Customer Reviews

They Filmed the War in Color: The Pacific War

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I agree with the previous reviewer that the European conceptualization of the war in the Pacific theater (and the narration) are a bit out of sync with it's American counterpart, BUT this footage is MINDBLOWING.

For those of use who grew up with a black and white version of the war, and what was happening stateside, this is an INCREDIBLE resource.

All of a sudden it's just more "real". The weapons and materiel of war look more ominous and devasting in lush, living and breathing color.

The grunts in the jungle all of a sudden look more human- and reminiscent of the later war in Vietnam.

In one respect I think the "European Perspective" adds value to this presentation- I doubt that in an American version we'd see things that make us look less than heroic- like a bunch of jarheads getting trashed on hooch and frolicking in the surf. Also, there's some stunning footage of Japanese civilians killing themselves during one of the island campaigns.

This is a MUST have. However, like any historical document, you should always follow up on your own about anything that irks you. My advice is to go talk to a vet while you still can.

Overall I found this "documentary" to be a frustrating and disappointing film and therefore cannot recommend it.

While we do see some relatively "new" footage in places, many color scenes have been observed in numerous other WWII documentaries and feature films. Other viewers who have seen the film and reviewed it on Amazon suggest that this film is best viewed with the sound turned off. I have to concur with that sentiment.

The script and and narration track was written by the same man who directed the film, frenchman Rene-Jean Bouyer, who in my view, writes with a deceitful, anti-American slant. The film is laced with inaccuracies, half-truths, and erroneous conclusions. It is modern day revisionist history written by a left leaning partisan with no serious writing or producing credentials. There are only two history sources (non-degreed individuals without titles), both French, as is most of the film's production team.

Every mistake, lost battle, or racial prejudice committed by the Americans is highlighted; yet air and sea battles that the U.S. won against the Japanese were not -- according to the film's narration -- due to superior skill, bravery or American resolve, but merely because of "technological superiority." Footage covering the post A-bomb attacks have received the usual treatment. It seems that the filmmaker only begrudgingly acknowledges that the United States won the war against Japan, which he implies, was done with the help of the "free French forces" who we see are present at the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay aboard the U.S. battleship Missouri. Now that's new footage I hadn't seen before! If you are determined to see every possible bit of footage shot in WWII, go ahead and rent this film, but do try it with the sound turned down.

A far better choice would be the superlative "WWII: The Lost Color Archives", a 2 disc series produced by A&E's History Channel, a substantive work that is equally informative and enjoyable. Another outstanding production is "The World At War" -- a 1970s era television series. It's easily one of the most thorough and well researched films about the war. Notably, the filmmakers took great pains to present an objective and thoroughly comprehensive survey of the war. Serious WWII film buffs and historians should not miss it. The World at War (30th Anniversary Edition)

This DVD delivers in that all of the content is in original color. For this reason it's worth the price and then some. The writing (French) and the narration (British) are another thing. These folks don't know a thing about the Pacific War and don't want to know. Just hit the mute button and enjoy the Kodachrome movies of the American (and Japanese) home front and battlefront like you have not seen before. Highly recommended.

The narrator goes on and on spitting out his own version of history where the dumb Americans win the war because they out produce the even dumber Japanese. It looks like he just got some video editing software and edited out free public domain movies and stuck them together with his own voice over. Do a search on it " Marines at tawara" and you will get to the other public domain archives. According to this movie the Brits had the war won and they were fighting all over the pacific and the sneaky evil USA come in wreck it for them and get all the credit. Ha ha ha. He goes on to add "the USA didnt understand the japanese were willing to die? False. The USA mascared the japanese for no reason in bombing raids!" False. He adds insult to injury and says the American economy was booming and that the Americans were partying at home while there boys were dieing overseas. Stupid. There families where missing there sons and daughters. He forgets to add that for every marine on the ground there were 4 sailors to get him there and thats not including the war industry at home. He forgets to add they had rationing in the USA to help them win. He doesn't mention the usa had one victory after another. Give this a skip. After watching this movie you would think the USA lost.

I am amazed that new color WW2 video is still being discovered. Both the film content & film quality is superb. Most of the color content is new to me, & I have seen the other better known color war docs such as "The Color of War", etc. I never knew the Doolittle bombers taking off of the Hornet were filmed in color. And I never saw a B-29 do a water landing before.