The Second World War in Colour (1999– ) User Reviews

Its was real, but now it also looks real and in color

[Herr-Waldo · 8/10 · 24 December 2002]

When I started the first episode I thought to myself, "yet another World-war 2 documentary". I was wrong; the facts are the same as in all the other documentaries (naturally) but the fact that the images shown are in color actually does the trick. I never thought that whether a movie is in black/white of in color would change that much but this case proved me wrong. Also, the documentary covers almost the entire war in no more than 180 minutes witch I thought was done pretty well

After seeing this I say ==> bye bye black and white , hello color

Very strong, especially in certain context

[suchenwi · 8/10 · 7 January 2009]

Black and white vs. color: a debate that has been raging since color photography and cinematography was feasible, in the 1930s.

This miniseries makes a point of presenting WWII in period color only, as opposed to the wealth of b&w material we have seen, e.g. the Why We Fight series. Most of it (maybe except the Soviet parade parts) are probably amateur films, silent and 16mm, I suppose.

The editing of such color rarities (few people could afford a film camera in the 1930s, and even less color film) is quite admirably done here, and shows many surprising sights, especially of wartime civilian life in France and Britain. Add to that the diary and letter readings, and even the background music - a very strong retelling, in all.

But what struck me most was the pairing - I got part 1 of this series on an add-on DVD from AudioVideoPhoto Bild, a German consumer magazine that I only buy for the DVD, and otherwise throw away mostly unread. The 2/2009 featured movie was American History X (with its own b&w vs. color contrast) , and Colour of War 1 was just thrown in as extra.. But it gave me much more food for thought to see the two as a double-feature: swastikas, images of Hitler, brutal violence, from two very different edges.

Interesting, insightful and informative, in short excellent documentary.

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 8 June 2009]

I thought this was an interesting and informative insight into the story of the Second World War. What impressed me most was the mix of simple and complicated factual evidence, that was used very effectively throughout the documentary. Good examples are letters from the soldiers to their loved ones, diary entries from women affected by war and extracts from Hitler's and Churchill's speeches. The music was atmospheric and well-placed throughout. The images on screen were wonderfully presented, and John Thaw's narration was perfect, never once overdoing or under doing it. I learnt a lot from this documentary, with the precise relevant details and simple yet effective scripting. The only real criticism I have was that some of the images were quite overwhelming and rather upsetting to watch. Overall, 9/10 for a well done and thought-provoking documentary. I honestly did think it is one of the best documentaries about WW2 out there. Bethany Cox

Probably the best documentary about World War II

[Breydel · 18 May 2000]

"The Second World War in Colour" or simply "Colour of War" as it is released here in Belgium is a very good documentary about WWII and how it affected life around the world between 1940 and 1945. The entire documentary is a collection of authentic images, all in colour, of which a lot have been previously unreleased. Some images can be quite shocking at times and no doubt leave you with a bitter impression on how horrible war can be. The commentator also reads out a lot of letters or diary fragments from people who lived or died during World War II. Knowing this, you might think that the documentary in a whole would loose coherence but it's quite the opposite because even though "Colour of War" is mainly a collection of authentic images and letters it felt like everything fitted together very well.

About all the major events which happened during the period 1936-1945 are included. For example the German invansion in Poland and France, the bombing of London, Pearl Harbor, the confrontation between the American fleet and the German U-boats, Stalingrad, the American invasions of the Japanese islands, D-day, the Holocaust, Japanese Kamikazes, Hiroshima, ... it's all there.

I recommend this documentary to everyone who is interested in WWII or to people who would like to know some historical background information on movies like "Saving Private Ryan" or "Das Boot".

"The Colour Is Real."

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 27 July 2013]

The film was shot in real color, that is to say, not colorized. (Ugh.) And it departs from the norm in other ways. There isn't much in the way of combat footage, for instance, although the misery and exhilaration of being at war is effectively conveyed. The "exhilaration" is real enough in Germany and Japan, but the general response in Britain is mostly rueful and, in America following Pearl Harbor and Hitler's declaration of war, a furious nationalism.

