Rating: 
Summary: Varying quality
Review: A good overall look at the available color footage during the war. The commentary is quite good as well. Unfortunately, much of the footage is not as good as it could be. The first program on the first disc has a disappointing black level, and as a result, much of the footage looks too bright and washed out. While the next two programs improve on this, other DVDs such as "The Third Reich in Color" have presented color European theatre and Third Reich footage more carefully. However, none can compete all at once with this two disc set. The color footage shot during actual battles and preperation for D-Day are high points, as well as the seven minutes or so of Eva Braun home movies on the end of the disc. Pacific theatre buffs will feel shortchanged; I'd say 80 to 85% of the material concerns Europe. This DVD set is certainly worthwhile if you wish to see a large quantity of period color footage with informative commentary. It succeeds in bringing the war and the period to life.
Rating: 
Summary: Essential Viewing
Review: All the previous reviewers seem to have covered it all. This two DVD set is essential viewing for everyone. The colour and quality of these two DVDs brings to life the horror and grim reality of WW2. They give a brief and tragic insight to what it was like to experience the second global war, not only from a soldiers view point but also a civilian's one. The focus is more on the human element of the war rather than strategic or tactical view and makes good use of diary and letter extracts to compliment the unforgetable colour images. The only disappointing feature was that the review on the back of the first DVD suggested there would be combat coverage of the Battle of Staingrad, however this coverage was merely in the form of colour still shots unlike all the other images in this DVD set. Potential buyers from Australia and New Zealand should note that this has viewed on T.V. as "The Color of War" and not to confuse it with something different. Everyone should view this DVD to get a feel and an appreciation for this particular period of time.
Rating: 
Summary: the lost archives appear to be still lost
Review: Apart from the obvious important issue of color, "Lost Color Archives" is different from many other documentaries dealing with World War II. The emphasis is much less on causes and facts than it is on the impact of the war on society and individuals. Its use of personal observances is remeniscent of the way Ken Burns used eye witness accounts in "The Civil War" to make more of an impact on the viewer. Evenso, from a historical perspective, "Lost Color Archives" does deserve high praise as a solid explanation of the war as a whole. Because it is told largely from the eye witness point of view, the viewer has a sense of the impending conflict, then the endurance through the war, and finally, the exhausted conclusion. Emphasis is placed on the fact that the war was over, but that much of the world had been destroyed and that the effects and rememberance of the war would linger on. Add color to all this and the documentary clearly stands above anything else I've ever seen about the war. Some of the images are average, some are stunning, some are beautiful, some are horrifying, but all are in color. The combination of the color video and the first person narratives often sent chills down my spine.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Good Documentary Even if it Were Not in Color
Review: Apart from the obvious important issue of color, "Lost Color Archives" is different from many other documentaries dealing with World War II. The emphasis is much less on causes and facts than it is on the impact of the war on society and individuals. Its use of personal observances is remeniscent of the way Ken Burns used eye witness accounts in "The Civil War" to make more of an impact on the viewer. Evenso, from a historical perspective, "Lost Color Archives" does deserve high praise as a solid explanation of the war as a whole. Because it is told largely from the eye witness point of view, the viewer has a sense of the impending conflict, then the endurance through the war, and finally, the exhausted conclusion. Emphasis is placed on the fact that the war was over, but that much of the world had been destroyed and that the effects and rememberance of the war would linger on. Add color to all this and the documentary clearly stands above anything else I've ever seen about the war. Some of the images are average, some are stunning, some are beautiful, some are horrifying, but all are in color. The combination of the color video and the first person narratives often sent chills down my spine.
Rating:
Summary: The vision will change your everyday life
Review: Every human being should see this documentary. The vision will change your everyday life that you realize the burden of what we have inherited from those who fought and suffered just a little over 50 years ago. I really hope that the International Versions of this film would be distributed to the rest of the world, so that everyone on this planet will have a chance to understand this legacy to teach ourselves and give lessons to our next generation. There is especially an important piece of message here, as all the people whom experienced WWII will pass away and a whole new generation in the 21st century know nothing about. As Roger Mudd quoted Stephen Ambrose in epilogue, '..This is not an ancient history.'
Rating:
Summary: Powerful Images of the 20th Century's Most Significant Event
Review: Having read dozens of books on World War Two and having seen many documentaries in the classroom or on my own, I was a little skeptical that simply seeing this footage in color would bring it even more to life. But I certainly was wrong. This is amazing footage from a 3-part History Channel program that presents World War II in color, and there's no way you're going to forget it. Most haunting is the bonus footage of Adolf Hitler hanging out with friends, playing with a dog, petting the animal, playing with children. Seeing a monster in this sort of setting only makes more horrific the Holocaust and Hitler's grand vision of Liebenstraum. Then the footage of Auschwitz and Dachau is enough to haunt you forever. Seeing it in black and white was powerful enough. Seeing it in color, the blank stares of corpses piled up one on top of another in the back of a truck is something that you will never forget. And when you see the kamikaze attack on Okinawa, you'll sit there stunned.
In all, the entire 3-DVD series makes for some unforgettable viewing, strung together with historically accurate narration, most of it from diary entries or letters from the average person. For it was roughly 40 million average persons whose lives were lost in this event. As Roger Mudd ends the series, he talks about how Steven Ambrose' D-Day center now houses the color footage of the Normandy Invasion, so, as Ambrose said, future generations would realize that seeing this in color would show that World War Two was not ancient history. Once you see this, you'll never forget that.
