Documentaries & Biographies > 20 GBP to 30 GBP Documentaries & Biographies > by Production Year

Superb documentary that has never been rivalled

Advantages: Fantastic pooling of archive footage, interviews with eyewitnesses and no sensationalism
Disadvantages: Occasionally, Laurence Olivier's excellent commentary can be a little hard to hear

The World at War was first broadcast in 1973 and ever since then has stood as the benchmark for Second World War documentaries. Composed of archive footage (mostly black and white) and interviews with some of the eyewitnesses from both sides of the conflict, it avoids the annoying modern trend in documentaries of repetition and pointless and/or endless reconstructions that cannot capture meaning or emotion. It will never be bettered in the sense ...
...It is also narrated by the excellent Oscar-winning Laurence Olivier, whose sparse narration has just the right level of sombre gravitas to provide a fitting frame for the events the documentary relates. It's a very thorough, comprehensive series. There are twenty-six original episodes and this box set also includes eight special presentations and a three hour 30th Anniversary disc with includes previously unseen interviews and retrospective interviews ...

Robs86 13.06.2009 · Read full review
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Review of The World At War (Box Set) (DVD)

Planet Earth Blu-Ray - a Mind Blowing Nature Series

Advantages: unbelievable visuals, stunning high definition, best wildlife series by far
Disadvantages: only one - last disc isn't HD

Excellent value for money now you can pick this up for less than £25, I got mine from Play.com but you can find it on most online shops now, Amazon, eBay, etc. Stunning visuals and filmography coupled with David Attenborough's classic and informative narration, all add up to this unbelievably well made and engaging series, possibly the greatest wildlife/nature series ever made. Make sure you have a HDTV to watch this on for the best experience, as ...
...Unfortunately, disc 5 is only a standard definition DVD, which is the only thing stopping this fantastic series getting 5 stars from me. However, don't let this put you off, as disc 5 is only the making of, and similar featurettes, meaning all nature footage is in HD on Blu Ray disc. As a side note, you will obviously need a Blu Ray player (PS3 or standalone) to watch this, whereas an HDTV is not required, though strongly recommended to get the most ...

mrt01983 24.09.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Planet Earth (Blu-Ray)

Elite Documentary about an Elite unit.

Advantages: makes you think, can be motivating
Disadvantages: none

...faced bunch of Royal Marine Commando recruits all the way through 32 weeks of basic training. With complete access to every part of the training process he follows the good times and the bad of each of the recruits and something that I felt made the documentary that little more exciting was that he also took part in the training himself, Chris Terrill was 55 years old. The Program was originally aired in 2007 for ITV; at the beginning you see the ...
...of becoming a Royal Marine Commando and receiving the coveted Green Beret so that they can become elite soldiers that look a million miles away from the guys that they were 32 weeks earlier. After the 32 weeks training Chris follows a few of the successful soldiers when they are posted to Afghanistan for a tour of duty, as well as a new officer who takes up his post in Afghanistan for his first tour with a mainly rookie company of men. I managed ...

sjp1966 17.12.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Commando - On The Front Line - Series 1 - Complete (DVD)

Eye level is buy level!!

Advantages: Cheap prices
Disadvantages: Cheap labour

With the slave trade debate raging last year during the 200 commerations its always important to note that not only is that particular trade is still alive and well in the third world but its as good as here in its modern form in companies like Wal-Mart. Well meaning and angry people may well protest alongside some vegetarians banging a drum in London about what happened 200 years ago but most of the labeled clothing we are wearing will have been ...
...the products piled high in the huge shopping arenas of Wal-Mart and the like are the products of cheap and exploited labor somewhere around the world and when the documentary explores those sweat shops in South East Asia our arguments of reparation begin to fragment. In one segment you see young Chinese girls living in cramped dorms in a grubby factory, the gates locked at night, weekly rent and utilities deducted from their meager pay packets, whether ...

thedevilinme 16.12.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Wal-Mart: The High Cost Of Low Price (DVD)

In Sickness and in Health

Advantages: Interesting and entertaining, Great interview with Tony Benn
Disadvantages: Some subjects are arguably exploited, Does not consider disadvantages of socialised healthcare

"Sicko" (2007) - FILM ONLY REVIEW Writer: Michael Moore Director: Michael Moore Running Time: 123 minutes Certificate: 12A (UK) / PG (Ireland) / PG13 (USA) It has become something of a cliché to describe Michael Moore as a controversial, polarising character. To some, he is the White Knight of the left whose regular-guy approach to discussing uncomfortable subjects should be applauded, while to others he is a man who has exploited vulnerable interview ...
...picture he wants to make his attention-grabbing documentaries a success. An entire industry has grown up attempting to discredit Moore's work and has given his reputation something of a battering over recent years, but while some of the criticism he has received has I think been justified, this has not prevented him producing his highly entertaining 2007 documentary "Sicko" about the American medical industry. In many ways, this has proved to be ...

Collingwood21 13.12.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Sicko (DVD)