treeduck Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 (edited) I was watching Amistad on TV, I hadn't seen it before, and it made me think of the TV mini series Roots, the story of Kunta Kinte. I watched it as a 10 year old back in 1977 and it was one of the first TV shows that made me think about a subject I thought I knew about and reassess it. I haven't seen it all since then so it might actually appear lame and far fetched or something if i saw it today... At the time though I thought it was very good and i really felt sorry for this guy; he's minding his own business when all of a sudden some white thugs turn up and kick the crap out of him, put him in a net and drag him off to a boat where another bunch of hardcases kick the crap out of him all over again and then sail him off on the high seas, him and another bunch of poor slobs. Then he gets to America and a bunch of white thugs (surprise surprise) kick the crap out of him and put a new set of chains on him and then he's sold to some creepy guy who, along with a bunch of other guys, (yes you guessed it) kick the living crap out of him. Of course there's more to the plot than just this (women are raped, and there's actually some decent folk in there somewhere too etc etc) but you get the picture. This guy basically gets the living bejesus kicked out of him virtually every day of his life as a slave. This is like a memory from 30 years ago though folks so don't quote me on the plot or anything... Who else remembers watching Roots? And what did you think of the show? Edited December 6, 2006 by treeduck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blonde77th Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Oh I loved Roots !! Thought it was awesone !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushgoober Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 I remember it only vaguely when it was on tv at first. I rented the entire series at some point in my 20's. It was incredible, heartbreaking and powerful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormtron Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Roots is great... but you don't have to take my word for it *ba dun dun* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arndrake Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 I was six when it originally aired. I remember it was a big deal at school as geneology was a hot topic at the time. I recall my mother wanted to watch this, but my stepfather did not as he was a racist and bigot and didn't want to watch a story about a bunch of 'n____'s on TV.' So I think she only got to see the first episode (he wasn't home at the time). And this was before VCRs were available cheaply on the home market, so she couldn't have a friend record it for her. I don't remember seeing much except one scene. The slow motion scene of Kunta on the beach surrounded by the slave traders, netted, shackled, screaming in rage and despair as he knows he is no longer a free man. A couple of years ago I borrowed the DVDs from my sister and got to watch the whole series. Some of the writing was a little dated, but otherwise it was a very good story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lerxt1990 Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Never saw it, but I do remember John Chancellor of NBC news pronouncing it like "ruts". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softfilter Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 (edited) There has been certain events on television which had worth and left a profound mark on your memory Roots was one, I remember it was the only time my entire family gathered in front of the tv set in complete silence absorbing this perspective(portrayal) of American history that we were never exposed to before. Funny I also remember our phone never rang during the whole time each episode was aired( unusal to say the least since I had two teenage sisters at the time and the phone was always tied up with them all hours of the night) I have a feeling this was the same for all households across the country because everyone was watching it. ... Many years later Ken Burns The Civil War would have the same effect. Edited December 7, 2006 by softfilter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margana Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 I remember watching it and I thought it was great. As well as Kunta Kinte, I remember that he passed down stories about his village and some words from his native language (kippy bolongo - a river, I think). It made me think about my roots and over the last few years, I have researched my family tree and made contact with long lost cousins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
third hand grace Posted December 9, 2006 Share Posted December 9, 2006 it was very well done, but LONG. I show the Middle Passage boat scene of Amistad to my classes and it has a massive impact on them. My roommate/friend, when I first was out of college was a black man who I teach with, and I remember tears streaming down his face as he and I watched Amistad one night. very powerful. ANYONE WHO WANTS TO TRULY HAVE INSIGHT AS TO WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE SHOULD SEE THIS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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