The World at War (30th Anniversary Edition)

Starring:Laurence Olivier, Sir Max Aitken, Vannevar Bush, Christabel Bielenberg, Edward Butler (II), Albrecht Brauning, Emmi Bonhoeffer, AndrÃ© Beaufre, Lord Boothby, Lord Butler, David Belchem, J.A.H.J.S. Bruins Slot, McGeorge Bundy, Michael Calvert (II), Lord Chandos, J.R. Colville, J. Lawton Collins, Eddy Christiani, Peter Cremer, Karl DÃ¶nitz
Director: John Pett, David Elstein, Hugh Raggett
Studio: A&E Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com essential video
Sir Jeremy Isaacs highly deserves the numerous awards for documentaries he has earned: the Royal Television Society's Desmond Davis Award, l'Ordre National du MÃ©rit, an Emmy, and a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II. His epic The World at War remains unsurpassed as the definitive visual history of World War II.

The Second World War was different from other wars in thousands of ways, one of which was the unparalleled scope of visual documents kept by the Axis and Allies of all their activities. As a result, this war is understood as much through written histories as it is through its powerful images. The Nazis were particularly thorough in documenting even the most abhorrent of the atrocities they were committing--in a surprising amount of color footage. The World at War was one of the first television documentaries that exploited these resources so completely, giving viewers an unbelievable visual guide to the greatest event in the 20th century. This is to say nothing of the excellent, comprehensible narrative. Some highlights:

A New Germany 1933-39: early German and Nazi documentation of Hitler's rise to power through the impending attack on Poland
Whirlwind: the early British losses in the blitz in the skies over Britain and in North Africa
Stalingrad: the turning point of the war and Germany's first defeat
Inside the Reich--Germany 1940-44: one of the most fascinating documentaries that exists on life inside Nazi Germany, from Lebensborn to the Hitler Youth
Morning: prior to Saving Private Ryan, one of the only unromanticized views of the Normandy invasion
Genocide: this film is one of the most widely shown introductions to the Holocaust
Japan 1941-45: although The World at War is decidedly focused more on the European theater, this is an important look into wartime Japan and its expansion--early 20th-century history that lead to Japan's role in World War II is superficial
The bomb: another widely shown documentary of the Manhattan Project, the Enola Gay, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki

Description

The legendary battle of Thermopylae is still acknowledged today for its brilliant military maneuvers and the well-trained and fearless soldiers who fought to the death. THE HISTORY CHANNEL® presents a detailed account of this legendary battle, examining the events leading up to the conflict, the tactical expertise that allowed the outnumbered Greeks to stall their mighty foes, and the bloody encounter itself. Find out how an army of a few hundred men overcame impossible odds and witness the conflict that altered the course of Western civilization.

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best Documentaries EVER by the History Channel.......2007-05-25

The History Channel has presented a mixed of bad and good documentaries, but the "Last Stand of the 300" is definitely one of the best that they've ever produced! I wholeheartedly agree with previous reviewers that this is an excellent and well-researched documentary about the Battle of Thermopylae--one of history's most famous last stands of all-time.

The overall presentation of this epic battle is superb. Great visuals, music, dramatic reenactments, and knowledgeable scholars provide a very enlightening and fascinating account of the events preceding and following the 3-day battle at Thermopylae. The battle itself is examined and analyzed in meticulous detail--military tactics and strategies discussed from both sides of the war (land and sea).

As reviewer, Raffaele Vardavas mentioned, this documentary does resemble a little like the movie "300," which gives it a more appealing and cinematic look. The fighting sequences--especially during the last stand--are wonderfully portrayed.

The performance of the 300 Spartans--including the 700 Thespian soldiers--has been hailed as an outstanding example of courage against insurmountable odds. Among the Greeks, the Spartan defenders were the 'bravest of the brave' and their enormous sacrifice helped saved the future of Greece and unknowningly "altered the course of Western civilization." As one of the world's greatest and most symbolic events in history, this DVD is a must-have for all!

(Note: I have the PBS DVD of The Spartans, and also think this one is NOT as exciting to watch. Instead, the PBS presentation feels like a tedious 3-hour lecture in a history class. "Last Stand...300" is way better!!! Don't hesitate to buy).

Excellent DVD on ancient Greece. .......2007-05-22

Fantastic DVD on Thermopylae and Spartan history. Very well researched and presented. This is the ONLY DVD I have ever seen (using real people) that actually have them keep the phalanx formation. They mention the Spartan agoge and delve quit deeply into the agoge system and Spartan way of life. This is an excellent summarie of Spartan life style. It also covers the Persian side and tells us how the amazing Persian invasion came about, how the crossed the hellespont, how Xerxes was raised, etc. it also addresses all the other city states and battle tactics and takes you through to the conclusion of the battle and the ultimate conclusion of the Greek/Persian wars. (something that my Greek history teacher failed to do :() It also breifly goes over marathon which is nice. The DVD is fun and entertaining. Well worth the buy.

It was awesome.......2007-05-21

I watched this the very first time a few months ago, and then again over the weekend. It only got better. This is the REAL story told historians about the battle at Thermopylae. Now I want to see Hollywood's version "300" now that they've made it into a blockbuster. I hope they stick to the facts and don't make this great moment in history a joke. Regardless, I'm buying the history's channel DVD. It was excelelnt

Excellent and Fantastic.......2007-03-31

They showed this documentary on the History channel to accompany the release of the movie 300.

In contrast to the movie 300 (which was ok -see my review) this documentary is excellent. It is really a movie-like documentary with a lot of action.

Graphically it resembles a little the movie 300 since it uses a lot of computer graphics and non-realistic red looking skies. However, here Persians really look like Persians.

The content is excellent. Although I have read about the battle of Thermopylae from many different sources, I learned about things I did not know before and gained a more detail knowledge. However, like in the movie 300 here again Leonidas seems to be much younger than he really was by 480BC.

What I particularly liked was that the documentary focused both on the land battle of the Spartans and sea battle of the Athenian fleet. This really showed how brilliant and well coordinated the Allied Greek strategy was. Most other sources just focus on the land battle and pay minor attention to what happened in the flanking sea. The mastermind Themistocles is well represented and a decent length of the documentary is dedicated to him.

The Spartans and their society are accurately represented. They were not fighting for a new era of freedom which was at the time being brought forward by Athenian democracy. They were fighting to preserve their own, non-free un-democratic system and were hostile to the spread of democracy to other Greek city states. However, their last stand was not solely to seek "a beautiful death" but instead to cover the retreat of their fellow allied soldiers. Maybe, also to give an example from which the allied Greeks would stay united against the Persians for the sake of their sacrifice.

