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 ... Read more

Reviews (31)

5 stars for content but ZERO stars for TERRIBLE AUDIO MIX
I loved the content. Other reviewers here have verbalized my feelings concerning the quality of the video. However, the sound mix is so poor that if you set the volume to an appropriate sound level for the very nice music you are completely unable to hear the voice of the narrator. Even if you have your finger on the volume control constantly you are unable to dynamically raise and lower the audio volume to try and hear the narrator without blasting your ear drums with the elevated music sound level. I would advise anyone buying this DVD set to consider it acceptable ONLY if you listen to it with a 5 channel speaker set up with a dedicated center channel (for speech, etc.) where you are able to individually raise and lower that channel of sound. Even then you may be astonished just how much boost the center channel is going to need compared with the other sound channels. Frankly, this DVD release needs to be redone as far as the audio is concerned! Other than that, the video is great....

Victory at Sea DVD Is Awesome
I recently purchased this DVD and was very skeptical after reading all the comments about the sound track. However, I didn't find any issues with either the sound track or the narrative for all four volumes. I have a Panasonice DVD Player with the Dolby Digital,DTS Digital Surround and MPEG, and the music score by Richard Rogers is one of the reasons for buying this DVD. It is a " Must Have" for military history buffs. If you have a PC with a DVD/CD ROM Combination, you can use it to view this DVD and adjust the sound track to blend in with the narrative.

Sound issues and the original
I have the original soundtrack on LP, with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Richard Rogers himeself. It's my father's and needless to say, it does not get much play time for preservation sake. I also own both CDs "Victory at Sea" and "MORE Victory at Sea," (BMG Music 1992) both conducted by Robert Russel Bennett and contain slightly arraigned versions of the very familar complete soundtrack by the RCA Symphony Orchestra and is remixed in extremely good Dolby Surround. The original soundtrack is fairly clear and does sound a little tinny and was recorded in mono. (Unless it was a dual issue in both stereo and mono. I only have the mono.) While a properly mixed original soundtrack would sound great, IMHO, the Dolby version would sound even better. What I'm getting at is, it's not the soundtrack's fault this apparently sounds so bad. I really wanted to buy this, but I think I'll hold off and wait and see.

One star too many!
What an unmitigated hustle this dvd collection turned out to be. Equal portions of venom and spite are hereby awarded to History Channel and NBC for this travesty. My 5.1 dts sound system did nothing to alleviate the worse than poor sound quality/balance issues. This legendary series and it's participants certainly deserve better than this quick and dirty rendition gives. Maybe the capital "H" seen in the lower right hand corner of the teevee screen actually stands for "hustle". I would gladly purchase a remastered and remixed set but for now am left with this doorstop.

Good atmospheric and stirring stuff!
I came across the soundtrack many years after first hearing snippets from it on the original T.V series of the same name.
I was enthralled by the sheer vibrancy and 'now-ness' of this great piece of modern classical music. You can easily picture the great ships of both the American and Japanese fleets as they engage in the greatest sea battle of all time. The spinning, swooping aircraft as they play thier all important roles of hunter/killer.
The evocation of individual men and women enjoying a rare respite from battle in some of the quieter passages, shore leave. All part of this amazingingly descriptive music. It will continue to be an important piece by sheer virtuosity of the skillful interplay of individual instruments producing an altogether sucessful blend of sombre, stirring and gentle, very easy to listen-to-again and again music. I cannot praise it enough! ... Read more

Description

Hailed as a film masterpiece and landmark in historical storytelling, Ken Burns's epic documentary brings to life America's most destructive-- and defining--conflict. With digitally enhanced images and new stereo sound, here is the saga of celebrated generals and ordinary soldiers, a heroic and transcendent president and a country that had to divide itself in two in order to become one. ... Read more

Reviews (144)

Excellent Introduction
Ken Burns' Civil War is an excellent introduction to the period, told well with style. It's a documentary, not a history book. It is, however, far more accurate and balanced than other Civil War documentaries (such as the History Channel's Civil War Journal).

To hit on a couple of criticisms in other reviews, slavery as a cause of the Civil War is an argument bordering on the level of a holy war, itself. Recent magazine articles and essays have done a good job of discussing it. The result is that both Burns' view and the "Burns' is wrong, it was all about states rights" views are both simplistic. Burns' documentary does a good job of capturing the Southern view of slavery and abolition but he does over state the view of the north as abolitionist. While there were Southern abolitionists and Southern soldiers who didn't care one way or another, Burns shows quite well that without slavery there would have been no war. (The statement that the South only fought for "states rights" was actually championed in the 1880s. If states rights were the only reason for fighting the war, why did the Confederate Constitution prevent any Confederate state from passing a law against slavery, even if that state wanted to abolish it?)

To the point of Grant being the first Lt. General since Washington, Burns is both right and wrong. Winfield Scott was made Lt. General, but it was a brevet (something a little more than honorary) rank. It was a brevet specifically so that Washington would be the only man to have officially held that rank. This changed when Grant was given the rank.

Fine Film
There's no denying that Ken Burns' sweeping documentary of the American Civil War is a success. Through photographs, modern footage of the places in question, period music, and voices reading primary source documents of the time, Burns conjures up the conflict in all its thrilling drama, bloody tragedy, dark humor, and stirring nobility. Personal and engaging, this film brought a new awareness of American history to millions of viewers. It should be noted that a huge topic such as the Civil War cannot be entirely crammed into one film, however long; this is necessarily an overview, though an excellent and detailed one. (At least the Civil War had a compact number of years to it; Burns subsequently took on huger topics still such as Baseball and Jazz, with less success. His finite films like this one and "Lewis and Clark" are easier to see as a whole.) I have one quibble with this show - I think it oversimplifies the causes of the war. To be specific, it sees only one cause - slavery - and pays no attention to states' rights or economic issues. This is no surprise; his other films have shown us that Burns sees race as the defining issue of our country. Whether you entirely agree with this idea or not, you are sure to enjoy and learn from this epic documentary.

The Civil War - A Film by Ken Burns
This one is superb........well worth the money..it can be purchased for much less at eBay though. Shelby Foote's comments thoughout the film are outstanding. He is truly a southerner and you will enjoy his thoughts relative to the film. I highly recommend the film and will be glad to answer any questions anyone might have regarding the film. You can email me at jimsuz@swbell.net with your questions!

Get the best version
It should be recognised that there are three versions of the series in circulation. The original series itself was released in 3 versions: complete (with varying episode lengths), slighly shortened (to provide similar length shows) and short version (about 1 hour per episode. The slightly shortened version was the one initially distributed on Video and DVD. This is the one that has the wobbly transfer. The new DVD version (2003) is a digitally enhanced full release. Ken Burns returned to the original film to achieve a new hi-resolution transfer and then proceded to digitally clean it up. This is demonstrated in a mini-doco on the DVD. No one questions the quality of the series and with this release the reproduction quality matches it. Ken Burns turned me into a Civil War buff and collector. I still found the series highly moving even after several viewings.

Be Forewarned About This Shamefully Cheaply Packaged DVD
Let me start off by saying the documentary itself is wonderful. Certainly, it may be slightly biased, and woefully short on info about the western campaign, but it is well intentioned and researched, as well as being both thought provoking and entertaining. The presence of Foote helps correct the obvious Northern bias, and I think the film was fairly clear about Lincoln starting out as a moderate on the slavery issue. And let us be fair; no project this ambitious is ever going to be perfect nor satisfy everyone, and this one is far better than most.

