Henry David Thoreau PBS Documentary: George Clooney & Jeff Goldblum Star
A modern three-part documentary series from PBS aims to reframe the legacy of Henry David Thoreau, moving beyond the popular image of a secluded hermit to reveal a more complex and engaged figure. Henry David Thoreau, premiering , boasts an impressive voice cast including George Clooney, Jeff Goldblum, Ted Danson, Tate Donovan, and Meryl Streep.
The project originated with Eagles frontman Don Henley, who has long been dedicated to preserving Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts – the site of Thoreau’s famous two-year experiment in simple living. Henley approached documentarian Ken Burns, who then entrusted the project to brothers Erik and Christopher Loren Ewers.
What began as a short film quickly expanded as the filmmakers delved deeper into Thoreau’s life and work. “Over the production of that first 20-minute film, we were reintroduced to the Thoreau we were taught in high school,” explained co-director Christopher Ewers. “You know, that he was one thing, a prophet who wrote two books, Walden and Civil Disobedience – and that’s basically it.”
The documentary seeks to challenge that limited perception, revealing a Thoreau who was a teacher, a pencil maker, an advocate for women’s suffrage, and a vocal opponent of slavery. The filmmakers emphasize that Thoreau’s time at Walden Pond wasn’t one of complete isolation; he frequently returned to Concord for necessities and social interaction. His intellectual life was vibrant, and his activism extended beyond philosophical treatises to direct engagement with the pressing issues of his time, including supporting abolitionist John Brown.
“There’s so many layers to this man and what he wrote about, what he experienced, how he looked at the world,” Christopher Ewers said. “His perspective is just so relevant for our present moment, actually every moment in the last 200 years.”
Securing the voice cast was a deliberate process. Erik Ewers explained that they specifically sought out Jeff Goldblum to portray Thoreau, a desire facilitated by a prior connection between Goldblum and a collaborator on a commercial project. Henley’s advocacy also played a key role in attracting high-profile talent, including George Clooney and Meryl Streep. “He brought it home,” Erik Ewers said of Henley’s efforts.
The documentary incorporates a unique visual approach, blending archival footage with contemporary scenes filmed at Walden Pond and surrounding areas over a period of seven years. The filmmakers intentionally captured the landscape in all seasons and weather conditions, aiming to convey Thoreau’s deep connection to the natural world. They even gave affectionate nicknames to specific rocks and plants around the pond, reflecting the immersive experience of researching and filming Thoreau’s life.
The series also addresses a more critical aspect of Thoreau’s legacy: his relationship with the Indigenous people who inhabited the land before him. The filmmakers acknowledge the arrowheads Thoreau collected and the need to examine his perspective on the original inhabitants of Walden Pond.
The documentary’s structure mirrors Thoreau’s own approach to observation and reflection. Rather than presenting a straightforward biographical narrative, the filmmakers aim to allow viewers to experience Thoreau’s world as he did, interweaving his words with images and sounds. This approach is further enhanced by the inclusion of contemporary voices – environmental activists, historians, and ecologists – who discuss Thoreau’s relevance to modern challenges.
As environmentalist Bill McKibben states in the film, “We built the world that Thoreau feared… a world that’s so noisy and crowded that we don’t have any time to think for ourselves anymore.” The documentary ultimately suggests that Thoreau’s call for a simpler, more mindful way of life remains profoundly relevant in the face of climate change and other global crises.
The series concludes with a reading from Thoreau’s journal: “‘There is a season for everything,’… ‘You must live in the present. Launch yourself on every wave. Find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land. There is no other life but this.’”
Henry David Thoreau premieres on PBS on , at 9pm ET, with international broadcast dates to be announced.