If You Could Ask Ken Burns To Make A Documentary For You, What Topic Would You Choose?

[mso489]

Opps, the Long Island pyrotechnic firm is Grucci; the handbag outfit is Gucci. That's spellcheck at work.

 

[chilllucky]

...
2. The history of the American Dollar
...

I would be into a good, long format documentary about the journey of our, or really the world's, currency from backed to fiat. What little I've read on the subject got over my head quickly.

 

[scloyd]

The History of Punishments of the World.

Stoning, Beheading, Firing Squad, Hanging, Electric Chair...you get the idea.

 

[haparnold]

For a non-American topic, I'd love to see documentary on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.

For American topics:
1. Bluegrass Music (though Country Music touches on it)
2. The Civilian Conservation Corps
3. Tobacco
4. The so-called Whiz Kids

 

[rmpeeps]

For a non-American topic, I'd love to see documentary on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.

For American topics:
1. Bluegrass Music (though Country Music touches on it)
2. The Civilian Conservation Corps
3. Tobacco
4. The so-called Whiz Kids

The CCC would be a great topic.
Also, I believe its revival (CCC2 ?) would be a great undertaking.

 

[ron123]

Great docuseries running now, even though not by Ken Burns, it almost could have been - the Last Dance that ESPN is running about Jordan and the Bulls of the 90's. It was a great time to be in Chicago. Not sure how well it plays in other parts of the country, but it brings back a lot of great memories of watching Bulls playoff games outside in beer gardens/outdoor bars in the city with groups of friends.

As far as potential subjects, researching into the history of the Vatican would be interesting, as well as the Masons, and also maybe the Muslim faith.

 

[briarfriar]

I always thought Freemasonry would make an apt subject for him, because it encompasses narrative elements he likes. The fraternity straddles a broad sweep of history. It includes countless giants of Western civilization. Its story involves improving relations among people of diverse ethnicities, races, faiths, and political creeds. And there are tons of material culture and landmarks to see. I don't know if it merits the 18-hour treatment he lavished on other subjects, but there's a lot to work with.

 

[sablebrush52]

+1 docpierce - that would make a very interesting documentary. It would have a very broad scope though since you have theatre and movie industry, science and medicine, finance, literature. Thinking about it that would probably be a 4 volume set but certainly interesting to watch. My own humble suggestion would be:

The history of Chewing Tobacco.

You forgot to mention bagels.

 

[sablebrush52]

Continuing the trend, how about a history of delis, or chili.

 

[Chasing Embers]

"Picks up knife and fork, ba-dum ting on plate and glass"

Knife = cutlery.

Fork = flatware.

Spoon = hollow ware.

Not a lot of folks know that strictly speaking, cutlery is knives and knives only.....because they cut!

Regards,

Jay.?

Knickers = underwear.

 

[alaskanpiper]

With homer bias: The History of Trapping in Alaska

Without homer bias: A doc on Hand (owner) Built Homes

 

[condorlover1]

A film about the concrete industry in the U.S?

 

[mawnansmiff]

A film about the concrete industry in the U.S?

Sounds like a rock solid idea to me ?

Regards,

Jay ?

 

[stokesdale]

Something on the CSS HL Hunley that is pure history and NOT some asinine docudrama. I'm something of an amateur revolutionary and civil war historian and have always had a particular fascination with the Hunley.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

I'd like to see an exhaustive documentary on measuring things.
I've read that you can still find a dozen or so different standards of "one foot" throughout Europe.

 

[pappymac]

I'd like to see a good documentary on the U.S. Coast Guard and its origins.

At least one episode on the Coast Guard ice patrols and an episode on the Coast Guard history in Alaska.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"I'd like to see an exhaustive documentary on measuring things.
I've read that you can still find a dozen or so different standards of "one foot" throughout Europe."

Frozenchurchwarden, we had a documentary on that very subject here in the UK a couple of years ago. It showed the solid platinum weights held in some vault in Paris (I think) that are used as base measurements for all things metric.

I seem to recall there was a piece about either the Russians or the US making the mathematically perfect sphere and what great lengths they went to just to get it right.

Fascinating it was!

Regards,

Jay.

 

[docpierce]

The History of Punishments of the World.

Stoning, Beheading, Firing Squad, Hanging, Electric Chair...you get the idea.

...accordion.

 

[BarrelProof]

Cheese.

 

[condorlover1]

How about a documentary on bricks? I know this fellow would love to watch it and even feature in it!