The sound tracks that accompany the scenes are excellent. However, they could have used them more often and they could have raised the volume a little too.

I enjoyed watching this documentary even more than the other two excellent documentaries on the Spartans (one from the History channel and the other by PBS).

Highly - I repeat highly recommended - to people interested in ancient history and battle strategies and warfare.

The World at War (30th Anniversary Edition)

Average customer rating:

No closed captions/provisions for hearing impaired
Greatest WWII overview
Surely the best?
Just okay ...
World at War--Good look at history!

The World at War (30th Anniversary Edition)
Starring: Laurence Olivier , Sir Max Aitken , Vannevar Bush , Christabel Bielenberg , and Edward Butler (II)
Director: John Pett , David Elstein , and Hugh Raggett
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The First World War - The Complete Series
Victory at Sea - The Legendary World War II Documentary (History Channel)
BBC History of World War II
World War 1 in Color
The Nazis - A Warning from History

ASIN: B0002F6AH0
Release Date: 2004-08-24

Amazon.com essential video

Sir Jeremy Isaacs highly deserves the numerous awards for documentaries he has earned: the Royal Television Society's Desmond Davis Award, l'Ordre National du Mérit, an Emmy, and a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II. His epic The World at War remains unsurpassed as the definitive visual history of World War II.

The Second World War was different from other wars in thousands of ways, one of which was the unparalleled scope of visual documents kept by the Axis and Allies of all their activities. As a result, this war is understood as much through written histories as it is through its powerful images. The Nazis were particularly thorough in documenting even the most abhorrent of the atrocities they were committing--in a surprising amount of color footage. The World at War was one of the first television documentaries that exploited these resources so completely, giving viewers an unbelievable visual guide to the greatest event in the 20th century. This is to say nothing of the excellent, comprehensible narrative. Some highlights:

A New Germany 1933-39: early German and Nazi documentation of Hitler's rise to power through the impending attack on Poland
Whirlwind: the early British losses in the blitz in the skies over Britain and in North Africa
Stalingrad: the turning point of the war and Germany's first defeat
Inside the Reich--Germany 1940-44: one of the most fascinating documentaries that exists on life inside Nazi Germany, from Lebensborn to the Hitler Youth
Morning: prior to Saving Private Ryan, one of the only unromanticized views of the Normandy invasion
Genocide: this film is one of the most widely shown introductions to the Holocaust
Japan 1941-45: although The World at War is decidedly focused more on the European theater, this is an important look into wartime Japan and its expansion--early 20th-century history that lead to Japan's role in World War II is superficial
The bomb: another widely shown documentary of the Manhattan Project, the Enola Gay, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki

The World at War will remain the definitive visual history of World War II, analogous to Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. No serious historian should be missing The World at War in a collection, and no student should leave school without having seen at least some of its salient episodes. Rarely is film so essential. --Erik J. Macki

Customer Reviews:

No closed captions/provisions for hearing impaired.......2007-07-07

The miniseries was terrific but the DVD has one unacceptable (for me) flaw: It has no provisions for the hearing impaired. There is no closed captioning. I bought this as a gift for someone who is hearing impaired and was forced to return it.

Such a cheap, shoddy decision for production is unworthy of the fine miniseries.

Greatest WWII overview.......2007-07-05

We have seen several very good overviews of the 2nd world war. This one is the yardstick that we measure them by. So many people are trying to rewrite history that young people can't really understand how it was. 'World at War' and 'Victory at Sea' give the even handed history that we need today.

Surely the best?.......2007-06-25

For me, as a British viewer this is almost like the `authorised' documentary television series about The Second World War. Considering the fact that most of the participants in this conflict, as young men and women were now middle-aged at the time of the production of this series in the early 1970's; they could relate their individual experiences which for them would have been recent memories.

American viewers criticize the lack of emphasis on the war in the Pacific. At the time, long before the concept of home video, cable and satellite television was conceivable I'm sure it was thought very unlikely that this excellent series would ever tempt the American broadcasting networks to buy it. So therefore it is not surprising that the series emphasises the war from the British point of view.

As there was little British, or British empire participation in the Pacific theatre it can hardly come as a surprise that the bitter conflict in Burma, Malaya and New Guinea should hold our primary attention. Should the series be made today, with the avowed intention of making a documentary series that would have to be sold around the world to recoup production costs alone, the story would more encompassing in its scope.

Please don't forget that the war began for Britain and France when Nazi Germany invaded Poland in September 1939 and the security of the British people and homeland did not finally arrive until the surrender of Germany in May 1945. Our focus was on the war in Europe and the Soviet Union. The war in the Pacific was a dim and distant event for the "Blacked-out" and severely rationed British people more concerned with the daily struggle just to keep body and soul together.

Just okay ..........2007-06-19

The very first episode was great ... after that it was hit and miss. I found multiple times I wanted to fall asleep on some episodes, but stayed awake out of some desire to feel I watched the whole thing. It is also narrated from a British perspective, and so as an American, I found little to entertain my appetite. Especially Pacific theatre combat with the Americans was almost none existent, as if British combat and especially in Burma was the only real thing that happened. It does have good insights into the Nazi's and rewards itself here and there, but overall I think the British slant and focus ruined the series.

I also found it humorous that the narrator tried to label Hitler as "right-wing" when he was a Socialist dictator. What?

World at War--Good look at history!.......2007-06-18

World at War is a classic! The combination of high-level policymakers' viewpoints and individual citizens' and soldiers' viewpoints gives excellent understanding of the events and issues. I highly recommend it for individuals or classes who want to learn about WWII.

Average customer rating:

Cat and Mouse
not bad but not as good as the original novel
A classic war movie!
A Battle that was won by other means
An Engrossing Story of Two Man Hunters: Deserves More Credit Than it Receives

Enemy at the Gates
Starring: Matthais Habich , Ed Harris , Bob Hoskins , Eva Mattes , and Ron Perlman
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Manufacturer: Paramount
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Similar Items:

Saving Private Ryan (Special Limited Edition)
We Were Soldiers (Widescreen Edition)
The Thin Red Line
Black Hawk Down
U-571 (Collector's Edition)

ASIN: B00003CXRA
Release Date: 2001-08-14

Amazon.com

Like Saving Private Ryan, Enemy at the Gates opens with a pivotal event of World War II--the German invasion of Stalingrad--re-created in epic scale, as ill-trained Russian soldiers face German attack or punitive execution if they flee from the enemy's advance. Director Jean-Jacques Annaud captures this madness with urgent authenticity, creating a massive context for a more intimate battle waged amid the city's ruins. Embellished from its basis in fact, the story shifts to an intense cat-and-mouse game between a Russian shepherd raised to iconic fame and a German marksman whose skill is unmatched in its lethal precision. Vassily Zaitzev (Jude Law) has been sniping Nazis one bullet at a time, while the German Major Konig (Ed Harris) has been assigned to kill Vassily and spare Hitler from further embarrassment.

