|
Battle 360 - Season 1 (History Channel) (Steelbook) | 
 enlarge | Director: Various
Actor: Uss Enterprise
Studio: A&E Home Video (New REleaset)
Category: DVD
List Price: $39.95
Buy New: $19.81
You Save: $20.14 (50%)
New (32) Used (6) from $19.81
Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 5857
Format: Box Set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 4
Running Time: 470
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: AAED115310D
UPC: 733961115314
EAN: 0733961115314
ASIN: B0016OCTUI
Release Date: August 26, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new Factory Sealed DVDs ***100% GUARANTEED!!!***
| |
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Studio: A&e Home Video Release Date: 12/16/2008
Amazon.com
It would be an understatement say that Battle 360: Season 1 has substantial appeal for World War II and naval history "enthusiasts." Considering the depth and thoroughness of the program and the sheer volume of data and information on hand--and with ten episodes, each more than 50 minutes long, there's very little that's not covered--it's likely that experts, fanatics, and obsessives will be well satisfied too. Using a combination of extensive computer-generated imagery (CGI), charts, graphics, statistics, file footage, photos, interviews with military men both past and present, and more, the program focuses on the Pacific Theater, where the United States and its allies battled Japan for the three and half years between Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and the end of the war in August 1945. At the center of virtually every battle during that span was the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. Launched in 1936, this Yorktown class vessel, also known as "a fighting city of steel" and "the Lucky E" (for its ability to avoid major catastrophe, at least for the most part), carried 96 planes, a huge amount of weaponry, and a crew whose average was an astonishing 19 years old. Proceeding chronologically, the series details such major conflicts as Midway (when the U.S. disabled no less than four Japanese carriers), Guadalcanal (when the Enterprise suffered serious damage while helping to thwart the enemy's plans to invade Australia), and Leyte Gulf ("the largest naval battle in the history of mankind"), finishing with the Japanese's last-gasp use of kamikaze pilots to attack the U.S. fleet. Much of this is genuinely gripping, as the episodes provide literally minute-by-minute accounts of every encounter and the size, speed, function, and firepower of every vessel and aircraft on both sides. But there are notable drawbacks as well, starting with the fact that for all of its detail, we see almost nothing of the Enterprise's interior or descriptions of daily life on board the enormous vessel. There's also the issue of how much CGI you can take; although there is some film footage (which may or may not be from the specific skirmish being described), the computer work, while generally pretty convincing, is pervasive and rather like a video game without a controller. What's more, each episode is kinetic almost to distraction, with a ceaseless flow of pounding music and sound effects, flashing graphics, and macho voice-over detailing the action. On the other hand, the reminiscences of those who were actually there are often very moving, not to mention a welcome surcease from the high-tech assault of the rest of the show. Bonus material is limited--a few additional scenes--but the steel box it all comes in is pretty cool. --Sam Graham
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
 Fantastic history! May 13, 2008
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
I am thrilled to have this released so quickly onto DVD. It just ended on the History Channel, and three months is a good turnaround time.
I am a little biased in my anticipation, as my grandfather is one of the veteran "stars" of this series. (My last name is the same as his in case you are interested.) He appeared in seven of the ten episodes and, as one of the sailors who served on board Enterprise during the entire war, I couldn't be prouder of him!
Anyway, my intent was not to just review my grandfather's role in the show, as this is really a terrific series. There is a good blend of veterans and current "field experts" to give a variety of angles. Some of the heroics outlined truly give you chills, and the story of this amazing ship is phenomenal.
There is a ton of CGI, and this could perhaps be both the strength and weakness of the show. I know my grandfather grew weary of it and felt it was ridiculous, but at the same time it gave us re-enactments of some of the battles that would otherwise not be possible. Overall, the CGI gave a dimension to this series that really blows you out of the water (no pun intended.)
If you are a history buff, Navy buff, or WW2 buff, you should watch this show. You'll get a fantastic snapshot of a fantastic ship whose story is unequaled by any other American ship during WW2.
