Product Details

• Actors: Harold Alexander, Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, Bernard L. Montgomery, Erwin Rommel
• Directors: David MacDonald, Roy Boulting
• Writers: J.L. Hodson
• Producers: David MacDonald
• Format: Black & White, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Koch Vision
• DVD Release Date: March 10, 2009
• Run Time: 62 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001NH4CHQ
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #156,097 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Desert Victory - The Battle of Alamein" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

The Imperial War Museum Collection features rare and fascinating original films preserved in the Museum’s archives. Many have never been released to the public before and are presented here, complete and uncut, for the very first time.

Winner of the 1943 Academy Award for Best Documentary, Desert Victory (directed by Roy Boulting) was made by the British Army and R.A.F to capture the Battle of El Alamein as it happened. Teams of cameramen followed the 8th Army troops into battle against Rommel’s Afrika Korps and recorded some of the war’s most extraordinary frontline footage.

This special 2-disc collector’s edition also includes four bonus films covering desert survival techniques for downed airmen, the early victories against the Italians by General Wavell and two different perspectives on the siege of Tobruk.

Land and Live in the Desert
Produced by the U.S. Army Air Force in 1942, this rare film vividly demonstrates survival skills for air crews shot down in the desert.

Wavell’s 30,000
Produced by the Crown Film Unit in 1942, this film provides a detailed account of British and Commonwealth successes under General Sir Archibald Wavell against the Italians in Libya culminating in the capture of Bengazi.

The Siege of Tobruk
Produced by the Army Film Unit, Imperial Forces and the British Newsreel Association in 1942, this film provides rare material of the first siege of Tobruk and shows British, Australian and Polish troops defending this small Libyan port.

Defenders of Tobruk
Produced by the Australian Department of Information Official Unit in 1942, this short film focuses on Australian troops during the first siege of Tobruk.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars WWII North African campaign of 1940-42, December 31, 2008

By 

Annie Van Auken (Planet Earth) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Desert Victory [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Released to the public shortly after the events it depicted, DESERT VICTORY is a one-hour British-made documentary concerning their 8th Army's North African rout of Erwin Rommel's Panzers. The all-important Battle of El Alamein gets in-depth coverage that includes re-enactments. The majority here however is actual close-up combat footage that came dearly: four cameramen were killed and thirteen wounded or taken prisoner while recording these scenes. Also featured are some captured German films.

This is one of the finest contemporary WWII documentaries-- a fast-moving description of a crucial early British victory.


As of 1/09, DESERT VICTORY was not available on a DVD worth recommending (only bootleg-quality knockoffs exist).

Of interest are the three-hour WWII IN COLOR and WORLD WAR II - THE LOST COLOR ARCHIVES, both on DVD.


Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 viewer poll rating found at a film resource website.

(7.3) Desert Victory (UK-1943) - archive footage of: Erwin Rommel, Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, Bernard L. Mongomery, Josef Goebbels and other important figures

4.0 out of 5 stars A good movie for anyone interesed in WWII, September 7, 2011

By 

rock-doc - See all my reviews

This review is from: Desert Victory - The Battle of Alamein (DVD)

Well made British documentary with healthy balance between re-enactment and documentary. I would rate it much better than similar US-made documentaries (like Vicory at Sea), where re-enactments cget flat out annoying. I like the details explained and very appropriate footage. Among the minuses... for some reason, parts of the movie are pitch black. Black where you can see nothing. Yes, I understand everyhting about black and white documentary fils of WWII vitage, but I bet that this was some sort of unsucsessful night scene re-enactment that can be probably cut out. I do rewcommend this movie to anyone interested in WWII history!