No one who has seen The World at War will ever forget it. Thirty-six years on from its original broadcast, it still stands atop a glittering mound of British documentary television. But the great is about to be made better with a new restoration of the series, available on DVD and Blu-ray. The promotional material informs us that every single frame has been individually tweaked and upgraded – and it shows. Even those who own previous DVD versions should consider stumping up for this set.
The genius of The World at War was always in how it allowed the second world war and its participants to speak for themselves. And so it treats us to miles of footage shot during the conflict itself, and lengthy interviews with everyone from Hitler’s secretary to concentration camp survivors. Even before being restored, this rush of first-hand testimony felt like the diary of a remarkable generation. Now, it is as though the patina of time and neglect has been scraped from its pages. Freshly preserved, The World at War can go on illuminating future audiences.
There is, though, one persistent niggle with this latest presentation. In ‘optimising’ the series for widescreen televisions, the cleaners and fixers have chosen to crop some of the original image at the top and bottom. But the effect is so slight, and the gains elsewhere so dramatic, that it does not jar too much. All in all, this is the finest incarnation of one of our greatest documentaries.
The World at War: Ultimate Restored Edition is released on DVD and Blu-ray on 20 September.
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