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World at War (The) (TV) (Blu-ray) (1973)
The first factual series of its kind to document the full history of World War II.Director: Hugh Raggett, John Pett, David Elstein, Ted Childs, Michael Darlow, Martin Smith
Year of Copyright: 1969-73
Year of Production: 1969-73
OVERALL: Blu-ray B-
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Extras:DISC ONE
Episodes:
- "A New Germany: 1933 - 1939"
- "Distant War: September 1939 - May 1940"
- "France Falls: May - June 1940"
- "Alone: May 1940 - May 1941"
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
"The Making of The World at War" 1989 documentary (50:17)
DISC TWO
Episodes:
- "Barbarossa: June - December 1941"
- "Banzai!: Japan Strikes 1931 - 1942"
- "On Our Way: U.S.A. 1939 - 1942"
- "The Desert: North Africa 1940 - 1943"
- "Stalingrad: June 1942 - February 1943"
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
DISC THREE
Episodes:
- "Wolf Pack: U-Boats in the Atlantic 1939 - 1943"
- "Red Star: The Soviet Union 1941 - 1943"
- "Whirlwind: Bombing Germany September 1939 - April 1944"
- "Tough Old Gut: Italy November 1942 - June 1944"
- "It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow: Burma 1942 - 1944"
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
DISC FOUR
Episodes:
- "Home Fires: Britain 1940 - 1944"
- "Inside the Reich: Germany 1940 - 1944"
- "Morning: June - August 1944"
- "Occupation: Holland 1940 - 1944"
- "Pincers: August 1944 - March 1945"
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
DISC FIVE
Episodes:
- "Genocide: 1941 - 1945"
- "Nemesis: Germany February - May 1945"
- "Japan: 1941 - 1945"
- "Pacific: February 1942 - July 1945"
- "The Bomb: February - September 1945"
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
DISC SIX
Episodes:
- "Reckoning: 1945... and After"
- "Remember"
- SPECIAL: "Secretary to Hitler" (24:32)
- SPECIAL: "From War to Peace" (23:48)
- SPECIAL: "Warrior" (52:52)
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
DISC SEVEN
Episodes:
- SPECIAL: "Hitler's Germany: The People's Community (1933-1939)" (78:11)
- SPECIAL: "Hitler's Germany: Total War (1939-1945)" (79:38)
- SPECIAL: "The Two Deaths of Adolf Hitler" (49:02)
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
DISC EIGHT
Episodes:
- SPECIAL: "The Final Solution: Auschwitz Part 1" (100:36)
- SPECIAL: "The Final Solution: Auschwitz Part 2" (94:24)
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
DISC NINE
"Making the Series: A 30th Anniversary Retrospective" 2003 documentary (128:26)
"Experiences of War" documentary (61:19)
"Restoring the World at War" documentary (31:04) -
Subtitles:English HoH
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Aspect Ratio:1.78:1
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Picture Format:1080p24 AVC MPEG-4
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Soundtrack(s):English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English LPCM 2.0 Mono -
Case type:Special Case
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Notes:Packaged as a 9-disc set inside a cardboard box. Comes with a booklet containing episode summaries. All extras and documentaries also reformatted to 1.78:1, are in HD and include optional English HoH subtitles. Confirmed to be Region A locked.
LPCM 2.0 audio listed as "Stereo" on the back cover/menu.
Each episode contains a bookmark feature where you can jump to parts of the episode where there is specific content, such as photos, speeches, historical footage and so on. The main categories are Imperial War Museum Photo Gallery, Speeches and Quotes, Footage, Graphics, Animation, Maps, Songs and Poems, Songs and Comedy Sketch, Music and Comedy, Interviewees. -
Have you spotted a mistake in these specifications? If so, let us know via our forums. -
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Extras:DISC ONE
Episodes:
- "A New Germany: 1933 - 1939"
- "Distant War: September 1939 - May 1940"
- "France Falls: May - June 1940"
- "Alone: May 1940 - May 1941"
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
"The Making of The World at War" 1989 documentary (50:17)
DISC TWO
Episodes:
- "Barbarossa: June - December 1941"
- "Banzai!: Japan Strikes 1931 - 1942"
- "On Our Way: U.S.A. 1939 - 1942"
- "The Desert: North Africa 1940 - 1943"
- "Stalingrad: June 1942 - February 1943"
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
DISC THREE
Episodes:
- "Wolf Pack: U-Boats in the Atlantic 1939 - 1943"
- "Red Star: The Soviet Union 1941 - 1943"
- "Whirlwind: Bombing Germany September 1939 - April 1944"
- "Tough Old Gut: Italy November 1942 - June 1944"
- "It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow: Burma 1942 - 1944"
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
DISC FOUR
Episodes:
- "Home Fires: Britain 1940 - 1944"
- "Inside the Reich: Germany 1940 - 1944"
- "Morning: June - August 1944"
- "Occupation: Holland 1940 - 1944"
- "Pincers: August 1944 - March 1945"
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
DISC FIVE
Episodes:
- "Genocide: 1941 - 1945"
- "Nemesis: Germany February - May 1945"
- "Japan: 1941 - 1945"
- "Pacific: February 1942 - July 1945"
- "The Bomb: February - September 1945"
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
DISC SIX
Episodes:
- "Reckoning: 1945... and After"
- "Remember"
- SPECIAL: "Secretary to Hitler" (24:32)
- SPECIAL: "From War to Peace" (23:48)
- SPECIAL: "Warrior" (52:52)
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
DISC SEVEN
Episodes:
- SPECIAL: "Hitler's Germany: The People's Community (1933-1939)" (78:11)
- SPECIAL: "Hitler's Germany: Total War (1939-1945)" (79:38)
- SPECIAL: "The Two Deaths of Adolf Hitler" (49:02)
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
DISC EIGHT
Episodes:
- SPECIAL: "The Final Solution: Auschwitz Part 1" (100:36)
- SPECIAL: "The Final Solution: Auschwitz Part 2" (94:24)
Episode Summaries
Biographies
"A Brief History of The World at War" text notes
DISC NINE
"Making the Series: A 30th Anniversary Retrospective" 2003 documentary (128:26)
"Experiences of War" documentary (61:19)
"Restoring the World at War" documentary (31:04) -
Subtitles:English HoH
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Aspect Ratio:1.78:1
-
Picture Format:1080p24 AVC MPEG-4
-
Soundtrack(s):English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English LPCM 2.0 Mono -
Case type:Special Case
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Notes:Packaged as a "9-Disc Collector's Set", inside a cardboard box. Comes with a booklet containing episode summaries. All extras and documentaries also reformatted to 1.78:1, are in HD and include optional English HoH subtitles. Confirmed to be Region All.
