World at War, The: Vol 1 (5 Parts)
- Synopsis
- The first six programmes from the seminal 26-part series first shown in 1974, preceded by a programme on the making of the series.
1 THE MAKING OF THE WORLD AT WAR - The story behind the production process and the challenges involved in sumarising years of history and milions of feet of archive footage.
2 A NEW GERMANY, 1933-1939 - Germany, a nation stricken by humiliating defeat and emerging from economic depression, looks to one man for a resurgence of hope. He is Adolf Hitler (director Hugh Raggett, writer Neal Ascherson).
3 DISTANT WAR 1939-1940 - In eastern Europe, the full force of the Nazi machine rolls on, but in Britain and uneasy calm settles on the nation. With Churchill elected prime minister, Britain is unprepared for war and few people are able to take the threat seriously. It is the ‘phoney’ war, wtih the sound of distant guns thundering ominously on the horizon (producer/director David Elstein, writer Laurence Thompson).
4 FRANCE FALLS May-June 1940- The French had made the disastrous mistake of preparing for another conflict like World War 1. German armour and air power mount their massive onslaught and the French army is totally humiliated (writer/director Peter Batty, producer Jeremy Isaacs).
5 ALONE IN BRITAIN May 1940-June 1941 After Dunkirk, Britain faces the German onslaught. Although the RAF wins the battle of Britain, the cities are blitzed and on the continent the last allies, Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete, are conquered. The outlook is grim (producer/director David Elstein, writer Laurence Thompson).
6 BARBAROSSA June-December 1941: Hitler turns against Russia (producer/writer Peter Batty).
7 BANZAI - JAPAN STRIKES 1941-1942 - Japan enters the war with its attack on Pearl Harbor (producer/writer Peter Batty). Narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier; music by Carl Davis.
9 ON OUR WAY - AMERICA ENTERS THE WAR 1939-1942. "It was felt that Britain was trying to drag us in. There was even sentiment hat England would fight to the last American" - Norman Corwin, American radio journalist. (producer/writer Peter Batty). - Language
- English
- Country
- Great Britain
- Medium
- Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. b&w/col. 6 x 52 min.
- Year of production
- 1973
- Availability
- Sale
- Notes
- Broadcast on BBC2 from 14/1/01.
The entire series is available on 11 videocassettes as a boxed set (ref. PTWAR 1) priced £74.99 or as a set of 11 DVDs (ref FHEDWAR) containing additional material, for £99.99. - Subjects
- History
- Keywords
- World War II
Credits
- Director
- David Elstein; Hugh Raggett; Peter Batty
- Producer
- David Elstein; Jeremy Isaacs; Peter Batty
- Writer
- Laurence Thompson; Neal Ascherson; Peter Batty
- Contributor
- Carl Davis; Jeremy Isaacs; Noble Frankland
- Cast
Laurence Olivier
Distribution Formats
- Type
- DVD
- Format
- Region 2 PAL
- Price
- £24.99
- Availability
- Sale
- Duration/Size
- 417 minutes
- Year
- 2005
Sections
- Title
- New Germany, A: 1933-39
- Synopsis
- 1: Germany, a nation stricken by humiliating defeat and emerging from economic depression, looks to one man for a resurgence of hope. He is Adolf Hitler (director Hugh Raggett, writer Neal Ascherson).
- Title
- Distant war 1939-40
- Synopsis
- 2: In eastern Europe, the full force of the Nazi machine rolls on, but in Britain and uneasy calm settles on the nation. With Churchill elected prime minister, Britain is unprepared for war and few people are able to take the threat seriously. It is the '
- Title
- France falls: May-June 1940
- Synopsis
- 3: The French had made the disastrous mistake of preparing for another conflict like World War 1. German armour and air power mount their massive onslaught and the French army is totally humiliated (writer/director Peter Batty, producer Jeremy Isaacs).
- Title
- Alone: Britain: May 1940-June 1941
- Synopsis
- 4: After Dunkirk, Britain faces the German onslaught. Although the RAF wins the battle of Britain, the cities are blitzed and on the continent the last allies, Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete, are conquered. The outlook is grim (producer/director David Elste
- Title
- Barbarossa: June-December 1941
- Synopsis
- 5: Hitler turns against Russia (producer/writer Peter Batty).
- Title
- Banzai: Japan strikes
- Synopsis
- 6: Japan enters the war with its attack on Pearl Harbor (producer/writer Peter Batty).
Production Company
Distributor
- Name
FremantleMedia Home Entertainment
- videodvd@fremantlemedia.com
- Web
- http://www.fremantlehomeentertainment.com/ External site opens in new window
Available from retail outlets
Record Stats
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