A rarity in that it's a World War 2 documentary series that is almost entirely in color.
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WWII in HD should really be named WWII in Color, because during the war color
was a new innovation and HD technology was still a half century away. That
being said, it's still an impressive series simply for the amazing collection of
color footage from the war that it presents. The story of the war has been
told many times in documentaries, but the story carries a heavier impact when it
is presented in color. Nazi rallies look more frightening, explosions look
more realistic and deadly, and people simply look more like real people when
presented in color.
The series itself uses the recollections and journals of twelve Americans who
served in the war to provide a narrative of many of the battles of the war.
It makes the history more personal and brings to light some lesser known
actions, but it also comes at the cost more detailed looks at the major
engagements that didn't involve any of the twelve people selected as narrators
(their narration is provided by actors who include LL Cool J, Rob Lowe, and
Jason Ritter). For example, I doubt more than a minute or two was spent on
the Battle of Midway. Also, the first episode made the grievous error of
reporting that the invasion of France took place in 1939. When you see a
blunder like that you wonder what else is in error. Still, the series is
recommendable simply for the fantastic collection of rare color footage it
presents.
WWII in HD premieres on History on November 15th at 9PM/8C.
