World War 1 documentaries?

[ChocolateTeapot]

This is an area I am becoming fascinated by (having exhausted, nearly, ww2).

Anyone know of a good quality documentary series on the causes, prelude, actual conflict and legacy of ww1, preferably even-handed and covering all the belligerents - think of Larry Olivier narrating The World at War series - that kind of thing? A very quick review of strengths and weaknesses would be most welcome.

Thanks in advance if you can help.

 

[butchersapron]

This was a good thorough series:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0426688/

 

[ChocolateTeapot]

Thank you, butchers!

The review listed there doesn't sound too promising though! Reminds me of a docu-drama I saw a few years back about Dunkirk and the Wormhoudt massacre where the film makers ran out of archive Ju-87's attacking ground targets, so threw in some Shturmoviks too: Kinda made you wonder how Britain survived if USSR planes were attacking them in May 1940...

I liked the cast list "Archduke Franz Ferdinand...as himself" as if it was going to be Ross Kemp or something.

Have you actually seen the DVD set yourself? Opinion on it?

 

[elevendayempire]

This is an area I am becoming fascinated by (having exhausted, nearly, ww2).

Anyone know of a good quality documentary series on the causes, prelude, actual conflict and legacy of ww1, preferably even-handed and covering all the belligerents - think of Larry Olivier narrating The World at War series - that kind of thing? A very quick review of strengths and weaknesses would be most welcome.

Thanks in advance if you can help.

The classic - which I believe inspired The World At War - was The Great War.

 

[butchersapron]

Yeah i did watch it a few years back when it was on C4 (i think it was C4) and definitely remember being impressed - it's slightly revionist in that it doesn't slavishly follow the orthodox narrative of british mainsteram docs and simply present it as all Germany's fault, brave britsh etc It's still well within normal interpretations though. That IMDB review seemed to be from one of those weirds militrary purists to be honest.

 

[ChocolateTeapot]

That looks promising, eleven: I will look into that: have you seen it yourself?

 

[hermitical]

This was a good thorough series:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0426688/

I know of some rapidshare links if needed

 

[ChocolateTeapot]

Yeah i did watch it a few years back when it was on C4 (i think it was C4) and definitely remember being impressed - it's slightly revionist in that it doesn't slavishly follow the orthodox narrative of british mainsteram docs and simply present it as all Germany's fault, brave britsh etc It's still well within normal interpretations though. That IMDB review seemed to be from one of those weirds militrary purists to be honest.

Well, yeah, I have come across them in my trawls. Anyone can appreciate that the film evidence is sparse and was shot for very partisan reasons in the first place (e.g. at the time, most soldiers would smile when someone was taking a picture). I do get mildly pissed off though when documentary compilers use footage hopelessly ajar with historical fact though. Thank you for replying.

Looking forward to 2 dozen DVDs on christmas morning now. It'll make a change from a Bond retread...

 

[elevendayempire]

That looks promising, eleven: I will look into that: have you seen it yourself?

Saw odd bits from it in school, but that was years ago. ISTR it's supposed to be one of the definitive accounts, but that means it probably cleaves to historical orthodoxy...