I remember seeing this movie on UK tv many years ago. From what I can recall it was an excellent portrayal of the events of that time. Whilst not always historically depicted and not always well acted I do remember eagerly consuming each episode as it was shown. A more sophisticated audience from nowadays might be less satisfied with the offering. All I can say is my family have it as top of my most wanted for either video or dvd. Alas, its available on neither. Roll on the BBC's repeat of this well worth watching film.
30 Reviews
Worth watching.
redstone-316 August 1999
A sometimes-humorous, sometimes-serious look at Australian soldiers during the Great War, from enlistment, through training, to several campaigns, culminating in the huge battles in France, to the end of the war and back home. The miniseries contains all the elements of an entertaining show: pathos, humour, and accuracy of detail and period. Paul Hogan plays Pat Cleary, a whimsical parody of the knockabout characters of the turn of the century with the irrepressible and uniquely Australian sense of humour. Watch particularly for the character "Flanagan", played by Jon Blake, who gives a stunning portrayal of the epitome of the returned soldier. A brilliant performance and excellent character development.
Excellant Aussie WWI Mini Series
BouncingBall74 November 2001
Excellant drama that charts the story of an ANZAC (Australian New Zealand Army Corps) volunteer regiment from Gallipoli through to the end of the war. It is a story of tragedy and triumph, laughs and tears and is a series I can't wait to get the opportunity to watch again.
Excellent mini-series
eagledes5 September 2002
I refer in these comments to the full 3-video mini-series, not the truncated version or film produced for the American market.
In general, a well-produced and directed series which, with a few minor exceptions is probably as close to the true horror and carnage of the First World War as it is possible to get. Most of the minor errors can be explained by the requirements of plotting or pure visual effect and, in my opinion do not seriously detract from the overall truth of the subject matter.
It should be remembered that this series was produced for the Australians, whose culture and memory is very different to that of the Americans who seem to have a collective down on this video/film. Perhaps if our North American cousins had come into the war several years earlier and suffered the casualties the Empire did they might have a different view of the series.
The feeling throughout the series is of the AIF being abused and butchered by the incompetent British generals - and as a military historian I cannot say the series is wrong. However, other than one short scene, the series does not highlight the fact that the British were suffering just as much under their own generals.
All in all I would say the viewer would get a much better idea of what the AIF and World War I was about by seeing this mini series than by viewing Gallipoli, which is generally thought to be historically weak.
I would recommend the mini series but not the film or truncated North American video release.
In general, a well-produced and directed series which, with a few minor exceptions is probably as close to the true horror and carnage of the First World War as it is possible to get. Most of the minor errors can be explained by the requirements of plotting or pure visual effect and, in my opinion do not seriously detract from the overall truth of the subject matter.
It should be remembered that this series was produced for the Australians, whose culture and memory is very different to that of the Americans who seem to have a collective down on this video/film. Perhaps if our North American cousins had come into the war several years earlier and suffered the casualties the Empire did they might have a different view of the series.
The feeling throughout the series is of the AIF being abused and butchered by the incompetent British generals - and as a military historian I cannot say the series is wrong. However, other than one short scene, the series does not highlight the fact that the British were suffering just as much under their own generals.
All in all I would say the viewer would get a much better idea of what the AIF and World War I was about by seeing this mini series than by viewing Gallipoli, which is generally thought to be historically weak.
I would recommend the mini series but not the film or truncated North American video release.
Aussie soap meets Band of Brothers
Jim-39930 July 2003
This was an excellent mini-series, packed with sub-plots, all revolving around the story of an Aussie platoon during the First World War. Comic relief is provided by the brilliant Paul Hogan as the wheeling-dealing private Pat Cleary, and a sense of realism is maintained through the narrative character of Roly Collins (excellently played by Christopher Cummins). The story never dips in interest and, I'm pleased to say, strives to keep an actuate journal of real events during the Great War from all battles; violent and political.
And if you want to know why the world has to thank Australia and New Zealand for their part in history, I advise you look out for ANZACS.
10/10
And if you want to know why the world has to thank Australia and New Zealand for their part in history, I advise you look out for ANZACS.
10/10
Good and very interesting
Sneddy1 February 2000
Just watched this recently on video. Shows how the Australians performed during World War One. Many humorous moments. The title music is very good. Shows the historical aspects of this war accurately and gives us an idea what it was really like for the soldiers. Recommended viewing.
the best ever
chuffalot15 May 2002
Now I don't know about the edited film version (I would never watch it) but the mini series, the original 5 part version, is not only a brilliant piece of work, it stands as an historical document of the great war that has never been bettered and never will. It is essential viewing that we should all be aware of, and what the fight for democracy was all about, it's interesting to see that a modern day 'band of brothers' is very much in the same vein, no glorification, concentrating on the human side, comedy, love, comradeship, death and the utter desolation of being born at that point in history and to take part in that awful war. There are no negatives about this series, it's a perfect synopsis of the human race in the 20th century and the carnage that we are capable of committing, yet the true brotherhood that existed in these times, if only the leaders were capable of it.
