Customer Reviews

WWII 60th Anniversary Collection (The Guns of Navarone/From Here to Eternity/The Bridge on the River Kwai) (Includes Collectible Scrapbook)

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"The Bridge on the River Kwai" is unquestionably one of the towering classics in the WWII genre of films, it's inclusion here makes it by default one of the primary reasons to purchase this collection. But what else can you expect with film master David Lean at the helm and Alec Guiness in a starring role?

"From Here to Eternity" and "The Guns of Navarone" are both only one step below "Bridge". "Guns" is an exciting, suspenseful thriller while "Eternity" is more of a character study in a military environment. Both are excellent for entirely different reasons. Look for the great Richard Harris in an early (and all too brief) role in "Guns".

Also included is the 48-minute History Channel "Weapons at War" episode on "WWII Leathernecks" and a 25-page scrapbook. The scrapbook features a brief essay on each film as well as cast & crew filmography for the director and three main leads. There's also some production photographs along with the original theatre posters. Rounding out the book is a list of the Academy Award wins & nominations each film collected.

Each DVD is packaged in the slimline DVD cases and enclosed in a cardboard sleeve. Though the DVD set doesn't list any special features, there are a few included. "Guns" has perhaps the most involving feature - a 30 minute making-of special featuring interview footage with Gregory Peck. "Eternity" has one as well but it is less than 3 minutes, the main feature there is 10 minutes of interview excerpts with director Fred Zinneman. "Bridge" has nothing but a couple of trailers.

If you can locate this set locally, there's a new version released just this year that comes enclosed in a tin case. It's everything included here as well as an extra DVD titled "Pacific Battlefront: Heroes of Iwo Jima". It's the last two episodes of the "Pacific Battlefront" series and covers Iwo Jima and Okinawa (each episode is about 45 minutes). I've seen this version of the set at stores like Best Buy for less than 20 dollars.

A historical account of things that actually happened during World War II, a great addition to ones library of films.

I enjoy watching the WW2 movies. This pack has three great movies and the price was great. There is also a documentary included as a bonus.