Plot: What’s it about?
I’ve seen a lot of documentaries about World War II and I have to be honest, I’m always ready for more of them. I think there is so much knowledge and interesting information to be dispersed, it just seems like each documentary has a little chunk of new content. So I was very pleased when A&E released this two disc set, World War II: The War In Europe. In case the name doesn’t fill in the blanks, these pieces cover the European conflicts, so you Pacific buffs are out in the cold this time around. As per usual with these type of programs, we’re shown still photos, relics from the time period, and even some real footage, which adds a lot to the impact of the presentation. This release covers eight main topics and each is explored in depth, so there’s a ton of information to be gleaned here, to be sure. The topics on Disc 1 are The Greatest Conflict, North Africa…The Desert War, The Beachhead At Anzio, and D-Day…The Normandy Invasion, all of which are well made and a real treat to view. Just as impressive are the pieces on Disc 2, which include Pursuit To The Rhine, The Bomber Offensive: Air War In Europe, The Battle of the Bulge, and The Battle Of Germany. This is a packed release and one that war buffs will not want to miss out on.
As I mentioned above, I simply can’t get enough in terms of World War II documentaries, so of course I loved this release. I found the programs to be very in depth and informative, as well as being enjoyable to watch and very well put together. If you’ve seen other documentaries by The History Channel or A&E, then you’ll know the level of excellence to expect from these pieces. I also liked the broad base of topics included here, as it allows for a more complete session on the war in Europe. Of course, the downside is that not as much time is spent on each topic, which could be a problem. But I still think each topic was well handled and explored well, especially given the time constraints involved. A grand total of about two hundred minutes worth of content is present, which is then spread over the two discs. I give this disc a high recommendation, as it has a lot of valuable content and is offered at a very reasonable price, so those interested should not hesitate in the least to pick this Collector’s Choice pack up.
Video: How does it look?
These programs were first aired on The History Channel and as such, the full frame form is the proper presentation mode. The documentary nature of these programs means the content is pulled from various sources, which means the visual quality fluctuates somewhat. The older footage is of course less than stellar, but on the whole I think this transfer presents the material very well. The color portions look stable and show no signs of serious errors, while the black & white footage looks as good as it can, which is all I can ask in this case. The bottom line is this, if you think these programs looked good on television, then you should be pleased here.
Audio: How does it sound?
Just as the visuals range from clip to clip, so does the audio, but again in the end, it all works out well enough. I had seen a couple of these on television and I think they sound better here, a little sharper and better defined. Not an immense difference by any means, but if you saw these on television, I think you’ll be able to hear the added clarity and sharpness. No real complaints in this section, the included stereo track replicated all the elements in fine form, so I am passing this one on through.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This release contains no bonus materials.
