Rich-315

An evocative series which rather than investigating the Second World War as a whole, looks at how it could have happened. How did anti-semitism permeate throughout Germany society? How did people feel about having to murder civilians in cold blood? Anyone who believes in the ultimate goodness of humanity will be left with the shivers after watching interviews with ex-Wermacht and SS soldiers who took part in massacres. The sheer indifference of one individual who clearly has never even heard of the concept of guilt never mind considered it is horrifically compelling. This is a man who could appear as a harmless grandfather, still harbours no regrets about his role and claims that his very short prison terms alleviates him of any responsibility for the taking of innocent lives. This series is fundamentally important history as it illuminates what humanity is capable of when all normal controls are removed and men are invited to behave in a lawless manner. Furthermore, with recent history in Rwanda and the Balkans leaving many people shaking their heads at what could motivate such savagery, this series offers a potential cross-referenced explanation.

Watch it; you'll be compelled to try and understand why and how.

For too many years battles have been described in vague form with little heed to tactics, weaponry or the men involved. This series seeks to redress that with an overwhelming concentration of what happened within the battle and why. Pivotal battles such as Stalingrad or Normandy are well analysed and explained in laymens terms so that you do not have be a military nut to understand the events. The series assumes that its audience does not have a military background and so gives a run down on the military hardware used and the consequences of that. There is no distraction with first person testimony or an attempt to shock the viewers with horrific images and narration as that was so well done by The World At War. Instead we are offered an insight into the tactics and thinking of the military commanders and politicians with the use of computer graphics and maps. Having said that there is little on offer here for people with only a passing interest in history. The slow methodical pace does mean that it is unlikely to appeal to anyone outside of the history sector. Still, if you are interested you will emerge from the programme having learned something.

After the disappointing Temple of Doom, which involved too much screaming and not enough gung-ho adventure, Spielberg and Lucas refound the magic of Raiders. They took the "buddy movie" concept away from cop films and based the film on the hugely funny Indiana-Dad relationship. Sean Connery and Harrison Ford positively spark on screen as the combative Jones'. The Nazi element which makes sure all the cinema-goers will boo in unison means that the "baddie" is as bad as they can get. Basically Indy and the armies of darkness are involved in a desperate quest to be the first to locate the Holy Grail, the cup that Jesus Christ used at the Last Supper. His old friends Marcus Brody and Salah - wonderfully played by Denholm Elliot and John Rhys-Davies - are back and this gives the idea of a trilogy being completed and thus is the end of the saga. I am not sure that resurrecting the series for a 4th film so many years after The Last Crusade is a good idea, just look at Blues Brothers 2000!