There's love in war as Vassily connects with a woman soldier (Rachel Weisz), but she is also loved by Danilov (Joseph Fiennes), the Soviet officer who promotes his friend Vassily as Russia's much-needed hero. This romantic rivalry lends marginal interest to the central plot, but it's not enough to make this a classic war film. Instead it's a taut, well-made suspense thriller isolated within an epic battle, and although Annaud and cowriter Alain Godard (drawing from William Craig's book and David L. Robbins's novel The War of the Rats) fail to connect the parallel plots with any lasting impact, the production is never less than impressive. Highly conventional but handled with intelligence and superior craftsmanship, this is warfare as strategic entertainment, without compromising warfare as a manmade hell on Earth. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Cat and Mouse.......2007-05-10

Set during the fall of Stalingrad in World War two, "Enemy at the Gates" focuses on Vassili Zaitsev, a poor soldier who has a gift for sharp shooting. That gift comes to the attention of Commisar Danilov, who sees Zaitsev as a political propaganda coup for an ailing Russian military. The Germans call in a sniper of their own, a Major Konig, to deal with this sniper who is growing in fame.

The tension is thick in this movie, as the two snipers stalk each other. However, around them is the maelstrom of the Battle of Stalingrad. The stark realities of the Russian army are very realistic, with soldiers sharing a single weapon, living in horrid conditions, and suffering badly.

The attempts of the political officers to exploit Zaitsev for their own goals are also highlighted. Their sometimes cynical use of people to advance the glory of the Motherland is sometimes horrible to contemplate and view.

The movie is earthy and real, and the acting is excellent. Jude Law is great in the lead roll. I was very impressed with the cast of the movie.

Not an action filled gore-fest like We Were Soldiers (Widescreen Edition), it is certainly realistic in its depictions. It is a good movie with lots of tense moments. I enjoyed this movie a lot.

not bad but not as good as the original novel.......2007-04-27

david robbins' original novel is a very enjoyable reading experience. he vividly painted a desperate russian picture in wwll, the siege of stalingrad, the duel between two great snipers. jude law and ed harris both did great jobs in this movie. the good thing of this movie is that the ideological part was lightly touched to avoid possibility of boredom. the battle scenes were nicely and vividly arranged and carried out. the russian political officer with a horsey face was the only weak actor resulted in bad casting.

A classic war movie!.......2007-04-03

I love WWII movies. This one is a modern classic. Don't miss it!

A Battle that was won by other means.......2007-03-25

[...]I watched the movie on TV recently without knowing beforehand whether the actual figures and plot were real or fictional.

The three central characters, two of whom at least were apparently real, make up the eternal triangle. The Russian sniper is the hero ( he was taught to shoot very accurately by his wolf-hunting grandfather: "put snow in your mouth so the wolf won't see your breath). He is made a hero by his would-be rival, the lovelorn Jewish Communist Party Commissar in charge of battle site propaganda. They are both in love with the lovely Jewish Soviet infantry heroine who plans to go and farm in Palestine if she survives the war.

The filmmakers, bending the truth, have made the sharp shooting activities of the particular hero a critical part of the whole Battle of Stalingrad. If the hero gets killed it will be a national tragedy, if not a disaster, For the Germans, if their sharpshooter is killed, who is shipped in from Berlin in a Pullman train specifically to wipe out the hero, it will be a humiliation. so much so the Nazi Major is told by General Paulus to remove his dog tags in case he falls. If you believe the film plot the duelling was apparently set up on purpose as part of the commissar's propaganda (I don't know if Danilov the commissar is real or fictional). Such a duel did take place but was probably not central to the Battle of Stalingrad (which was won in 1943 when the Russians surrounded the Germans who found themselves enclosed in the city and forced the whole army to surrender including the General). The victory is celebrated near the end of the film but it does not explain how the it came about, though no doubt the dogged resistance inside the city was very important.

The war action -particularly in the first half hour of the movie - is very graphic and exciting and more realistic than most war films. The romantic line , apparently real, between hero and heroine adds tone to what would otherwise be just another bang-bang movie for 100 minutes. I believe there is even a computer game based on the film that concentrates on the shooting gallery aspect. The film makers do successfully, if not entirely completely, put the Battle of Stalingrad in its perspective as arguably the turning in point in the European theatre of World War II, that drained Hitler's forces. But they do not explain that without the Russian victory at Stalingrad in 1943 the allied invasion of Normandy would have been impossible in 1944 and World War II would have been prolonged (assuming that America would have hesitated to us the atomic bomb it developed in 1945 against Europeans).

The action part of the movie is mainly focused on the Russian sharpshooter's duel with the elegant German sniper sent to cut him down. Action narrows from the opening mass battle scenes to a handful of Russian sharp shooters, who fall one by one to the cunning German ace and ends up with a one-on-one Western type gun duel. The sense of war is hell pervades the atmosphere of a ruined city in which fighting is from building to building. The Germans appear to have an air advantage and an ability to drop bombs with devastating impact but their tanks, confined by narrow alleys amid the ruins are not much help. I recently saw actual footage of the Battle in a German documentary on TV and the fountain featured early in the film also appears as it really was though not piled high with dead bodies. Not being a World War II expert I cannot quibble with the many minor historical mistakes that have been identified by purists but even if I were aware of them when I viewed the film it wouldn't have made much difference to my enjoyment. The cast all round is superb, especially the principal characters. My only complaint is the Hollywood type ending. The temporarily separated lovers meet in hospital before the final fade out In real life they both assumed each other were dead and didn't find the truth for many year afterwards. That would have been , in my opinion, a better ending than the fictional one contrived for no good reason by the filmmakers.Isn't it enough that both survived? Surely the assumption that American box offices need happy endings (if that was the reason for a dumb they lived happily ever after ending) is outdated?

