BBC documentary
- Thread starter edwin
- Start date
edwin
Active member
RON said:Please email it to us Edwin
Its available on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2vOYmu90KM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/World-War-Great-Complete-Series/dp/B0000634BA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
You can find also relevant torrents on the piratebay.
Best regards,
Edwin
joerookery
Well-known member
The footage is great. The commentary however has historically been the source of a great deal of the mythology in English language World War I studies. This is the classic "British" interpretation that found its way into book after book in the English language. I just throw that out as a health caution but they even have some great interviews such as Spears- Liaison 1914 fame.
edwin
Active member
joerookery said:
I fully agree that this documentary portraits the classic British interpretation of WW1. Several things are, offcourse with hindsight, historically incorrerct, like, for example, the episode about Verdun. This episode is based to large extent on the questionable christmas memorandum of Falkenhayn in which he explained his offensive intentions for 1916 to the Kaiser. It is questionable because there is no proof that it ever existed apart from its mentioning in the memoires of Falkenhayn (see also the book by Robert Foley) but offcourse one should also keep in mind that potential evidence for this memorandum was destroyed along with the other material in the Prussian war archives in ww2. It was Alistar Horne who mentioned this memorandun in his book about Verdun.
Best regards,
Edwin
Pierre Grande Guerre
New member
If you shut your ears for the biased comments of 1964, the images shown in these documentary series are still very valuable. Afterwards many of these scenes were not repeated in later versions of all kinds of later documentaries.
I agree with Joe concerning the biased and outdated commentary, but simultaneously and on the other hand I support Edwin's view point that the footage is often extra-ordinary. Having seen many Great War documentaries, old and more recent ones, I support Edwin in his conclusion that from the angle of the footage, this 1964 BBC documentary is still one of the best series, which ever have been shown here in Europe.
I must also confess, that these was the first documentary series about this war that I have ever seen and that fact might biase my personal experience, Joe. Like we all have to do : later on I learned to study more and to approach every story line critically from different sides before drawing any conclusions.
I agree with Joe concerning the biased and outdated commentary, but simultaneously and on the other hand I support Edwin's view point that the footage is often extra-ordinary. Having seen many Great War documentaries, old and more recent ones, I support Edwin in his conclusion that from the angle of the footage, this 1964 BBC documentary is still one of the best series, which ever have been shown here in Europe.
I must also confess, that these was the first documentary series about this war that I have ever seen and that fact might biase my personal experience, Joe. Like we all have to do : later on I learned to study more and to approach every story line critically from different sides before drawing any conclusions.
drakegoodman
New member
Might be time to offer it again on Dropbox Pierre
