The Story of Sprawl DVD Commentary

Released: Oct. 16, 2008.

In this special video podcast edition of the KunstlerCast you can watch and listen to a commentary track that James Howard Kunstler and Duncan Crary recorded for a soon-to-be-released DVD called The Story of Sprawl. The DVD is being produced by Planetizen.com. Kunstler and Crary comment on The City a 1939 film with a narrative written by the great 20th century generalist Lewis Mumford. In part 1 of the film, Mumford provides a nostalgic view of rural small-town American life in contrast to life in the harsh industrial cities and among the towering skyscrapers of New York. Mumford urges viewers that we can build better environments to live in, especially for our children. But we know where that line of thinking led us to: suburbia.

Direct Downloads:

Video: KunstlerCast_35_Video.m4v
( 77 MB | 17:29 mins.)

Audio Only: KunstlerCast_35_Audio.mp3
( 16 MB | 17:29 mins.)

Watch The City (1939) Part 1 – Without commentary

The Regional Planning Association of America’s plea for community chaotic cities and urban sprawl. Directors: Ralph Steiner and Willard Van Dyke. Script: Henwar Rodakiewicz, from an outline by Pare Lorentz. Commentary written by Lewis Mumford. Narrator: Morris Carnovsky. Photography: Ralph Steiner, Willard Van Dyke, Jules V.D. Bucher, Edward Anhalt, Roger Barlow and Rudolph Bretz. Editor: Theodore Lawrence. Music: Aaron Copland.

Producer: American Documentary Films, Inc.

Sponsor: American Institute of Planners, through Civic Films, Inc.

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

Via: Archive.org

KunstlerCast listners receive a $5 discount when they purchase The Story of Sprawl 2-DVD set, feauturing a comentary recorded by Jim and Duncan from this episode of the KunstlerCast. Use the discount code “Fiesta” during checkout. The KunstlerCast will receive a $5 referral fee for each purchase, too!