But, the DVD packaging is just horrible. The literally paper thin disk container fell apart on the second day that I had it. I have a fairly large DVD collection with many, many box set collections and this is by far the cheapest presentation I have ever encountered. Now, had this been a budget box set designed to be low cost so as to make itself available to the greatest number of people possible, I would accept this. But as you must know, this set is actually quite expensive compared to most box sets. Therefore, the ridiculously flimsy packaging is inexcusable. This series deserves better. I STRONGLY urge you to wait until a higher quality presentation is put on offer. ... Read more

Description

Experience all the explosive drama of a nation at war by land, sea and air. The five classic films in this collection – starring such screen legends as Michael Redgrave, Richard Attenborough, John Mills, Jack Hawkins, Stanley Baker, Robert Shaw and more – are now presented uncut and fully restored, depicting the men and women of Great Britain at their most compassionate and courageous. These are British war movies’ finest hours. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

These movies are available seperately
I purchased The Dam Busters as a single item from Critic's Choice video at www.ccvideo.com. - Although the other pictures in the series are of interest to me, I did not want to own them. It is the Anchor Bay/ Studio Canal remaster and the quality is excellent for a 1954 black and white Brit movie where the picture and sound were not all that great to begin with. There is a little rain present but overall an excellent transfer, far superior to the Thorn EMI VHS edition. It may be my imagination, but there seems to be a little more footage (or inchage) too because I get the impression that I'm hearing bits of additional dialogue on the DVD. And yes, the DVD is the original politically incorrect version.

About the Anchor Bay DVDs...
As other reviewers have noted, these are excellent movies, worthy to be savored by fans of WWII films or British cinema.Four are genuine classics, and The Dam Busters and The Cruel Sea are masterpieces of documentary-style realism.The Ship That Died of Shame is an odd choice, since most of its action takes place after the war.I'd have preferred something like The Captive Heart or The Way Ahead, but I've grown used to the curveballs that Anchor Bay usually throw into their boxsets.My personal favorite is Went the Day Well?, which is remarkably violent and stylish for a 1940s propoganda picture.And by the way, only three of these films were made at Ealing:Went the Day Well?, The Cruel Sea, and The Ship That Died of Shame.The Dam Busters and The Colditz Story were made by Associated British and Britsh Lion, respectively.

The transfers are excellent.They're clean and crisp, much like the discs in Anchor Bay's earlier Alec Guinness Collection (also recommended).There are occasional scratches and scenes with heavy grain, but nothing distracting.Even Went the Day Well?, the oldest in the set (1942), looks beautiful.I hope Anchor Bay maintains a good relationship with Studio Canal, the company that owns the rights to these and other superb British films, because they make a good team.Studio Canal keeps their film stock in great condition, and Anchor Bay's remastering jobs and transfers are solid.

The real let-down is the lack of extras, especially considering the high price.I'm not the kind of person who demands a commentary on every DVD; I'm more concerned about getting a good transfer.But these are such key films in the history of British cinema that I expected more.There's a nice 6-page booklet of liner notes, but nothing else -- no trailers, no photo galleries, no video introductions.Since Michael Anderson (director of Dam Busters) and Guy Hamilton and John Mills (director and star of Colditz Story) are still with us, I think Anchor Bay passed up a wonderful opportunity to provide some important extras, in the form of commentaries or audio/video interviews.It's a real shame, but it doesn't diminish the power or entertainment value of the movies.

The box set is packaged just like Anchor Bay's Werner Herzog collections.There are five DVDs, and each is contained in its own thin-case.The thin-cases are held in a folder that slides out of a very handsome -- and sturdy -- box.The box itself is about the size of three regular DVD cases.

Please note that the DVDs do indeed contain the UNCUT versions of these film.That means that this print of The Dam Busters contains the original name of Richard Todd's pet dog.(The dog's name is a racist slur that was changed to "Trigger" in earlier U.S. releases -- though it should be noted that the original word has always carried less ugly connotations in the UK than in the States.)People sensitive to racist elements in older films should be aware of this, but kudos to Anchor Bay for not censoring or sugar-coating its presence!

Great but its pretty insanely priced
I love all the movies in this list but I think its just abominably priced. Have a heart and think of our wallets not just fattening your blasted treasury. The other thing and this is more STUPID than Dubya's policies and this is that these are not available individually, which I think takes the cake for ludicrousness. If you are taking the pains to converting it to US format and releasing it into the market, for crying out loud, do things right. If your dull marketing brains need an analogy, try thinking in terms of fruits or flowers. I can buy just the one or i can buy a basket or a bouquet.

The Brits made the best war films!!
It is wonderful to finally see these films released in the USA. Two years ago, I purchased the British release on Amazon.UK. That set included the Colditz Story, Dam Busters, Cruel Sea and Ice Cold in Alex. That last film is a fantastic story starring stalwarts John Mills and Anthony Quale (as a Nazi). Too bad its not included in this set. The Dam Busters, Colditz Story and Cruel Sea are three of the best war films ever made, hands down. The British style of reduced action in favor of increased drama make the atmospherics really shine. "Went the day well" was a wonderful surprise. I suspect that someone involved in the '70s film "The Eagle has landed" must have seen "Went the day well". "The ship that died in shame" added a film noirish change of pace to the set, with Richard Attenbourgh (Herr Bartlett in The great Escape) as the heavy. These are "must have" DVDs. All five films remind us in this politically correct era that World War 2 truly was a struggle of good vrs evil. YES, BOMBER COMMAND WERE THE GOOD GUYS!! There is something about these black and white works (Ealing studios films in particular), that evoke a near documentary sense of realism. And...the acting is first rate. If only they would release other vintage Brit films over here, such as "Reach for the sky", "Hunt for the Graf Spee", "Beneath the Waves" and "Scott of the Antarctic". Any fan of war films must purchase the British War Collection" as a foundation set within his/her collection!!

A Collection of Superior British WWII Films
Went the Day Well? (1942) is probably the least known of the movies in this collection. It is one of the British war movies made during WWII that were meant to strengthen morale and inspire steadfastness.

The little English village of Bromley End welcomes a large number of Royal Engineers who are to work on a secret project. However, the Royal Engineers in reality are English-speaking German soldiers in British uniforms, parachuted into England to set up a counter radar apparatus which will disrupt England's radar network. Gradually the villagers begin to suspect things aren't right, and then realize what they're dealing with. The Germans cordon off the village, show their true colors and prepare to set up their equipment. The villagers need to break through the cordon to alert authorities and get help. They also decide they must take action themselves to stop the Germans. This is complicated because the village houses a traitor. The climax is the Battle of Bromley End, with British Home Guard troops arriving while the Germans, attacking the manor house where they must set up their stuff, are held off by the men and women of the village.

If you're fond of older British movies you'll recognize some fine actors: Leslie Banks, David Farrar, Thora Hird, Basil Sydney, Mervyn Johns. The film is a well-constructed piece of stirring, patriotic wartime propaganda. The DVD I've seen has a good transfer, especially considering the age of the film.
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The Colditz Story (1955) was one of a number of movies the British made during the Fifties which relived the victories and bravery of their armed services during WWII. Often these movies starred John Mills. The Colditz Story is based on fact. Colditz Castle in Germany was used to imprison the most incorrigible prisoners-of-war, those who persistently made escape attempts. British, French, Polish and Dutch officers were sent there. Unfortunately for the Germans, they wound up trying to keep inside men dedicated to escaping, and who had skills they now could share. The result was that more prisoners of war escaped from Colditz than from any other prisoner of war camp in either the First or Second World Wars.

