Excellent picture quality!!!

Great documentary on Jack Johnson, as can usually be expected with a film by Ken Burns. Only one disappointment. The cover advertised that this dvd has closed captions (cc). But whatever I tried, no closed captions were displayed. I like the cc feature due to some work related hearing loss. If it wasn't for that, I'd give it five stars.

UNFORGIVABLE BLACKNESS is an excellent, well-paced, accurately informing bio-pic about the personality, accomplishments and perturbations of a pugilist and down right independent cuss...Jack Johnson. Despite the questionable moral posture of this black, Afro-American, champion fighting machine, you cant help but love him for a kind of resistance only his type understands...hit, take them down and never see them stand up again. You want a contrary definition of a bully and a "lady's man"...see this piece of excellent cinema. Pertinent today for many clear and obvious reasons.

The dvd was well worth the money.

After I'd seen "The Great White Hope," in 1969 or so, the name burned and simmered util the 2005 showing of this Ken Burns documentary. Even though the turbulent sixties shaked loose forgotten times and names, the bold frankness of this towering figure of an athlete,in public or private, did not achieve the treatment required to do justice until Burns applied his painstaking examination of period stills and movies. What he reveals is pure gold, a self-made man who grew beyond the racial and social bonds to achieve his dream. No handlers. No PR men. No hype. Whether rising in the first part or falling in the second half of this documentary, Jack Johnson burns with integrity, confidence and manliness, in a manner that no man or situation could shame. The heroism of his slow decline and public withdrawal was an equally inspiring lesson to anyone seeking the spotlight and letting go of it. His desire, courage and self-development(mental and physical) are worthy of emulation. This documentary, wonderfully narrated and written, leaves Jack Johnson standing alone at the top of the boxing greats. Not only do you feel the changing times at the turn of the century, you get to see the changing landscapes of the countryside and the booming cities as you travel with Johnson on his road to greatness.The bickering pettiness of today's athletes bathed in luxury and leisure today, pale against the backdrop of this great man.