I have been a movie fan my whole life, but I honestly did not know about this mini series, Centennial, that debuted on television in 1978 and concluded in 1979.
I was recommended this movie by my Mom and one of my cousins, Mianna, when they both told me I had to see this and that it is so great.
My cousin Mianna said she was going to buy this for me and she did.
She did not have to do this but I appreciate it.
The mini series is almost 21 hours long, spanning 12 episodes or chapters, if you will.
It is based on a book by James Michener that is basically about the history of America, and covers many years, centuries actually.
It mainly covers the 1700s all the way up to the 1970s (the book actually goes all the way back to the dinosaur era).
The main core of the movie is set in a town in Colorado that was eventually named Centennial, and covers several generations of people and their families, namely the characters Pasquinel (played by Robert Conrad), Alexander McKeag (played by Richard Chamberlain), Levi Zendt (played by Gregory Harrison), Clay Basket (played by Barbara Carrera), Oliver Seccembe (played by Timothy Dalton), Jim Lloyd (played by William Atherton), Lame Beaver (played by Michael Ansara), and many more.
The cast I’ve just listed is beyond star studded.
Some others include Dennis Weaver, Raymond Burr, David Janssen (who actually narrated it too), Robert Vaughn, Andy Griffith, Anthony Zerbe, Richard Crenna, Mark Harmon, Brian Keith, and so many more.
My Mom and cousin are right: this is a very good mini series.
I think there is too many flashbacks at times, but this did air over the course of a few months, so the flashbacks were probably necessary.
My favorite parts are when Robert Conrad and Richard Chamberlain are on screen, and they are in a lot of it, along with Dennis Weaver’s chapter.
A lot of it is essentially a western, which I love.
I’m trying not to give too much away for those who have not seen this, but again, it covers a wide time span of history.
I love the cast and it is just a very well done story.
If you are into history, or westerns, and just a movie with a great cast, this is for you.