Another classic Aussie production!
lucy-mcginn8 June 2005
I also first saw this series on BBC afternoon TV in the '80's at the tender age of 10. I fell in love with it immediately. Already being a fan of the Paul Hogan show, I was delighted to see him in Anzacs. I tried and tried to find it available on anything but the awful 'edited' feature film. After years of searching I have located a website in Oz that has shipped it to me in the UK. Look up EZYDVD on the web and it should give you the address. It was a delight to watch it all from the start - and yes, it was just as brilliant as I remember it being! You can also get other Aussie films (The Shiralee being just one fab example) from here - as long as you have a multi-region DVD player. I would urge anyone to watch this series, it makes me laugh and cry out loud, even 20 years after I first saw it! Jon Blake plays such a good role in Flannegan, it's terrible that he was injured so badly and wasn't able to work again. All the other actors made each episode so real, it's really easy to get involved with the storyline and characters. I find it incredible that the Aussies never really recognised the role played by the "diggers" of WW1 in their own history, except to remember Gallipoli and what a disaster that was. This series should have gone someway to making people remember that it was indeed a World War and we should be grateful for all the help those "diggers" gave in winning the war! WATCH THIS SERIES!!!!!!!
The best war movie or series (on a par with Saving Private Ryan) I have ever seen
Wes Burgoyne21 February 2002
The best war movie or series (on a par with Saving Private Ryan) I have ever seen. This gives a true account of how I imagine the Australians were at war - the camaraderie, the bravery, the humour - just as I imagine it would have been. And, what a great Australian cast !!!
To the lady who gave this a terrible rating - you wouldn't know a good movie if it bit you.
To the lady who gave this a terrible rating - you wouldn't know a good movie if it bit you.
Important Series
zaphodb110 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
The ANZACS mini series consists of five 90 minute episodes taking three years to make and was shown in Australia in 1985. The series tries to create the realism of the actual battle conditions, the mood of the times and the spirit of those involved. Some roles were based on actual wartime soldiers, others were added for story telling effect. The series shows the mateship and larrikinism of the Australians as they become an effective fighting force and the appalling conditions the troops experienced as World War 1 battle tactics evolved. The series stated intention was to show modern day Australians the incredible contribution of the Australians in the war who despite making up only 10 percent in numbers, at one point in 1918 held 50 percent of the front lines on the western front. The Australian effort during the first war, except for Gallipoli, having largely been forgotten over the post war years, including up to the present day. While the intent had been to show realism, the result is nevertheless a product of its times and has been described by some as having elements of a soap opera. George Miller (Mad Max, Happy Feet) is one of three directors credited in each episode of the series.
The series follows the Victorian eighth battalion, part of the First Australian Imperial Force, and which formed part of the 2nd Brigade 1st Division. The series starts with the outset of war, with many unwitting Australians keen to participate and worried about missing out. The series shows the army recruitment, followed by training and eventual deployment in the early morning of April 25 1915 (which would later become Anzac day) north of Gaba Tepe on the Aegean Peninsular (which would later become Anzac Cove). The series then covers the attack on Lone Pine, part of a coordinated campaign to take the Gallipoli Peninsula and consisting of several attacks linking up with additional landings at Suvla Bay by the British. Although Lone Pine was taken and the landings successful, the other objectives met with failure and the result was an eventual withdrawal from Gallipoli.
The 8th Battalion in 1916 then finds itself dispatched to France to join the battle in the Western front. After training and deployment to a quiet area of the Somme battlefield, they are eventually "blooded" into the Somme offensive, fighting in the Village of Pozieres, and are one of the few units to take all their objectives. The series shows the concentration of artillery fire in a one mile area as the Germans pour all their efforts into stopping the advance. The battle field was chaotic with no maps, telephone lines cut by artillery and dust and smoke presenting limited oversight by high command. The series also portrays the poor general ship at the time. The way to win the battle of opposing trench lines was through "bleeding the other side white". The side with the greater moral courage would prevail. The cost in human terms was immense. At the time the British were losing 5000 men a week across the front lines. 'There are Australians in the area' was a phrase used by some of the British to reaffirm the earlier reputation of the Australians in the Boer war of being undisciplined. General Haig wanted to reintroduce the death penalty as a court martial punishment. The series shows Sir Keith Murdoch (father of Rupert Murdoch) a journalist, as an adviser to the Australian Prime Minister. Murdoch met with General Haig and the British War Secretary and provided reports back to Australia.
The series then covers operations against the Hindenburg line and Arras which either failed or met with limited success and high casualties. The next great offensive is the Battle of Passchendaele. By this time the tactics used consisted of advancing under creeping artillery fire and met with some success, however the weather intervenes and the fighting literally becomes bogged down in mud of Ypres.
After the Russian revolution in 1917 and the surrender of Russian forces the German army is strengthened and begins the German Spring Offensive. The Australians are shown repulsing the Germans at Hazebrouck, part of the German operation Georgette. The instructions were to fight to the last man. The Australians played a key role in stopping the German advance, which was attempting to force the British to evacuate France.
Lieutenant General Monash meanwhile was given command of the Australian Corps. Alluded to but not fully shown was Keith Murdoch with Australian war historian Charles Bean, arguing for General White over Monash to Billy Hughes the Australian Prime Minister. Under the British 4th Army Commander General Rawlinson, Monash and the Australian Corps, with the support of the British 5th Tank Brigade and elements of the American 66th Brigade launched an attack on Hamel. The operation was notable for its detailed planning and use of tanks together with infantry in spite of the Americans initially refusing to let their troops be commanded by a foreigner.
