The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century

This movie is one of the only reasons I finally broke down and bought a VHS-DVD dubbing recorder. Bar none, it is the best documentary ever produced on World War I. And I've been worried the VHS tape would dry-rot and crinkle and prevent my future enjoyment of this masterpiece.

From the all-star cast for the voice-over work to the beautifully restored vintage video to its hauntingly eerie soundtrack to its historically exacting accuracy and insightful commentary, there is absolutely nothing negative I can say about this documentary other than it's a shame it's not out on DVD, in the classrooms and libraries and available for future generations.

If you're lucky, you'll find a vintage VHS copy on one of the auction sites but be prepared to pay for the privilege of ownership. I've seen used sets sell for $300 and more. But, honestly, it would be worth the price in either the 4 2-hour tape or the 8 1-hour tape versions.

I can't really add to the other reviews. This is one of the best documentaries I've seen, and the best on this subject. It really was a case of lions being led by donkeys. I am including a poem by Wilfred Owen (killed a few days before the end of the war in a meaningless assault) that sums up what happened:

The Parable of the Old Man and the Young

So Abram rose, and clave the wood, and went, And took the fire with him, and a knife. And as they sojourned both of them together, Isaac the first-born spake and said, My Father, Behold the preparations, fire and iron, But where the lamb, for this burnt-offering? Then Abram bound the youth with belts and straps, And builded parapets and trenches there, And stretchèd forth the knife to slay his son. When lo! an Angel called him out of heaven, Saying, Lay not they hand upon the lad, Neither do anything to him, thy son. Behold! Caught in a thicket by its horns, A Ram. Offer the Ram of Pride instead.

But the old man would not so, but slew his son, And half the seed of Europe, one by one.

If you're trying to find this great documentary series, you can search YouTube - there are several archivists who have it posted for posterity. Otherwise, very difficult to find a copy to purchase or watch. I can only highly recommend to all that you watch this and share it with your friends and family. It is a great documentary. There are many others on Youtube about World War 2 as well, and they are really good. Almost all of these World War 1 and World War 2 documentaries are available on YouTube, and that is the reason for this review - to let you know that you can find this one and others to view there if you're having a hard time finding it. A good doc on WW2 is Einsatzgruppen, documenting the worst part of the German offensive in WW2.

This series chronicals the first world war from start to finish. Using first hand accounts(via letters read by voice actors) and rare footage, this documentary is very fair and thourugh. I particularly liked how the makers explained the events of The Great War in the context of history as it related to europe's past and future (WWII). At times, the letters can be quite moving, bringing the viewpoints of unsung heroes and victims as well as political leaders to the forefront in a very personal way.

If you're going through your decaying collection of VHS tapes or DVD's, this is worth a final decay! I have seen thousands of documentaries and am a huge fan of the genre. Recently a friend offered me a pile of DVD's from her collection and as I can only remember my Belgian (Ghent) grand-mother's stories of this war I was hoping for some more information. I guess I feel a bit more informed but at a cost. This is precisely how a documentary should not be made! Focussed on sensation and drama, with plenty of full moon shots, candle lights and flames throughout the series, not to forget explosions. The worst is the soundtrack, never ceasing dramatic music every single second. It only stops briefly during some interviews with unidentified people. Judi Dench's voice is completely drained in it. Furthermore I am wondering how she felt about what she was reading out loud... Bad, a waste and a totally missed opportunity!