"Ferguson (who also narrates the film) closes with the not-so-subtle reminder that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Patient compendium drawing from 3400 hours of audio tapes, archival footage, declassified documents, et al, weaves a rich texture of understanding, particularly effective in flashbacks from... Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.Director Charles Ferguson ("Inside Job") interviews a who's who of key Watergate figures, providing a deep dive into Richard Nixon's flawed psyche, which allowed the abuses of power and subsequent obstruction of justice that eventually forced his resignation in 1974. ... he was chasing a documentary thriller that would be fun to watch. nippets of the actual audio play before transitioning to his hired players, as if that would make the re-enactments feel more credible. Hodge, in particular, wanting as Nixon, evoking none of his cunning, oily calculation. WATERGATE. A new three-part documentary about the Watergate scandal begins tonight, on the History channel. Documentary filmmaker Charles Ferguson turns his lens to address worldwide climate change challenges and solutions. While the scandal generates a fair share of suspense, Ferguson stitches it all together with the clarity and purpose of a shrewd academic. But if the hybrid approach he employs by weaving in the dramatized scenes isn't quite a cancer on his documentary, it's a drag on an otherwise first-rate account.In terms of an insider's guide go what transpired, one could hardly ask for a better cast of characters, including reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, Dan Rather, Nixon White House aides John Dean and Pat Buchanan, Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Elsberg, the late John McCain, and former members of the Senate Watergate Committee, like Lowell Weicker, to name a few.But then Ferguson mucks that up by having actors perform the taped Oval Office meetings, with Douglas Hodge as Nixon, complete with sweaty upper lip and at-times slurred, drunken delivery.The problem is that we've seen plenty of dramatic portrayals of this period, from "All the President's Men" to "Nixon" to "The Final Days" to, most recently, "The Post." Where Ferguson falls down though is his handling of the Nixon tapes - which are excepted at length. And on and on and on.The differences, however, are just as striking. His method is to play the first sentence of the tapes and then launch into long re-enactments with actors playing Nixon (Douglas Hodge), Dean (Max Dexter), Henry Kissinger (Elliot Levey) etc.. To his credit, Ferguson doesn't alter the text, but, the actors simply aren't up to the task of recreating the nuances of these historical figures, with their well known voices and ticks. I lived through this age as a college debater and know it all. Thank god those heroes of yesterday set the standards and rules of law for today. A series of exclusive interviews and archival footage examining Bill Clinton's political scandal of the 1990s and its lasting influence in the United States. It was broadcast as five episodes of 50 minutes each. when the director’s narration argues that Nixon’s final days in office were spent trying to impress his Soviet counterpart, like a big boy). Charles Ferguson's extensive Documentary (4 1/2 hours) sets out to detail the history of Watergate from the break-in through Nixon's resignation. The complete guide by MSN. Unlike Trump, Nixon wasn’t the imbecilic godhead of a cult of personality, and the Republicans of his day weren’t afraid to stand up to their President. Our current President is never mentioned by name, but the context for this hyper-detailed history lesson is clear from the opening credits, where the full title card reads: “Watergate: Or How We Learned to Stop an Out of Control President.” Remind you of anyone?From there, Ferguson mostly lets the facts speak for themselves, as the rhymes between past and present are too many and dumbing to not be self-evident. Chronicle of Nixon's last months in the White House. Copyright © 2020 Penske Business Media, LLC. The story of the tragedy on board the Scandinavian Star in 1990, is still the biggest unsolved murder mystery in Scandinavia in recent times. 2 of 2 people found this review helpful. It has less value as a dusty mirror that reflects back on our current national crisis, as we poor souls have the misfortune of having to live through this nightmare every day, and the idea that “this too shall pass” is small consolation to those who are suffering the worst of it and waiting for someone to do the right thing.But even if Ferguson made “Watergate” with Trump in mind, his smartest decision was not to make it identify Trump by name.
Click here and start watching the full episode in seconds. The USA can give great thanks to the unsung hero's that stopped the corruption at the loss of their own futures. One of the better documentaries and good interviews Nixon, Ferguson makes sure to remind us, was fiercely loyal to his friends, and heartbroken when they had to pay the price for his actions. Yes, the focus was watergate but even that was pretty well skimmed over. A definitive look at the notorious 1986 murder of Jennifer Levin in Central Park, featuring exclusive interviews and never-before-seen archival material. For those without a cable subscription or login information, you may be looking for ways to watch the documentary series online. President Richard Nixon is reelected in 1972, but attacks from the media and the antiwar movement goad him to take the dark path to the Watergate burglary. SThe second part of “Watergate,” which focuses almost exclusively on the bombshell hearings and the string of bullshit Nixon press conferences that followed, is far more consistent.