Dunkirk DVD

Advantages: A strong adaptation, great performance from McAvoy, moving
Disadvantages: It was never going to be as good as the book....

...that the film follows the book quite faithfully. The basic structure is the same and the way that certain events are replayed from more than one point of view, which I think works well. Ian McEwan, author of Atonement, reviewed and commented on the screenplay and was on set during filming to offer his insight and advice. There is no doubt that a feature film has to gallop through the narrative at a much faster pace than the book and in most cases I think it did a very good job of picking out what was key to the book, not just in terms of events, but in terms of evoking mood and atmosphere. The location selected for the first part of the film was perfect: the house was very much like the picture I had in my head. The casting was also good - no one stuck out as being obviously wrong for the role. The journey to Dunkirk is very much shorter than... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Full of Facts
Disadvantages: Mainly Black & White.

...Well, this is a short insight into the History of the people, Aircraft and expolits of the R.A.F. With the outbreak of the Great War in 1914 it was soon realised that Air Power would play an important and desicive part in Conflicts . From the Start of the Service with the Royal Flying Corps in 1914 to the Development of the Royal Air force up to the Modern Aircraft and Systems of Today (Well, up to when the Panavia Tornado was new and the Eurofighter wasn't even conceived) , This DVD will try to take you through it all. After a Brief introduction the DVD will take you through things like the speeds of Technology , The Aircraft, things like Germanys' covert Air Force as after WWI they were banned from developing Combat Aircraft by Treaty, The conception and introduction of Radar ( A British invention) to Air Support for the Troops... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Well told story mixed in with gripping footage.
Disadvantages: Abrupt ending, just too short ---

...through them which I thought made the history part of it more real to me. The other DVDs in the series deal with Dunkirk, Battle of Britain and another entitled Churchill's War. I've not watched them yet and if I do, I'll place a review on... but to the matter in hand... Like I said I feared the worst and I was --- gripped. The narrator was excellent in setting out the background history leading up to the blitz and I imagine that even a history ignoramous would find it easy to follow. As for a history ignoramous I won't define who they are but if you think the most famous Winnie in British history is the fluffy yellow bear of very little brain you probably won't enjoy this DVD but you need to watch this DVD (in my most humble opinion.) The personal accounts of all the people were lucid, easy to follow and at times very funny... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful