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World War 1 in Colorx$21.99
  (22 reviews)
Best Price: $24.98 $21.99
World War 1 in Color is the definitive history of the First World War seen now for the first time ever in color and narrated by the highly acclaimed actor Kenneth Branagh. World War 1 in Color uses rare archive footage from worldwide sources including Russia, Germany, France, Italy, the USA and Britain’s own Imperial War Museum. This six part landmark series brings to the viewer the gritty reality of life in the trenches during the First World War.
With all the incredible World War II documentaries out there, it is pretty amazing how few World War I documentaries there are, let alone quality ones. Part may be from the minimal amount of archival footage, much of which is really rough, and the fact that most of the veterans died before having the chance to tell their stories on color film. But as Ken Burns has taught us, none of these elements are necessary to create great documentaries. All you need is a little creativity, scholarly and dramatic content, and a sharp presentation. World War 1 in Color is one of those documentaries. Narrated by Sir Kenneth Branagh, World War 1 in Color does a great job presenting this important time in world history in a way that is both academic and heart wrenching, with a modernized presentation. Lasting from 1914-1918 and involving 68 million soldiers, WWI was the first modern war and set the historical course for the entire 20th century. On one hand, it ended many old concepts of battle and gallantry that existed in Europe for centuries. On the other hand, it introduced many modern elements of war including grand multinational involvement and technological innovation including the use of submarines, air warfare, trenches, and chemical weaponry. The big selling point of this DVD is obviously the colorization of the archival footage, which is fascinating and does bring a shocking realism to the war. But it is important to note the colorization never comes off as a gimmick, nor does it overshadow the high quality of this documentary. World War 1 in Color is broken up into six episodes; "Catastrophe" (the cause and start of WWI), "Slaughter in the Trenches" (the great stalemate of the German, French and British ground troops on the western front), "Blood in the Air" (the story of the introduction of air warfare), "Killers of the Sea" (innovation in sea battle including the use of the submarine), "Mayhem on the Eastern Front" (the political and military chaos with the Germans, Austrians and Russians), and "Victory and Despair" (1918, the costliest year of the war; America's involvement; the end of the stalemate on the western front; the end of the war; and the Treaty of Versailles). If you are looking for a strong overview and starting point to learn about WWI look no further than World War 1 in Color. It is quite impressive. --Rob Bracco
MPN: 1003 - UPC: 187323000037
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Customer Reviews
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Thumbs up
By A1NN8LGZ3GBJCH on 2005-10-28
WWI in Color is not simply a hodge-podge collection of colorized WWI footage. While the colorization is certainly muted and tasteful, the color is, in fact, the least significant aspect of the series. Had the footage been entirely in black and white, the documentary would still be a superb visual introduction to the conflict.
Clearly, several episodes are not enough to cover every detail of WWI, but major battles, strategies, and technologies are covered nicely. The series devotes separate segments to trench warfare, the air war, the conflict at sea, and the eastern front. A background introduction to the conflict takes up the first episode and the sixth segment presents the conclusion of the war. Two bonus segments round out the series -- a discussion of tactics and strategy and a "making of" piece.
Of course, WWI in Color contains copious footage (for the time) that gives the viewer an invaluable visual sense of the conflict. Many of the film clips are stunning and unforgettable. Yet the series also interviews the few living veterans of the war and asks military historians to expound on various topics. The well-paced narration provides numerous and interesting details.
All in all, a fine and worthy effort that deserves to be viewed.
Excellent and historically accurate history of WW1
By A1V7ZG3N5CV5K on 2005-06-13
Some of the best historians of the Great War have contributed to this feature, Gary Sheffield and Norman Stone are among the finest in all of military history.
The colorization process is excellent and the historical accuracy is even better.
This is not a day by day running of the war but is rather more of an overview. This is essentially a true account of how the allies came to win the war. It is not however the accepted 'schools' version of events and is in my view all the better for that.
Superb series...wonderfully comprehensive!
By A5UGX57EV695M on 2006-05-27
This is perhaps one of the most enjoyable documentaries I have seen in recent years. Do not be put off by the colorization process used to tint the existing archival footage; indeed, it actually improves upon the viewing experience and compliments Sir Kenneth Brannah's lucid and absorbing narration. Everything is included here and covered with enough detail to satisfy and entertain either the armchair historian or the seasoned PhD. It is good to see that more high quality documentaries are being made about WWI--in many respects a war that was truly the world's first "modern war" that changed the map of Europe forever.
World War I in Color
By A3UNJIJZ2UIWIM on 2005-09-30
World War I in Color is a wonderful documentary. It provides a surprisingly comprehensive look at World War I. The footage is remarkable. I am not a fan of colorizing black and white movies, but in this case it works well. I am a fan of military history and have a blossoming interest of World War I after having toured Verdun, Somme, and Ypres battlefields.
The only fault I have with the DVD is playing chapters and picking scenes. It is awkward. There are four major sections and about five or six chapters in each section. The chapters play smoothly one into the other, but the Sections end and you have to start the next section manually. This is a minor problem in an otherwise wonderful documentary.