The movie is based on the memoirs of Pat Reid (John Mills), who served as an escape officer at Colditz and then was one of the first to break out and make it back to England. While the movie is a bit dated, it also is a dramatic and efficient telling of escape attempts, ruses played against the German captors and, of course, of the unfailing courage and good spirits of the British officers.

If you're fond of old British movies, you'll recognize, among others, Eric Portman, Lionel Jeffries, Bryan Forbes and Ian Carmichael. The DVD I saw has a picture and audio in very good shape considering the age of the movie.
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The Cruel Sea (1953) is, in my view, one of the best movies yet made dealing with naval warfare in WWII. It's the story of the Compass Rose, newly commissioned in 1940 as a convoy escort, and the officers and men who served on her. Her captain (Jack Hawkins) was fresh from the merchant marine; her new officers had seen almost no sea duty. They learned on the job as they protected convoys in the North Atlantic and then in the run to the Mediterranean.

What makes this movie so good is its matter-of-factness. There are no heroics, just men learning their jobs, doing their duty, with some dieing and some surviving. The scene where Captain Ericson decides to use depth charges to destroy a suspected submarine hiding below a group of struggling survivors from a torpedoed freighter is harrowing. The DVD I saw has a good but by no means first-class image transfer. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the 1980s determined researchers began scouring the world for colorfilm shot during World War II, and the result of their quest is spectacular.Seeing the war through the ubiquitous black-and-white footage has always madethe experience somewhat distant, but in clear, crisp color, the enormity of thewar and its horrors is startling and dramatic. Films of Nazi rallies are all themore disturbing; a viewer seeing the scene in color realizes the massive crowdssaluting Hitler are no longer gray and faceless masses, but gatherings of well- dressed civilians. Color combat footage, from across Europe and the Pacific, isfrighteningly immediate, and some of it, showing the wounded, the dead, and evenprisoners being executed, will no doubt be disturbing for many viewers. Violenceand destruction on an unimaginable scale is vividly put on display, as aresmaller moments of soldiers smiling for the camera or liberated prisoners fromthe concentration camps staring in pained bewilderment. The episodes, producedby the History Channel, are introduced by veteran journalist Roger Mudd, and thenarration for each individual segment typically contains excerpts from lettersand diaries describing events close to those depicted in the film footage. Thefootage used is of a surprisingly high quality (much of it was shot and storedaway, virtually unseen for decades), and it provides a stunning look at how thewar appeared to those fighting it. --Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Powerful Images of the 20th Century's Most Significant Event
Having read dozens of books on World War Two and having seen many documentaries in the classroom or on my own, I was a little skeptical that simply seeing this footage in color would bring it even more to life. But I certainly was wrong. This is amazing footage from a 3-part History Channel program that presents World War II in color, and there's no way you're going to forget it. Most haunting is the bonus footage of Adolf Hitler hanging out with friends, playing with a dog, petting the animal, playing with children. Seeing a monster in this sort of setting only makes more horrific the Holocaust and Hitler's grand vision of Liebenstraum. Then the footage of Auschwitz and Dachau is enough to haunt you forever. Seeing it in black and white was powerful enough. Seeing it in color, the blank stares of corpses piled up one on top of another in the back of a truck is something that you will never forget. And when you see the kamikaze attack on Okinawa, you'll sit there stunned.
In all, the entire 3-DVD series makes for some unforgettable viewing, strung together with historically accurate narration, most of it from diary entries or letters from the average person. For it was roughly 40 million average persons whose lives were lost in this event. As Roger Mudd ends the series, he talks about how Steven Ambrose' D-Day center now houses the color footage of the Normandy Invasion, so, as Ambrose said, future generations would realize that seeing this in color would show that World War Two was not ancient history. Once you see this, you'll never forget that.

Eerie, hypnotic, gut-wrenching
This is an astonishing set of videos. First there is the jaw-dropping, almost hallucinogenic experiance of seeing WWII events in technicolor. It reminds one of how much black-and-white film aestheticizes and abstracts events. Admittedly our eyes don't see in technicolor either, but the color makes you feel far more psychologically "there" so to speak. The second thing is the amazing quality of most of this footage. It hardly seems to have aged at all in 55-60 years! When you consider that film from the 1960's sometimes looks atrociously degraded and washed out, the almost pristine look of this footage is remarkable to say the least. It must have been stored well and never projected. (Of course, the producers could choose the best-looking bits from what was reputedly hundreds of hours of rediscovered film.) Watching this film is a tremendously emotional experiance, sometimes frightening, sometimes grueling, sometimes stomach-turning. The voice-over narration makes heavy use of contemporary letters and diaries of soldiers and civilians, and is often touching. The cumulative impact of all this----the island fighting, Nazi rallies, shipyard workers, civilians hanged by Nazis, radiation victims, Pearl Harbor wreckage, air war footage, death camps, and on and on----is almost overwhelming. Like having your nose shoved into the sheer mess and folly of mass war.

Now that I hear that the UK version of this documentary was narrated by the redoubtable John Thaw I'd love to see THAT version, but otherwise I unreservedly recommend this to anyone and everyone. Too many people think of documentaries as boring but this demonstrates how mesmerizing they can be. For anyone too young to have first-hand memories of it (which is most of the population now) this makes WWII far more visceral than you ever thought possible.

the lost archives appear to be still lost
The footage in this film is fantastic but in no way whatsoever does justice to what the individuals who participated in the war experienced. Unlike the Land of the Czars or other films produced this production does not provide enough detail for any of the events listed in the contents. It is almost like fast forwarding through the war. There is no way i would subject my students to this film. I would be boring them to death and I would here about it.
The purchase of this dvd was a total waste of money. I would sooner use many of the dusty copies in our library.
pjk

My comment
It is fascinating and exciting to see World War II not in black and white, as we are used to seeing it, but in color. Its kind of like how it was for theater audiences of the day. Most movies of the day were in black and white, but those that were in Technicolor were absolutely stunning, and still are. Unfortunately, that's what the problem with these tapes are. Even though the colors are realistic, the picture is quite grainy and the image suffers from poor contrast, muddy blacks and blurred colors; it is very slow and sometimes fringing becomes apparent. The reason for this was because it was shot on nonprofessional 16mm film, separated into negatives and then blown up onto 35mm. The best examples of color film remain the old Technicolor movies from the 1930s, 40s, 50s and 60s, not Kodachrome films like these. Unfortunately, we can't see World War II in Technicolor, because it would have been way too expensive and out of bounds to shoot in it, but nevertheless the picture would have been much better.

Very Good Documentary Even if it Were Not in Color
Apart from the obvious important issue of color, "Lost Color Archives" is different from many other documentaries dealing with World War II. The emphasis is much less on causes and facts than it is on the impact of the war on society and individuals. Its use of personal observances is remeniscent of the way Ken Burns used eye witness accounts in "The Civil War" to make more of an impact on the viewer.

Evenso, from a historical perspective, "Lost Color Archives" does deserve high praise as a solid explanation of the war as a whole. Because it is told largely from the eye witness point of view, the viewer has a sense of the impending conflict, then the endurance through the war, and finally, the exhausted conclusion. Emphasis is placed on the fact that the war was over, but that much of the world had been destroyed and that the effects and rememberance of the war would linger on.

Add color to all this and the documentary clearly stands above anything else I've ever seen about the war. Some of the images are average, some are stunning, some are beautiful, some are horrifying, but all are in color.

