German

This unique collection of documentaries from the German archives, which contains authentic film material from World War II.

This unique collection of documentaries from the German archives, which contains authentic film material from World War II.

At the outbreak of World War II, German forces were recognised as the best equipped and most efficient in the world. The early successes of the Blitzkrieg campaign, however, disguised some fundamental deficiencies, especially in the Luftwaffe. Throughout the conflict, the Third Reich lacked an effective bomber and by the time this flaw was addressed, it was too late. The price Germany and Hitler would pay for not investing in four-engine long range bombers would be enormous, and a major contributing factor in the outcome of World War II.

Narrated by Graham McTavish. DVD contains both black & white and colour material.

The documentary release The War File: Great German Battleships of World War II culls from material including vintage archival footage, interviews with former Nazi officers, and file photographs to provide a detailed exploration of the British Royal Navy's pursuit of several German maritime vessels during the Second World War. Each chapter is devoted to one subject; topics include the Dreadnoughts, the Scharnhorst, the Bismarck, Channel Dash and Tirpitz.

James Holland presents a fresh analysis of the legendary 1943 Dam Busters raid, a low-level night mission that took 19 Lancaster bombers deep into the heart of enemy territory to destroy German dams with a brand new weapon - the bouncing bomb. Of the many extraordinary things about the Dams raid, the biggest is that it almost never happened. When finally green lit, it set off an incredible race against time to form and train a new squadron. Their mission was to deliver a weapon that did not yet exist. Unprecedented by any scale, and even more remarkable because the crews were not the experienced elite that legend sometimes suggests, Holland believes this truly is the greatest raid of all time.

With this 1926 adaptation of the Faust legend, that master of German expressionism, Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau, created a timeless visual masterpiece, a film which vigorously challenges any pre-conceived notions of silent cinema. Murnau’s last film before he moved to Hollywood, the film represents both a transition of cinematic styles for its director and also a culmination of his expressionist art. There is a maturity, freedom of expression and sincerity which is more striking in this film than in any of Murnau’s earlier works – to the extent that watching the film today can be a deeply emotional, even traumatic, experience.