World War 1 : The Great War - Complete BBC Series (7 Disc Box Set) - Dd Home Entertainment

Stunning - A First Class Series.

Made in 1964 by the BBC, my first impressions were this is old and dated - how wrong could I be.

This is arguably the best documentary/series ever made on the Great War, and if a better or more informative in-depth series has been made covering this subject, then I have yet to see it.

Starting a few years before the war, it covers the political situation in Europe leading up to the start of hostilities in the episode one, before moving onto the overwhelming German onslaught in August 1914 showing much footage I have never seen before. Over the next 25 episodes it covers every single aspect of the war, from the front line in all the theatre of conflict to the home fronts in Russia, France, Germany, Britain and later America.

Much has been said already by previous reviewers, but the one great advantage of the series being over 40 years old is that the young men who fought in the war were still only just reaching retirement age, so the BBC had the chance to get the pick of the surviving veterans to tell their stories.

All this, combined with a great narration and the sheer wealth of archive footage shown, make this series stand head and shoulders above anything else ever made on the subject. Forget all the rest like the recent First World War in Colour, none of them come anywhere near the standard set by this series.

Simply Stunning - Buy it and enjoy

The only true visual account of a War almost 100 years ago.

I am not sure, when I read other reviews, quite what some people expect. This is the history, in film, of a terrible event almost 100 years ago. Understandably the film quality is sometimes poor, monochrome and in parts a little tedious. The whole war was one of stalemate so no one should expect the global movement and recognisable events seen in WW2. From a different time and perspective, this long programme is very informative, gives a clear understanding of what led up to and influenced the whole sorry mess, is extremely well narrated and astonishingly moving. It shows what my Grandfather experienced whilst still a lad of 19 or so and whilst I find it hard to empathise with my Fathers experiences in WW2, I just cannot begin to comprehend how these young men coped.
My generation could see the consequences of this conflict in their relatives (or the lack of them!) but my teenaged children don't even know that such a war took place. This film will stand for generations to come as a living history of how stupid man can be and why we must continue to question the actions of Leaders if we value our hard won freedom. As I said about that other masterpiece, The World at War, modern history should be compulsory in all secondary schools and this should be a part of the syllabus.
If you can afford it, buy it, watch it over the long winter nights and see if you too are not overcome by anger at those in charge, amazement at the stupidity of many at home and emotion at the waste and loss of life. It will at least help you understand why the French Army had so many morale problems in 1939/40. Just do the numbers!

10 Stars. AWESOME Documentary!

My title says it all: if there ever was a 'the best of' that made all the other dvd's on this subject superfluous, it is this one.
What an awesome documentary! So much footage from a bygone era, it is on an equal par with the lost world of Mitchell & Kenyon!
Wonderfully told, chronologically, it is also interweaved with interviews of combattants, both German and English/Canadian/Australian.
Although it is from 1964, it still is shockingly actual and convincing.
Everyone caring about history, or something great on tv, should have this at home!

A must to view

A timeless series, superbly done. Watching again I am struck by the quality of the production, script and editing. A very clear outline of why it started and how similar the balkan problems & paranoid attitudes of ''statesmen'' were then to now; always creating foreign demons to rage against in order to control and direct the general population to their will('we have always been at war with Eurasia'...1984). Price now seems over the top as the D.Mail are giving it away. £30 tops but an essential set.

Ruined by Battle Scene Diagrams drawn in a delirium!

I did NOT find the film tedious and dated ,,, that would be a stupid criticism for me to make. After all it is a 1914 "documentary" ,,, What do you want Brad Pitt?

I did find the "film" very well done and quite informative [It was NOT like an American produced World War documentary with its phony bells, whistles and "skirts".]

-- BUT -- the battle scene sketches were ATROCIOUS, having been better done by kindergarten children with finger paints!

The Battle Scene Diagrams are so pathetic it's sinful! In most cases they ADD nothing but instead DETRACT from the flow of the film! Sending ones mind into a state of delirium!

Sometimes the opposing forces "seem to be" drawn in opposite color, black vs. white, that sounds simple enough. But then in the next diagram "both" opposing forces are the same color! The same color white is used for "both" the Allies and for the Germans!!! The same color black is used for "both" the Allies and for the Germans!!! It boggles the mind how incompetent an editor can be!!!

Either a complete ass or someone on drugs has drawn these battle scene diagrams.

At one point of sobriety the pathetic soul doing the drawing chose to use a "dashed" line to exemplify an army! "A RAY OF HOPE!" -- Only to have that idea quickly abandoned in the next diagram, making both opposing forces the same color! Un-Believable the incompetence of such an "artist"! A kindergarten child could have done a more competent job!

The only excuse one can think of is - Did the moron drawing the battle scenes do so in "color"? Was the moron totally ignorant that the film was in black and white? NO, I don't think that is their excuse! I see no evidence of gray, just stark blacks & whites!

I've tried playback in slow motion over and over to try and grasp the sketched confrontation as explained in the dialogue ,,, but the colors being the same for both forces makes it futile! -- The only explanation must be the "artist" is a complete buffoon or on drugs!

I AM TRULY, TRULY DISAPPOINTED IN THE BBC FOR PRODUCING SUCH AN ABOMINABLE FILM WITH SUCH INCOMPREHENSIBLE BATTLE SCENE DIAGRAMS - AN EDITOR OBVIOUSLY INEBRIATED!