mgoodst

Some 14 hours after starting to watch The Winds of War, I was sad to see it coming to an end back in 1983.

This film is tremendous in length and in entertainment value. It's also magnificently filmed and wonderfully crafted. I wonder if such an epic could ever be made again, given the cost and state of today's world.

Having seen the series when it was originally broadcast, my memory was a bit hazy when I ordered the DVD set. Sometimes things seem better in hindsight; they don't hold up well with the passage of time. Fortunately, I was not disappointed in The Winds of War on DVD.

Few films bring to life the nostalgia and romance of World War II so dramatically. I know of no other work that paints such a vivid picture of the events that led up to the war.

The Winds of War packages facts about that era with the story of the fictional Henry family in a way that can help educate today's young people about a time in the not-so-distant past that might otherwise be lost to them -- so gripping is the drama of the characters' interwoven lives.

We are rapidly losing the heroes and heroines of World War II. I'm glad their story is resurrected in this tremendous series.

I admit a propensity to like movies about this era. World War II and the years leading up to it represent to me the most romantic time in recent history. The passion of the period gave rise to countless films -- some timeless classics and some not worth remembering. This is one of the former. I can't watch Swing Kids without feeling empathy for the youth of Germany who were caught up in National Socialism and lost their souls in the process. While I know little about the reality (or unreality) of this film's portrayal of the young Germans who idolized Swing music and rejected the Nazi view of its degeneracy, I do know that the film makes its point effectively while pulling at the heartstrings. This isn't to say it's overly sentimental -- far from it. Even characters with whom the viewer might sympathize do have their flaws. I think the best cast character in the film is the Gestapo man who befriends the Muller family. His brand of evil is so innocuous as to be virtually invisible ... sometimes even to himself (as at the dinner party when his own decadence was pointed out to him). Swing Kids is well worth watching if only for that single performance. Put it on your queue and you won't be disappointed.

Americans love underdogs. After this film, they will love Miners. That's the nickname of the Texas Western College basketball team that was the first NCAA Division 1 team to win the National Championship by using only black players in the final game. This Disney film chronicles that team's achievement which culminated in the 1966 NCAA championship. At a special preview sponsored by Richmond, Virginia, Clear Channel radio stations, a fairly packed house applauded the film no less than three times at emotionally gratifying moments. After the film, large numbers of the audience lingered in the theater watching the credits roll ... and were pleased when a small "window" in the big screen showed interviews with members of that 1966 team as they are today. Not embittered by the racism they encountered, these men today provide great examples of sportsmanship combined with a positive outlook that has made them successful and -- to all appearances -- happy people. Seeing this film makes you realize how far we've come as a nation since that period of time in terms of race relations. Are there still problems? Sure. Can we do better? Of course. But the racially mixed audience at this screening seemed to share the same feelings of outrage at past racism, and the same feelings of elation when the underdog Miners defeated the mighty Kentucky Wildcats in what's been described as the upset of the century. It's also considered by some a turning point in the game of basketball -- a point well made by Pat Riley (former Lakers coach), who was on the Kentucky team that was defeated by the Miners. Excellent performances throughout. Great and uplifting message. Glory Road is a slam dunk.