Customer Rating: 
Summary: Johnny Cash and railroads; you really can't go wrong
Comment: This film is a rare gem. It's as much about Johnny Cash, I think, as it is about the history of the American railroad. Cash, who appears on-camera throughout, is a natural storyteller, and he has a genuine enthusiasm for the subject matter. Combine that with his characteristic raw honesty and you have a compelling performance that is an absolute joy to watch.
The real highlight for me are the songs he uses to punctuate the story. Much of it is just Cash and his "gee-tar", lending an intimate, folksy charm to the songs. While he reprises a few classics, some of the musical selections I believe are unique to this film making this a real treat for Cash fans.
There are historical reenactments throughout this film, and they all come across as authentic and convincing. You can almost believe you're looking back in time and watching the actual events unfold. Some have described the camera work as shaky, and I suppose it is, but I don't find it objectionable. It's par for the course for what you'd expect from a 1974 production (they didn't have Steadicam back then), and I think it lends a sense of immediacy to the proceedings. You're actually in the crowd watching history unfold instead of watching a mere reenactment from a locked-down vantage point.
I highly recommend this for rail fans and Johnny Cash fans. And if you're a rail fan who's not a Johnny Cash fan, well, you will be after watching this.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Fun for Train Lovers or Serious Johnny Cash Fans, but Too Much Jittery Camera Work Lowers the Enjoyment
Comment: JOHNNY CASH--RIDIN' THE RAILS: THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAIN STORY is almost excellent! It is a fun history lesson taught by Johnny Cash, about the history of trains in America. It is marred only by jittery, motion-sickness inducing, hand held camera work which seems to take up about 25% of the running time, sprinkled throughout.
Johnny grew up around train tracks, and tells how his dad would ride the trains like a hobo, looking for work, and such. They also re-enact many of the historical scenes that Johnny teaches about, tracing many milestones in the history of trains and their influence on the shaping of the USA.
It is a very enjoyable program, if you like trains, or like seeing Johnny Cash talk about this somewhat obscure topic which he truly loves to talk about.
The DVD extras are just outtakes of a few of the scenes, but they add about 15 minutes, or so. The main program is about 50 minutes.
My dad is 73 years old. He LOVES trains, and he likes Johnny Cash. I was afraid that he would balk at the shaky camera work, (he won't put up with ANYTHING if he doesn't want to), but he was very engrossed by the historical aspects, tolerated the obscure train songs sung by Johnny, and announced how GOOD the DVD was, after we watched it together!
If you are like me, and you already own most of Johnny Cash's live music DVDs, then you will likely enjoy this RIDIN' THE RAILS on DVD. If you are new to Johnny Cash, then I would recommend getting one of his live concert DVDs before this one. LIVE IN IRELAND or LIVE IN DENMARK are my favorites, but most any of his LIVE DVDs are great! The weakest one is BEHIND PRISON WALLS, which is only half including Johnny Cash, and the guest musicians are not personal friends of Johnny's, as they are on most of his LIVE concert DVDs.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Riding the Rails
Comment: Certainly a different view of Johnny Cash in this one. An enjoyable DVD none the less and gives a bit of history of the great era of Steam trains. Saw the video a long time ago so the DVD is a welcome addition to my collection.
Customer Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest Cash videos I've seen
Comment: Ridin' the Rails: The Great American Train Story is vintage Cash at his best. Includes great footage of great railroad lines that have disappeared from the American landscape. Evokes memories of the heyday of the railroads and vintage Americana, long before the internet and cell phone. A time when the railroad was the fabric that kept this country together. Johnny sings from the heart and soul when singing about the great railroad lines of times past.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A means to better understand and appreciate Johnny Cash
Comment: In "Ridin' the Rails: The Great American Train Story," Johnny Cash tells the story of America's railroads doing what he does best. Cash fans will revel in the music and anyone with a general interest in history will appreciate the documental aspects. Indeed, the film is not intended for railroad buffs, but rather to introduce the allure and significance of trains to the uninitiated. The program is mostly composed of historical reenactments, with Johnny Cash narrating and singing songs that commemorate the ethos. The production is surprisingly good for something from 1974 and holds up well when compared to today's made-for-PBS type programs. Considering that cheesy symphony orchestras ruined most Country sounds of the day, the music of "Ridin' the Rails" has held up well. Cash keeps most of the songs stripped down to solo acoustic and therefore the music will always be timeless Americana. The DVD's picture quality is much cleaner when compared to the original and it features outtakes. As song writing imagery, Cash has always employed trains - just listen to Folsom Prison Blues. In "Ridin' the Rails," the viewer gets into the mind of Cash to appreciate on his level, what he loved about railroads. It is in this regard that "Ridin' the Rails" is not just a railroad documentary but a means to better understand and appreciate 'the Man in Black.'
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