The combination of the color video and the first person narratives often sent chills down my spine. ... Read more

Description

Ride into Aqaba with Lawrence of Arabia. Stand with Patton as his tanks lead the Allied breakout from the coast of Normandy. Patrol the nighttime jungles of Vietnam... A CENTURY OF WARFARE explores the pivotal battles, profiles the commanders and chronicles the myriad ways in which war has shaped the modern world. The 26 hour-long episodes in this monumental set feature an encyclopedic collection of archival film dating back to 1896, creating an unforgettable visual record of every major military engagement from the precursors of World War I to the liberation of Kuwait. THE HISTORY CHANNEL is proud to present this epic, landmark series, now available in its entirety and presented on DVD for the first time ever. DVD volumes:

Volume 1: (3 hours, 28 minutes):
--The Violent Century: THE CENTURY OF WARFARE opens with a look at the defining characteristics of modern war and the development of the weapons that revolutionized combat.
--The World Goes to War: Explore the factors that led to the outbreak of World War I and see why efforts to prevent the coming conflict failed.
--Blood and Mud: Harrowing photos and rare footage show the grim reality of trench warfare on the Western Front.
--War of the Eagles: Three empires clash on the Eastern Front, until the Russian Revolution topples the Czar and the nation withdraws from the fight.

Volume 2: (3 hours, 28 minutes)
--Battle Fleets and U-Boats: Naval warfare in World War I, from submarine attacks and supporting forces on land to the Battle of Jutland.
--Aces High: See how the plane became a weapon, fly with the pioneers of military aviation, and relive the exploits of legendary pilots like the Red Baron.
--War to End All War?: The entry of the United States helped bring World War I to a close, but the harsh conditions of the Versailles Treaty paved the way for a greater conflict to come.
--Enter the Dictators: The years between the World Wars were marked by the rise of totalitarian states in Europe and a growing militancy in the Far East.

Volume 3: (3 hours, 28 minutes)
--The War Clouds Gather: Conflicts in China, Spain and Africa presaged the horrors to come, while Hitler cemented his power and prepared for his bloody campaign of aggression.
--Blitzkrieg: Germany's invasion of Poland introduced the world to a new brand of warfare. Less than a year later, the fall of France left Britain to face Hitler essentially alone.
--Britain Stands Alone: The extraordinary heroism demonstrated by British citizens and soldiers and a vital lifeline from across the Atlantic kept England from falling into Nazi clutches.
--Sand and Sea War: In and around the Mediterranean, Monty battled Rommel, American doughboys got their first real combat experience, and the Italian campaign gave the Allies a foothold in Europe.

Volume 4: (3 hours, 28 minutes)
--Hitler Turns East: Operation Barbarossa--the largest land invasion ever mounted--sent 3 million German troops and 3,300 tanks into the Soviet Union.
--The Long Road Back: Defeated at Stalingrad and denied entry to Moscow, the Wehrmacht embarked on a two-year delaying action as it retreated to Germany.
--Normandy to the Rhine: Follow the preparations for D-Day and the course of the war in Europe after the successful invasion.
--The End in Europe: As Germany was squeezed in the vice of the Allied advance, the Big Three met at Yalta to plan for the aftermath of war.

Volume 5: (3 hours, 28 minutes)
--Oriental Blitzkrieg: Analyze the forces that drove Japan to war and relive the initial victories that gave the Imperial forces an air of invincibility.
--Jungle and Ocean: The American island-hopping campaign drove the Japanese from their Pacific strongholds, but it would take a weapon of a different order bring the war to an end.
--The War at Sea: This sweeping overview of World War II's naval engagements includes footage from Atlantic convoys, major Pacific battles and the amphibious landing at Normandy.
--Air War: Fly in a B-17 on a harrowing daylight bombing raid, see how British aviators staved off the Luftwaffe, and watch as carrier-based fighters battle Zeros in the skies over Midway.

Volume 6: (2 hours, 36 minutes)
--Iron Curtain: Divided at the end of World War II, Europe was a potential flashpoint for 40 years as the superpowers maintained an uneasy peace built on deterrence.
--Oriental Communism: From the withdrawal of the old Colonial powers to the conflict in Korea, instability, regional conflicts and the boiling over of Cold War tensions marked much of the 20th century in Asia.
--Wars in Peace: The perennial problems of civil war, terrorism and bilateral wars have taken on a new urgency in the years since the end of the Cold War, and the international community is struggling to deal with them.

Volume 7: (2 hours, 36 minutes)
--Vietnam: It was a war that proved that might and money do not lead inevitably to victory, and its harsh lessons forced America to rethink its role in the world.
--War in the Middle East: From Israel's continual battles to defend itself to inter-Arab squabbles and the role of oil, trace the many conflicts that have shaken this tumultuous region.
--Gulf War and the Future: The Allied victory over Iraq showed showcased a new generation of weapons and tactics, but evolving threats--particularly from weapons of mass destruction--require a new approach to deterrence. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Well-rounded treatment of 20th Century conflicts.
The Century of Warfare is a somewhat inconsistent but generally satisfying production that mixes flashes of brilliance with equal doses of mediocrity.

The strength of this set lies in attention to detail, such as the strong opening episode which examines the political and social make-up of the world from the late 1800s up to the start of the First World War. Factors often overlooked by more conventional military history video productions are given their just due, including a refreshingly thorough examination of the Balkan tinderbox.

World War I is given very detailed treatment, particularly in lesser known theaters. For example, the episode entitled Battle Fleets and U-Boats takes the time to cover many secondary naval clashes, as opposed to the usual tunnel-vision emphasis on submarine warfare and the Battle of Jutland.

World War II is a weak spot, primarily because there are more comprehensive works available, in particular the masterful "World at War" series. However, given the overall scope of The Century of Warfare, these are relatively minor weaknesses.

The Korean Conflict is given more than a cursory look, another conspicuous plus for this production. Many minor conflicts which have been largely ignored (at least by Western historians) are also covered.

Production values are excellent, relying on historical footage with no attempt to edit or correct flaws. This insistence on authentic images imparts an almost tangible immediacy and power to the series.

The one serious weakness is in the narration. Robert Powell's droning, monotonous reading of the script is an excellent prescription for insomnia but does little to support what is often a powerful and gripping visual record.

Taken as a whole, the strengths of The Century of Warfare far outweigh its few weaknesses. This is a superior overview of 20th century armed conflicts, a legitimate bargain for students of military history or anyone wishing to see a major factor in this dynamic and too often tragic period of time.

A well done set with comprehensive coverage
This set more than makes up for the "Disaster" (Victory) At Sea collection recently released by the History Channel.

