Rating: 
Summary: The World at War- The Benchmark for WWII Documentaries
Review: I remember watching this series with my family when I was growing up almost 30 years ago. I've never forgotten it. And it's just as interesting and compelling
today as it was all those years ago. Jeremy Isaacs direction is superb and focused. Sir Laurence Olivier's narraration is so majestic, it's hard to describe in words. You get a well rounded story from all sides (American, British, Russian,
French, Italian, German, Japanese, military, civilian,etc.). The DVD transfer is wonderful, the films of the interviews were obviously kept in good hands. Carl Davis' music score is great and dramatic and is presented in Dolby 2.0 digital. There's extras like timelines, maps, shortcuts to songs, photo galleries for each episode and an
introduction by Mr. Isaacs for each episode.
You'll also come to the conclusion that some things never change- how America wanted no part of WWII. There were protests against fighting Hitler and Mussolini all across the Nation. Just like now. The situatuion was hard for Roosevelt, but the Japanese made his decision easier on December 7, 1941.
All in all, a timeless reminder of why war is so horrific, and at times, necessary
Rating:
Summary: Horribly brutal, brutally honest, honestly compassionate.
Review: I remember first watching The World at War along with my father when I was about seven years old and I cannot overstate its impact upon me as a human being. Perhaps it's not surprising that since many of the images contained within these twenty-six episodes (French refugees fleeing their homes, the forceful separation of Russian peasant families, British civilians laying dead among the rubble of the Blitz, not to mention the nightmarish horrors of the extermination camps) have remained seared in my memory after all these years, this program has been pivital in forming my world view. Please forgive me if I rant a bit, but even as I write this review, similar unspeakable atrosities are being committed in third world countries around the globe while the nations of the free world remain as apathetic to the plight of thousands (just as they did in the early and mid 1930's) because those who suffer are considered insignificant or unworthy of concern.Gripping and often rarely seen footage, an emotionally moving soundtrack and Laurence Olivier's astoundingly compelling narration combine to make Jeremy Issac's The World at War one of the most interesting and informative documentaries in television history. However, in my opinion, the addition of interviews with numerous participants from most of the engaged countries, many (if not all) of whom are now long deceased, are the best part of the film. For instance, I will always remember the German woman who, with heartbreakingly tearful regret, tells the story of when "...Hitler made me a murderer." The viewer be warned. The horrors of the Second World War are neither sanitized, nor obscured in any of the episodes of The World at War and though some aspects of the conflict are missing due to the regretable constraints of time, the story of when nearly the entire world went to war is pointedly told from beginning to end with incisive integrity.
Rating:
Summary: Completely Indispensable
Review: Factual, unbiased, bursting with rich historical detail, beautifully directed and peerlessly narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier; this is the definitive WW2 documentary series. Made in the 1970s it contains many, many excellent interviews with people from both sides who actually took part in he war which provide superb insight into the events being documented. The World At War is a long series but necessarily so - no consideration is missed during the course of its many hours which deliver coverage of the build-up to war, the execution of the war and its aftermath in terms of its effect on both military and civilian populations and from the perspective of all the major participant nations in both political and military terms. Not merely excellent in content, The World At War is also a flawlessly crafted piece of television - images and sound (allowing for its date of production and the inclusion of many archive clips) are excellent as are the score, script and narration - Laurence Olivier really does do a great job. To conclude - I can not recommend The World At War enough. If you are interested in the genre or a student of 20th century history then you should buy it: you will not regret it. If you consider the hours-of-viewing to price ratio it is also pretty good value to.
Rating:
Summary: A DVD collection is not complete without this
Review: The footage, interviews, narration and historical accuracy will never be rivaled and sets the bar for documentaries. This truly is a must see as it will satisfy history buffs as well as those who are not as knowledgable about this war. As I was watching it I wondered why it was not part of the curriculum in our high school history classes. I highly recomend this collection.
Rating:
Summary: An epic that is not to be missed.
Review: This documentary's scope is remarkable, and the presentation is powerful considering that it was created around 1968 to 1971 when there was much classified information yet to be released. To me a compelling aspect is the fact that it humanizes the conflict through the interviews with participants and survivors. I found particularly interesting how the Japanese infantryman and pilots viewed the war. You come to realize that there are human beings on both sides of the story... people like you and me. Stunning also are the interviews with Adolf Hitler's secretary. She provides a fascinating insight into the daily routine surrounding one of history's most notorious men. Another remarkable quality is this documentary's sound track. The music is superb, and it evokes powerful emotions throughout the series. Many of the pieces are haunting and well positioned during the narrative's course. Even after thirty years the music sounds fresh, unique, and evocative. View one of the late episodes and listen to the music as paratroopers drop into Germany. The music and the pictures tell the story without narrative, but this combination is compelling without any language. Finally, the photography provides images of the challenge, struggle, and horror that was the Second World War. It is nothing like the sanitized pictures from the cinema and the propaganda from this era. To this day I cringe when I see the film of the flies and the insects that plagued both sides during the North African campaigns. How did these men and these women live in such difficult conditions? If you invest the many hours needed to watch this documenary, then you will understand the War's horror, this conflict's historical aspects, and how it has shaped the world in the twenty first century.
Rating:
Summary: A note about the DVD
Review: There is little to add to what already has been said about "The World at War." But, having videotaped the series twenty years ago, when it first was shown on Thames Television, I am amazed by the quality of the picture. Created from new masters struck from the original film negative, the DVDs present an image that is pristine.
Rating:
Summary: Good Information On WW II
Review: I remeber watching this series on TV when I was a teen and was horrified for the first time when they showed the Nazi Cocentration Camps.I wished they did more on the Pacific but this is a British made production so its opinionated to them and their cause durring that time.But it dose show footages of the Americans roll in that war.They must have corrected the disk problem,my disk 2 was ok and was not a repeat of disk 1 as others said here.For the person who wants to know more about WW II this is a good source on information on it but be prepare to watch 15 to 16 hrs. of it.
Rating: 
Summary: DVD error corrected
Review: The DVD error (duplication of disk 1, side 2, on disk 2, side 2)has been corrected. This is a great series.
However, it does present a decidedly European "socialist" "pacifist" slant. In the post 9/11 world, that viewpoint is quite dated.
Keeping this in mind, it is, however, an excellent series. I am giving it 4stars, only because its political premise does not stand up today.
Rating: 
Summary: Stay Away
Review: I have now tried two separate copies of this set and both have the same production error. Disc 2 Side 2 has the same contents as Disc 1 Side 2. Until this manufacturing error is corrected and a new set issued or mail-in correction becomes available, this magnificent documentary has failed in its transfer to DVD. Buy or keep the VHS version for now until this error is corrected by the manufacturer.
Rating:
Summary: DVD has a flaw
Review: My copy of this title had the contents of side two of disc one repeated on side two of disc two, instead of the listed episodes. Check your copy. Amazon will graciously help you out, as they did me.
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