World War II In Colour - America's War

Okay, the "And I Quote" line with this review may be a little defamatory, and I want it to be known straight up that I have no opinion on the impending war in Iraq as I feel I don't know enough about what is really happening there. I make this point because after watching America's War - World War II In Colour, I found my opinion differing every few minutes, such is the emotional impact of this excellent DVD.

America's War - World War II in Colour comes from the BAFTA award-winning makers of Britain at War in Colour, and is a high standard, engrossing study of America's role in World War II. It is split into four episodes entitled Slow to Anger: 1919-1942, Battlefronts: 1942-1944, Wrath: D-Day to VE Day, and Triumph: The Pacific 1943-1945. Each covers a certain period of America's part in the war, from the end of WWI to victory in the Pacific. All are narrated by Patrick MacNee, and are composed entirely of archival footage. There is no interview footage, though there are many voiceovers reading diary extracts, journalist's reports, letters to home, editorials, and military memos that compliment the on-screen images.

"America hates war!"

As pointed out in the opening of each episode, much of this footage has been recovered from attics, cellars, private collections, museums and even rubbish tips. Much of it has never been seen until now, all of it is in colour, and it includes footage from German and Japanese cameras. Some of the images are extremely graphic, and there is no shortage of scenes of dead bodies, body bits, blood, and many, many explosions. As horrible as it sounds, the images are also very engaging and hard to turn away from. This is not Spielberg or Schumacher, this is genuine footage filmed in the middle of the action. As graphic as much of it is, it is quite amazing and stunning that so much of this has been captured on film.

As each episode unfolds, it becomes quite a history lesson, as well as a lesson in statistics and the ultimate futility of war. The most dramatic of campaigns are covered such as Pearl Harbor, Battle of the Atlantic, the African Campaign, D-Day, Iwo Jima, the Battle of the Bulge, and the eventual bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that brought the war to an end.

No matter what you know of World War II, I can guarantee that you will learn something from viewing this excellent series. The statistics are staggering, the loss of life and destruction of entire cities is mind-boggling, and the whole thing will leave all but the steeliest of hearts unmoved.

When you remember that all the footage here is genuine, at least 50 years old and often filmed under the most dangerous and harshest of conditions, then we should give thanks that it exists at all. Generally, all of it is more than watchable and in very good condition and there are no moments that would cause you to think, "Well that was so bad it should have been left out." There are, however, some images that are quite soft, but remember that this includes footage from journos and soldiers in the very front lines of a World War. Quality control was most certainly not high on the list of priorities, staying alive most certainly was.

Across the four hours you will see every film artefact known to man. There are scratches, hairs, dirt, marks, black blobs, white marks, film rot, lines, and then some. Trust me, you won't care. The amazing images will easily distract you from these faults. If seeing footage such as Japanese kamikaze pilots shot down by American planes, filmed from those very cockpits doesn't help you overlook the technical shortcomings of these images, then nothing will.

Points have to be deducted for the layer change however, it is placed at 9:47 of Episode Three and it shouldn't have been too tough to place it between episodes, surely?

With the DVD back cover boasting "Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (except Diary Extracts, in Stereo)" I was more than a little surprised given the age of all the footage. It soon became apparent that there is no Dolby Digital 5.1, and even the Dolby Digital 2.0 is almost pointless so a 5.1 mix is not missed for a second. There is no actual dialogue included in the archival footage, and the only dialogue is the Narrator, Patrick MacNee, and the various actors reading the extracts.

The footage does have the sounds of guns, trucks, bombs, planes, explosions, and the like, and all of it sounds quite impressive with a nice rumbling to accompany the bombs exploding. The screaming of plane engines as they whiz by is also impressive and I can't help but wonder if there has perhaps been some overdubbing to add impact to what is on screen. It would not be the same without it, so if it has been added later, it works well. Doubts are compounded when you remember that most, if not all, hand-held cameras in the 1940s and earlier did not have built in microphones. No matter, as the end result is very good.

Although there are six Short Video Features, they are simply a combination of extra footage not included in the four episodes, and some short propaganda and/or training films. They are entitled Pearl Harbor Re-enactment, Battle of Midway 1942, Combat America, Meet the Enemy, Medicine in Action, and Excerpt From "The Last Bomb. All are interesting and worthy additions and combined last a little over 30 minutes.

The Stills Gallery self-navigates its way through a series of extremely clear and colourful photos in a little over three minutes.

Also included is a text only Key Facts - a detailed series of screens, timeline fashion, from the years 1933 to 1945. Each year can be selected individually from a menu and full of war and social facts broken down month by month.

History buffs will love this, and peace-niks can rest assured that this is in no way a pro-war documentary. Nor does it lecture on the atrocities or futility of war, though both are sadly obvious. Covering America's involvement in the war from the end of WWI to the Japanese surrender in the Pacific in 1945, these eyewitness and firsthand accounts of war will almost certainly make you wonder what mankind can do itself in 2003, almost 60 years after a war that killed 55 million people.