Anzacs

This was an excellent mini-series, packed with sub-plots, all revolving around the story of an Aussie platoon during the First World War. Comic relief is provided by the brilliant Paul Hogan as the wheeling-dealing private Pat Cleary, and a sense of realism is maintained through the narrative character of Roly Collins (excellently played by Christopher Cummins). The story never dips in interest and, I'm pleased to say, strives to keep an actuate journal of real events during the Great War from all battles; violent and political.

And if you want to know why the world has to thank Australia and New Zealand for their part in history, I advise you look out for ANZACS.

10/10

A sometimes-humorous, sometimes-serious look at Australian soldiers during the Great War, from enlistment, through training, to several campaigns, culminating in the huge battles in France, to the end of the war and back home. The miniseries contains all the elements of an entertaining show: pathos, humour, and accuracy of detail and period. Paul Hogan plays Pat Cleary, a whimsical parody of the knockabout characters of the turn of the century with the irrepressible and uniquely Australian sense of humour. Watch particularly for the character "Flanagan", played by Jon Blake, who gives a stunning portrayal of the epitome of the returned soldier. A brilliant performance and excellent character development.

I refer in these comments to the full 3-video mini-series, not the truncated version or film produced for the American market.

In general, a well-produced and directed series which, with a few minor exceptions is probably as close to the true horror and carnage of the First World War as it is possible to get. Most of the minor errors can be explained by the requirements of plotting or pure visual effect and, in my opinion do not seriously detract from the overall truth of the subject matter.

It should be remembered that this series was produced for the Australians, whose culture and memory is very different to that of the Americans who seem to have a collective down on this video/film. Perhaps if our North American cousins had come into the war several years earlier and suffered the casualties the Empire did they might have a different view of the series.

The feeling throughout the series is of the AIF being abused and butchered by the incompetent British generals - and as a military historian I cannot say the series is wrong. However, other than one short scene, the series does not highlight the fact that the British were suffering just as much under their own generals.

All in all I would say the viewer would get a much better idea of what the AIF and World War I was about by seeing this mini series than by viewing Gallipoli, which is generally thought to be historically weak.

I would recommend the mini series but not the film or truncated North American video release.

Excellant drama that charts the story of an ANZAC (Australian New Zealand Army Corps) volunteer regiment from Gallipoli through to the end of the war. It is a story of tragedy and triumph, laughs and tears and is a series I can't wait to get the opportunity to watch again.

I must premise this review by saying that I was only able to watch the abbreviated video version of Anzacs, which was released in North America. This is a seriously truncated version of the mini-series, and it shows. My suspicion is that all anyone who see's this version is being shortchanged, certainly I felt so and I don't feel it's fair to try to review the series adequately based on a chopped up version.

Therefore, I'll restrict my comments to the premise of the film, and what I could observe of the acting and production. First, the premise. The story of the Anzac's in the First World War is one of the great stories, and tragedies, of that dreadful conflict. Enthusiastic, if only partially trained, the Anzac's were first commited to the Gallipoli campaign in Turkey, an event which matched or exceeded any carnage seen on the Western front. Commanded by British generals whose incompetence exceeded even that of Douglas Haig and his crony's, they were slaughtered in their thousands fighting a useless and ill lead campaign. The Anzac's eventually were forced to surrender their hard won slivers of Turkish soil when the campaign was abandoned. Subsequently sent to the Western Front, they were placed under the command of 'Butcher' Haig and his merry men, where such joys as Paschendale and other acts of carnage ensued. Despite their repeated abuses at the hands of British idiots, the Anzac's gained a reputation as hard and skilled fighters, showing innovation and courage in a war marked mainly by incompetence and slaughter.

Alas, the video version of the movie captures little of the true story of the Anzac's, focussing instead on the quite weak stories of the characters. A tepid love story between nurse and a soldier ensues, various secondary characters die, and most gratingly, Paul Hogan does his interpretation of a WW1 Sgt. Bilko. The combat scenes are poorly portrayed, and little is done to even try to capture the true horror experienced by the Anzac's in both Gallipoli or France.

On the positive side, some effort is made to capture the utter incompetence of the British generals commanding the Anzac's, and there is a recognition in the film of the tragedy of superb soldier's lives being utterly wasted in utterly useless assaults. If more emphasis has been placed on this and the actions of the soldier's in the trenches, it is possible that a very gripping story might have ensued.

Overall, I think that the series would probably be worth seeing, as it does deal with a part of history that has been ignored for too long. It must be remembered that this mini-series is now over 15 years old, and the production values reflect that era. North American audiences should avoid the truncated video, as it does little justice to the subject.

7 out of 10, in acknowledgement of an attempt to honor brave men sacrificed needlessly.