An Engrossing Story of Two Man Hunters: Deserves More Credit Than it Receives.......2007-03-14

For what it's worth, this film deserves more credit than it is frequently given. I think that most criticisms of the film stem from the reviewers entering the film with certain preconceived notions about how what the film was going to be, only to be let down. I don't blame the reviewers entirely. ENEMY AT THE GATES is a little unsure of what it wants to become. Should we make a film that accurately captures the battle of Stalingrad? Should we, instead, focus on the wonderful story of these two rival snipers? Or should we try and communicate an even more personal story about love and the evils of war? Unfortunately, ENEMY AT THE GATES tries to accomplish all three and, if judged by any single standard, ultimately fails.

Let me take them in turn. ENEMY AT THE GATES begins in a manner quite reminiscent of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. After a quick character development scene in which we see our young protagonist being taught how to stalk and snipe a wolf, we suddenly see him thrust amongst the Red Army, railed off to the shores of the Volga River, and thrown into the midst of a German siege. The opening is spectacular and moving. Thousands of Russian soldiers are being ferried across the Volga while German dive bombers and artillery decimate their numbers. As if that isn't bad enough, those wise enough to try and flee the fight are mercilessly gunned down by their own Russian commanders. While some have criticized this movie for historical accuracy, such things did occur. And just in case you think I'm trying to demonize the Russian commanders, ENEMY AT THE GATES provides these men with plenty of motivation. They are the ones who must answer to the high command, who demand victory at all costs. What would we do? Of course, this film is not perfectly historically accurate. From this point on, we do not get much story about the battle for Stalingrad. The ending of the film leaves the outcome of this battle completely mysterious. If you came looking for a movie purely about the battle and the Russian front, you came to the wrong place. While I think that the action scenes are skillfully handled, this is obviously not where the film's interest lies.

What is the interest? It is about the incredible struggle, based on true events, that occurred during the battle. For while both armies attack each other brutally, two men endlessly hunt each other, putting each other's skill to the ultimate test. Our protagonist, Vassili Zaitsev (Jude Law), plays a Russian peasant who was taught by his grandfather how to shoot. An expert marksmen and natural talent, Zaitsev stalks the German army, proving his skill time and time again. Thanks to his friend Commisar Danilov (Joseph Fiennes), a political officer in charge of the military press, Zaitsev soon becomes an iconic hero of the Russian army--a symbol of communist dominance over fascist Germany. Germany begins to take notice and sends out their best sniper to hunt the young Russian down. Killing him would deal a symbolic death blow to Russia. Germany's marksmen is Major König (Ed Harris), an aristocratic deer hunter and the instructor at the sniper school in Berlin. As soon as König enters the picture, ENEMY AT THE GATES takes a dramatic turn. Suddenly, the film is about the rivalry of these two men. For me, this is the most interesting storyline in the film. Both Ed Harris and Jude Law have an intensity about them, often communicated only by turning the camera on their eyes, that is perfect for the silent nature of the sniping scenes. I could have watched a whole movie dedicated to only these two marksmen. The sniping scenes are expertly handled, the background sets of war-torn Stalingrad are amazingly detailed and completely set the tone, and the tension and suspense of these scenes is high.

But, alas, ENEMY AT THE GATES does not simply decide to abandon an accurate portrayal of the battle for Stalingrad for a more focused piece on these two snipers. Instead, an infamous "love triangle" is introduced to the film to stir things up. I say "infamous" only because it seems to have ruined everyone's day if you read the reviews on this site. While I would agree that this "love triangle" is not the most interesting part of the film, I do think that it has some merit. For one thing, it provides Zeitsev with motivation towards the end of the film. In the beginning, he seems to have nothing to lose, fully aware that each day may be his last. He is fearless in his struggle against the Germans. But as he begins to fall in love with Tania Chernova (Rachel Weisz), suddenly he has something to lose. Furthermore, his love provides him ultimately with the confidence and determination to put an end to König, who has been seemingly invincible up until that point.

The really interesting question, I think, is why not just have a love interest? Why involve a love triangle with Commisar Danilov? Here, I think that the film shines, at least in conception if not in execution. The love triangle provides Commisar Danilov with his ever-increasing menace towards Zaitsev. It makes him abuse his power and become the kind of evil man he once feared. This, in turn, only heightens our love of the protagonist, as his natural goodness is depicted side-by-side with the evil of his friend. One thing that kept occurring to me as I watched this film was the question: Who is the bad guy? Is it the Germans? Is it Major König? Is it Danilov when he becomes enraged at his unrequited love for Tania? Is it Kruschev? Is it the Russian generals who shoot their own troops? It's hard to say! All that we know is that Vassili is good. Perhaps the filmmakers didn't want to glorify the Russians? The truth is that no one ends up very good in this film, besides our two lovers. War seems to bring out the worst in everyone, even Danilov. Perhaps that is what ENEMY AT THE GATES is trying to strive for with its inclusion of the love triangle. War is evil. And humans are only pawns in the game.

Ultimately, I enjoyed ENEMY AT THE GATES. In fact, I enjoyed it more the second time I watched it. You cannot really knock it for not being an accurate portrayal of the battle of Stalingrad. It is focused on two men in the middle of that battle. Every film must explore life's events through the eyes of a few characters. That's where the interest lies! Anything else would just be a third-person perspective on explosions and gunfire. While I wish the film could have focused even more on the sniping angle than it does, I believe it to be a respectable war film and one that is quite interesting.

Victory at Sea - The Legendary World War II Documentary (History Channel)

Average customer rating:

Dramatic Documentary
Is it just me, or
5 Stars for original documentary - 2 stars for DVD transfer
Disturbing and boring
Don't overstate audio concern

Victory at Sea - The Legendary World War II Documentary (History Channel)
Starring: Michael Lewis (XX)
Director: M. Clay Adams
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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The World at War (30th Anniversary Edition)
Victory at Sea (Music from the Original Television Series)
The First World War - The Complete Series
Rodgers: More Victory at Sea
Victory at Sea

