The World at War (30th Anniversary Edition)
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Movie Reviews of The World at War (30th Anniversary Edition)
Movie Review: World At War
Summary: 5 Stars
The World At War series is a good historical account of WWII. The series starts with causes of the war in both the European and Pacific theaters. The first hours cover the rise of the Nazis in Germany and then switches to the early years of Japans' expansion. Many episodes cover specific battles or campaigns. This series doesn't miss any important part of the war. There is good coverage of the Nazi death camps showing, beyond any doubt, the implementation of the "Final Solution". The world must never forget these atrocities. This series should be required viewing for all. "Those who do not read history are doomed to repeat it."
This series also shows why men and women who fought WWII are called "the Greatest Generation"
Movie Review: The best survey by a long way
Summary: 5 Stars
Having just watched the episode taking in the Pacific from Pearl Harbor, taking in the US surrender at Bataan and the Guadalcanal, knowing there is much more to come in the Pacific, I wonder what certain commentators on Amazon are talking about.
This series dates from the 70s, and the faults of it are there to see: not least the secrecy of the Cold War still in place even after thirty years, from the British certainly and more obviously from the Soviet Union, but perhaps from the US too. Perhaps it is indeed light on the Pacific, but as the US talking heads said themselves on the episode I have just watched, they were putting 90% of their forces into Europe at the time. Also, it is 70s television , and can be so dependent on the visual footage available at the time. as this whole business of accessing footage from other nations was in its infancy.
However these are way surpassed by its pluses, not least its ambition : TV companies of the USA or anyone else have not produced its own series, if only to rebut the perceived faults of World At War. More importantly World At War includes testimony from politicians, diplomats and soldiers from all sides still alive at the time. And the series starts not with the British, but with the massacre at Oradour-sur-Glane : from a British point of view this is a firm dismissal of our own narrow view of "we won the war".
In Britain we look forward to the screening of the Ken Burns series on the WWII but already the reports are that it is exclusively about the experience of the United States and the other combatants are nowhere. Perhaps this might appease some of those complaining on this forum, but to me this would be much more of a distortion than anything in World At War. At least World at War attempted to cover the war from the perspectives of all sides, not just the fighting Allies and Axis powers but those nations involved or even overrun: the French, the Chinese, the Dutch, the Poles, even the Finns, whose war is forgotten now.
I wish each nation had its own attempt at The World At War but I know of none. In the 30 years since you might have hoped that one would appear, not least from the United States, but it has not happened. I fear now that as the old soldiers are gradually fading away then the the opportunity has gone forever. Meanwhile, in my view, for all its faults, World At War is the best we all have.
Movie Review: No Denying It
Summary: 5 Stars
Even 30 plus years on this is a very watchable, powerful and comprehensive account of World War II. Ken Burns talks about the gallant myth he is smashing with his latest PBS release "The War". Anyone who has watched this series by Thames Television or any of the WW2 related BBC documentaries, is already under no such illusions. If there's one thing the British do well, its sober, informative documentary film-making (but hey, I'm biased).Movie Review: One of the best made-for-TV series ever shown
Summary: 5 Stars
This truly is one of the best made-for-TV series ever shown. For WWII buffs and military historians of all stripes, watch it - you will not be disappointed. Movie Review: 5 Stars Of Course! But.......Some Faults You Have to Admit!!!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Before you touchy Brit's go hitting off on the "not helpful" button. The World At War is the BEST!!!! OK???? Ok now that I have said that, I am not going to reminisce about every episode, I watched the whole series in pieces on PBS during the 70's and 80's and later, and now on DVD (it's wonderful).
However, one must admit that it is heavily biased in the UK's view, and it's abhorrent that in a 30th anniversary edition, that there are no CLOSED CAPTIONS!!!!!! I think you Brit's take it too personal dislike that others cannot understand you but you must remember, there are many Americans, Germans, Poles, French, Asians, and many more speaking in English. Is that not enough to offer in a 30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION, plain old closed captioning??????? How about this one, are there no deaf people who live in the UK?????? Give me a break A&E. I can only understand about 75% of the narrative in this series (including our esteemed narrator!), I also am no back woods hick from America, I have traveled the world and have to focus to understand a lot of the narrative, it makes for good repeat viewing I guess but c'mon, other Americans may get less than half, honestly. If you want to call me lazy so be it but I want to be entertained and whats more important, I want to have my children draw an interest, I wonder if they will fully (?), not really understanding what is being said with the thick Cockney accents? OK its still great, I guess for the price you cant beat it since it's much lower now than 5 years ago, and I absolutely was riveted seeing Karl Doenitz (who I understood better than many of the Brits interviewed! Still the CC would have been nice.) interviewed; that footage along with all the other aides and Generals and Admirals and Minister's was priceless! The last of the BBC's glory days to me.