Customer Reviews

Titanic - The Complete Story

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I purchased this for my 9 year old as he is obsessed with the tragedy of the Titanic sinking in 1912. We both were fascinated by it. Great Job A&E. I watched it with my son and have already repeated watching the second disc the very next day myself! It is awesome and really detailed. It is hard to believe some of the facts that had to do with the "times" such as class distinctions, also equally disturbing that even that as gallant as it was and appropriate in those times for "women and children first" to be saved, the tragedy left the rescued women instant widows in a time that was very difficult as it was pre-sufferget, also not to mention fatherless children and the horrible fact that most 3rd class passengers (if not all of them) perished, women, children and men. They left no stone unturned in this presentation. I would highly recommend this DVD to anyone really seeking facts about that night and the history and politics involved afterward, with the trials of Ismay and also Captian Lord (Captain from the ship accused of not responding to the Titanic's distress flares). It takes you from the beginning of the Titanic in Belfast Ireland to the sinking and rescue of the survivors in the life boats and bringing them to New York. There are personal quotes from passengers as written to loved ones and still photographs taken on the ship prior to the night of April 14th. The show also includes footage of commentary from living survivors today, that add another dimension to the presentation, which makes it so much more real, as well as commentary from Titanic historians and book authors (one inparticular Walter Lord "A Night To Remember" who had interviewed survivors years ago before some of them passed away). Then leads you up to the finding of the sunken ship in the 1980's. I think they covered it all. It is the most complete account in every way of anything I have seen or read on the Titanic so far. Excellent!

Another of the A&E historical documentary series' that has been up-dated and re-priced for DVD; but in the typical A&E style, does not contain sub-titles...
This two disc set contains three 95 minute documentaries made in the 1990's containing archeive film footage, photographs, interviews with survivors, and excerpts from passengers notes and diaries read by a voice actor of the same age, gender, and class/area accent as the original writer. Also included are: "Timeline of Critical Events"; "Biographies of Notable Passengers"; and an "Essay on the History of the Tragedy as seen in Popular Culture".
"Death of a Dream". 1994 mono 95'42" Introduces the plans for, and actual contruction and crewing policies for the Titanic and it's sister ships.
"The Legend Lives On". 1994 mono 95'52" Starts from the collision and continues with the aftermath in the press through to the investigative trials.
( Both of the above are narrated by David McCullum who acted in "A night to Remember" as the main radio operator ).
"Beyond Titanic". 1998 stereo 94'06" Looks at the continuing legacy and fascination with the Tianic's legend in books, television and film - from the 1917 silent movie through a Nazi semi-propaganda film from 1942, through Irwin Allen's "Time Tunnel's" premier episode to James Cameroon's film. Also included are scenes from: the search, discovery, and reclaimation of items from the seabed of the actual site where Titanic currently rests.
Overall this collection is a quite satisfying overview of the Titanic, with pleasing original film and photographic inclusion, plus some montages of modern and original material.

I watch this DVD at least 3 times a week. It's really three two-hour documentaries, but the first two comprise one series and the third is it's own short film.

The first disc shows you everything about the voyage of the fateful liner, from it's infancy to it's fateful sinking and the legacy left afterward.

The second disc shows a great documentary about Titanic's affect on pop culture. I bet you never knew that the Titanic was featured in a Nazi propoganda film! I consider myself to be quite the Titanic fanatic, and the second disc taught me things I honestly never knew!

I HIGHLY recommend this DVD set to anyone interested in learning about the world's most famous ocean liner, and the legacy it's left. After watching this, you won't even be able to remember who James Cameron is!

I have studied the history of and legends surrounding the sinking of the Titanic for over 20 years, and I have not seen a finer, more comprehensive treatment of the disaster. Not only are there survivors accounts featured (several of whom have since died), but interviews with Walter Lord and other historians. This is, in short, what a Titanic documentary would look like if Ken Burns decided to do one. Kudos! Outstanding!

