| First World War Battle Of Ypres sn6684 The first, second, third and fourth battles of Ypres are all covered as are the key positions of Mesen, Hill 60 and the Passchendaele Ridge - the scene of prolonged and terrible carnage over a mere 900 metres of land. A follow-up to the best-selling DVD The Battle Of The Somme (1916), as a representation of war Battle Of Ypres was not without its controversy; it arguably distorted the grimmer realities of conflict – the trenchfoot, the maiming and death - into a noble recount of the superiority of the Allies. But, even in this light, Battle Of Ypres gives us a unique historical reading of one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the First World War. The original silent documentary has had an all new soundtrack created from digitally enhanced recordings of the period as well as the addition of evocative sound effects. The release comes with two complimentary DVD Bonus Features :- Ypres The Shell Shattered City Of Flanders, 1918 (16 mins) TOTAL RUNNING TIME - 105 Mins. |
15.99 (plus postage)
| First World War Battle of the Somme (The) sn6540 The Battle of the Somme gave its 1916 audience an unprecedented insight into the realities of trench warfare, controversially including the depiction of dead and wounded soldiers. It shows scenes of the build-up to the infantry offensive, including the massive preliminary bombardment, coverage of the first day of the battle - the bloodiest single day in the British Army's history - and depictions of the small gains and huge costs of the attack. As a pioneering battlefield documentary, the very concept of The Battle of the Somme outraged commentators on its release, inaugurating a debate about the on-screen depiction of combat that continues to this day. Its use of a staged sequence to represent the opening of the assault also set the scene for continuing controversy about the 'truth' of the documentary format. The film's importance was recognised in 2005 by its formal inscription in the UNESCO 'Memory of the World' register - the first British document of any kind to be included. The film has been digitally restored, offering a startling improvement on previously released video versions. It is available with a choice of three soundtracks in 5.1 and Stereo: [] A newly commissioned orchestral score, composed by Laura Rossi and performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Nic Raine. SPECIAL FEATURES [] On-screen interviews with Roger Smither, Laura Rossi, Stephen Horne and Dr Toby Haggith. Viewing notes, additional information, further reading and teaching resources can be found at www.iwm.org.uk/somme-film Catalogue Number: SN6540 |
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