Product Details

• Actors: Brian Cox
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Rhino Theatrical
• DVD Release Date: September 13, 2005
• Run Time: 151 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000AQ69QI
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,328 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

JAPAN'S WAR IN COLOUR - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

103 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Color Footage: From Japan!, December 17, 2006

By 

Ernest Jagger (Culver City, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Japan's War in Colour (DVD)

I highly recommend this DVD about Japan in the Second World War. The film does a great job in both the footage and narrative in exploring the Japanese viewpoint of the war. What is also very fascinating is the color footage in the film. Most of the footage shown about the war in the Pacific is black and white, or colorized. This documentary film is actual color footage. Not restored black and white into color: But the real deal here. The film does an excellent job in showing Japan's experience in the war.

Moreover, the narration is very, very good. You also have first-person accounts of the events of the war: which I have also found to be a plus in any documentary. Primary evidence, be it paper documents or the men who witnessed these historic events give a much more vivid picture when discussing historic events. The pictures in the film are incredible. Almost 95% is in color. And I might add, this footage has never been seen before.

There is also bonus material included in the DVD called "The Last Bomb" which detail the planning and massive attacks of the then Army Air Force on the city of Tokyo. The film shows air combat footage of the Air Force in color. I have seen many of these types of films while I served in the U.S Air Force many years ago, however, this footage compliments the entire rest of the documentary film. There is also footage of the Pacific Campaign dealing with the varoius battles, such as Iwo Jima. Plus, there is footage of post-war Japan, which many documentaries do not focus on, when discussing the war. The DVD is highly recommended.

57 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastically Remarkable Achievement, December 2, 2006

By 

UCLA Crew (Arlington, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Japan's War in Colour (DVD)

If there ever was one film that effectively captures and encapsulates Japan's wartime experience, this DVD is it--hands down.

Narration and editing is absolutely phenomenal. Combined with first-person account of events amplifying the footage, this film relentlessly draws the viewer in.

And, oh, what pictures! Virtually 95% of color footage is never before seen, and even startled to see what I always believed to be B/W playing out in color. These are genuine color footages and NOT colorized B/W stock.

Bonus material includes a complete War Department Oscar nominated color documentary "The Last Bomb" that chronicles the planning and attack on the city of Tokyo by the U.S. Army Air Force. It contains incredible air combat gun camera footage--in color!

DVD also includes 3 selections of original color footage not used in the main program: Battle for the island of Iwo Jima, Hiroshima & Nagasaki after the atom bombs, and vivid street scenes of Japan during the postwar period.

A must-own DVD (the price is right, too).

WARNING: Contains uncensored/unsanitized film footage. Graphic scenes may not be suitable for some. Viewer discretion is advised.

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Amazing archival images, problematic presentation, February 16, 2008

By 

K. G. Godwin (Winnipeg, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Japan's War in Colour (DVD)

The producers of this documentary (and others in the series) have obviously spent a great deal of time and effort in tracking down the remarkable color footage and restoring it. However, they've also made the decision to convert the original 4:3 images to 16:9 -- obviously to satisfy those who've already bought their widescreen TVs. This cropping of about a third of the image from the top and bottom of the frame results in the frequently painful butchery of the image. Since the whole raison d'etre of the series is to present these rare images (as documentaries, the programs are efficient but unremarkable surveys of their subjects), this mutilation seems inexplicable. The material itself is worth five stars, but the presentation drags down the rating.