Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
74 of 76 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unforgettable, May 10, 1999
Without doubt the most stunning work of filmmaking I have ever seen, "War and Remembrance" is a massive experience to watch that will haunt you always. This last great miniseries dramatizes the ENTIRE Second World War, and does so at times with a raw honesty unseen before or since on network TV.Shot on location around the world, the soap opera stories are always intriguing as we follow the various members of the Henrys, an American Naval family as they encounter every major event of the war. The heart, though, is the central plot of Jane Seymour, in a heartbreaking career-best performance as an American Jew trapped in Europe, and John Gielgud, mesmerizing as her uncle. As they are slowly, inexorably pulled into the Holocaust we follow them, step by agonizing step, to the final horrors of Auschwitz, filmed entirely on location. The movie is aided by a brilliant, unforgettable score by Bob Cobert, especially the main theme which seems to encapsulate every single emotion of the thirty hours into its two minutes. It may be a bit of a commitment to watch this, but it is worth it. "War and Remembrance" is as close to time travel as is possible, and makes that dark period of history come powerfully alive.
|
|
|
95 of 101 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good, but boy, very long., March 23, 2000
War and Remembrance, the sequel to The Winds of War, starts off where the first ended. It's December 15, 1941 and the U.S. has just been attack by the Japanese Navy. Just like Winds, the historical content is extremely (and sometimes distubingly) accurate. The acting is great, and the battle scenes are as impressive as any ever filmed. If there is any downside to this series it's that Robert Mitchum is just too old here for the part of Pug Henry. In Winds he seemed to fit perfectly, however by the time Dan Curtis got to filming W&R Mitchum had begun to truly look his age. It's a small distraction, but it's there none-the-less. Upgrades in the casting from Winds include Jane Seymore taking over as Natalie Jastrow from Ali McGraw, Hart Bochner as Byron Henry (originally played by Jan-Michael Vincent) and Sir John Gielgud as Aaron Jastrow taking over from John Houseman. Downgrades include pretty much the whole German contingent (with the exception of Jeremy Kemp). In Winds Hitler and Goring were dark, sinister, and downright scary. Here they are portrayed as pompous and overbearing, but also stumbling through the war almost by accident. Probably not the most accurate of portrayals. I would recommend this to just about anybody who is interested in WW II and is looking for a great story. Just be forewarned: This mini-series has some of the most disturbing scenes EVER filmed for TV. The mass murder of the Jewish people here is as graphic and violent as you can possibly imagine. Add to that the journey that Aaron, Natalie, and her son are forced to endure so that the author, Herman Wouk, can show us the horrors of the holocaust, just absolutely rips your heart. This mini-series is NOT for the faint of heart.
|
|
|
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Still Worth It, September 30, 2006
War and Remembrance starts out strong with actual marines (not actors) raising the flag at Pearl Harbor shortly after the attack on it. But the viewer soon realizes that this is not the "Winds of War."
Several actors have been changed for this sequel including Jane Seymour replacing Ali McGraw as Natalie Jastrow. Seymour does not look or act like the dark and dusky character from the book, which may be the director's doing. Yet, her acting is far superior to McGraw's, so it is an overall improvement.
However, the story does seem to labor with small intrigues and bureaucratic bumbling that was not in the first story that sets the stage for the Henry family being flung world-wide by the "Winds of War."
The most interesting part for me was Victor Henry and his son in the historic battle of Midway, which was one of the three most pivotal battles of the war. (According to Wouk, this the greatest victory in American naval history and the war's best "general," Admiral Raymond Spruance are almost lost in naval archives.)
It comes down to this. How curious are you to find out what happened after the "Winds of War" ends? Chances are you will want to find out what happens to them all. In that case, you will buy it, or at least borrow it.
Wouk is a better than first rate writer who insists that this production faithfully follow the book, but he, fails to surpass himself in this effort.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
DVD ~ Robert Mitchum
DVD ~ Tom Bell
DVD ~ Stacy Keach
DVD ~ Kirstie Alley
DVD ~ Pierce Brosnan
