All Quiet On The Western Front (DVD)

...A-level.
But among all the videos, poems, biographies, and documentaries, this is one of my favourites. 'All Quiet on the Western Front' first grabbed my attention because it sounds so poetic, so familiar. However the deepest irony is that the front was never quiet, constantly bashed into craters by heavy shell-fire.

Before this DVD (a 1979 remake of the classic black and white film) I had no idea what the trenches were really ...
...seen from the German perspective. What is heartwarming and depressing is that it is very much like our own story on the allied side.

This is based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque and tells the story of a class of German boys, fresh out of school who troop off to 'glorious war' and find a world of rats and mud and gas attacks. Paul Baumer tells the story. He is played by Richard Thomas who also played John-Boy Walton in 'The Waltons' ... more

This item was originally sold for £9.99, but Amazon prices it at £5.97. The DVD is a single disk containing the film, no extra features which is a little disappointing.

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I'm doing lots of World War 1 literature for my English A-level.
But among all the videos, poems, biographies, and documentaries, this is one of my favourites. 'All Quiet on the Western Front' first grabbed my attention because it sounds so poetic, so familiar. However the deepest irony is that the front was never quiet, constantly bashed into craters by heavy shell-fire.

Before this DVD (a 1979 remake of the classic black and white film) I had no idea what the trenches were really like. What is somewhat unique is that this story is seen from the German perspective. What is heartwarming and depressing is that it is very much like our own story on the allied side.

This is based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque and tells the story of a class of German boys, fresh out of school who troop off to 'glorious war' and find a world of rats and mud and gas attacks. Paul Baumer tells the story. He is played by Richard Thomas who also played John-Boy Walton in 'The Waltons' which is a bit distracting.

I read some other reviews which seemed to think that this film missed out a lot of the original novel. I would therefore say for people wanting authenticity to read the book instead. However, judging the film on its own merits I found it adequately horrific, the flashbacks emotive but not over-sentimental, and the friendship between the main characters in the trench amazing to see amidst the horrors of war on both sides.

Most striking are horrible moments such as when a boy new to the war falls down a crater into the gas, leaving their captain repeating the phrase "He was only a baby". Shell-shock is again very well portrayed. The characters were memorable and 3-dimensional. But if you were watching for entertainment value I would suggest a more recent film, as this one lacks the kind of special effects, 'bangs' and action that made "Saving Private Ryan" and "Black Hawk Down" such sucessful films.

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Actors: Richard Thomas, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence, Ian Holm, Patricia Neal, Dai Bradley
Director: Delbert Mann
Genre: War
Classification: Parental Guidance
Produced: 1979
Running Time: 2 hours 3 minutes

DVD Region: Region 2 (Europe)
Release date: 14/04/2003
No of Discs: 1
Catalogue No 37115 04893
Barcode 5037115048936
Special Features: Interactive Menus, Scene Access
Aspect Ratio: 4:3 Full Frame

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In conclusion, this is a good film. However, it isn't what would interest everybody, and some people may find it depressing as the war goes on and on for several years, and as hinted on the front cover not everyone survives.

"THEY LEFT FOR WAR AS BOYS NEVER TO RETURN AS MEN" 

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