These discs are wonderfully mastered, with very few recreations ( and those are subtly done ) plus first rate production values: the sound quality is superb, the music plays quitely in the background and adds to the overall effect, rather than being a distraction. The narration is informative, and well paced. The narration comes out front and center in the 5.1 format, with the music providing stereo effects, and the dubbing of the sound effects is well done, and matches the pacing and content of the original silent film well. There is some minor surround info, but that is not a detriment. The discs break the years/events into well chosen blocks, and the net effect is that a great deal of information is presented, without being dull or overbearing. Some of the early moving footage is particularly rare and has been well cleaned up in these transfers. The narrative perspective tends to be British, talking about the "war of 1914-1918" rather than "World War One" as Americans are used to, but the overall effect is very competent and correct. While admitedly no historian, I didn't notice any real gaffs in either facts or the conclusions as presented.
The quality of the transfers is EXCELLENT, holding up very well even on a big screen ( 47" ) in progressive scan. The image is sharp, and well lit. The intro's are a bit repetitous, but at least they don't everwhelm you in blasting modern stereo and then leave the audio to fade out to inteligibility when you get into the program, and each of the 4 major segements on each disc has a "Play all" button so you don't have to endlessly work the remote or the menus.
All in all, a program which displays everything you've come to expect from the History Channel, and provides a level of enjoyment and entertainment you might wish were found on more such DVD sets.
Well worth the cost, and a bargain if you shop around ! ... Read more

Description

The award-winning series narrated by Laurence Olivier. A powerful and devastating historical chronicle of war, composed of penetrating interviews with world leaders, statesmen and the military, along with the experiences of the ordinary men and women of a ... Read more

Reviews (75)

Excellent Series
When investing in any DVD, especially a boxed set, you might ponder the question, "How often will I watch this?" Let me say that your purchase of The World at War will offer you endless viewing opportunities! Besides the 26 original episodes, all of the extra features that were produced afterwards are included in the set. There is so much information generated in over 30 hours of material that you will discover something new with each repeated viewing. Each episode will hold your attention from first to last, and they are efficiently indexed so you can easily review a map or replay a speech. Along side the emotional impact of the pictorial images, you have Carl Davis' moving score, a judicious use of period music, personal accounts from all the major powers, and Sir Laurance's strong narration, making this the most comprehensive documentary on the subject. Now if we can only have World War I, narrated by Robert Ryan, available, we would have the documentary bookends to the two most devastating wars in the 20th century.

The Finest WWII Documentary Ever Produced
For History buffs and those who have a keen, deeply felt interest in World War II beyond just the military events, the World at War, produced by Thames Television (1981) and released earlier on VHS by Thorn/EMI, is a 26 episode documentary set apart from all other documentaries about WWII. No other, with the exception of Walter Cronkite's CBS series, comes close to an unbiased, analytical perspective of a War that cost perhaps 50 million lives and took an emotional and philosophical toll we are still trying to comprehend today.

Narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier and covering all aspects of the war, this definitive series is used by many colleges and universities as a source for History and Documentary Film courses. There is an incredible depth of archive footage used; skilfully woven with interviews of major figures in the War from Britain, US, Canada, Europe and Japan. Many major eye-witness leaders and ordinary people who were still alive in 1981 contributed sometimes surprising, sometimes incredible, and sometimes haunting interviews. Yet, for all its skilful editing and historical sophistication, it is clearly presented and emotionally compelling. In my opinion, it is, along with Kenneth Clark's "Civilisation", the best ever produced British documentary.

What makes this a stellar and overpowering account of the War is Olivier's narration. Never blustery, patriotic, or theatrical, Sir Laurence delivers pointed, thoughtful analysis with his incredible command of English and oration. Music for the series was composed by Carl Davis and even the opening credits set an unforgettable tone in a haunting image of a child in a photograph, dissolving in flames. This series is for those trying to make sense of a 6 year period when the world went mad. Five Stars PLUS.

Very good. Probably THE documentary set to own
This kept me going for months (in one hour segments at a time). There is so much material presented here and I learned a lot.

I wanted to give 4.5 stars and only knock a half off for the sometimes annoying menu (it could have been presented in a more orgnaized fashion, I thought), or other small problems, but half points aren't allowed on the system. Very close to perfect!

Buyer Beware
This was a wonderful documentary as originally broadcast, but I'd avoid this product if I had it to do over again: the maker's quality control is awful. Disk 1 skipped badly. And I the same problem others have reported: two copies of one of the five disks (with me, disk 5), and one disk (disk 4) entirely missing.

"Remember"
This is an excellent, extensive, British-made documentary about events leading up to, and including, World War II. With 26 episodes, there is quite a bit of material covered. Excellent narration by Laurence Olivier, and a memorable score.

If you are a war buff, particularly WW2, this is the set to have. Can't say enough good things about it. ... Read more

Description

Pearl Harbor • P-47 Thunderbolt
The Rise of The Engima
Triumph of the Codebreakers
The Battle of Midway • The Battle of Britain
The Dambusters Raid • Stilwell Road ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Surprisingly good for the price
This solid set, which can be found for $20 or lower in many retail outlets, is a bargain for the price, with over 7 1/2 hours of material and a fairly good, if low budget, presentation. The five discs included take you through most of the major events of both the European and Pacific campaigns, using a relatively informative narrator, occasional interview clips from historians and veterans, and actual World War II footage to bring us through the invasion of Poland, Singapore and Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, D-Day and much more.

The actual World War II footage that drives these documentaries forward is the centerpiece of the set. Pulling from sources both battered and crisp, the footage is edited fairly well, setting the scene for the conflict being documented. While the packaging boasts "in color," the truth is about 30 to 40 percent of this is colorized black and white footage (the first few documentaries on the first disc might be as high as 50 to 60 percent). Disappointing, but, save for much of the footage on the first disc (which has poorer colorization than the rest), it's not a terrible color job. When set next to the often shoddy color footage of the era, it's often not even noticeable, especially in the Pacific footage.

Newsreels, propaganda films and poster galleries supplement each disc. If you find the set for under $20, a history buff would almost find the price worth it for the newsreels alone. These are interesting, informative, and really pull you back to the period.

These aren't high-budget, top of the line documentaries, but rest assured this isn't "you get what you paid for," either. This set (assuming you can find it for the price mentioned above) is a bang-for-your-buck bargain that any World War II buff will enjoy.

Four out of Five stars for the incredible value; three out of five if you have to pay $30 or more.

WARNING - DECEPTIVE PACKAGING & MARKETING
I bought this from a local retailer and after watching the beginning of the first DVD, I took it right back and got a refund. Why? First of all, I don't like being taken and fooled into buying something that isn't what it claims to be. I read the outside of the packaging to detect anything that implies it was "colorized" from black & white footage. On the contrary, the box states it is "vintage COLOR footage." No hint of 'colorization.' Well think again....

All it is is reworked b & w footage with pale, lifeless color added to the film, and poorly done at that. Immediately detectable. Listen folks, I don't care if it's got good war footage or not - I don't know because I only watched a minimal amount for the reasons explained above. What I have a problem with is the deceptive technique and wording used to fool people into buying the product -- that is enough reason NOT to blow your money on it! If it's colorized via computer, then it needs to honestly and clearly STATE THAT. Enough said.

The Best WWII DVD Pack
I do love WWII's books and videos,but when I bought this pack,I
couldn't believe my eyes...It's a wonderful collection of WWII's stories,all of them in color!
Besides,there are plenty of original B&W newsreels,all of them
very interesting.I strongly recommend for everyone who enjoys
History,including teachers.Buy it now,I assure you that you won't regret!So far,this pack is the best one I've bought.

