I stumbled across this documentary series around 2005 when my interest in the first world war was blossoming due to another WWI documentary, aptly titled, The First World War. I was enthralled with this series from the minute I laid eyes on it and continue to watch it over and over again. Sir Michael Redgrave's hypnotizing narration and the eerily haunting score make for the perfect nightcap while relaxing on a lazy weekend or at night before bed. The personal accounts of the soldiers and the memoirs of statesmen and generals add different perspectives on the cataclysmic events which unfold from 1914 to 1918. Anyone who has the slightest interest in WWI should put this series atop a must watch list.
Criticizing this series feels like I am insulting my own child or spitting on my mother but for the integrity of my review I will cough up a few lines of what I would have liked to see more of in this particular series. First I would have enjoyed a little more information and background on the tensions and issues surrounding Austro - Hungary and the tensions with Serbia leading up to and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Second, a little more of the French, Russian, Austrian and Italian perspective because in my humble opinion it focuses to directly on the British and Germans. Out of 26 episodes I think a few more could have been devoted to these other views of the battlefield, the home front and political landscape.
After watching all 26 episodes and the 2 bonus episodes I was thoroughly impressed and will be forever be left with a new understanding of The Great War. Since I watched The Great War I have tracked down as many documentaries and books concerning that war as I can get my hands on and even some of the other WWI documentaries which are considered well done do not come close to the epic event which is "The Great War". This series awakened a thirst for knowledge I was unaware I had. That is exactly what a well made documentary series should do.
Criticizing this series feels like I am insulting my own child or spitting on my mother but for the integrity of my review I will cough up a few lines of what I would have liked to see more of in this particular series. First I would have enjoyed a little more information and background on the tensions and issues surrounding Austro - Hungary and the tensions with Serbia leading up to and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Second, a little more of the French, Russian, Austrian and Italian perspective because in my humble opinion it focuses to directly on the British and Germans. Out of 26 episodes I think a few more could have been devoted to these other views of the battlefield, the home front and political landscape.
After watching all 26 episodes and the 2 bonus episodes I was thoroughly impressed and will be forever be left with a new understanding of The Great War. Since I watched The Great War I have tracked down as many documentaries and books concerning that war as I can get my hands on and even some of the other WWI documentaries which are considered well done do not come close to the epic event which is "The Great War". This series awakened a thirst for knowledge I was unaware I had. That is exactly what a well made documentary series should do.