The Battle of Amiens was shown, which was the opening battle of the 100 Days Offensive, which finished with breaching the Hindenburg line, ending the war. Planned and spearheaded by Monash and the Australian Corp and also involving the British 4th under Rawlinson and the Canadian Corps under Currie, this was a battle over open terrain, leaving trench warfare behind. The battle was a coordinated effort between tanks, infantry, artillery and aircraft. After the first day the allies advanced an average of 7 miles, engulfing 5 German Divisions, although the advance was slowed later as the tanks broke down and the infantry outran the artillery. The victory was a major turning point of the war and resulted in General Monash being knighted in the field by King George V, the first time this had occurred in 200 years.
The efforts of the Australians during the First World War is fascinating story and a story worth telling and generally very well told in the ANZACS.
The series follows the Victorian eighth battalion, part of the First Australian Imperial Force, and which formed part of the 2nd Brigade 1st Division. The series starts with the outset of war, with many unwitting Australians keen to participate and worried about missing out. The series shows the army recruitment, followed by training and eventual deployment in the early morning of April 25 1915 (which would later become Anzac day) north of Gaba Tepe on the Aegean Peninsular (which would later become Anzac Cove). The series then covers the attack on Lone Pine, part of a coordinated campaign to take the Gallipoli Peninsula and consisting of several attacks linking up with additional landings at Suvla Bay by the British. Although Lone Pine was taken and the landings successful, the other objectives met with failure and the result was an eventual withdrawal from Gallipoli.
The 8th Battalion in 1916 then finds itself dispatched to France to join the battle in the Western front. After training and deployment to a quiet area of the Somme battlefield, they are eventually "blooded" into the Somme offensive, fighting in the Village of Pozieres, and are one of the few units to take all their objectives. The series shows the concentration of artillery fire in a one mile area as the Germans pour all their efforts into stopping the advance. The battle field was chaotic with no maps, telephone lines cut by artillery and dust and smoke presenting limited oversight by high command. The series also portrays the poor general ship at the time. The way to win the battle of opposing trench lines was through "bleeding the other side white". The side with the greater moral courage would prevail. The cost in human terms was immense. At the time the British were losing 5000 men a week across the front lines. 'There are Australians in the area' was a phrase used by some of the British to reaffirm the earlier reputation of the Australians in the Boer war of being undisciplined. General Haig wanted to reintroduce the death penalty as a court martial punishment. The series shows Sir Keith Murdoch (father of Rupert Murdoch) a journalist, as an adviser to the Australian Prime Minister. Murdoch met with General Haig and the British War Secretary and provided reports back to Australia.
The series then covers operations against the Hindenburg line and Arras which either failed or met with limited success and high casualties. The next great offensive is the Battle of Passchendaele. By this time the tactics used consisted of advancing under creeping artillery fire and met with some success, however the weather intervenes and the fighting literally becomes bogged down in mud of Ypres.
After the Russian revolution in 1917 and the surrender of Russian forces the German army is strengthened and begins the German Spring Offensive. The Australians are shown repulsing the Germans at Hazebrouck, part of the German operation Georgette. The instructions were to fight to the last man. The Australians played a key role in stopping the German advance, which was attempting to force the British to evacuate France.
Lieutenant General Monash meanwhile was given command of the Australian Corps. Alluded to but not fully shown was Keith Murdoch with Australian war historian Charles Bean, arguing for General White over Monash to Billy Hughes the Australian Prime Minister. Under the British 4th Army Commander General Rawlinson, Monash and the Australian Corps, with the support of the British 5th Tank Brigade and elements of the American 66th Brigade launched an attack on Hamel. The operation was notable for its detailed planning and use of tanks together with infantry in spite of the Americans initially refusing to let their troops be commanded by a foreigner.
The Battle of Amiens was shown, which was the opening battle of the 100 Days Offensive, which finished with breaching the Hindenburg line, ending the war. Planned and spearheaded by Monash and the Australian Corp and also involving the British 4th under Rawlinson and the Canadian Corps under Currie, this was a battle over open terrain, leaving trench warfare behind. The battle was a coordinated effort between tanks, infantry, artillery and aircraft. After the first day the allies advanced an average of 7 miles, engulfing 5 German Divisions, although the advance was slowed later as the tanks broke down and the infantry outran the artillery. The victory was a major turning point of the war and resulted in General Monash being knighted in the field by King George V, the first time this had occurred in 200 years.
The efforts of the Australians during the First World War is fascinating story and a story worth telling and generally very well told in the ANZACS.
War
Jools-1019 December 1999
I first saw this mini series many years ago now and unfortunately have never seen it since and am unable to find it on video. I liked this series mainly because fortunately people today will never know what it is like to be at war with another country and the lengths people were stretched to. Australia did not have to help Britain and many people must be aggravated that these men and women died for a cause that they didn't have to. This series showed these people as a book, in the beginning they were young and carefree, in the middle they lost their innocence of that life and the end all grown up and life would never be the same again. How lucky we are today!!
bravo Australia
g_c_pimm27 September 2002
the first time i saw this series it was with much dread. within the first five minutes i was glued. the story line was easy to follow, humorous, thanks to Pat Cleary, and above all informative. It shows a wonderful portrait of the diggers whom forsaked even their own families and lives to make this world a better place. Well done to the writters and actors for showing the world who Ozzies are.