ASIN: B0000AQS3X
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Amazon.com

A 26-episode World War II documentary, Victory at Sea is one of the most important series in the history of television. Made in 1952, the show was a huge success, winning many major awards and even spawning albums featuring the orchestral score by Richard Rodgers, best known for his musicals with Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II. Produced with the full cooperation of the U.S. Navy, each 26-minute program consists of black-and-white wartime film set to a narration by Leonard Graves. The two years leading up to America's entry into the war are dismissed in episode one, while the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor gets a show of its own, the raid depicted in a brilliantly edited montage that almost certainly contains "docu-drama" footage. Each episode contains at least one powerful stand-alone sequence in the tradition of Serge Eisenstein (Battleship Potemkin), these action-suspense set-pieces giving the programs an urgent, surprisingly modern feel. Indeed, the emphasis is at least as much on entertainment as information, the factual content delivered in poetic narration, the score transforming the war into a more than usually serious Hollywood adventure. The documentaries are nothing if not wide-ranging, covering parts of the land war despite the title, and including everything from the Atlantic convoys and U-boat "Wolfpacks" to war in Alaska, the South Atlantic, and the Far East, the Pacific War, and the Fall of Japan. There is an attempt to include other nations--certainly the D-Day episode acknowledges the British far more than Saving Private Ryan--but inevitably the focus is on America's war. The very dated narration gives a fascinating insight into how America saw WWII in the early 1950s, while the dynamic cutting and often genuinely remarkable wartime footage make Victory at Sea still gripping today. Twenty years later, Granada's The World at War would become the definitive television WWII history, but this release offers a unique opportunity to see a series of great importance from the very early days of television. --Gary S. Dalkin

Customer Reviews:

Dramatic Documentary.......2007-05-30

Since 1952, when NBC television first aired "Victory at Sea," the 26 half-hour programs have been repeatedly shown on television and finally released on home video. Admittedly, the sound quality of the narration, music, and sound effects is typical of television in the early 1950s, but the visual impact of the actual wartime footage remains quite powerful.

For those who want to enjoy a true high fidelity version of much of the music Richard Rodgers and Robert Russell Bennett produced, the RCA Victor albums (first released in the early 1960s) remain the best source. It is known that Rodgers composed the melodies in a piano version, then turned it over to Bennett to arrange and orchestrate. The albums take the 13 hours of music, which repeated themes, and present them in a cohesive and concise version. Bennett conducted the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra, which was drawn from the Symphony of the Air, itself a reorganization of Toscanini's NBC Symphony Orchestra. Back in 1952, when the documentary was prepared, Bennett used the actual NBC Symphony, presumably with the blessings of the Maestro, who was a big fan of early television as well as Broadway musicals.

The main focus in the 26 episodes is on the American Navy's involvement in World War II. In editing millions of feet of archival footage, NBC assembled programs which captured not only the naval and aerial battles but the lighter moments when the sailors, pilots, and crew waited for the inevitable deadly combat to begin or resume. The most important elements of the war are vividly represented here in sharp black and white.

Yes, "The World of War" was probably more comprehensive and utilized some of the rare color footage of the war, but this was the first television documentary to chronicle the historic events, complete with glimpses of the famous and infamous leaders -- Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Tojo, and Stalin. When you see the real figures, instead of actors portaying them, you recognize their unique and remarkable qualities.

The visual images remain quite powerful on the videos. To enjoy the brilliance of the music, listen to the CDs for the outstanding musical performances by the New York musicians.

Is it just me, or.......2007-05-25

...has the History Channel version been cut? I have been watching a version played on PBS that has scenes that my version does not possess, or so it seems. I am old enough to have watched the originals, and still enjoy each segment, and especially the Score. Sound being the weakest feature (IMO) cost it a star.

5 Stars for original documentary - 2 stars for DVD transfer.......2007-05-13

Excellent documentary about our brave fighting men of WWII. Anyone who's ever wondered why the depression/WWII generation is often refered too as "The Greatest Generation" need only to watch this documentary to find out. Made before the America hating looney left took over our media, when it was still okay to be unashamedly patriotic.
Unfortunately, the audio transfer to DVD was badly botched. The narrator's voice is barely audible when the musical score is played at a normal volume. You basically have to blast the musical score to make out what the narrator is saying.
Maybe I'll try watching it again with the surround sound turned off. Sometimes the transfer doesn't work very well when they try to take an old program that was origninally done in mono and transfer it to a surround sound DVD.

Disturbing and boring.......2007-05-12

This is classic cold war propaganda about good over evil. Of course, the U.S. is the good. Some of the "reconstructions" are hokey. It is quite boring at times. However, in places, the producers had the guts to show some pretty graphic images of the violence of war. The show does not include much detail about battles and strategy.

The film quality is ok, after all, it is 60 years old.

Don't overstate audio concern.......2007-03-25

The so-called audio problem is NOT a big deal. The sound on the set can be adjusted upward a bit without changing any Digital TV settings. I took a chance and purchased this series, and I am not disappointed. I first saw it as a boy and the impact of seeing it today is the same as then. I suppose that if you are an audiophile purist you can jump up and down. But while you are jumping, I enjoy the series.

Average customer rating:

Exactly what I wanted
It was great!!!
The Big Let Down
Why did they stray???
There's No Time To Change Your Mind...

Left Behind - World at War
Starring: Louis Gossett Jr. , Kirk Cameron , Brad Johnson (II) , Jessica Steen , and Gordon Currie
Director: Craig R. Baxley
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Left Behind II - Tribulation Force
Left Behind - The Movie
Revelation
The Regime: Evil Advances (Before They Were Left Behind, Book 2)
The Moment After - DVD

ASIN: B000ASDFHM
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Amazon.com

Third in a series of films based on the bestselling novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, Left Behind: World at War finds the post-Rapture Earth an even bleaker place than in the previous movies. As the Antichrist himself, Nicolae Carpathia (Gordon Currie), uses his newfound powers as head of the world government to bring war and plague on every nation, the American president (Louis Gossett Jr.) teams with a Christian resistance fighter (Jessica Steen) to try to stop him. Meanwhile, series hero Buck Williams (Kirk Cameron) discovers that Carpathia's biological front in a coming apocalypse is particularly devious: Freshly published Bibles are carrying a deadly disease ravaging thousands--and may very likely claim Buck's new bride. Buck's father-in-law, pilot Rayford Steele (Brad Johnson), has problems of his own facing the not-inconsiderable temptations of former flight attendant Hattie Daniels (Chelsea Noble), now one of Carpathia's many lovers. Directed by Craig R. Baxley (Rose Red), Left Behind: World at War is particularly crisp and effective drama, even when the action stops, as it often does, for many of the principals to pray for guidance. Charles Martin Smith (The Untouchables), not seen often enough these days, has a brief but powerful part as the U.S. vice-president. --Tom Keogh

Description

In the prophesied world of the Book of Revelation, global icon and world leader Nicolae Carpathia (Gordon Currie - Left Behind) has finally done the unimaginable - he has managed to unite the world in peace - and bring an end to the bloodshed that has ruled the world since the beginning of time. American president, Gerald Fitzhugh (Academy Award winner Lou Gossett, Jr.- An Officer and a Gentleman- Best Supporting Actor 1981), has shared that dream, and has dedicated his Presidency to making sure that the world's most powerful nation didn't stand in the way of that dream. But when a failed assassination attempt opens his eyes to an underground world and a horrifying glimpse into a sinister conspiracy, Fitzhugh must come to terms with the agonizing truth - World War III is pounding at the door- and his dedication to the dream of peace has left America powerless to defend herself. With the help of investigative reporter Buck Williams (Kirk Cameron - Left Behind, TV's "Growing Pains") and his underground Tribulation Force, Fitzhugh battles against a ticking clock, insurmountable odds, and his own closed mind, to try to find a way to stop the death of millions of people, and perhaps the end of history itself.