DVD 1(Not listed in order):

* The Gilbert Islands (November,1943)
* Burma: The Forgotten Front(Spring,1943)
* Battle in Palau (Summer,1944)
* Liberation of the Philippines

DVD 2

* Dunkirk (September 1,1939)
* The Battle of Norway (early 1940)
* The Bombing of England (Fall,1940)
* The Battle of Malta (June,1941)

DVD 3

* The Fall of Singapore (October,1941)
* Pearl Harbor(December 7,1941)
* The Battle of Midway (June 2,1942)
* The Solomon Islands ( July,1942)

DVD 4

* North Africa (November,1942)
* Monte Cassino (September 3,1943)
* D-Day (June 6,1944)
* Retaking France (6 weeks after D-Day)

DVD 5

* Operation Dragoon (August,1944)
* Battle of the Bulge (December,1944)
* The Last Stronghold (November,1944)
* Mount Hot Rocks (February 19,1945)
*

good overall
This is a good set overall, but the quality is uneven. Some of the footage is good original color film. However, some is either poor quality color because of the age of the original film or it may be colorized; I'm not sure. There is also a fair amount of repetition, slightly disguised by using zoom-in/out and mirror images. Whether colorized or not, I think the color adds to the realism and am glad I came across this. I still rate "World War II the Lost Color Archive" the best of this type followed closely by "World War II in Color, the British Story" and "World War II in Color"

A good WWII 5 DVD box set!
This box set has 5 DVDs:
Disc 1: The Atlantic Campaign (Pt.1) - Dunkirk, Battle of Norway, Bombing of England, Battle of Malta.

Disc 2: The Atlantic Campaign (Pt.2) - North Africa, Monte Cassino, D-Day, Retaking of France (6 weeks after D-Day).

Disc 3: The Pacific Campaign (Pt.1) - Fall of Singapore, Pearl Harbor, Battle of Midway, Solomon Islands.

Disc 4: The Pacific Campaign (Pt.2) - Gilbert Islands, Burma:The Forgotten Front, Battle in Palau, Liberation of the Philippines.

Disc 5: The Atlantic Campaign - Operation Dragoon, Battle of the Bulge. The Pacific Campaign - The Last Stronghold, Mount Hot Rocks.

I don't know how they did it but all the footage are in COLOR!! Approximately 7 hours 30 minutes.

If "World At War" is not going to be released I would have rated this set five stars. ... Read more

Description

Emphasizing the Confederate Experience in the Civil WarCivil War Minutes - Confederate reveals little known facts and stories about major Confederate players in the Civil War. Discover why few photographs exist of General Robert E. Lee and get an eyewitness account of J.E.B. Stuart's death. Learn how General John Morgan's Raiders ended up in a Pittsburgh jail; why both Union and Confederate soldiers fought with Confederate General John Chambliss' sword; and how General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson earned his nickname.See never-before-told stories of Confederate soldiers including accounts of the battle at Fort Sumter and a Confederate After Action Report at Gettysburg. Learn how Confederate soldiers dressed including their belt buckles and their uniforms that were frequently upgraded as they rose through the ranks of their regiment. Explore the soldier's weapons of choice and how fellowships forged during wartime lasted throughout his life.Civil War Minutes - Confederate takes you back to experience Confederate and Union soldiers' stories in their own words and how the Civil War influenced their lives. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Kraus makes his stand in Dixie! Excellent sources!
Continuing his great series of bringing the Civil War closer to home, Michael Kraus is back with this very informative 2-disc set featuring three hours of material. This set doesn't waste time with boring introduction or biographies on key leaders such as Lee or Jackson which I found very refreshing. Instead, Kraus gets straight to the point on featuring interesting everyday subjects such as fighting knives, musket tools, letters and ammunition. Though these subjects common to the everyday soldier are just a piece of this fine production. Kraus digs deep with rare and often overlooked subject matter such as clothing details, grave markers, Morgan's Raiders, French Leave, housewifes and warhorses. In appreciation and awe, Kraus is always careful in not having his actors in his production wearing 'farb' clothing which definately adds a true flavor to this segment.

I enjoyed viewing the fine close-up views on a track featuring information regarding a Confederate General's coat. Kraus features an actual coat worn by an officer and allows the camera to zoom in on the coat itself to see the fine stitching and elaborate details which could be very helpful for reenactors looking for detail often not seen in books. Kraus brings actual period items to life in this production and the camera views are very crisp which helps define the character of the item and also the individual that may have used them during the war.

I have all of Michael Kraus' material on DVD and was not disappointed in this Confederate based presentation. For those looking for information regarding a battle or popular figures this DVD set is not for you. I found this production completely informative and probably wouldn't recommend it for someone who doesn't have a general knowledge of the war or it's concepts. It may not have the quality of production that would be seen on a history channel but far exceeds anything done on television as it's not vague or bland. I can't wait for the next Kraus production and highly recommend this set! 5 STARS!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Fantastic WWII DVD Set
My grandfather was stationed at one of the many American Army bases in the surrounding islands around Japan during WWII, so he is sort of an afficianado when it comes to WWII documentaries and videos when it comes to the war in the Pacific. He enjoys reading and watching various videos and films on the subject so I picked up this DVD set for him. After watching some of it with him, I could tell that this had quickly moved to the head of the list as his favorite film on the subject.

The set naturally begins with Pearl Harbor and follows the trail of war along the major islands in the Island Hopping campaign. So much of this set is actual footage from wartime cameramen that its almost staggering. The commentary was informative and entertaining and the comments and insights from men actually stationed on the various islands the film is discussing at that time adds a feeling of the true vastness of this campaign, triumph at victory and the sadness at the loss of human life.

Like another reviewer, I managed to pick it up for half the Amazon asking price and it was a steal. For people interested in the subject it's worth the full forty bucks. A great addition to any War film collection.

Battle of the Pacific War - WWII
This is a three DVD set that is fantastic. We get to see firsthand the great battles fought during World War II across the vast Pacific Ocean. This shows us some of what occured during this war through the lenses of combat cameramen. And told by those who were there and experience the events depicted.

It begins with the suprise attack at Pearl Harbor, to the initial USA counterattack at Guadalcanal, to ultimate victory in the island hopping campaign. If you want some idea of what transpired in the Pacific during World War II....You will want to get this DVD set.

Shop Around...
I found this collection of DVDs to be very interesting and the footage to be as good as most other documentaries. However, I purchased this set for less than HALF what Amazon is asking... So I'd watch out for a good deal... ... Read more

Amazon.com

This History Channel production provides an in-depth look at the Japanese attack on the American Pacific fleet in Pearl Harbor on the fateful day of December 7, 1941. The documentary begins by providing a background to the eventual conflict in the Pacific, noting how Japan had been waging a war of conquest in China since the early 1930s. As a power struggle with the U.S. loomed on the horizon, the Japanese built a formidable navy marked by an innovative utilization of carrier-based aircraft. Special attention is given to Admiral Yamamoto, who had studied at Harvard and admired America but vigorously planned the assault on America's naval might. The attack on the morning of December 7 is explained tactically, and films shot at Pearl Harbor during the Sunday morning air raid, including shots of the massive explosion triggered by a bomb hit on the battleship USS Arizona, provide dramatic proof of how devastating the attack was. Personal stories of the battle are recalled in interviews with veterans from both sides. Various revisionist theories about how America had warning of the attack and sacrificed Pearl Harbor are quickly dismissed, and a closing segment focuses on Japanese and American veterans who have reconciled at a reunion (and some American vets who would have no part of that). An additional documentary provides a biography of Admiral Chester Nimitz, who rebuilt the U.S. Pacific fleet following Pearl Harbor, and a bonus program features brief biographies of other American commanders in the Pacific. --Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A fantastic DVD
This DVD set is great. It has excellent footage of the attack on Pearl Harbor and there is interviews with people who survived the attack and there is even interviews with some Japenese fighter pilots who bombed the ships. It starts at 1939 when the USA decide not to enter The Second World War and goes through the attack on Pearl Harbor and ends at today showing the USS Arizona Memorial. The Set also has a bounus disc with a lot of Pearl Harbor facts as well. This is an amazing DVD and anyone who is interested in USA history should buy it.