Highly Informative and Entertaining!
By A200TCVEJ9Y13H on 2005-05-04
I'm not a real big history buff or anything but I caught this one night on the History Channel and I was hooked. Unlucky for me I missed the first part of it but thanks to this release I can finally catch it all. It was very informative and I don't know if it's just me but the fact that it's in color just gives it that extra bit of humanity. Wathcing black and white footage you can seperate yourself from it easier. It doesn't look as "real" to you. But this really blew me away.
I don't watch that much of the History Channel at all really, but I'm glad nothign else was on that night or I would have missed this great show. It gives you a great indepth look at World War 1 and creates more of an interest in it than I've ever had. Kenneth Branaugh does a great job narrating it as well.
Awesome series. I'd reccomend it to any history buffs, military buffs, or really just about anyone with a thirst of knowledge.
- DVD World War I in Color
By A157S0DX5K3GIL on 2005-09-24
The actual photos and films of the first World War are fascinating. The "colorization" is, by and large, well done. There is, however, rather too much talk and repetion of scenes.
- great overview
By ALWM5LUOVVYOT on 2005-06-26
I am not much of a "history buff", but I enjoy good history programmes, especially about military history and campaigns. Although "World War I in Colour" is not as comprehensive and thorough as "The Great War", it is a great mini-series giving a detailed account of the 1914 war.
I was a bit disappointed at the electronically coloured archive footage at first, but I changed my mind. The producers added sound effects, which help the viewer experience the battles first-hand. The colouring process is also top-notch. Letters from the front are read by actors while the footage is shown, which enhance the experience (the fake accents for the Russian, German and French letters are quite irritating, though). Finally, the narration of Sir Branagh is excellent - very calm and articulate.
This is a great item for history buffs or people simply interested in war history. If you are looking for in-depth analysis of the World War I, though, turn to "The Great War", still the best reference for that conflict.
- Colorized B&W -- Interesting
By A168U519Q8TKZC on 2006-03-13
A much better dvd series on WWI would be The First World War: The Complete Series (2004). World War I in Color is not a complete set, but less comprehensive and informative. The colorization is an attractive feature to augment the more complete version.
- Finally, a comprehensive study of WW I
By A2ORQER4U1JV5W on 2005-08-02
I have been a student of this conflict for many years, and while it is certainly impossible to cover every nuance of this unbelievable struggle in a few hours of film, the makers of the program have come as close to the mark as one could reasonably expect. The addition of colorization only serves to bring the videos closer to the present; slowing down the motion also helps eliminate the "silent movie" jerkiness of most old flics, end result being a realistic, poignant and sobering representation of the war and the bravery with which the participants faced daily horror.
What is most notable, aside from the technical aspects noted above, is the narrative, which accurately depicts the underlying reasons for the conflict as well as the all-important opening weeks which directly led to the slaughterhouse of trench warfare. Most histories deal superficially with set-piece battle information and vague overviews. Watching this series actually presents an accurate and insightful understanding of the roots of the conflict as well as how and why events happened in the way they did. I was reminded of Barbara Tuchman's Pulitzer-prize winning "Guns of August". All in all, a somber, informative yet thrilling work.
This would be an outstanding asset for any secondary school history department.
- World War 1 in Color Review
By A19MG6JF9LPPX on 2005-08-17
This is, without question, one of the best series on WW1 that I have seen. The narration by Kenneth Branagh is perfectly paced and not overpowering. Though the computerized coloring does add some flavor to the series, it would be worth the cost even if in the original black and white. If you are looking for the bright colors of today's films you will be disappointed. The colors are muted and dull, but still there. Since the amount of film available from WWI is limited, some of the film footage was used multiple times, but the way it was integrated into the history kept the flow perfectly. Though my main interest is in WW II, I wanted something in my collection to help clarify the beginnings of that war. This series did just that. If you are looking for a clear, unambiguous description of the story behind WW I, look no further. This is it. Brilliant!
- Stunning
By A3KB3T3K07ENOK on 2005-11-14
A Visual Masterpiece made all the better by the Narration of the great Shakespearean voice of Kenneth Branaugh.
- World War 1 in Color
By AGE9S3RB89FRJ on 2005-08-10
This is the greatest documentary so far I have ever watched and the story telling part is especially interesting. It sheds tremendous lights on how things started to happen and how it ends.
On top of the contents of the DVD, the "colouring" of those motion pictures gave a more realistic feel of the war, setting audiences with a virtual environment where war is really happening around them.
It is amazing that WWI survivors were also being (and able to be) contacted and interviewed to add more spice to the documentary.
Though, some scenes were actually being used repeatedly throughout the film and it is a little boring and seemed BBC has limited footage in this subject area.
All in all, it's a great documentary and it is especially useful to be a medium in instilling interests in youngsters to get more involved in history and fact-findings of the past.