Customer Reviews:

Exactly what I wanted.......2007-05-14

I'm very pleased with the purchase I made. I bought a DVD and it was brand new unopened as advertised. It came in a timely manner, and was exactly as I expected.

It was great!!!.......2007-05-07

If you have seen the first two then you have to see this one it will leave you breath less!!!

The Big Let Down.......2007-02-20

I am a big fan of Cloud Ten Pictures. I have seen all of their movies and one of their documentaries. I liked all of them-except this one. I remember getting all excited about it. I remember crying becasue I thought the UPS truck wouldn't come to deliever it on the day the website said it would (but it did, just later than I thought it would.). I remember watching the trailer over and over again. I remember when it finally came, I was extermely eager to put it in.

But then it all changed. About fifteen minutes into the movie, it was already starting to get boring. However, as a loyal Cloud Ten Pictures fan, I forced myself to sit through the whole movie. I was VERY disappointed with it. It was very boring, and some parts just made no sense whatsoever. For instance, when Bruce is having that dream that Nicolae has the doctor's mask on, pulls it down, and says "You know who I am. We used to be good friends." What's up with that? It was just random, and made no sense.

Also, Nicolae is in this movie for fifteen minutes I'f guess at the most. The scenes with Nicolae in them are the only worthwhile scenes. The only reason I gave this film three stars is becasue of the noteworthy ending with Fitzuh and Nicolae.
If you are thinking about buying this movie, don't. It's boring and, at times, makes no sense. Try some of Clkoud Ten Pictures' other movies like the Apocalyp[se triology instead!

Why did they stray???.......2007-02-19

I enjoyed immensely the first two Left behind films, even with their deviations from the books, however with this third one something seems to have changed. The writing just isn't as good, sure there are great moments in the film, but there were far to many just plain cheesy events for my taste. The message is still excellent as aways, and the visual effects are quite good, but the script seems to have gone a little down hill.

There's No Time To Change Your Mind..........2007-01-16

The 1st 2 flicks have come on gone...World at War gets LEFT BEHIND(pun intended). I hoped I'd never see the day when I'd have to give an attempted prophecy movie thumbs down, but here we have it. To keep it short and sweet, many of the same characters are present from the 1st 2 films(which were true to the book), however, this poses a great disappointment for fans expecting to see an adaptation of book 3, as Cloud 10 veers away from the continuum of the book series. It's a story within itself and the story seems to be thrown together. Definately not a keeper...stick to the first 2 and then add The Moment After and SIX:The Mark Unleashed to your collection instead.

In Search of History - The Knights Templar (History Channel)

Average customer rating:

Slightly disappointing
Don't buy this DVD twice by accident
Low value DVD
Informative yet also entertaining

In Search of History - The Knights Templar (History Channel)
Starring: In Search of History
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Religion | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

( I ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

The History Channel Presents The Crusades - Crescent & The Cross
Empires - Holy Warriors: Richard the Lionheart & Saladin
The Knights Templar
In Search of History - The Greek Gods (History Channel)
A History of God (History Channel) (A&E DVD Archives)

ASIN: B000BF0CNE
Release Date: 2005-12-27

Product Description

Their fanatical courage struck terror in their enemies. Their fabulous wealth made them the most powerful men in Europe. Their secret rites inspired rumors of heresy. In the Crusades, these ferocious sword-wielding monks were charged with protecting the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In defeat, they were burned at the stake.

Journey from Middle Ages Jerusalem to modern day Europe to unravel the extraordinary story of the legendary Knights who some say survived their supposed execution at the end of the Crusades and have preserved their order to this day. Leading historians reveal their fantastic origins, and period accounts bring their legendary battles to life. Ancient documents and artifacts hint at the mysteries that surround them. Did they discover ancient secrets buried beneath Solomon's temple, and conspire to seize part of Europe for themselves? Explore the incredible history of the Crusade's mightiest and most puzzling warriors.

System Requirements:

Running Time 50 Mins.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Slightly disappointing.......2007-05-11

The dramatizations were not very good in this one. They also didn't present as many facts as I had hoped. I saw a different knights templar documentary on the history channel and it was far far better than this one. This one is ok. Mildly entertaining, and some decent info.

Don't buy this DVD twice by accident.......2006-05-18

WARNING -- this entire documentary is included as a bonus on disk 2 of "Crusade: the Crescent and the Cross", also made by the History Channel. Not only that, but at the time I am writing this review, "Crescent and the Cross" is selling for less than $15, for 2 disks, with bonus material, while this DVD, "Knights Templar" is selling for about $22 and contains no bonus material at all.

"Knights Templar" is a good, not great, documentary. The story is very good, if brief, but the film footage is definitely NOT up to the History Channel's usual quality. They use a lot of Black and White footage from what looks like a very low budget film -- people swinging weapons like they don't know what to do with them. No actual actors performing for the camera, just background footage with voice-over.

My recommendation -- if you are interested in the history of the Knights of the Temple of King Solomon, buy this DVD, but as the bonus disk in "Crusade: The Crescent and the Cross". That, by the way, is a GREAT DVD!

Low value DVD.......2006-03-22

DVD shows a lot the same images and there are no visits to remaining castles in the world or so. Its the whole time narrating with few asthonishing images.

Informative yet also entertaining.......2006-01-24

The history channel usually does a good job at mixing the informative side of history with the Hollywood side of visual effects and this episode is no different. With clips of fighting, knights on horseback, actual geographical video and their new technology of 3D maps, they do an outstanding job of giving you a full understanding of the terrain mentioned and the layout of the events covered. The Knights of Templar are very much shrouded in mystery so the daunting challenge was handled well in not just covering what is known but logical explanations to a lot of the unanswered questions left behind. I don't want to go into any detail and give anything away for those who have not seen it, but, from conception to their demise, from logical motive of their creation to how they fared in battle it is all covered in an easy to follow and informative way. These knights played such a huge part in history and it is all covered; first standing army since Roman times, first real bankers, historians, what did they find in their tunneling under the Temple of Solomon? And as I said, what they don't have legit answers for they have experts with logical explanations and hypothesis. I thought I knew a lot about them, but really learned a great deal. Recommended highly.

