Recommended History DVD/TV

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

I've noticed that a British newspaper is giving away "The World At War" on DVD free. Tragically, it's the Daily Mail, but nobody's forcing you to read it...

Anyway, if you've never seen "The World At War", you really need to. It was a piece of landmark TV from the early 70's that traced WW2 from the aftermath of the Versailles treaty, to the bitter nuclear end. What makes it so special is that it's founded on televised interviews with just about all of the surviving players. Donitz, Speer- they're all interviewed in depth to give their first-hand testimony. Watch Speer explain how he "made himself unaware" of the Holocaust. Watch Wolff testify that Himmler himself claimed the figure of 6 million Jews murdered.

It's essential viewing, and the best history TV I've ever seen.

So what are your favourites?

[Caligastia]

Can't say I have any faves, but I remember seeing one about the pagan influences on the Nazi party that was particularly interesting. The Nazis were not that far removed from being a huge demented religious cult.

[Cartimandua]

Where to start? I think the only DVD's I watched during college were documentaries, and many of them were very well done.

No list would be complete without Ken Burn's The Civil War, the vocal talent cannot be beaten.

I also have some new favorites from the History Channel such as: Cities of the Underworld (fascinating!); Lost Worlds (great CGI visuals); and Engineering An Empire (eyeopening). They can be redundant with each other, but I have an addiction.

[molly bloom]

The Seven Wonders of the Industrial World was pretty darned spiffy.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Originally posted by Caligastia
Can't say I have any faves, but I remember seeing one about the pagan influences on the Nazi party that was particularly interesting. The Nazis were not that far removed from being a huge demented religious cult.

I think I saw some of that, though it was soon after I'd seen "The Nazis- a warning from history" and I was a bit Nazi'ed out.

But yes, they loved their pagan mysticism. Himmler in particular was pretty wrapped up in it all.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Originally posted by molly bloom
The Seven Wonders of the Industrial World was pretty darned spiffy.

Another one I should have watched, but it coincided with a time when I was insanely busy at work. What items did it cover?

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Lazarus and the Gimp


Another one I should have watched, but it coincided with a time when I was insanely busy at work. What items did it cover?

Bazalgette's waterworks, Brunel's tunnel, Panama Canal, a lighthouse, a dam, erm.... Eiffel Tower, poss. ?


It was a BBC 2 jobbie I watched on SBS in Ozland.