Me'n Me Mites Gaw To Waugh.
rmax30482324 December 2013
It's an above average TV miniseries about ANZACS -- Australian/New Zealand forces -- at Gallipoli and in France in World War I. More cheerful than tragic, it takes us through combat, a lot of banter, a romance, explorations of character, and a lot of conflicts of varying degrees of importance.
In the earlier episodes we learn of the class distinctions between the aristocracy who mainly identify with Britain and those of the working class who think of themselves as Australians. The former are rather stiff, maintaining a veneer of European culture. The natives are a happy-go-lucky lot who pay little attention to social position.
This isn't the place to get into it, but isolated colonial populations are in a tough position. The Australians developed a national identity, taking one route out of the conflict. The Massachusetts Bay Colony took another and turned on themselves, hanging crazed devil worshipers and whatnot. Maybe it has to do with "the founder effect" -- prisoners and dissidents in Botany Bay; blue-nosed Puritans in Boston. Sorry.
National allegiances aside, there are even semi-serious regional differences among the men. There's Paul Hogan, the "banana bender" from tropical Queensland. Then there's the Cambridge-educated Andrew Clark from urban Melbourne who enlists as a private and rises to the rank of Captain.
Also explored, deservedly, are the oppositions between the British officer class and the junior officers and men. Whew, what a mismanaged war that was! Here's how historian Liddell Hart describes Douglas Haig, the British Field Marshall who managed the war in France.
"(Haig) was a man of supreme egoism and utter lack of scruple – who, to his overweening ambition, sacrificed hundreds of thousands of men. A man who betrayed even his most devoted assistants as well as the Government which he served. A man who gained his ends by trickery of a kind that was not merely immoral but criminal." Ironically, in my opinion anyway, Noel Trevarthen, who plays Haig in the film, turns in the best performance as a complete blank who refers to KIAs as "wastage" and only hopes that after the ANZACS have been "bloodied" in the field, they may behave themselves in a more military fashion behind the lines.
None of the other performances are duds though. They're all of professional character. But their roles are rather limited. Andrew Clark is the handsome hero who evolves from make-believe British to committed Australian who earns his spurs on the battlefield. And Paul Hogan's deadpan non-acting is a delight to behold.
It's not a gory bloodbath, nothing like "Band of Brothers". And the lesser budget of the typical television series is revealed now and then -- minor mistakes in wardrobe, a landscape that with its chalk and dust looks more like Australia than the rufous loam of France. The horrors of the snowy winter at Galipoli are mostly skipped, though a scene in France has the men's breath steaming.
In the end, you get to like the Ozzies. It's easy. They're serious and determined when the situation calls for it. When it doesn't, they're laid back, brash, and interested in sports, beer, and jokes -- people of action more than contemplation. I realize it's a stereotype but in my limited experiences with them in the Pacific, it all seems to fit. And, regardless of birthplace, they gave us such toothsome blonds as Olivia Newton-John, Naomi Watts, and Nicole Kidman. Good on them.
In the earlier episodes we learn of the class distinctions between the aristocracy who mainly identify with Britain and those of the working class who think of themselves as Australians. The former are rather stiff, maintaining a veneer of European culture. The natives are a happy-go-lucky lot who pay little attention to social position.
This isn't the place to get into it, but isolated colonial populations are in a tough position. The Australians developed a national identity, taking one route out of the conflict. The Massachusetts Bay Colony took another and turned on themselves, hanging crazed devil worshipers and whatnot. Maybe it has to do with "the founder effect" -- prisoners and dissidents in Botany Bay; blue-nosed Puritans in Boston. Sorry.
National allegiances aside, there are even semi-serious regional differences among the men. There's Paul Hogan, the "banana bender" from tropical Queensland. Then there's the Cambridge-educated Andrew Clark from urban Melbourne who enlists as a private and rises to the rank of Captain.
Also explored, deservedly, are the oppositions between the British officer class and the junior officers and men. Whew, what a mismanaged war that was! Here's how historian Liddell Hart describes Douglas Haig, the British Field Marshall who managed the war in France.
"(Haig) was a man of supreme egoism and utter lack of scruple – who, to his overweening ambition, sacrificed hundreds of thousands of men. A man who betrayed even his most devoted assistants as well as the Government which he served. A man who gained his ends by trickery of a kind that was not merely immoral but criminal." Ironically, in my opinion anyway, Noel Trevarthen, who plays Haig in the film, turns in the best performance as a complete blank who refers to KIAs as "wastage" and only hopes that after the ANZACS have been "bloodied" in the field, they may behave themselves in a more military fashion behind the lines.
None of the other performances are duds though. They're all of professional character. But their roles are rather limited. Andrew Clark is the handsome hero who evolves from make-believe British to committed Australian who earns his spurs on the battlefield. And Paul Hogan's deadpan non-acting is a delight to behold.