I just saw this documentry and must say that it moved me to tears! It was very detailed, and included survivor interviews, author interviews, and diary readings from survivors from the Titanic. During the detailed explanations of it's sinking, I felt like I myself was sinking along with the other victims. This is an excellent documentry, A&E of course always knows how to take viewers where no one else can. I highly recommend this DVD. If you take even the slightest liking to the historical disaster, you will want to have this for your own collection.

A sobering and detailed look at the Titanic tragedy, from the big picture of it's historical/social context, to the haunting description of the cacophany of screams carrying across the glassy ocean waters ('not unlike the home-run roar of a ballpark stadium crowd'), echoing in the tormented memories of those survivors who watched their loved ones go down, as they sat huddled and shivering and paralyzed with fear and cold in the frigid safety of their lifeboats. The people who built it, the people who owned it, the people who survived it, the people who found it - it's all here, and more. An almost painfully thorough look at a serious tragedy that brought out incredible acts of bravery, courage, and heroism, as well as blatant acts of foolishness and cowardice, for those sincerely interested in the harsh reality of the historical truth, and not the glamorized hype of the Hollywood myth. Truly an epic documentary of an epic disaster, the trauma of which continues to reverberate through our modern consciousness.

There is nothing like hearing the first-hand testimony of Titanic survivors. About six different survivors are interviewed in the course of this four-part special, a few were only infants at the sinking and are recalling what their parents had told them; but other survivors were from 7 to 12 to 16 when the ship sank, so their testimony is very detailed and absorbing.

The narration is wonderful; the attention to detail is amazing, and the juxtaposition of archival footage of the great ship, the retelling of the history behind the building of Titanic, recollections of the world reaction to the disaster, the survivor testimony, and footage of the ghostly remains at the bottom of the ocean, make TITANIC (A&E DOCUMENTARY) a haunting experience. This is the best documentary on Titanic that I have ever seen, and I was very pleased to see that it is available on video (I had first seen it on TV years ago, and I had thought about it over the years - lamenting that I might never see it again.)

What I found most moving about TITANIC (A&E DOCUMENTARY) is how those who work to preserve the history of Titanic become quite emotional when talking about the disaster: George Behe, Vice President of Titanic Historical Society, is actually moved to tears as he retells the last moments of the ship, which is exceptional since he appears to be little older than 40-years-old when this documentary was originally aired in 1994, and Dr. Robert Ballard (a man no older than 50) comments on how everyone in his crew wept when they found the wreckage at the bottom of the Atlantic. The other thing that came to light in this documentary is the class struggle that went on during the "Gilded Age": more first class men survived than third class children. We learn that the Titanic disaster set a precedent for social change, planted the seeds of a social conscience, and influenced changes in the shipping industry that still affect us to this day.

I watched the A&E Special first, then I had to purchase this for my own collection. It is a gripping account of the events that occurred on that fateful night, and it is much more than a simple "timeline" account. This documentary has everything you always wanted to know about TITANIC, but didn't know where to begin to find it. I find that each time I watch this I find myself feeling melancholy afterwards [much like Cameron's film]. Personal accounts are woven throughout the documentary to give it the proper perspective, and it brings this tragedy back to life. I can't find anything negative to say about it. I highly recommend it. -- Doug Griswold, Sierra Vista, AZ. END

I bought this documentary set in 1995 after viewing the last half of it on A&E. I was spell-bound. The Titanic disaster is one of the most haunting incidents in the world's history. I have watched the tapes at least 4 times. If you have a keen interest in history, and appreciate a detailed, well-researched documentary that takes you from the building to the sinking of the Titanic, along with all the human drama involved, you will not be disappointed in this top-notch production. This one is a keeper.

In the finest tradition of A & E, this film is a riveting, detailed documentary of R.M.S. Titanic. It reviews the complacency and overconfidence of the Gilded Age, describes the events which led to the building of the Titanic, and through the words of survivors and other eye witnesses, takes us through the sailing, the collision with the iceberg, the sinking, and the aftermath, both in the United States and in the United Kingdom.

The only weakness is that Stanley Lord of the Californian gets off too lightly. He and his officers at the very least were negligent for not awakening the wireless operator and trying to find out what was going with the "mystery ship" they all admit to knowing about.