Average customer rating:

Prepare to set sail....
Easy, watchable overview of the Vikings in the West

Vikings: Journey to New Worlds
Director: Marc Fafard
Manufacturer: Vista Point Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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( V ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

NOVA - The Vikings
Ancient Mysteries: Vikings in North America
The Story of Civilization - The Viking Age
The Viking Sagas
Greece - Secrets of the Past (IMAX)

ASIN: B000HXDWGY
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Customer Reviews:

Prepare to set sail...........2007-04-27

Despite the short running time, this is a very
enjoyable journey with the Vikings. The colorful
modern reenactments are done well and gives one a
good sense of what it felt like to live among the
Viking people.

The Vikings were a conquering sort and pillaged many
lands and slayed many people, especially Christians.
This film goes into detail about their pagan gods,
beliefs, politcal assembly, and their notable architecture
on ships, mainly the longship(aka Drakkar) which
became a symbol of terror.

This film also describes the life of the hotheaded
Viking 'Eric the Red', whom was exiled from Iceland
due to a fued, and soon thereafter, discovered
Greenland and created its first colony.

This isn't a shoddily made documentary, but rather
a pleasant viewing experience that could have been
better elaborated on.

Easy, watchable overview of the Vikings in the West.......2006-12-19

I saw this film originally in the omnimax format, then purchased it when it became available this October. This is a great, watchable overview of the vikings in their journeys to North America. Lots of reinactments - the ususal omnimax scenic photography. The film does NOT go into detail of the vikings influence in the east - if you are interested in that, I'd recommend the NOVA viking video.

Also - the NOVA film (2 hours) goes into greater detail on all their topics -but it is a dryer more 'academic' film.

Overall - great intro film if you find yourself intrigued by the Vikings :)

Average customer rating:

draggling, dull, despriting, devoid of a good story
Loved this submarine story.
What is this, Brokeback Submarine?
Decent Submarine movie with a great cast which makes this movie worth the watch
Missed the boat.....

In Enemy Hands
Starring: Til Schweiger , Thomas Kretschmann , Connor Donne , Matt Lindquist , and Rene Heger
Director: Tony Giglio
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Sea Adventure | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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Action & Combat | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Fallen Arches (1998)
Big Shot - Confessions of a Campus Bookie
The Learning Curve
The Frogmen
The Big Brass Ring

ASIN: B0002S94G6
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Product Description

At the height of Hitler s notorious U-boat war, the crew of the U.S.S. Swordfish is taken prisoner in a battle with a German sub. However, meningitis strikes more that half of the German crew, and there aren t enough Germans to run the sub. Avoiding both the contagion and POW protocol crew members and prisoners alike must work together to survive. But it isn t until a U.S. Carrier locates the ship that the men aboard the U-boat are put to the ultimate test of will and survival.

System Requirements:

Running Time 98 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

draggling, dull, despriting, devoid of a good story.......2007-04-14

Didn't believe there could be a worse film than U-571 until I saw this one.

Scenes are pretty good. Costuming very period. They used a real submarine and they used real germans.

Acting is very low quality. Plot is dragging and dull. Diolog just dies. Spoken devoid of spirit. Other than the German captain and his exxo, none of the characters is really interesting.

Really pathetic this one.

Loved this submarine story........2006-08-10

This movie moved me to the point of tears. It is an absolute gem. You will not be disappointed.

What is this, Brokeback Submarine?.......2006-04-16

This is an unbelievable movie. Let's get this straight, Macy makes a promise that he will not take the ENIGMA machine to the Nazi commander, and then keeps his word by scuttling the ship. This is a true version of Hollywood's idea of a hero. A man betrays his country for his friendship with the German, nevermind the thousands of American and British sailors possession of the ENIGMA would save, nevermind defeating the most brutal dictator and mass murderer in history (Stalin's and Mao's mass murders hadn't happened yet), Macy's loyalty is to his new German "ally" (lover?). His actions are not believable. In reality, if Macy did act in this manner, his crew would probably have killed him, or at least subdued him and turned him in for treason along with the ENIGMA device.

To the guy who rated this 5 stars and said most won't get this movie (typical Liberal elitist), we get it, we just don't like it.

Typical Hollywood anti-war drivel, adequate acting, weak plot, poor writing, unimaginative Leftist propaganda...Barbara Streisand's version of WWII.

Decent Submarine movie with a great cast which makes this movie worth the watch.......2006-04-16

In 2000's U571, the Americans attacked a German UBoat and eventually their boat got destroyed and so they had to us the German boat. In this one, the German's attack the American sub when it was doing pratice dives and eventually the German's take the remaining American survives aboard and hold them hostage. Things happen when some German soldiers get out of hand attacking the Americans and some of the German's actually try to blow up the ship after the German captain has the American's help them get back home. Not bad submarine movie has its moments and the cast has some excellent stars and young stars which gives this movie the power it needs. There are some cheesy moments (actress Lauren Holly (Dumb & Dumber, Down Periscope) for one thing) but it was a decent enough ride. I would say in a different style then U571, not like it (but it did feel like it sorta). The excellent cast includes the superb William H. Macy (The Cooler, Stealing Sinatra), Scott Caan (A Boy Named Hate, Into The Blue), Til Schweiger (Driven, Barefoot), a solid Thomas Kretschmann (Immortal, King Kong), Clark Gregg (We Were Soldiers), Ian Somerhalder (Tv's LOST, upcoming Pulse), Jeremy Sisto (Wrong Turn, Suicide Kings), AJ Buckley (Wishcraft, The Forsaken), Chris Ellis (Con Air, Crimson Tide), Sam Huntington (Rolling Kansas, Detroit Rock City) and Xander Berkeley (North Country, Fox's 24).

