The World At War - Complete DVD Box Set

Amongst the vampires, murderers and zombies invading our TV screens, it’s sometimes easy to forget that television is a medium with unique capability to educate and inform. Where a cinematic documentary can stretch for three hours at best, the episodic nature of TV is such that filmmakers can explore the world we live in with an unparalleled level of depth, whilst keeping things uniquely accessible and understandable. It’s also easy to forget that for all the terror in fiction, the scariest things of all are in the cold light of reality.

First transmitted in 1973, The World At War is a twenty six episode look at World War II - the events, the effects and the unspeakable damage that was done by allies and axis alike. Filmmaker Jeremy Isaacs looks first at fifteen key military campaigns of the war and subsequently goes on to look at specific issues, amongst them the atomic bomb, occupation and invasion. Narration is supplied by Sir Laurence Olivier, but ultimately the incredible footage and enlightening interviews included leave very little left to be said. Thames Television, the producers of the series, obtained hours of colour footage from the period and this is genuinely a rare opportunity to see World War II as it was seen by those who were there. The interviews, on the other hand, avoid key public figures and instead take in accounts from a mix of civilians, soldiers, and politicians - from both sides of the fight.

The product is an unrivaled look at our darkest hours, a series of programmes that is perhaps the most comprehensive discussion of World War II available. It’s intelligently narrated, impartially framed and, truth be told, horrifying, heartbreaking and fascinating all at the same time. For those with a prior interest in the conflicts, The World At War tells the story in the words of the people who were there. For those without much knowledge going in, it’s a series that really brings home the realities of warfare that changed the world forever.

This DVD box set features the entire twenty six episode series of documentaries, re-mastered and restored to present this stunning footage at its absolute finest. There’s also a more recent documentary, detailing the making of the series from the perspective of Jeremy Isaacs as he undertook the mammoth task. The World At War is saddening, devastating, and then ultimately inspiring - a comprehensive and complete look at World War II that should be compulsory viewing.

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