It's not a gory bloodbath, nothing like "Band of Brothers". And the lesser budget of the typical television series is revealed now and then -- minor mistakes in wardrobe, a landscape that with its chalk and dust looks more like Australia than the rufous loam of France. The horrors of the snowy winter at Galipoli are mostly skipped, though a scene in France has the men's breath steaming.
In the end, you get to like the Ozzies. It's easy. They're serious and determined when the situation calls for it. When it doesn't, they're laid back, brash, and interested in sports, beer, and jokes -- people of action more than contemplation. I realize it's a stereotype but in my limited experiences with them in the Pacific, it all seems to fit. And, regardless of birthplace, they gave us such toothsome blonds as Olivia Newton-John, Naomi Watts, and Nicole Kidman. Good on them.
Looking Back...
kitchener24 April 2004
Anzac Day seemed an appropriate day to bring out my World War one movies, and so I arrived home from the Dawn Service, and stuck the first episode of Anzacs starring Andrew Clarke, Paul Hogan, and Jon Blake, into the VCR.
It was an excellent mini-series - or movie, depending on where you live - when I first watched it three years ago, and I was pleased to know that it hasn't lost any of it's filmic brilliance. Excellent performances from perennial Australian actor Andrew Clarke (playing Martin Barrington), legend Paul Hogan (cocky Pat Cleary) and Jon Blake (Flanagan) combined with great special effects, and much attention to historical detail, make this mini series an excellent thing to watch. It's certainly one of the best Australian productions ever.
The thing that sets Anzacs apart from anything else is the way the film begins in Victoria, just before war is declared, and takes the viewer on a journey from the boot camps, to the Gallipoli Peninsula, and on to the hellish battlefields across France and Belgium. The series follows a small platoon, originating in Victoria, and their trials and tribulations throughout the four years of World War One.
Key Australian actions from Lone Pine to the battle at Villers-Bretonneux are depicted with amazing attention to detail, and with great, sweeping battle sequences. The series is also remarkable in the way that it focuses on both the battlefield events, as well as events behind the lines. I like this, especially considering that infantry spent on 30% of their time in the line.
Gallipoli and The Lighthorseman are unfairly compared to Anzacs but shouldn't be, because these two movies focus on only a small campaign, where as Anzacs is long enough to show the whole war.
This is an excellent production, and is a good education into the way things happened during World War One, and is well worth the price of the video rental.
Andrew
It was an excellent mini-series - or movie, depending on where you live - when I first watched it three years ago, and I was pleased to know that it hasn't lost any of it's filmic brilliance. Excellent performances from perennial Australian actor Andrew Clarke (playing Martin Barrington), legend Paul Hogan (cocky Pat Cleary) and Jon Blake (Flanagan) combined with great special effects, and much attention to historical detail, make this mini series an excellent thing to watch. It's certainly one of the best Australian productions ever.
The thing that sets Anzacs apart from anything else is the way the film begins in Victoria, just before war is declared, and takes the viewer on a journey from the boot camps, to the Gallipoli Peninsula, and on to the hellish battlefields across France and Belgium. The series follows a small platoon, originating in Victoria, and their trials and tribulations throughout the four years of World War One.
Key Australian actions from Lone Pine to the battle at Villers-Bretonneux are depicted with amazing attention to detail, and with great, sweeping battle sequences. The series is also remarkable in the way that it focuses on both the battlefield events, as well as events behind the lines. I like this, especially considering that infantry spent on 30% of their time in the line.
Gallipoli and The Lighthorseman are unfairly compared to Anzacs but shouldn't be, because these two movies focus on only a small campaign, where as Anzacs is long enough to show the whole war.
This is an excellent production, and is a good education into the way things happened during World War One, and is well worth the price of the video rental.
Andrew
Best series on WWI
papon_gd19 December 2012
It is a wonderful mini-series equally as good as the BOB (Brand of Brothers) or any of its style. The series starts in a bit humorous way which it carried throughout in spite of the struggles and sufferings it depicts in the later part. The best thing about this series is that the characters are so relating such likes of Martyn, Pat, Roly, Flanagan it makes it so touchy and as if you are too going through along with them in their pains and happiness. There is also a cute love story going simultaneously along the story which gives you some extra comfort too. For me the character of Pat was superb and extra ordinary, and as of conclusion ill surely ask all you to have a watch which will be worth your taste and time.
Help's at hand if you want to get it.. and it's brilliant!!!
rollo_d23 April 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I managed to find where you can buy the DVD - I'm not plugging the site or anything, just I'd been looking for it for ages and when I saw your message online I thought I'd give it a try and hey presto - it's getting delivered as I type!!! There's a well known shop with a dog and record player in its logo, that sells it in Australia whicH i'M Validating. I would give you the direct URL but I just read that that's not acceptable, I just hope you Hear My Voice and give it a look! I hope that helps with your hunting down for the mini series! I was only 4 when it was shown in the UK and I loved it then, and still whistle that addictive tune often! The show is quite simply brilliant, I still remember it from way back when as if it were yesterday, brought me to tears seeing friends in the trenches marching to their doom at times and all the things that went on at that time. I loved the script, the editing, authenticity and connection you gained with the different characters. A must see show if there ever is one about the war. If you liked 'Band of Brothers' then this was its grand-daddy and even now is level pegging with modern 'classics'. Buy it or watch it just keep remembering it!
