Review: WWII in HD
History Channel Documentary shows WWII as its Never Been Seen Before
Nov 14, 2009
The HISTORY channel (and Pennsylvania-based Lou Reda Productions) spent years collecting color film from various sources, including museums like the National Archives and private collections from homes dotting the American landscape. On that film was footage never before seen on TV – cleaned, color corrected and painstakingly enhanced – as part of a groundbreaking 10-part series beginning Sunday, November 15 and known simply as WWII in HD.
The series covers both the Pacific and European theaters of the war, following 12 individuals through the chaos, confusion and utter destruction of combat. Much of the footage was shot by military personnel on the ground who fought in or contributed to the war effort. Their stories -- pulled from diaries, journals and an intense series of interviews -- are narrated by Emmy Award winner Gary Sinise.
Viewer Discretion Advised
The cinematic presentation is anchored by an early disclaimer that reads, “While some footage is used in a representational manner, all the images you are about to see are real.” Viewers are reminded of that fact as they find themselves part of a visceral, almost surreal experience. Bombs explode, soldiers die and children are maimed as the realities of war come alive and help us to understand the need for colorization and restoration of this film.
Among those profiled are war reporters, medical personnel and a famed member of the Tuskegee Airmen. Their stories are voiced by actors including Rob Lowe, L.L. Cool J, Josh Lucas, Amy Smart, James Kyson Lee, Jason Ritter and Tim DeKay. The footage is unedited and pieced together from some 3,000 hours of film, taking viewers from Alaska’s Aleutian Islands to the battlefields of Northern Africa.
The first two episodes include a look at Jack Werner, a Jewish émigré who escaped from Austria before the war and ran for his life through the Alps and eventually all the way to France. He wound up fighting in the Pacific Theater rather than against the man and people he despised, including Hitler and the Nazis.
Army nurse June Wandrey, who served from the beginning of the war to its end, also tells how she worked around the clock to help the fallen soldiers. Her memory is sharp, her recollections vivid and pain still raw despite the time that has passed.
A Reason To Watch
The series – at its best and worst – has a strong emotional impact. You can’t ignore the cries of an 18-year-old soldier at Pearl Harbour suffering from mortal wounds, nor the nurse who remembers, “We never cried in front of the boys.” The 10-hour, five-night series is masterfully edited and horribly authentic, but its stories are definitely worth telling. As the advertisements suggest, even if we’ve heard them before, we’ve never seen it like this – until now.
WWII in HD starts Nov. 15, 2009 and runs back-to-back episodes five consecutive nights beginning at 9/8c on History.
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