The World at War - sobering footage
Discussion
I recently bought the box set of the remastered version of the above and we've been working our way through it. Last night we arrived at episode 20 - "Genocide". About the Nazi "Final Solution".
We were reduced to silence by the footage - the graphic images of the murder of the Jews and the horror of the extermination camps are truly sobering.
Not an easy watch - but recommended.
We were reduced to silence by the footage - the graphic images of the murder of the Jews and the horror of the extermination camps are truly sobering.
Not an easy watch - but recommended.
Edited by matchmaker on Sunday 30th August 14:51
Eric Mc said:
Have had the box set for quite a while. I watched the series when it was originally broadcast back in 1973/74. Hard to believe that a work of such importance and magnitude would have been contemplated by an ITV franchise company (Thames Television).
Times change.
I too watched it when originally broadcast, but was probably a bit young to take it in. Apparently it would cost about £12m to make at todays prices - although it would be impossible to make today anyway.Times change.
ClaphamGT3 said:
What I find so mind-blowing about TWAW is the interviews with the key protagonists - Speer, Horrocks, Doenitz etc. amazing primary history.
What I find mind blowing is despite all the evidence, both by witnesses and archive film, there are still people around who deny it and claim it was a total fabrication. The opening sequence is horrific. I saw as many episodes as I could when originally broadcast - it was compulsive viewing - and it contrasted dramatically from the flags and heroes stories I had read and saw at the cinema. The Cruel Sea was about as realistic as it got. It was the catalyst for my father to tell me something about his war. He volunteered in 1938, but came out of it utterly anti-war. It seems an odd thing to say, but those chats were the closest I ever got to him. He spoke from the heart without any holding back.
My father-in-law was a prisoner of war, working on roads in Burma with Korean guards. He died of cancer and when on opiates used to drift back into those days and wake up screaming.
One of the most honourable projects ever undertaken. They intended to show war as it happened. I seem to remember some contemporaneous criticism about being too negative.
I bought the video set way back. It was offered in episodes, two a month, over a year. It became eagerly awaited and friends came to our house to watch it. The old boy next door was in tears once. The concentration camp chapter was, as the OP says, particularly horrific. For me, with many uncles in the RN and Merchant Marine, the one on the North Atlantic convoys stuck in my mind.
Yet we've since gone to war, apparently with the full support of the public, to kill people we've never met.
The series is sobering indeed. It became the topic of conversation at work. It should be compulsory viewing for children in schools.
Well done ITV. In those days the advertising revenue allowed them the freedom to take such risks. I see it is 19th in the top 100 greatest British television programmes, beaten by Blue Peter and Dr Who.
My father-in-law was a prisoner of war, working on roads in Burma with Korean guards. He died of cancer and when on opiates used to drift back into those days and wake up screaming.
One of the most honourable projects ever undertaken. They intended to show war as it happened. I seem to remember some contemporaneous criticism about being too negative.
I bought the video set way back. It was offered in episodes, two a month, over a year. It became eagerly awaited and friends came to our house to watch it. The old boy next door was in tears once. The concentration camp chapter was, as the OP says, particularly horrific. For me, with many uncles in the RN and Merchant Marine, the one on the North Atlantic convoys stuck in my mind.
Yet we've since gone to war, apparently with the full support of the public, to kill people we've never met.
The series is sobering indeed. It became the topic of conversation at work. It should be compulsory viewing for children in schools.
Well done ITV. In those days the advertising revenue allowed them the freedom to take such risks. I see it is 19th in the top 100 greatest British television programmes, beaten by Blue Peter and Dr Who.
Juggsy1 said:
What I find mind blowing is despite all the evidence, both by witnesses and archive film, there are still people around who deny it and claim it was a total fabrication.
Despite my father believing how evil the nazi regime was, he thought the stories of the atrocities and concentration camps was mostly propaganda. He knew Jewish families who'd fled the Kristallnacht but, of course, they had little/no knowledge of the exterminations. When looking through his shed I came across a number of newspapers wrapped up. I opened one, The Sketch to find the issue that dealt with the liberation of one of the camps, probably the first by Allied troops, Buchenwald.
My father told me that when he saw the issue he realised that he'd been totally wrong. He said he had trouble coping with not believing, so had kept the issues.
Denying the Holocaust is a political decision. Nothing to do with the facts.
The opening scenes are shot at the French village of Oradour-sur-Glane. It's near Limoges - if you're ever passing through the area it is something which you need to visit. There's an awfulness about it which is difficult to convey on these pages. When I was there I realised that I couldn't hear any birds singing or notice any wildlife - it was almost as if they knew, and had fled for ever.
Sorry if that sounds a bit melodramatic. It's not a place to take small children.
Sorry if that sounds a bit melodramatic. It's not a place to take small children.
Derek Smith said:
The opening sequence is horrific. I saw as many episodes as I could when originally broadcast - it was compulsive viewing - and it contrasted dramatically from the flags and heroes stories I had read and saw at the cinema. The Cruel Sea was about as realistic as it got. It was the catalyst for my father to tell me something about his war. He volunteered in 1938, but came out of it utterly anti-war. It seems an odd thing to say, but those chats were the closest I ever got to him. He spoke from the heart without any holding back.
My father-in-law was a prisoner of war, working on roads in Burma with Korean guards. He died of cancer and when on opiates used to drift back into those days and wake up screaming.
One of the most honourable projects ever undertaken. They intended to show war as it happened. I seem to remember some contemporaneous criticism about being too negative.
I bought the video set way back. It was offered in episodes, two a month, over a year. It became eagerly awaited and friends came to our house to watch it. The old boy next door was in tears once. The concentration camp chapter was, as the OP says, particularly horrific. For me, with many uncles in the RN and Merchant Marine, the one on the North Atlantic convoys stuck in my mind.