Oh OK here's the link
http://www.hmv.com.au/product/dvd.asp?sku=870394&Affiliate=344
Oh OK here's the link
http://www.hmv.com.au/product/dvd.asp?sku=870394&Affiliate=344
Enjoyable by all means
bigdezdez21 October 2007
I remember seeing this mini-series on TV in New Zealand back late '80s and falling in love with it. Years later I bought the series from an ABC shop here in Australia and found that it's entertainment value had not been lost.
I must admit, I was rather disappointed to hear that it was cut down to movie-length for the Nth American audience. I can't imagine that being done without losing key plot-points. It would be like turning Band Of Brothers into a 120minute film.
I think the mini-series captured the sentiment of the soldiers, the politicians, and the families back home quite accurately. There is no denying that this film was made with an Australian audience in mind, and the difference in cultures between varying countries would undoubtedly see some people lose interest in the story-line and/or not understand or appreciate various moments or quotes. The fact of the matter is, there hasn't been enough of this content in this region of the world. All too often we see films depicting Americans as the winners of the wars. Not to discard their participation in either war, and with all due respect to their veterans, we must however remember that on both occasions of World Wars, the USA were rather late entrants. That said, the dialogue between characters was, at times, "Aussied-up" - but surely if we've learnt to understand "American" as a language, it can't be too hard to understand "Australian".
Back to the story: By following the same group from the time war breaks out, to after peace has been declared, it's easy to see why so many people have compared it to an earlier, Australian version of Band Of Brothers. The characters are all strong and represent Working-class Australia of the time. Strong and entertaining performances by all, especially Andrew Clarke, John Blake, Christopher Cummins and Paul Hogan (purely the entertainment draw-card).
As a born-and-bred Kiwi, I must admit that I'm not in the least offended or put out by the fact that there was basically NO mention of New Zealand in the entire series. I know that without "NZ" they would have been called the "AACS", but this film is a bit of Australiana. Along with "Gallipoli" and "The Light Horsemen", ANZACS is to Australians what "Chunuk Bair" is to New Zealanders.
I must admit, I was rather disappointed to hear that it was cut down to movie-length for the Nth American audience. I can't imagine that being done without losing key plot-points. It would be like turning Band Of Brothers into a 120minute film.
I think the mini-series captured the sentiment of the soldiers, the politicians, and the families back home quite accurately. There is no denying that this film was made with an Australian audience in mind, and the difference in cultures between varying countries would undoubtedly see some people lose interest in the story-line and/or not understand or appreciate various moments or quotes. The fact of the matter is, there hasn't been enough of this content in this region of the world. All too often we see films depicting Americans as the winners of the wars. Not to discard their participation in either war, and with all due respect to their veterans, we must however remember that on both occasions of World Wars, the USA were rather late entrants. That said, the dialogue between characters was, at times, "Aussied-up" - but surely if we've learnt to understand "American" as a language, it can't be too hard to understand "Australian".
Back to the story: By following the same group from the time war breaks out, to after peace has been declared, it's easy to see why so many people have compared it to an earlier, Australian version of Band Of Brothers. The characters are all strong and represent Working-class Australia of the time. Strong and entertaining performances by all, especially Andrew Clarke, John Blake, Christopher Cummins and Paul Hogan (purely the entertainment draw-card).
As a born-and-bred Kiwi, I must admit that I'm not in the least offended or put out by the fact that there was basically NO mention of New Zealand in the entire series. I know that without "NZ" they would have been called the "AACS", but this film is a bit of Australiana. Along with "Gallipoli" and "The Light Horsemen", ANZACS is to Australians what "Chunuk Bair" is to New Zealanders.
How this drama works as a supreme entertainment,education and tribute.
lovell17 April 2005
I first saw this series when it was first shown on UK TV on daytime programing??? Who they expected to watch I cannot imagine. I was at home recovering from a serious industrial accident, it was worth the pain and injury to see this epic tale, which was shown with no pre-publicity. When it was repeated on Sunday evenings over a year later I made a point of recording it. When my children raved about the excellent 'Band of Brothers' I promised to treat them to ANZACs. When I eventually sat down with my 15 year old boy, fan of Medal of Honour, Band of Brothers etc. he was for once speechless and we sat till 3.30 am watching the whole series in one sitting in turns crying, laughing and cheering. I cannot imagine any other 'entertainment'? having this effect.
On par with Saving Private Ryan
casxx20 August 2005
One good way of rating a movie is how soon are you willing to watch it again. Well i just bought the 3 disc set and it will be the 3rd time i'd have watched it in 3 months. Their are very few Aussie films that can match this production..Yea OK, we probably don't make that many films, but it's up there amongst our best.
It's about a group of 12 or so who volunteer to fight in the Great War, jubilantly thinking it would be just one long adventure. For a lengthy film it never loses it's pace. It doesn't focus too much or too graphically on each particular battle, but the film is so well done that it appears to. Andrew Clark(Barrington) is the standout with good support cast all round. Jon Blake(Flanagan) is worth a mention too as is Paul Hogan(Cleary) who steals the odd scene. You can't help getting caught up in this film. A must see, the full 524 min version, not the truncated version!