WE ALL NEED TO KNOW OUR HISTORY.
No one seems to appreiate the fact that freedom is not free and everyone takes everything for granted in this country. There are people i've talked to from Europe who know more about our history than most Americans know. This doccumentary is about defeat, anger, determinatin, racism, hatred,triumph, and forgiveness. It really shows the story of pearl harbor(Not that I didn't already know I watch the history channel all the time) and shows all the sacrfices that were made by the American soldiers when Japan destroyed pearl harbor. We could learn allot from some of the Pearl Harbor survivors and the Japanese pilot's that no matter what you can forgive. The Japanese tried to kill them and they(well not all of them) were willing to forgive.

War in the pacific
A good documentary, but with all of the Pearl Harbor documentary material out there, why did the creators choose to include a documentary DVD on Chester Nimitz? This set should have been called "War In The Pacific" or something. But, the history is accurate and the footage is good. I would recommend this. It would have been great if they had one DVD about the attack, one dvd about Kimmell, and one DVD about Yamamoto. That would have made this collection stand out from the others! History Channel, ARE YOU READING THIS?

A little misleading
The first disc in this offering rates five stars for being an absolutely fantastic documentary. However, the second disc is about Admiral Nimitz and not about Pearl Harbor itself. Also, the bonus program offered is not "Blunders Of Pearl Harbor" but something about leaders of the Pacific theater, again, not about Pearl Harbor itself. I wanted a thorough documentary on Pearl Harbor, which I got on disc one. The second disc seems thrown in haphazardly. The item description, however, didn't mention the Nimitz material on the second disc and got the bonus program wrong entirely. I would've liked a more thorough, not to mention accurate, description before making my purchase.

Familiar Stuff To A History Channel Viewer
But without a doubt, worth the money. Pearl Harbor will be big this summer with the release of Ben Afleck's big screen beefcake-fest of the same name, so it might inspire your kids to watch just some of the story behind the Hollywood treatment. Showing that wars don't just happen, it explains the steady build up of a world heading non-stop to global conflict. Seeing pictures of some of the survivors as young men and hearing their stories as told today, both Japanese and American, adds a very touching human element to a story that we all know the ending. Also, spending time on what happened on December 8 and shortly after helps fill in the picture of an isolationist nation thrust in a rage into a war. Disk Two offers a wonderful look at the man that was responsible for hold Japan at bay while America rebuilt in the Pacific, Chester Nimitz. Another bonus program,"America's Five Star Heros" is familiar, but no less enlightening. All in all, a great choice for the history buff. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With beautifully shot footage of reenactors, Civil War Combatillustrates aspects of four particular Civil War battles that are rightfullyconsidered legendary. Filmed on location, the reenactors depict the violentmayhem of the hornet's nest at Shiloh, the valiant charge on the sunken road atAntietam, the carnage in the wheat field at Gettysburg, and the brutal fightingat Cold Harbor. Produced by the History Channel, the episodes all benefitfrom insightful appearances by historians as well as rangers from the NationalPark Service. The format of putting the focus on specific points of action inlarger battles allows for narratives about specific soldiers and commanders, inboth the Union and Confederate ranks, to develop. For instance, the segment onAntietam profiles commanders and individual soldiers from the Union's IrishBrigade and the Alabama regiment they charged during some of the most violentaction of the entire war. The Civil War reenactors provide a credible look athow the war must have appeared to participants (though purists will note thatsome of the reenactors appear too clean and too well fed to have been marchingbehind Robert E. Lee). The discussions of strategy and the importance of theevents depicted, combined with the uniformly excellent cinematography, make thisan entertaining and enlightening look at critical events of the Civil War. --Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A unique approach to Civil War documentary
This series of four documentaries are different from most Civil War films in that they highlight specific points of four battles, whereas most documentaries are content simply to provide an overview of the battle itself. Because of this, each episode contains many little-known facts about the battles of Antietam, Cold Harbor, Shiloh, and Gettysburg. And, at an hour long (more or less), they are not excessively long.

The highlights from each of the battles are interesting, but probably only so for someone interested in the war. Watching an hour-long reenactment of the wheat field at Gettysburg is probably meaningless without at least some appreciation of what was happening at the other parts of the battle. Anyone who studies the Civil War closely will appreciate these little-known facts, but casual viewers may find it a bit much.

In addition to its narrow scope, these four documentaries are riddled with errors that should have been obvious to the folks at the History Channel. For example, saying General Grant was in charge of the Union Army at Gettysburg is just plain false, as any amateur historian should know. These erroes detract much from the reliability of the accounts.

Despite these two setbacks, this is a noteworthy documentary, worth your time at least to check it out.

Civil War battle history comes to life...
The premise with this History Channel series is to tell specific battle history while showing (through re-enactment) what the engagements really looked like...and this DVD set hits the ball right out of the park! Watching the battles at Antietam, Gettysburg, Shiloh and (my favorite) Cold Harbor on the actual battlefield is phenominal...it really adds so much to the narration that you actually get the "feel" of being right in the middle of the conflict. Each battle covers sufficient detail that the story of the "everyday" soldier gets told along with much "new" information that makes this DVD unique (for example...on the Fredricksburg episode, the little known story of the Confederate private who risks life and limb by going onto the battlefield to help the injured is a featured part of the story but these are details that I couldn't find in books from Foote, Catton or the excellent volume on Fredricksburg by George Rable). The narration also includes "expert" analysis from noted historians and authors (Gordon Rhea in the trenches at Cold Harbor...) that add additional perspective to the storyline. The battle stories are about 1 hour long and each stands on it's own so that you can stop at reasonable intervals without missing anything. Overall this is essential Civil War viewing for the historian but still presents itself well enough for the general viewer so that all viewers should get great enjoyment from watching...highest recommendation!

THE BEST CIVIL WAR DOCUMENTRY
Look this is a dvd that not only is boring and tells you words but it gives you the front seat in the battle scene the reanactment is very realistic with blood moans gunshots are acurate. It's the best buy if u don't want to fall and sleep and watch something good buy this and I am a Civil War historian who has studied the war for 10 years so I know what is accurate and what is not.

so so
Not a particualarly interesting or information packed video set.
If you are a die hard historian of that era or particularly the civil war, then not much will dissuade you from getting it and you may learn something you didn't know. If you want to learn about the civil war in general and you aren't a scholar, stick to Ken Burns The Civil War.

Realistic Content.
The blood is a little fake and the actors are certainly not professional, but their portrayal of these great battles is still a gripping tale with plenty of action. They bring to life many of officers and men who fought in the campaigns and you will find yourself getting wrapped up in their suffering and dying. Although they focus mainly on certain aspects of each battle and not the full scope of the conflict, the stories are good and well worth watching. I highly recommend the set to anyone interested in the history of our Civil War. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Remembering the Alamo won't be a problem after you've seen The Alamo, a richly informative, thematically unified set of four History Channel documentaries. The centerpiece of this two-DVD set is "Remember the Alamo," hosted by Dennis Quaid and produced to coincide with the April 2004 theatrical release of The Alamo, the historical epic (promoted here in a behind-the-scenes featurette) in which Quaid plays Gen. Sam Houston. It's a typical History Channel production, purporting to offer the definitive fair-and-balanced account of the siege on the infamous San Antonio, Texas mission on the chilly morning of March 6, 1836, between the Mexican centralist army of Gen. Santa Anna, and the "Texican" American rebels led by Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, and William Barret Travis. Numerous "talking head" scholars pore over new and established historical details, examining the political and geographical circumstances that led to the massacre that left few survivors, and dispelling such myths as Crockett's fate (he was captured and executed) and the number of Mexicans killed in the assault.

