Ken Burns has been making movies for more than 30 years. His documentaries (纪录片) are nonfiction records of history. In his films, Ken shares American history by allowing ordinary men and women to tell their own stories. The National Parks: America’s Best Idea is a documentary that shows nature at its best. Ken’s film tells the story of the people who fought to protect the land for future generations to use and enjoy.
For Ken, there are direct connections between people who lived long ago and people living today. It is his job as a filmmaker and observer of history to make those connections clear for viewers of his films.
It all began for Ken in Brooklyn, New York, where he was born on July 29, 1953. Because of his father’s work, the family moved often before Ken was 10. When he was 11 years old, Ken’s mother died of an illness. The family was living in Michigan at the time, and Ken and his dad spent many nights watching old John Ford films together. He was touched by the power that movries could have and was determined to learn the craft.
After high school, Ken chose to attend Hampshire College in Massachusetts, to study film. His professors frowned on the Hollywood style of moviemaking and encouraged him to make documentaries.
In 1990, Ken released The Civil War, an 11-hour series that was shown on publie television.
The film used more than 16, 000 historical photographs and many noted actors. Ken brought the images to life by slowly panning the camera over a photograph as an actor read a personal letter written by the subject of the picture. Music played in the background. This teehnique became known as the Ken Burns Effect: the feeling of bringing the viewer back in time and conneeting him or her with the past.
The Ciyil War won more than 40 major film, music, and television awards. But Ken does not make movies for fame or fortune. He has turned down many offers to work as a Hollywood movie director on multimillion-dollar films. “The past lives that people lived, their stories, the everyday things are what really touch my heart,” Ken says.
【小题1】What is a characteristic of Ken’s works?| A．They focus on people living in the moment. |
| B．They stress differences between generations. |
| C．They feature natural scenery. |
| D．They bring history to life. |
| A．His attitude toward trips. |
| B．His interest in learning history. |
| C．His plan for his future career. |
| D．His understanding of the Hollywood style. |
| A．It made him stand out. |
| B．It was quite complex for the viewers. |
| C．It applied the traditional techniques successfully. |
| D．It led him to become a Hollywood movie director. |