It's not a bad educational film either. I knew the diggers did us proud but i didn't realize how much of an impact we made in WW1 until i did some research on the net. The allies might have still won the war without the Aussies but definitely not by 11-11-1918. Also there was some documentary a little while back about how some schools in France have a kangaroo emblem in their classroom and how they play and sing Waltzing Matilda(Aussie unofficial National Anthem) every day. The reporter asked, 'why do the french have such an overwhelming regard for Australia'?. 'Because they came from more than half a world away to fight and die for us!', was the reply.
It's about a group of 12 or so who volunteer to fight in the Great War, jubilantly thinking it would be just one long adventure. For a lengthy film it never loses it's pace. It doesn't focus too much or too graphically on each particular battle, but the film is so well done that it appears to. Andrew Clark(Barrington) is the standout with good support cast all round. Jon Blake(Flanagan) is worth a mention too as is Paul Hogan(Cleary) who steals the odd scene. You can't help getting caught up in this film. A must see, the full 524 min version, not the truncated version!
It's not a bad educational film either. I knew the diggers did us proud but i didn't realize how much of an impact we made in WW1 until i did some research on the net. The allies might have still won the war without the Aussies but definitely not by 11-11-1918. Also there was some documentary a little while back about how some schools in France have a kangaroo emblem in their classroom and how they play and sing Waltzing Matilda(Aussie unofficial National Anthem) every day. The reporter asked, 'why do the french have such an overwhelming regard for Australia'?. 'Because they came from more than half a world away to fight and die for us!', was the reply.
Great WW1 drama series
grantss12 October 2015
Great WW1 drama series.
Covers a group of Australian soldiers and their adventures in Gallipoli and the Western Front during WW1. From their times as civilians until the end of the war.
Gritty, yet light-hearted, it captures the spirit of the ANZACs, yet doesn't glamorize war. Very emotional too, especially towards the end. The camaraderie and general vibe remind me of Band of Brothers, just with a less watertight plot.
Well worth watching as an education into the real ANZACs, their backgrounds and the sacrifices they made.
Covers a group of Australian soldiers and their adventures in Gallipoli and the Western Front during WW1. From their times as civilians until the end of the war.
Gritty, yet light-hearted, it captures the spirit of the ANZACs, yet doesn't glamorize war. Very emotional too, especially towards the end. The camaraderie and general vibe remind me of Band of Brothers, just with a less watertight plot.
Well worth watching as an education into the real ANZACs, their backgrounds and the sacrifices they made.
Age shall not weary them or the years condemn.....
davidjparris30 April 2020
A beautifully crafted mini series with all the elements of production done to a high standard. Watching it became addictive and I viewed it over 2 nights,finding it both entertaining and informative. Although that Australia has now faded into legend the true essence of Australia, if you scratch below the surface of the appalling imposition of political correction,you can still detect the beating heart of mateship and sacrifice. Lest We Forget.
A nice change
SAChoover13 October 2004
I thought it was quite a good series. I can't imagine how this could be reduced to a 2hr? tele-movie without losing just about everything good about it. I'm Australian, and this was produced for Aussies, no apologies for that. It's about time, rather than the usual good and bad Hollywood and to a lesser extent Brit efforts. If you don't know a Zac from a Brass Razoo, well we've had to put up with your slang and slight cultural differences for long enough. But I digress, this showed a part of history which has been long ignored, both here and overseas. In Australia we know full well the tale of Gallipoli, however the further efforts on the Western Front have largely been ignored. It's also good to see mention of the Home Front politics regarding conscription which severely divided the nation at the time and the Diggers response, which left it the only Allied fully volunteer Army in WW1. All in all I throughly enjoyed it, a good mix of believable characters, action, behind the lines antics and the Home Front drama, well worth seeing if you can get the original 5 part series.
For reviewers
Some of the previous commentators have said they wouldn't mind getting a copy of this. The only place I know that sells it is the Australian War Memorial. As you don't want URL's I won't include one however I'll leave it to you to phrase this part if you want to include it. Stuart Coates
For reviewers
Some of the previous commentators have said they wouldn't mind getting a copy of this. The only place I know that sells it is the Australian War Memorial. As you don't want URL's I won't include one however I'll leave it to you to phrase this part if you want to include it. Stuart Coates
Definitely Worth a Watch
goniometer26 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
A mini-series produced in the mid-1980's when the Australian film industry was scratching for a quid. As such, the acting, particularly amongst the support cast, was patchy and the script did not help. Also the special effects are showing their age.
Having said that, the storyline is strong and follows a platoon of the Australian 8th Battalion from recruitment at the breakout of war to the wars ending. The major events of the war are faithfully followed including the role Keith Murdoch (Rupert's dad) played in the war.
Of particular interest to history buffs is the class tension back in the Australian population that was still in its infancy when the war broke out. For a nation only 13 years old this war could not have come at a worse time. To lose our best and brightest in such numbers must have set back Australian nationhood development decades. The impact of the war back home is faithfully portrayed.
A mini-series well worth a watch.
