MovieChat Forums > The World at War (1973) Discussion > What makes this series so great? No sil...

What makes this series so great? No silly "re-enactments"

posted 9 years ago by zooeyhall
1 reply | jump to latest

The World at War stands tall above all other historical documentaries. And it does this for one important reason: it is totally free of any "re-enactments" or "dramatizations" that are the staple of modern documentaries.

With Lawrence Olivier's somber narration, incredible documentary footage, and gripping interviews with people who were actually alive and experienced the events they are describing. That is how this series accomplishes what so many others aspire to and fail at.

Nothing is more annoying than the ridiculous and cheesy "re-creations" that are the staple of today's historical documentaries. Bad actors who neither look like nor talk like the people of the time, mouthing cringe-worthy dialogue for the purpose of creating phony "drama". Modern documentary producers seem to assume that the average viewer is either to dumb or disconnected to appreciate history. Unless there is something to help the viewer "relate" to the events described.

What do others think?

[–] choatelodge 8 years ago

Well said, I could not agree more nor could I have expressed it better.

I hate nothing more than seeing some lame production where some casting agent has found a fat buffoon more closely resembling the Three Stooges Curly, for Hermann Goering, Some Pee Wee Herman clone for Goebbles, and some completely absurd constantly yelling in a rage oaf with a glued-on mustache choice for Hitler, and these clowns act out some mockery of an historical event of the war.
Stop it already.