Other postings have regarded this is the best film of all time. Notwithstanding that I have seen GWTW, How the West Was Won, and Ben Hur as original or re-releases in genuine movie houses, I think that's a little over the top. Centennial is an "over-the-top" Television mini-series. And it is a sincere attempt to be three films (all at once) delivered in that venue; which was a popular scheme of presentation, at that time in the history of film, on television.
The 1970s were a time of "Movies of the Week", "The Weekend", "Complete Novels for Television"; and, one to three-night, presentations of highly successful theatrical releases, such as GWTW (those initials need no introduction), The Godfathers (I, and II), Exodus, The Bible; and, The Ten Commandments, to name just a few.
Centennial was first and foremost an attempt to be; one of NBC's "The Complete Novel for Television". And as such, it must first be said that Centennial (the novel) was neither "The Godfather", nor GWTW. No one could possibly say that the book (even if faithfully transferred to film; which it was), was a work in which a vast reading (GWTW type) public; were anxiously awaiting the announcement of the film, and the selection of its cast and director. Without NBC's programming production decision (after which it went looking for novels), it is impossible to conclude that a film studio, or specialist producer/director (a Coppola say) would have attempted to meet popular demand for a theatrical interpretation of this work.
The second type of film this was is a "documentary drama" of the "Roots" variety. The book and film didn't go so far as to suggest that they were chronicling the actual multi-generational life of real family, in an American historical context. It however, did start out from the premise that thru the lives of the fictional characters (acting in accord with the received historical narrative), an important historical and ultimately entertaining story could be related and enjoyably told.
The third type of film this was was a television film, a television mini-series; chopped up in multiple blocks or portions, which are to be served up in a way to meet the scheduling requirements of the broadcast medium. And it is the combination of these three types of film that Centennial was, and results in what its rating should be.
On that basis this well-made film is an average to below average television work. It is far too long for the story that it tells. The historical settlement of Colorado and or the West is not the American Civil War, or the American Revolution. It isn't even "War and Remembrance"(WAR). And tying up the loose-ends with a 1970s detective mystery looking for "who did it", is not the way that either "Roots" or WAR ended.
The 1970s were a time of "Movies of the Week", "The Weekend", "Complete Novels for Television"; and, one to three-night, presentations of highly successful theatrical releases, such as GWTW (those initials need no introduction), The Godfathers (I, and II), Exodus, The Bible; and, The Ten Commandments, to name just a few.
Centennial was first and foremost an attempt to be; one of NBC's "The Complete Novel for Television". And as such, it must first be said that Centennial (the novel) was neither "The Godfather", nor GWTW. No one could possibly say that the book (even if faithfully transferred to film; which it was), was a work in which a vast reading (GWTW type) public; were anxiously awaiting the announcement of the film, and the selection of its cast and director. Without NBC's programming production decision (after which it went looking for novels), it is impossible to conclude that a film studio, or specialist producer/director (a Coppola say) would have attempted to meet popular demand for a theatrical interpretation of this work.
The second type of film this was is a "documentary drama" of the "Roots" variety. The book and film didn't go so far as to suggest that they were chronicling the actual multi-generational life of real family, in an American historical context. It however, did start out from the premise that thru the lives of the fictional characters (acting in accord with the received historical narrative), an important historical and ultimately entertaining story could be related and enjoyably told.
The third type of film this was was a television film, a television mini-series; chopped up in multiple blocks or portions, which are to be served up in a way to meet the scheduling requirements of the broadcast medium. And it is the combination of these three types of film that Centennial was, and results in what its rating should be.
On that basis this well-made film is an average to below average television work. It is far too long for the story that it tells. The historical settlement of Colorado and or the West is not the American Civil War, or the American Revolution. It isn't even "War and Remembrance"(WAR). And tying up the loose-ends with a 1970s detective mystery looking for "who did it", is not the way that either "Roots" or WAR ended.