Having said that, the storyline is strong and follows a platoon of the Australian 8th Battalion from recruitment at the breakout of war to the wars ending. The major events of the war are faithfully followed including the role Keith Murdoch (Rupert's dad) played in the war.
Of particular interest to history buffs is the class tension back in the Australian population that was still in its infancy when the war broke out. For a nation only 13 years old this war could not have come at a worse time. To lose our best and brightest in such numbers must have set back Australian nationhood development decades. The impact of the war back home is faithfully portrayed.
A mini-series well worth a watch.
Anzacs
allmoviesfan16 April 2023
In the annals of Australian television, Anzacs has a place right near the top.
The sweeping 1985 mini series starring Paul Hogan (in his first dramatic role), Andrew Clarke, Megan Williams and the young, rising star, Jon Blake, spared no expense in creating a realistic and uniquely Australian production that has rightly been lauded in the 38 (!!) years since it's release.
The series follows a group of men from Victoria who enlist in the Australian Imperial Force at the outset of World War One, right through to after the November 11 1918 Armistice. Yes, it skips over training in Egypt but takes in the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign and then the ghastly Western Front battles that Australians were involved in: Pozieres, Passchendaele, and Australian actions during the German Spring Offensive of 1918.
Setting aside the impressive battle scenes and the many storylines true to the experiences of Australian volunteers in the First World War, the characters are what make this show so completely compelling and unforgettable: Hogan as the larrikin Pat Cleary, Clarke as the educated, high-born Martin Barrington, Williams as Sister Kate Baker, a nurse attached to Australian forces, Jon Blake as the first-nameless Flangan, a Gallipoli reinforcement who becomes the centre of the show in it's later episodes. And more: Dingo Gordon, Sergeant McArthur, Pudden Parsons, Roly Collins, Lieutenant Armstrong, Bill Hars, and Kaiser Schmidt.
Wonderfully conceived and written, you feel great empathy for the entire ensemble cast, and watching their individual fates play out against the backdrop of a war of wholesale death and destruction. True to the carnage of that conflict, not all their stories have a happy ending.
You'll laugh and cry, smile and frown. From Australia 1914 to Australia in 1919, it is a memorable ride. No wonder Anzacs is still spoken about as the gold-standard of miniseries in Australia today.
No weak episodes. No weak storylines. No weak characters. Absolutely brilliant.
The sweeping 1985 mini series starring Paul Hogan (in his first dramatic role), Andrew Clarke, Megan Williams and the young, rising star, Jon Blake, spared no expense in creating a realistic and uniquely Australian production that has rightly been lauded in the 38 (!!) years since it's release.
The series follows a group of men from Victoria who enlist in the Australian Imperial Force at the outset of World War One, right through to after the November 11 1918 Armistice. Yes, it skips over training in Egypt but takes in the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign and then the ghastly Western Front battles that Australians were involved in: Pozieres, Passchendaele, and Australian actions during the German Spring Offensive of 1918.
Setting aside the impressive battle scenes and the many storylines true to the experiences of Australian volunteers in the First World War, the characters are what make this show so completely compelling and unforgettable: Hogan as the larrikin Pat Cleary, Clarke as the educated, high-born Martin Barrington, Williams as Sister Kate Baker, a nurse attached to Australian forces, Jon Blake as the first-nameless Flangan, a Gallipoli reinforcement who becomes the centre of the show in it's later episodes. And more: Dingo Gordon, Sergeant McArthur, Pudden Parsons, Roly Collins, Lieutenant Armstrong, Bill Hars, and Kaiser Schmidt.
Wonderfully conceived and written, you feel great empathy for the entire ensemble cast, and watching their individual fates play out against the backdrop of a war of wholesale death and destruction. True to the carnage of that conflict, not all their stories have a happy ending.
You'll laugh and cry, smile and frown. From Australia 1914 to Australia in 1919, it is a memorable ride. No wonder Anzacs is still spoken about as the gold-standard of miniseries in Australia today.
No weak episodes. No weak storylines. No weak characters. Absolutely brilliant.
a beauty of a flick and fair dinkum, too.
lonergan217 February 2014
My Irish-born grandfather was with the Australians at Gallipoli, after having served in the RN. I have his enlistment ticket which says he was volunteer #28 that day. I'm sitting here, watching the series on youtube, while wearing his old campaign hat, and imagining his experience as one of those poor bastards at Gallipoli, and later in France and Belgium. I'm very grateful to see a more in-depth treatment of his experiences than are available in the movies Gallipoli and The Light Horsemen. He very seldom spoke of his experiences during the war, except to say that he learned to respect the English, even if he did not like them, pretty high talk from a dyed-in-the-wool IRA man from Tipperary. The acting in this series is universally decent, the sets and scripting well done, and some sense of the squalor and filth is presented, much more than in most productions. Most Americans, unlike meself, often have a very US-centric attitude and very little knowledge of historical events, other cultures, or the true nature of combat, so I must apologize for negative comments from my fellow Americans. I would not hesitate to recommend the series to anyone, and I'd be happy to stand in for disgruntled Aussies and punch American complainers in the nose. PS, If any Aussie readers of this know who I might write to to obtain my grandfather's service record, I'd be very grateful. I am at lonergan2(at) yahoo (dot) com.
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