Saints
& Strangers (2015 TV Mini-Series/Sony DVD)
Picture:
B Sound: B Extras: C- Episodes: B+
The
Pilgrims came in search of a new world, but before the settle in they
will have to face the elements, hunger, disease, enemy Indians and
other dangers. They came in search of freedom, but what they did was
have to survive. They hoped for peace, but instead they brought war
in Paul Edwards' Saints
& Strangers,
a new 2015 TV Mini-Series on the sometimes controversial first
settlers in what is now the United States.
After being blown
off course, the Pilgrims decide to settle in Plymouth, after
surviving the first harsh winter low on food and supplies they
depended on the aid and help of the Indians (aka Native Americans).
While they traded with the Indians, by far it didn't mean they trust
them, just as long as they could use them. The Indians respected the
English but the various tribes fought among each other one whether to
allow these outsiders to survive. Peace was kept only as long as
they need each other. While Governor William Bradford wanted to keep
the peace, the peace would soon be broken when the English breaks
their word.
This was an eye opener for American history.
While most of us was taught in school that the Pilgrims came in
search of religious freedom, made peace and had the first
Thanksgiving, the history books neglected to mention that there were
also soldiers and companies there to make a profit as well (and they
had to kill a few Indians too), also they left out what happen after
the first year. A more adept name for the series would have been
Saints
& Sinners,
because the Pilgrims weren't nice as history described them. Vincent
Kartheiser, Anna Camp, Ron Livingston and Natascha McElhone lead the
cast.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image and lossy Dolby Digital 5.1
mix are as good as DVD will allow, so we could imagine how good a
Blu-ray version would play. Extras include deleted scenes.
-
Ricky Chiang