Yet we've since gone to war, apparently with the full support of the public, to kill people we've never met.
The series is sobering indeed. It became the topic of conversation at work. It should be compulsory viewing for children in schools.
Well done ITV. In those days the advertising revenue allowed them the freedom to take such risks. I see it is 19th in the top 100 greatest British television programmes, beaten by Blue Peter and Dr Who.
I quite agree!My father-in-law was a prisoner of war, working on roads in Burma with Korean guards. He died of cancer and when on opiates used to drift back into those days and wake up screaming.
One of the most honourable projects ever undertaken. They intended to show war as it happened. I seem to remember some contemporaneous criticism about being too negative.
I bought the video set way back. It was offered in episodes, two a month, over a year. It became eagerly awaited and friends came to our house to watch it. The old boy next door was in tears once. The concentration camp chapter was, as the OP says, particularly horrific. For me, with many uncles in the RN and Merchant Marine, the one on the North Atlantic convoys stuck in my mind.
Yet we've since gone to war, apparently with the full support of the public, to kill people we've never met.
The series is sobering indeed. It became the topic of conversation at work. It should be compulsory viewing for children in schools.
Well done ITV. In those days the advertising revenue allowed them the freedom to take such risks. I see it is 19th in the top 100 greatest British television programmes, beaten by Blue Peter and Dr Who.
I remember when this was broadcast on BBC2,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266425/?ref_=nm_flmg_...
Quite a disturbing film, the following day one of the redtops commended BBC2 for broadcasting it but commented that it should have gone out Saturday night prime time on BBC1
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266425/?ref_=nm_flmg_...
Quite a disturbing film, the following day one of the redtops commended BBC2 for broadcasting it but commented that it should have gone out Saturday night prime time on BBC1
nicanary said:
The opening scenes are shot at the French village of Oradour-sur-Glane. It's near Limoges - if you're ever passing through the area it is something which you need to visit. There's an awfulness about it which is difficult to convey on these pages. When I was there I realised that I couldn't hear any birds singing or notice any wildlife - it was almost as if they knew, and had fled for ever.
Sorry if that sounds a bit melodramatic. It's not a place to take small children.
The sobering thing is that the atrocity at Oradour was by no means a one-off. The Nazis did the same thing in Lidice in Czechoslovakia and Putten in the Netherlands as well as many others in RussiaSorry if that sounds a bit melodramatic. It's not a place to take small children.
ClaphamGT3 said:
nicanary said:
The opening scenes are shot at the French village of Oradour-sur-Glane. It's near Limoges - if you're ever passing through the area it is something which you need to visit. There's an awfulness about it which is difficult to convey on these pages. When I was there I realised that I couldn't hear any birds singing or notice any wildlife - it was almost as if they knew, and had fled for ever.
Sorry if that sounds a bit melodramatic. It's not a place to take small children.
The sobering thing is that the atrocity at Oradour was by no means a one-off. The Nazis did the same thing in Lidice in Czechoslovakia and Putten in the Netherlands as well as many others in RussiaSorry if that sounds a bit melodramatic. It's not a place to take small children.
It's the best documentary of all time, imo. I remember watching it on the telly and have watched the dvd twice through now. I still get shivers down my spine when the theme music starts and the flame appears, as others have said what absolutely makes it for me is the interviewees. The quality of who they spoke to is unsurpassed and will obviously remain so for all time, it's just incredible. The voice over by Olivier has the right element of gravity and pathos and I find when I watch I cant't draw myself away, it's just.....powerful.
I feel guilt watching it, as some of my (Austrian) family were members of the party, although most of them paid the ultimate price and were certainly not involved in anything 'bad', just regular military..but all the same I find it shameful. I look at Isis and wonder if it's the same brainwashing.......?
I feel guilt watching it, as some of my (Austrian) family were members of the party, although most of them paid the ultimate price and were certainly not involved in anything 'bad', just regular military..but all the same I find it shameful. I look at Isis and wonder if it's the same brainwashing.......?
Derek Smith said:
Juggsy1 said:
What I find mind blowing is despite all the evidence, both by witnesses and archive film, there are still people around who deny it and claim it was a total fabrication.
Despite my father believing how evil the nazi regime was, he thought the stories of the atrocities and concentration camps was mostly propaganda. He knew Jewish families who'd fled the Kristallnacht but, of course, they had little/no knowledge of the exterminations. When looking through his shed I came across a number of newspapers wrapped up. I opened one, The Sketch to find the issue that dealt with the liberation of one of the camps, probably the first by Allied troops, Buchenwald.
My father told me that when he saw the issue he realised that he'd been totally wrong. He said he had trouble coping with not believing, so had kept the issues.
Denying the Holocaust is a political decision. Nothing to do with the facts.
nicanary said:
The opening scenes are shot at the French village of Oradour-sur-Glane. It's near Limoges - if you're ever passing through the area it is something which you need to visit. There's an awfulness about it which is difficult to convey on these pages. When I was there I realised that I couldn't hear any birds singing or notice any wildlife - it was almost as if they knew, and had fled for ever.
Sorry if that sounds a bit melodramatic. It's not a place to take small children.
We went there last year, a truly sobering and moving experience. I know I may be naive, but it's still hard to believe that so-called civilised people can do these things.Sorry if that sounds a bit melodramatic. It's not a place to take small children.
Spurred by this thread, I watched a couple of episodes last night, including the one about the bomber offensive, which included a long and absolutely fascinating interview with Arthur Harris.
One thing that surprises me though. I am almost certain that they didn't interview Montgomery, although he lived until 1976, well after the series was filmed.mi wonder why?
One thing that surprises me though. I am almost certain that they didn't interview Montgomery, although he lived until 1976, well after the series was filmed.mi wonder why?
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