freedom. “Roots” is one of those great cinematic success stories, where in 1977, network ABC in America didn’t expect the mini-series to do very well. Due to its predominantly African American cast, and very strong content, the network pretty much dumped every episode over the course of eight nights, rather than spacing it out to create an audience.
Surely enough, viewers flocked to “Roots” anyway, making it one of the highest rated television mini-series of all time, and a legendary epic in its own right. “Roots” is a very good drama that takes its time setting the stage for the struggles of Kunta Kinte, as he goes from a courageous tribesman to a man forced in to becoming a subservient slave for white aristocrat. What makes Kunta such an interesting protagonist is not just the will and boldness of his character, but also the portrayal by Levar Burton. Burton as teenage and young adult Kunta Kinte is remarkable, providing the turn as a young man who is opened up to a whole new terrifying world and has to endure a new landscape against his will. When we meet him, he’s still trying to enter in to manhood, and figure out how to prove himself as a warrior.
That’s cut short when he’s overpowered and taken hostage by white slave traders, all of whom force him to have to endure years of torment and pain, including starvation, degradation, and watching everyone he loves disappear. “Roots” has the privilege of garnering an immense cast, all of whom provide some mesmerizing performances. The stands out include Burton who stars in the first half of the series, and Louis Gossett Jr. who is a surefire scene stealer as the slave named Fiddler, who takes Kunta under his wing in an effort to keep him alive. “Roots” is a remarkable mini-series that should be viewed by all audiences. It’s a compelling and gut wrenching chronicle that reaches deep down in to the core ideas about human endurance, human cruelty, and the strength we all have to survive and live to see a new day despite our circumstances.
The Blu-Ray release from Warner is a bang up transfer with all of the episodes watching with crisp quality and a fantastic upgrade. Featured in the new release is a digital copy, along with a full color photo booklet which contains episode descriptions, pictures of the cast, and a lot of the printed media coverage from when the series was aired. “Roots: The American Story Continues” is a new feature that discusses the special with folks like Whoopi Goldberg, James Earl Jones, Blair Underwood, Debbie Allen, Tavis Smiley, and Shonda Rhimes respectively, all of whom talk about how the series impacted them, and Alex Haley’s legacy.
“The Cast Looks Back” is another new feature with the original cast of LeVar Burton, John Amos, Louis Gossett Jr., Ben Vereen, and many more sharing emotional anecdotes about filming the series in 1976, and their views on why “Roots” is an immortal story. “Crossing Over: How ROOTS Captivated an Entire Nation” discusses the cultural impact o the series, and how it reflected on America as a whole. There’s the original screen test for LeVar Burton trying out as Kunta Kinte, and an interview from the 70’s with Alex Haley by David Frost, who explains his research of his ancestors, and how he was one of the first to accomplish the task. Finally, “Roots: One Year Later” is a fine documentary celebrating the airing of the series a year later as we join author Alex Haley as he visits his ancestral tribe in Africa.