Rating:
Summary: You have never seen anything like this on DVD !
Review: I expect as you read this, the most two most important questions of your mind (if you're thinking of buying this DVD) is; what is the picture quality like and is it better that the other 'WW2 in Color' DVD. The short answer is the picture quality is consistently superb - sharp, saturated and clear. Over three hours of bewildering, sad, horrific and poignant color film. The other DVD is a very good effort, but cannot compete because the new DVD contains footage never before seen anywhere in the last 60 years. This new DVD has been carefully re-packaged to disguise the fact that it is a British-made Documentary aired last year only in Britain (1999). What distinguishes this from out of the ordinary is not just the picture quality, but what you will see in color. It took three years for the team working on this project to find some of the material. You might think you have seen all possible color footage from WW2, but you will be stunned by some of the 35mm material in this DVD. Much of the new footage comes from two sources; Kodachrome 16mm color film shot by both the Germans (up to 1941), so for example, you will see the movies of an SS General who lead the invasion of France. You will see the pre-war build up in Britain, which starts with the optimism of the 1937 British Coronation (in rare 35mm Dufaycolor) and leads on to extraordinary fiery red images of London being bombed by night. You will see America on the dawn of Pearl Harbour and color film of the actual attack. Other footage is shot on 16mm German Agfacolor stock and includes the only color film of the Warsaw Ghetto, with the sharp, clear color looking so real that you may think it was only shot recently. Another film is perhaps the most horrifying, footage, which defies detailed description as it shows the day that an SS Troop rounded up the unfortunate Male population of a rural town and executed them by both hanging and rifle. This footage is so shocking that you will never forget how terrifying this war is (you may find this footage distressing, I found it disturbing). The clear color burns the images into your mind. It is all here; Pearl Harbour/Battle Of The Atlantic/ Stalingrad/Pacific/D-DAY/ Berlin/Buchenwald/Dachau/Hiroshima/ Nagasaki/Paris Liberated/Germany 1938-9/London/The Spanish Civil War. A quiet, respectful commentary by actor John Thaw is augmented by Diary readings from the people who saw the events. This restrained approach is all that is needed as the footage speaks for itself. At the end of the war, we close on footage of Times Square by day as New Yorkers celebrate V.J. day. You will feel as if the footage is so real as to be a fake, but it isn't and all the more moving because of that. Here are ordinary people, just like you and I, trapped on color film and shown a half century later. The images live on. If you want just one DVD about WW2, buy this and never forget what you will experience.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning and moving...
Review: I have to tell you something about myself first so that you fully appreciate the five stars that I am giving this movie. I am an avid fan of the History Channel, and have seen most of their episodes on WWII, all of which I would consider extremely high quality productions. I own a few episodes, and own a few tapes on WWII that are not shown on History Channel. I've read countless books on the subject. Suffice to say, I am somewhat knowledgeable on this topic... So after watching all these movies and reading all these books, I thought this was just going to be another one....it's not. This movie is totally amazing and very moving! First and foremost is the color footage. The effect after watching so many black-and-white historical movies is absolutely profound in its effect. From the red of the Nazi banners, to the color of a young boy's eyes, to the green camoflage paint on a B-17, to the pinstripes on holocaust victims, to the fire of the fire-bombing of German cities, etc... I could go on and on. The color is amazing in it's effect. Second is the originality of the footage. I've seen so many WWII shows that I'm starting to recognize little clips between shows as a tank crosses a stream, or an artillery piece fires. The footage here is totally original. And not only is it original, it is profoundly moving in it's content. And speaking of content, it's not just a bunch of original color film spliced together with a little narration. There are clear messages here....the euphoria of the German people and their early support of Adolf Hitler, the power and might of the Blitzkreig, the horror of the holocaust, the complete destruction of German cities through bombing, the horror of war on both sides, the cost, sacrifice, and resolve of American soldiers at Okinawa, etc... I can't say enough about this movie. I couldn't sleep after watching it. This is a truly great and unique movie. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Stunningly clear color footage hits hard.
Review: If you weren't alive during WWII (and that means a lot of you) then you should see this. It has the clarity and appearance of the color footage from the Vietnam War. I'm 30 years old, and this DVD made me realize just how recently these events took place, and how swiftly they escalated. Color brings a humanity and reality to film that strikes home. Some of the scenes are quite disturbing because they're real images of real events involving real people just like us. They did a fantastic job cleaning up the footage.
Rating:
Summary: My comment
Review: It is fascinating and exciting to see World War II not in black and white, as we are used to seeing it, but in color. Its kind of like how it was for theater audiences of the day. Most movies of the day were in black and white, but those that were in Technicolor were absolutely stunning, and still are. Unfortunately, that's what the problem with these tapes are. Even though the colors are realistic, the picture is quite grainy and the image suffers from poor contrast, muddy blacks and blurred colors; it is very slow and sometimes fringing becomes apparent. The reason for this was because it was shot on nonprofessional 16mm film, separated into negatives and then blown up onto 35mm. The best examples of color film remain the old Technicolor movies from the 1930s, 40s, 50s and 60s, not Kodachrome films like these. Unfortunately, we can't see World War II in Technicolor, because it would have been way too expensive and out of bounds to shoot in it, but nevertheless the picture would have been much better.
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