John Thaw's well-written narration is often interrupted by someone reading letters that were written at the front lines, or by observers at home. There are diary entries, sometimes moving. This material is drawn from British, Japanese, German, Polish, French, Russian, and American sources, though we see nothing of Japanese civilians. Two of the authors of those letters deserve special mention. Quentin Aanenson, a placid Midwesterner who piloted a P-47, writes dispassionately and with great insight about his experiences. If you can find his documentary, "A Fighter Pilot's Story," be sure to watch it. And Eugene Sledge was a corporal in the Marine Corps and fought at Peleliu and Okinawa, publishing his memoirs in 1981, and became a professor of biology. "With the Old Breed" is a generous and brutal book, not quite like any other in its genre.

Though the emotional element of that world-wide calamity is preserved, this can't really be considered a step-by-step history of World War II. Africa is hardly mentioned. Italy isn't mentioned at all, nor is Guadalcanal.

And most of the political juggling is missing, except for a couple of incisive observations in Thaw's narrative. I'll give an example. Here in America, as I write this, we are faced with intermittent "terrorist" attacks, as are some other Western nations. But we had a Big One on 11 September, 2001, that altered the skyline of New York City. Since then, whenever someone in power suggests moderation in our response to those who despise us, perhaps negotiating with our adversaries, poor Neville Chamberlain is brought up as an example of a coward who "appeased" the enemy and brought on the invasion of Poland. (As if, had Chamberlain declared war in Munich, there would have been no war.) Yet, as the narration points out, Chamberlain and his generation had already BEEN through the slaughterhouse that was World War I, and they had an excellent idea of what was at stake. Of course the point is obvious if you think about it, but few of us today think about it.

So, yes, the emotional content is powerful. Those piles of skin and bone in Buchenwald and Dachau. The little Okinawan girl sitting in rags and shivering all over. The tears of relief when the whole bloody affair ends. But it's "educational" too, and in a way that some of us now need more than ever.

Robert J Maxwell is a lousy historian

[Seller7862 · 14 June 2015]

The film was shot in real color, that is to say, not colorized. (Ugh.) And it departs from the norm in other ways. There isn't much in the way of combat footage, for instance, although the misery and exhilaration of being at war is effectively conveyed. The "exhilaration" is real enough in Germany and Japan, but the general response in Britain is mostly rueful and, in America following Pearl Harbor and Hitler's declaration of war, a furious nationalism.

John Thaw's well-written narration is often interrupted by someone reading letters that were written at the front lines, or by observers at home. There are diary entries, sometimes moving. This material is drawn from British, Japanese, German, Polish, French, Russian, and American sources, though we see nothing of Japanese civilians. Two of the authors of those letters deserve special mention. Quentin Aanenson, a placid Midwesterner who piloted a P-47, writes dispassionately and with great insight about his experiences. If you can find his documentary, "A Fighter Pilot's Story," be sure to watch it. And Eugene Sledge was a corporal in the Marine Corps and fought at Peleliu and Okinawa, publishing his memoirs in 1981, and became a professor of biology. "With the Old Breed" is a generous and brutal book, not quite like any other in its genre.

Though the emotional element of that world-wide calamity is preserved, this can't really be considered a step-by-step history of World War II. Africa is hardly mentioned. Italy isn't mentioned at all, nor is Guadalcanal.

And most of the political juggling is missing, except for a couple of incisive observations in Thaw's narrative. I'll give an example. Here in America, as I write this, we are faced with intermittent "terrorist" attacks, as are some other Western nations. But we had a Big One on 11 September, 2001, that altered the skyline of New York City. Since then, whenever someone in power suggests moderation in our response to those who despise us, perhaps negotiating with our adversaries, poor Neville Chamberlain is brought up as an example of a coward who "appeased" the enemy and brought on the invasion of Poland. (As if, had Chamberlain declared war in Munich, there would have been no war.) Yet, as the narration points out, Chamberlain and his generation had already BEEN through the slaughterhouse that was World War I, and they had an excellent idea of what was at stake. Of course the point is obvious if you think about it, but few of us today think about it.

So, yes, the emotional content is powerful. Those piles of skin and bone in Buchenwald and Dachau. The little Okinawan girl sitting in rags and shivering all over. The tears of relief when the whole bloody affair ends. But it's "educational" too, and in a way that some of us now need more than ever.

^^^^^^^^^^^^ This guy is an idiot. Just like Chamberlain was. Wars happen more often when weakness is offered in place of strength. Historical fact.