This show is thrilling! June 19, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I love this show! I knew a little bit about the war but this show brings you through the major battles as if you're there with them. I was surprised how much I cared about what was happening. When you hear a teacher talk about WWII in school, it just isn't the same.
Every time the fleet got hit hard it felt like it was really happening and when we lost the Hornet I kept thinking what a horrible shame it was. I still think they should have tried harder to save Hornet!
My favorite episode is probably Truk Atoll and of course the epic battle of Leyte Gulf. The Heroic charge of the Tin Can destroyers against the Japanese Center Force was nothing less than the stuff of legends. Heroes, all of them.
I can think of nothing other than the fighter pilots and ship gunners must have been built of courage because they didn't have the technology that we take for granted today. No Satilite survalence, No radar guided missiles, no homing torpedoes. No GPS guided bombs. No Phalanx ship defenses. You have the 5 inch gun and the 20MM and if that's not good enough, then you die.
These men were made of sterner stuff than we see today. Battles like this aren't fought anymore.
Great Show June 30, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I am a huge WW II buff, specifically the U.S.S. Enterprise. I have read all the literature I can get my hands on, seen the shows and build models, so you can imagine my happiness when Battlefield 360 popped up. I managed to get mine off of iTunes.
While a very well thought out show, it is very melodramatic. If you know what actually happened during the war, the over-the-top narrator will sometimes make you cringe. They also have a Marine 1SG on there, who really has no place at all. He just talks about how tough he is and what it is like to be in combat, something I think the actual WWII vets are better able to describe.
While it is 98% historical accurate (with only some very small discrepancies), they often will gloss over American failures, such as the naval battles in and around Guadalcanal. In this show, even terrible defeats are made to seem like victories!
The reason movies like Midway, Tora, Tora, Tora and Battle of Britain are so renowned, is they show both sides of the battle. In 360, the Japanese are relegated to CGI snapshots of burning planes and ships afire. A little more balance would have been nice.
All in all, if you aren't familiar with WWII, love the Enterprise or just like CGI-based history shows, this is a great buy and I am glad I watched it. Nothing is perfect and I just thought I'd point out the flaws in an otherwise fantastic production. 5 stars!
Finally the Big E gets her due! September 15, 2008
U.S.S. Enterprise. The only carrier that was in service before WWII which fought in almost every major carrier battle in the Pacific and survived. She epitomizes the U.S. Navy at war in the Pacific theatre during those years and yet has never really been the focus of any motion picture or docu-drama made about that subject. There have been hundreds of nautical warfare movies made and yet she never has been honored in cinema for her great acheivment.
Sadly, the ship could not even be preserved alongside the greatest hero ships of U.S. history even though some feel it's what she really deserved. But now, thanks to cgi technology, she can live again. This History channel production is one of the most watchable and involving documentaries on the carrier war in the Pacific ever made. Perhaps documentary is not a sufficient discription of this series as it is as enjoyable to view as pretty much any WWII naval action flick I've ever seen. Although it contains many actual clips of the battles it doesn't rely soley on them to tell the story. A good mix of narrative and cg really works to elevate the excitement of the real carrier war in the Pacific and the big E's life.
Of course it's not really about the ship itself as much as it is her soul which is the men who lived and fought within her to preserve our life of freedom in America. To have members of the Enterprise's actual crew on hand to tell their stories makes this series one of the best on the subject. Thank you for telling them. It should be required viewing in all our public schools history classes. Never forget Enterprise and her crew.
Excelent dvd for WW2 history buffs. September 18, 2008
Having read extensively on the "Big E" i have to say this dvd really opened up a new perspective on the battles of the pacific. It is one thing to read about a 300 plane raid, it is quite another to see it on screen, in real time, happening to fast to account for everyone or everything.
This dvd is a very nice teaching aid, in particular the chapeter titled Bloody Santa Cruz. This was when we were the closest to losing all our carriers in the pacific.
The extras are very good also, and so is the bit about how not even Bull Halsey could save the Big E from a wrecking yard.
I look forward to more along this line from the history channel.
|
|
|
|
| |
