Posted on 11/19/2009 3:51:24 PM PST by mware
WWII in HD is the first-ever World War II documentary presented in full, immersive HD color. Culled from thousands of hours of lost and rare color archival footage gathered from a worldwide search through basements and archives, WWII in HD will change the way the world sees this defining conflict. Using footage never before seen by most Americans--converted to HD for unprecedented clarity--viewers will experience the war as if they were actually there, surrounded by the real sights and sounds of the battlefields. Along the way they'll meet a diverse group of soldiers whose wartime diaries and journals show in visceral detail what the war was really like.
This visually astonishing landmark series presents the story of World War II through the eyes of 12 Americans who experienced the war firsthand. Viewers will hear the story of Army nurse June Wandrey, who served from the beginning of the war in North Africa to the liberation of the camps in Germany. They will meet Shelby Westbrook, a young African American from Toledo, who became a member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen; Jimmie Kanaya, the son of Japanese immigrants, who served in the U.S. Army and was imprisoned in Europe; and Jack Werner, a Jewish émigré who escaped from Austria before the war and wound up fighting not against Hitler and the hated Nazis, but in the Pacific Theater.
(Excerpt) Read more at history.com ...
Gary Sinise narrates the series. Well worth watching for those who have the History Channel. You can also see many of the segments on their web site.
The new episodes begin at 9 EST but earlier episodes are presently playing on the History Channel.
I’ve been watching it religiously from the beginning. It’s exceptional.
It’s good, but let’s be honest: the WWII footage is not in HD. It couldn’t be — it wasn’t filmed with HD equipment! What they’ve done is alter the dimensions of the standard 35mm projection to fill the elongated HD screen. It looks good, but it’s definitely not HD.
Monday, Nov 16 9pm Bloody Resolve 10pm Battle Stations
Tuesday, Nov 17 9pm Day of Days 10pm Point of No Return
Wednesday, Nov 18 9pm Striking Distance 10pm Glory and Guts
Thursday, Nov 19 9pm Edge of the Abyss 10pm End Game
There are constant announcements of graphic content.
Not for the weak of stomach.
I had heard that the Pacific War was filmed almost exculsively in color.
it may be HD but the clarity is not like watching the NFL HD on Sunday.
The Japanese-American guy wonders at the end how is it he is a POW in the German camp while his parents are in an internment camp.
Getting them all on my DVR and I’m also hoping that Santa will leave me a DVD copy in my stocking this Christmas.
I’m enjoying it, but wish the producers had picked a more learned-sounding young voice for the Tuskegee Airman. Dat LL Cool J be soundin’ to me like he be tryin’ to t’row some ghetto ‘tude in between teh lines, and sh!t, know whu’ I’m sa’in’? Or maybe I’m just a hillbilly racist...
Also recommended viewing: Victory at Sea. Made back when it was still OK to be on America's side.
perhaps Mr Prez should be watching this... he might learn a thing or two.
How about the wounded soldier who knew if he just laid there he would die so he got up and began walking. The first guy he runs into is a medic. He asks the medic what his name is and the medic tells him “Emmanuel Jesus”
They have re-scanned the original film to get the most out of the images. Some of it looks great, but much of it just highlights the limitations of the 16mm film stock in the era.
... and you’re right that they have had to crop the original 4:3 aspect ratio film to fit the 16:9 HD aspect ratio. At least they didn’t stretch it to fit, making everyone short and fat.
You’re not a hillbilly racist...just an astute critic of a part being miscast in the production of this show.
“It’s good, but let’s be honest: the WWII footage is not in HD. It couldn’t be — it wasn’t filmed with HD equipment!”
True, but good old film is a usually a lot better resolution than conventional (NSTC 525 scan lines) TV broadcasts ever were. HD does much more justice to the films than was possible in the past.
Watching World at War, with my dad (a 43 years service one star) is one of my fondest memories.
The personal stories are gripping. The guy's story last night of being severely wounded, shipping out stateside and reuniting with his wife was really touching. When the nurse described her life in a forward area hospital, I felt exhausted and tired of seeing blood. Very vivid.
The new footage is exceptional, but it really bothers me when they use film of an action that does not correspond with the action being described.
Even though it is fiction, I also have Band of Brothers (DVD) … my all time favorite.
I have been watching it for a couple of days and it is fairly good but I finally just decided I did not want to see any more mutilated bodies.
I know that is a real part of war, heck it is even part of everyday life with auto accidents etc. I just don’t want to have to see it anymore than I have to.
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