Did you perhaps ever wonder, prior to it's rebranding, just what The History Channel was so desperate to emulate with all that unending analysis of World War II that they used to run 24/7? Well, it was this; the now defunct Thames Television's monolithic 26-part serial, The World At War, the depths of which have since served as the benchmark by which all other retrospectives shall be judged.
Supreme in scope, yet personal in detail, The World At War remains an unparalleled achievement in the realm of historical documentary filmmaking. Not least due to it's courageous level of dispassion; commendable for a nation not yet a generation removed from the devastation and one still reeling from the effects of rationing and widespread social unrest. The startlingly simple yet hauntingly effective title sequence - a series of anonymous photographs turned to ash by a naked flame - affirms a commitment to the guiding principle that war is, first and foremost, an indiscriminately destructive act, the specific politics of which matter little really.
Even in the so-called information age, the sheer breadth of it's analysis remains startling. Enlisting the aide of the then director of Britain's Imperial War Museum, Noble Frankland, producer Jeremy Isaacs worked to identify each individual campaign and devote an episode to each, augmenting that with analysis of the home front on both sides and the occupied territories. Such an approach grants a rarely seen parity between events such as the Dunkirk Retreat and the less spectacular, but no less decisive, campaigns of India and the Burmese Jungle. Truly, this is the world at war, and a marked departure from the "our brave boys" narrative that is so often the focus of this type of program.
Utilizing some rare color film footage, The World At War is a treasure trove of archive material, and yet a story always told from a humanist perspective. Soldiers, civilians, Nazi's and Allies, it's the personal testimony of the people who lived through this terrible chapter in human history that are it's heart. Of paramount importance is the search for truth in the face of ideology propaganda (on both sides). Why did these things happen? What was behind Churchill's ill-fated obsession with securing Norway that allowed the Nazi's to solidify their position in Belgium and the Netherlands? How did Hitler manage to dupe both the Allies and his own people into thinking his intent was benign, even as he marched his armies through half of Eastern Europe?
Free from stuffy academics and historical enthusiasts, The World At War cuts through the subterfuge and gets right at the core of it by seeking out the right people to talk to; Hitler's secretary, Himmler's Adjunct, actual members of the SS, concentration camp liberators. People who can accurately and poetically convey the essence of the events, as opposed to the coldness of simple dates and facts. Tied together by Sir Lawrence Olivier's austere, somber narration, The World at War remains an enthralling account of arguably the defining event of the 20th century, and deserves to be seen at least once by anyone with a even passing interest in world affairs and/or human history.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
More than ten hours worth. Documentaries: The Making of the Series, Secretary to Hitler, The Two Deaths of Adolf Hitler, Hitler's Germany: The People Community 1933-1939, Hitler's Germany: Total War 1939-1945, The Final Solution: Parts 1 and 2, and From War to Peace.
Making the Series - a 30th Anniversary Retrospective. Restoring the World At War. The Marking of The World At War. Biographies. Photo Galleries. Historical Footage. Famous songs, speeches, quotes, and maps.
"The World At War" is on sale November 16, 2010 and is not rated. Documentary. Directed by Various Anthology. Written by N/A. Starring Laurence Olivier.
