Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes

I became very puzzled by this documentary. Having just watched the 2019 series, it's ridiculous the similarities in structure and storytelling. Obviously it's the same event being covered but specific choices make either the drama or the documentary to look like a lesser effort given which one you watch first. They are too similar.

The impressive real colored footage covered in Lost Tapes would shape the series visuals anyway. But the case of the firefighter and the pregnant wife is too much of a coincidence for a dramatic element to be present on both. My wild guess is that this documentary was ready long before 2022 and the fillmakers just built upon it and it kinda spoils the brilliance of both productions.

This documentary should have been reedited to take a different approach from the series.

It's informative and gives you new datapoints that you need. Reading the translation is a pain I would have preferred an English narrative speaker. But hearing directly from people who were involved is powerful. I'm sure there is more out there that we haven't seen yet!

I was hoping that this would be as good, as HBO's 2019 tv mini series.

But it wasn't. In fact, I think lost tapes would have been best used as extras on the live-action Chernobyl.

I felt way more engaged, and constantly wanting to see the next episode, unlike Lost Tapes. It (the 2019 series) even made me go down a rabbit hole of finding out more things about the incident.

Lastly, I agree with williamruckman-73903. Narration wasn't good in The Lost Tapes.

This is some amazing collection of video out of Soviet Russia. The propaganda, the cover up and the horror of nuclear fission run wild and out of control. If you see this and still feel like we were justified in dropping these bombs on Japan, than you probably are a soulless person. This indeed should be required viewing for students. Yes, it will be very upsetting and uncomfortable in parts. It should be. These are lessons to be taught so that we as humans might be more aware of the consequences of hubris and overreaching government. I will never forget what was shown on this documentary.

If you hit the "back" button on your remote (I have a Roku) and then press "play" the robotic narration is turned off. This is an important film and very well done.