Blu-ray Review HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: The World at War (1 Viewer)

[Richard Gallagher]

Originally Posted by bigshot
From what I'm told, reviewers of this set were only sent the first disk of this set to view. It contained a couple of episodes, but was mostly taken up by the documentary on the restoration. Can anyone confirm this?

Not true. I received the entire set.

 

[Cinescott]

OK, so I have decided to purchase this set, regardless of the OAR "decision" by the producers. I am "old" enough to remember the original airing of this series in 1974 and what an impact it had then. Arguably the best documentary ever committed to film, TWAW undoubtedly deserves a better presentation. However, given my respect for the series' creator, Sir Jeremy Isaacs and his support for the Blu-ray version, the good outweighs the bad in my opinion.

I don't feel I am in any position to second-guess the people that actually put this series together 40 years ago. I've read so many "they are wrong" statements, that it makes me wonder. Just who is anyone but the actual documentary's creator to say what is right and wrong? To clarify, I am an OAR supporter and I would likely have bought TWAW quicker if it had been in the original format, but I am not going to outright denounce anything until I have had a chance to see it myself. The fact that much of the footage was already processed to death in the 70s to give it a stylistic look is a relevant point against the purist argument. The "I want to see it the way it was presented in the 70s" camp has a better platform from which to argue, but don't say it's an insult to the newsreel camera people or photographers, since their work was already trampled 40 years ago, with great fanfare I might add. Had Mr. Isaacs not made any statements for the release or been silent, I would have been far more reluctant to pick this up. I am not so cynical yet to believe that his endorsement was strictly for financial gain.

I like that the footage has been cleaned up. I like that subtitles have been included. I like that the scanning process was done with as much care as possible, unlike much pan and scan I have endured over many years. Yes, not ideal. However, I think to completely denounce the set only for the aspect issue (albeit an important one) is analogous to throwing the baby out with the bath water, since there is so much information here that is so powerful and interesting. Maybe the whole controversy has had an effect on sales and the price, but for $39.99 on Amazon (73% below SRP), it's difficult for me to not buy it given my enjoyment level of the material. I do view a documentary series as different than a feature film. And no, I do not feel that history is being trampled via the 16x9 decision on principle, although I have yet to see the finished result. My memory of the original broadcast is certainly no basis for a comparison, so it will be like I am viewing this program for the first time. Everyone's mileage will undoubtedly vary, but I am looking forward to re-visiting TWAW.

 

[Jari K]

Not sure that anyone cares anymore, but the LPCM 2.0 track on this Blu-ray set is Mono IMO, not Stereo as it's listed in the menu and in most of the reviews.

 

[ManuRibera]

I know of few cases in history where the restaurateur destroys 25% of the work restored. Terrible and stupid cropping. Indefensible.

 

[ManuRibera]

The edition of this "restoration" has caused you to seek and get on EBAY the old DVD edition of this series in its original format.

 

[Anthony 1]

Is there any word of a US 4.3 blu-ray version to be released as was done in the U.K. last year? Both the DVD and blu-ray appear to be out of print on amazon.com only third party sellers.

 

[Rick Thompson]

Count me among those who, having slogged through the DVD version (and I'm a history buff) have no interest in a bluray set, cropped or not. While it does very well by the British view of the war, everything else gets short shrift. And that narration! I assume that Olivier only charged his monotone rate.