While some of the latest research remains speculative, the context of the Alamo siege is thoroughly examined in the other documentaries (previously issued on VHS) which fill out the set. Hosted by Kenny Rogers in Western regalia, two segments of "The Real West" series go into more specific detail about the battle itself and the history--from ruthless frontier justice to official law-enforcement status--of the legendary Texas Rangers. Most colorful of all, not surprisingly, is the hour-long exploration of the larger-than-life exploits of Davy Crockett, a charming opportunist who nevertheless earned his heroic status as a fearless leader who faced impossible odds at the Alamo siege. While some of the expert testimony verges on shameless hero worship, it remains clear that the Alamo, and the events and personalities that made history there, remains the most pivotal and politically complex turning point in the U.S. expansion of the westward frontier. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (5)

On second thought...
I am actually going to revise my earlier review a bit, as I recently screened this documentary again, after doing more research on the topic. My earlier comments remain mostly valid, but I need to add a few more concerns. As another reviewer noted, the narrative of the documentary sometimes presents speculative conclusions as verified fact. Granted, the conclusions are based on some evidence, but that evidence is not always so reliable as the documentary would suggest. The annoying phrases "most historians agree" or "most historians now accept" are misleading. Historians always argue and almost never agree...especially on a topic so controversial. I guess the idea was to make the documentary seem authoritative. Watch the documentary, but don't accept everything presented without finding out more about the Alamo. I've been reading about the Alamo for over 40 years now, and the more I learn the more I am convinced that there is still much solid research that needs to be done.

Ambitious documentary
Two of the other reviews so far pretty fairly rate this documentary. The inherent flaw in the documentary is probably unavoidable: it tries to cover a very complex topic from all angles and viewpoints, and this is not quite possible within the time and format restrictions. Still, it is a very good overview, especially if it inspires people to read more on the Alamo. The only other quibble I have is with some of the casting: The Travis is too old, too lean, and wears a Laurence Harvey costume. Likewise the Bowie is too old. Crockett looks good. Santa Anna is good, but doesn't look like the (mostly) Creole that he was. As for "speculation," much of our information about the Alamo is just that, unfortunately. I recommend The Alamo Reader, edited by Todd Hansen, for anyone who wants to see just how "reliable" a lot of our source material for the Alamo is.

Missed Opportunities
While containing numerous positive elements the video, unfortunatly shows a subtle bias twoard some major characters especially on the side of the rebels. The program accuratly depicts all of the characters as flawed individuals. In some cases, such as Bowie and Travis seriously flawed. However, instances of extremely honorable behavior on the part of some major characters are, unfortunatly, omitted. For example, that Crockett lost his seat in congress for opposing the dispossession of the Native American population in the Southeastern United States is, unfortunatly, omitted. This display of integrity and honorable behavior by Crockett gives an invaluable insight into his character and should have been included.

That films about the battle of the Alamo tend to show the Mexicans as vicious at best and sadistic at worst is generally true. There are examples to the contrary. An example is John Wayne's movie, The Alamo. While not a great or historically accurate film, John Wayne's epic is very sympathetic to the Mexicans. In Wayne's film Santa Anna is shown behaving chivalrously in letting the women and children evacuate the Alamo and saluting Susanna Dickenson as she and the other survivors leave the fort after the battle. In this movie Crockett defends a Mexican woman against an American who is persecuting her. Juan Seguin has a significant, and positive part in the film. In the depiction of the probing attack defenders of the Alamo praise the courage of the attacking Mexicans. And Richard Widmark, as Bowie, waxes eloquent in his love for Mexico and the Mexican people.

The program misses an opprtunity to use more of the de la Pena diary, now conceeded by most to be substantially authentic, allthough otherwise its sourcing was good.

On the subject of casualties, it is interesting that Santa Anna claimed the number of casualties among the defenders to be 600. It is possible that he picked this number because it exceeded his own casualties. All things considered, it seems likely that several hundred Mexican Soldiers died in the battle.

In short, a very good documentary missed a chance to be a great one.

Do not listen (read) naysayers
The reason that one would not be able to find information, i.e., if they are a 'mainstreamer', is that they have not bothered to read more than the textual references given in hostory class. Being a Native Texan and in that, from San Antonio I have a vested interest in this event. For one, a very detailed description of the events has been given by survivors - Mexican survivors, that is. One of General Santa Anna's generals kept a detailed diary of the events leading up to the attack in which it does indicate that there were several people who surrendered. Another Texan, who was eventually driven out of Texas because he dared to indicate what the Daughters of the Republic of Texas refused to contemplate, (we get into racism here), also notes that Crockett was one of the surrenders. Furthermore, an in-depth study of Crockett as well as some of the others, would recveal that they had no intention of being 'heroes'. They were opportunists. Also, one sidebar that is overlooked by many historians, is that they men who fought in the Alamo were NOT Americans. They had volunutarily become Mexican citizens to acquire the land that Mexico was initially offering. This battle took place because they rebelled against teh constitution of 1824 of Mexico. In addition, if one is 'really' interested books such as 'Dual of Eagles' by Jeff Long and 'With Santa Anna' by Jose Enrique De La Pena - and BTW Susanna Dickenson was a survivor along with Travis' African-American slave - Joe.

excerpted from:http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/CC/fcr24.html
Crockett died in battle of the Alamoqv on March 6, 1836. The manner of his death was uncertain, however, until the publication in 1975 of the diary of Lt. José Enrique de la Peña. Susanna Dickinson,qv wife of Almaron Dickinson,qv an officer at the Alamo, said Crockett died on the outside, one of the earliest to fall. Joe,qv Travis's slave and the only male Texan to survive the battle, reported seeing Crockett lying dead with slain Mexicans around him and stated that only one man, named Warner, surrendered to the Mexicans (Warner was taken to Santa Anna and promptly shot). When Peña's eyewitness account was placed together with other corroborating documents, Crockett's central part in the defense became clear. Travis had previously written that during the first bombardment Crockett was everywhere in the Alamo "animating the men to do their duty." Other reports told of the deadly fire of his rifle that killed five Mexican gunners in succession, as they each attempted to fire a cannon bearing on the fort, and that he may have just missed Santa Anna, who thought himself out of range of all the defenders' rifles. Crockett and five or six others were captured when the Mexican troops took the Alamo at about six o'clock that morning, even though Santa Anna had ordered that no prisoners be taken. The general, infuriated when some of his officers brought the Americans before him to try to intercede for their lives, ordered them executed immediately. They were bayoneted and then shot. Crockett's reputation and that of the other survivors was not, as some have suggested, sullied by their capture. Their dignity and bravery was, in fact, further underscored by Peña's recounting that "these unfortunates died without complaining and without humiliating themselves before their torturers."

Coincidentally, a work mostly of fiction masquerading as fact had put the truth of Crockett's death before the American public in the summer of 1836. Despite its many falsifications and plagiarisms, Richard Penn Smith's Col. Crockett's Exploits and Adventures in Texas...Written by Himself had a reasonably accurate account of Crockett's capture and execution. Many thought the legendary Davy deserved better, and they provided it, from thrilling tales of his clubbing Mexicans with his empty rifle and holding his section of the wall of the Alamo until cut down by bullets