Missed the boat............2005-07-10

The other reviewers that is.
This is a fabulous film that superficially is about WW2 submarine warfare (and yes you can see there's a lot of low-rent sets...especially the interior shots of the American submarine). In Enemy Hands is the best male-ensemble war film since Platoon...& maybe better. It isn't William Gacy's best effort(he seems to throw off his lines like an aging hipster)
& perhaps it's because Til Schweiger absolutely steals the film with his nuanced deeply effective performance of the U-boat Captain.
What I think is truly subversive is the metaphor- in this case meningitis that affects the American crew and later contaminates the German crew which has rescued the them. You don't have to dig deep (or think too hard) to find that this is an anti-war film on the surface and a clever way of critiquing America's influence
and culture throughout the world. The film id's it as a disease- a fatal disease that infects all.
And it's somewhat of a trojan horse in that it masquerades as the familiar genre of naval warfare films.
Look closely- the German actors are wonderful to look at...they look healthy...the Americans? Wimpy, non-descript, outside of the head bangin'banty-rooster American sub commander.
This is a hidden gem of a film- perhaps too subtle for a mass-audience of film goers. If you've taken a good film history class or studied acting- I think you'll be blown away.

World War II Movies: One of Our Aircraft is Missing/Spitfire/We Dive at Dawn

Average customer rating:

One of these movies is no longer missing from my collection...
World War II propaganda films

World War II Movies: One of Our Aircraft is Missing/Spitfire/We Dive at Dawn
Starring: One of Our Aircraft Is Missing , Spitfire , and We Dive at
Manufacturer: Edi Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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World War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

In Which We Serve
Legendary World War II Movies (Gung Ho!/Go for Broke!/The Immortal Battalion)
Great WWII Movies (A Walk In The Sun / We Dive At Dawn / The North Star)
49th Parallel - Criterion Collection
World War II Movies: The Collector's Series

ASIN: B0000AGWP3
Release Date: 2003-07-22

Customer Reviews:

One of these movies is no longer missing from my collection..........2006-12-06

I bought this for One of Our Aircraft Is Missing. I had recorded this movie on VHS several years ago by chance, and it has become one of my favorite war movies, and I have long wished I could get it on DVD in the hopes of getting a better quality recording.

For "Missing", the story centers around a British bomber crew who must bail out over occupied Netherlands and try to make their way back to Britain, with the help of various citizens and underground along the way. I tend to like documentaries, and while this is drama, much of the footage and audio of bomber aircraft is authentic, as the movie was filmed in 1941. This is not your typical war movie, though, somewhat also like a thriller. It draws you in, and is cleverly written, making you wonder what will happen next. The special effects for the time are very respectable. I wish modern movies could incorporate some of the unusual story-telling production values used. The transfer of the film is excellent, and has been remastered for multi-channel Dolby, and while there's only so much you can do with a period film's audio tracks, I was amazed how good it sounded over my surround-sound. I can understand what the crew members are saying when they speak with oxygen masks attached to their faces, something the audio from my old VHS tape copy didn't allow. The video quality is very good too. This is not high-definition, but pictures are sharp. There are some minor film artifacts from the original film, but it wouldn't be noticeable to most. If you've never seen this movie and don't even care about the other two, buy the DVD just for this one movie. Movie rating: ***** Quality rating: ****

(five stars is best possible using my ratings above. I rate the whole DVD 5 stars just because of this one movie...my lower ratings on the other two movies shouldn't detract from this one movie which more than justified the purchase of the DVD on it's own, so geting two other movies are more like a bonus to me)

"Spitfire" tells the story of the lead designer of the venerable British fighter aircraft of the same name. It's an interesting story, but war and history buffs are the main two audiences who'd want to watch this. Video transfer is only average, likely limited by the original film and perhaps not surprising for an unrestored 60 year old film...somewhat blurry, with muddy audio. Again, the history and occasional piece of footage from the time acts as a time tunnel, so if you're interested in the subject matter, it may be worth seeing at least once, but if you really want to know about the roots of the Supermarine Spitfire and can dispense with a bunch of make-believe drama, read a good history book on the subject. Although I don't mind owning it, you can lead a happy life without ever seeing this movie. This is no "Dambusters", which is a terrific example of another real-life plotline where a scientist/designer must overcome red-tape to develop and overcome hurdles on a significant invention. I'm rating this movie with the presumption you found yourself to this review because you like war movies. If you like musicals or Bogart or Pulp Fiction, this kind of movie is definitely not going to interest you. If you liked Aviator, then it may interest you. Movie Rating: **1/2 Quality Rating: **1/2

"We Dive At Dawn" is a good war movie, but not a great war movie. It tells the story of a submarine crew trying to sink the German battleship Brandenburg, but involves other story telling regarding their families, and some of the trial and tribulations of being at sea. It has a somewhat lighter tone to it than some other war movies, but is quite interesting in parts. Again, much of its value to me is seeing some authentic submarine operation from a movie filmed during the time in question. I'm not sure if any of the actual story is based on fact, but much of the movie's drama is not convincing to a modern day viewer, although I personally don't mind this as it was typical of how movies were made at this time, and it helps one to see what it was like to be living through WWII. If you've already seen most of the A-list war movies of the 1950's-1970's and are looking for lesser known war movies as I was, this is worth seeing. The video quality is very good, with sharp pictures and good contrast. Audio is very good too, though not quite as good as "Missing". Movie Rating: *** Quality Rating: ***1/2

For all three movies, note they are in black and white, and there are no track marks or scene selections. I didn't really care about this last point, but sometimes you want to review a scene. To do so, you can only use your DVD player's fast forward/reverse keys, not track increment/decrement. Also, there is a special feature called "Mr Blabbermouth" which is a curious movie reel showing interesting facts about the Axis' and Allies respective resources, and the defeatist thinking that some people had after Pearl Harbor.

World War II propaganda films.......2006-03-19

It was fascinating seeing the first of these - "One of our Aircraftt is Missing", in the company of a sixteen year old grandson, who definitely found it a bit boring in parts, and I was verry struck by the exemplary behaviour of the participants - ideal not real - As an essay in nostalgia, very well made, I enjoyed it, as did my son, who is a film maker anyway; he was interested in techniques and conditioned,as a child, to such films. Spitfire, I knew better as "The First of the Few" - a far more sensible title, anyway, and it has the same well-made interest and a real story, sentimentally told. "We dive at Dawn" is well acted and has the same archival interest, while appealing to older viewers or film buffs. Quite moving.

American Experience - Victory in the Pacific

Average customer rating:

American Experience - Victory in the Pacific
Starring: Bob Hope , Norman Schwarzkopf , Dan Rather , Greer Garson , and Eddie Albert
Manufacturer: PBS Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

All | PBS | Specialty Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

American Experience: The Battle of the Bulge
The First World War - The Complete Series
American Experience: Bataan Rescue
American Experience: Truman
American Experience: FDR

ASIN: B0009W5IXI
Release Date: 2005-08-30

DVD:

DVD

DVD: Spirit of the Sword

Armageddon