- Next Best Thing to Time Travel
By A10FR82KFYH6WI on 2005-09-10
I agree with some of the other posters that this video production does have its flaws. But, despite its flaws, I'm giving it 5 stars anyway because it absolutely excels in its central purpose: the colorization of World War I films.
As a World War I buff, I have a fantasy of time travel becoming possible someday, and I would then travel back in time to see World War I for myself. That's not going to happen, but this video is the next best thing. Its colorization brings World War I so close that I felt as if I were actually standing there by the side of the road watching the soldiers march by.
- Well done but trench warfare is handled in a shallow way
By A2LY3JU390C3QV on 2005-09-27
The colourization is well done despite the improbably ginger mustache of Ludendorf and a pale blue (only) Union Jack. The repetition is often irritating. Delville wood and Pozieres are NOT mentioned with Vimy ridge only in passing. The commentary on the trench warfare tends to be of the "donkeys", "butchers and bunglers" and ". . . . planless, gutless lot of buffoons" persuasion - Haig was the best of them all but was still an employee subject to sanction and in the beginning was starved of munitions and man power. Remember the northern section of the front was only 2 or 3 days march from the channel coast (Dunkirk etc). Haig DID NOT declare war, DID NOT invade Belgium, DID NOT destroy large tracts of France but he DID hold the show together between the French mutiny and the arrival of the Americans.
- The definitive WWI DVD
By A35B55M4YCJSWS on 2006-03-22
If you're skeptical of colorization, fear not, these guys did an outstanding job that makes everything very watchable, if not definitive. Some of the downsides are that they tend to recycle their material as the series progresses, and that they show next to no footage of the physically and mentally scarred veterans. Apart from that, this--of all the WWI programs I've watched--is easily the definitive WWI DVD.
- Visually interesting, aurally irritating
By A376CYMPY2A972 on 2006-10-13
The presentation of computer enhanced b&w images that in some cases were sort of new added limited value to my extensive video library, legacy of my father. However, the aural commentary of Brannagh was repetitive and boring, each episode basically repeated the same 6+ octagenarian survivors exact same comments and reflections.
- A Good WWI Documentary
By ARHQDLVS64GR5 on 2007-01-03
This is a good WWI video for anyone who enjoys good colorized footage, and accounts from letters from the battlefield. There are also veterans of the war that are still living that give their first-hand accounts of their experiences, which are very interesting. Several historians also give their insight, and the war is very nicely explained. Although several pieces of footage are reused quite often throughout the video, it is still enjoyable for anyone who has a genuine interest in the history of the war.
- World War 1 in color
By ALQX2NP0P8W7I on 2007-01-09
Great product for teaching this generation about World War 1
- The Impacting Color, Red
By A96JD9312DHWC on 2007-07-20
I'm not going to write about the scope of this DVDs military/historical merit because I'm not a historian and don't want to offend the sensibilities of those who are. I would instead like it known beforehand that I have read a lot on the subject, have watched a lot on the subject, and have delved into some of the more bizarre intrigues of warfare. My great-grandfather, a doughboy himself, sparked my interest when I was a child and, with that still impressing an ever-impressionable mind, I purchased this set to perhaps see a little more clearly into that mirror in time.
While it isn't the image that makes the tale but the way it is actually told, there are a few images in the series that really did make an immediate impact. The first were the naval sinkings; when I watched those in black and white I had always seen the ship roll over and start to sink and had thought of how horrible that must be. When it went to color I didn't see it as a ship anymore, however, but more as a floating fortress with thousands of little people trying to dive into the water while hoping to escape. That really brought home how horrible this was, with the color etching little moments into a larger affair that really made an impact.
And what an impact it made.
Some of the other things that were brought out quite stunningly were the multi-cultural aspects of war, with the British colonies showcasing an astounding array of people I had never envisioned, and the sheer variation in uniforms that moved from nation to nation. As you watch the Germans march you could see how they stood apart from their Austro-Hungarian allies, for example, and when you stared down a line of trenches you saw some of the people that seemed to blend in with the surroundings. That meant exploring the mud and the foundation and seeing a little more of the condition, knowing all-the-while that those people "going over the top" were really more like myself than I had ever explored.
That was really terrifying to think about, and especially so in some of the major conflicts where tens of thousands lost their lives in less than a day of fight.
Then there were the machines of war, the tanks and the air battles especially, and how they looked. I never imaged the German aircraft being so colorful, truth be told, even though I had seen them in books and had seen recreations. It just didn't connect - but seeing it there made it seem all-the-more overwhelming.
On the merits of that and that alone, I would say this is an excellent buy. If you go by price alone, World War 1 is actually the true forgotten war, with entire volumes on the conflict costing meager sums when compared to its more contemporary counterparts. It is short, true, and the longer sets do lay down a better foundation. Still, the set is quite amazing in scope and detail.
- Really helps connect with history
By AMD7BZMM7KBDD on 2007-05-12
Stunning to see this ancient history become real. Quite an accomplishment. Several reviewers have complained of the re-use of some footage, but it isn't that big a deal. Highly recommend.
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