They Filmed The War In Color DVD Credits:

Region: 1

They Filmed The War In Color DVD Release Date: 12th May 2008

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They Filmed The War In Color DVD Review:

For years the world has watched films of World War II in black and white. Now for the first time ever, follow alongside those who experienced the war first hand in this remarkable and moving series revealing never-before-seen footage shot in full color. They Filmed the War in Color is a collection of two previously released documentaries, “Victory in Europe” and “The Pacific War,” that is composed of entirely vintage color footage.

On the “Victory in Europe” documentary, follow the historic events of World War II. In 1939 French citizens enjoyed a peaceful life. In mere months they would be at war and within a year they would be conquered by Germany. From the tranquil times before the war through to the German Occupation and finally up to the ultimate liberation of Europe, you can finally experience it all in color. Experience scenes of civilian daily life, footage of Hitler recorded by Eva Braun, and military maneuvers documented by Hollywood directors Darryl Zanuck and George Stevens. Filmed while the fate of the world hung in the balance, this program includes color footage of military maneuvers, victory celebrations, Ernest Hemingway and Clark Gable visiting Normandy and more.

On the second documentary, “The Pacific War,” witness the conflict in the Pacific Theater like you’ve never seen before. On December 7, 1941, Japan launched its attack on Pearl Harbor resulting in the United States being thrust full force into World War II – turning it into a truly global conflict. American Marines and many of the great filmmakers of the day captured color footage of the events as they unfolded. This stunning documentary includes rare color footage of the Coral Sea in flames, Guadalcanal littered with corpses, the deportation of American citizens of Japanese descent and more.

You know that marketing quote that you always find on history documentaries “watch history come alive”? Well, I have to admit, that’s the exact quote I would use for They Filmed the War in Color. It may be trite, it may be a cliché, but it’s true in the case of this documentary series. I never would have thought that seeing something in color would bring so much life and immediacy to historical footage, but it really does. Not only is the footage in color, but a lot of it is in amazing shape, looking like it could have been shot yesterday. There’s such a wide variety of footage on display here, and it all tells a story that puts you right in the middle of the history. You could very easily turn your television on mute, thereby blocking out the accompanying music and narration, and you’d be swept away in a visual history of the war.

Not only is the sheer amount of color footage impressive, but the amount of content included is worth taking note of as well. The documentaries cover the whole gamut of footage, from celebratory revelries to shocking displays of morbidity. There are particularly unnerving moments that one might not expect to see, such as Japanese civilians jumping to their deaths to avoid being captured. This type of footage has always been shied away from in historical documentaries as well as news reels during the time, but it’s included here entirely unedited. As such, there’s a much stronger feeling of verisimilitude in these documentaries, as opposed to the objective distance that is usually felt during historical documentaries.

There are no extras to be found on the DVDs, but it’s not that big of a loss, as the documentaries in and of themselves are fulfilling enough. Perhaps it would have been nice to have a featurette on how all of the footage was uncovered, but it’s not a terrible loss.

They Filmed the War in Color is a revelation in historical documentaries as far as I’m concerned. Admittedly, I’m not the biggest expert on the topic, but I found the two documentaries included to be entirely enthralling and engaging. The accompanying narration is a nice (though sometimes biased) inclusion, but it’s the actual color footage on display that’s the real star here. If you’ve never seen any historical footage of these wars in color, you really owe it to yourself to check these documentaries out, as they offer an entirely revitalizing experience.

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They Filmed The War In Color DVD review written by: Anthony Berk