LPCM 2.0 audio listed as "Stereo" on the back cover/menu.
Each episode contains a bookmark feature where you can jump to parts of the episode where there is specific content, such as photos, speeches, historical footage and so on. The main categories are Imperial War Museum Photo Gallery, Speeches and Quotes, Footage, Graphics, Animation, Maps, Songs and Poems, Songs and Comedy Sketch, Music and Comedy, Interviewees. -
Have you spotted a mistake in these specifications? If so, let us know via our forums. -
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Extras:DISC ONE
Episodes: (Play All - 261:57)
- "A New Germany: 1933 - 1939" (52:21)
- "Distant War: September 1939 - May 1940" (52:10)
- "France Falls: May - June 1940" (52:45)
- "Alone: May 1940 - May 1941" (51:55)
- "Barbarossa: June - December 1941" (52:46)
DISC TWO
Episodes: (Play All - 262:05)
- "Banzai!: Japan Strikes 1931 - 1942" (52:18)
- "On Our Way: U.S.A. 1939 - 1942" (52:57)
- "The Desert: North Africa 1940 - 1943" (52:40)
- "Stalingrad: June 1942 - February 1943" (52:05)
- "Wolf Pack: U-Boats in the Atlantic 1939 - 1943" (52:05)
DISC THREE
Episodes: (Play All - 261:53)
- "Red Star: The Soviet Union 1941 - 1943" (53:07)
- "Whirlwind: Bombing Germany September 1939 - April 1944" (52:36)
- "Tough Old Gut: Italy November 1942 - June 1944" (50:44)
- "It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow: Burma 1942 - 1944" (52:43)
- "Home Fires: Britain 1940 - 1944" (52:43)
DISC FOUR
Episodes: (Play All - 263:33)
- "Inside the Reich: Germany 1940 - 1944" (52:47)
- "Morning: June - August 1944" (52:28)
- "Occupation: Holland 1940 - 1944" (52:52)
- "Pincers: August 1944 - March 1945" (52:41)
- "Genocide: 1941 - 1945" (52:45)
DISC FIVE
Episodes: (Play All - 259:12)
- "Nemesis: Germany February - May 1945" (52:32)
- "Japan: 1941 - 1945" (51:20)
- "Pacific: February 1942 - July 1945" (50:58)
- "The Bomb: February - September 1945" (52:39)
- "Reckoning: 1945 ... and After" (51:43)
DISC SIX
Episodes: (Play All - 249:19)
- "Remember" (50:16)
- SPECIAL: "Hitler's Germany: The People's Community (1933-1939)" (75:12)
- SPECIAL: "Hitler's Germany: Total War (1939-1945)" (76:37)
- SPECIAL: "The Two Deaths of Adolf Hitler" (47:14)
DISC SEVEN
Episodes: (Play All - 239:23)
- SPECIAL: "The Final Solution: Auschwitz Part 1" (97:11)
- SPECIAL: "The Final Solution: Auschwitz Part 2" (91:15)
- SPECIAL: "Warrior: Reflections of Men at War" (50:57)
DISC EIGHT
Episodes: (Play All - 46:56)
- SPECIAL: "Secretary to Hitler (Traudl Junge)" (23:46)
- SPECIAL: "From War to Peace (Professor Stephen Ambrose)" (23:10)
"The Making of the Series" 1989 documentary (48:16)
"Making the Series" 2003 documentary (123:16)
"Experiences of War" documentary (58:37)
Imperial War Musuem (IWM) photo gallery (88 images, 4:24) -
Subtitles:English HoH
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Aspect Ratio:1.37:1
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Picture Format:1080i50 AVC MPEG-4
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Soundtrack(s):English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English LPCM 2.0 mono -
Case type:Special Case
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Notes:Packaged as an 8-disc digi-pack inside a cardboard box. All extras and documentaries are in their original 4:3 ratio, in HD at 25fps with the same audio/subtitle options as the main series.
Audio defaults to LPCM. Cover and menus incorrectly list DTS-HD MA 5.1 track as 'Dolby 5.1'. -
Have you spotted a mistake in these specifications? If so, let us know via our forums. -
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OVERALL: Blu-ray B
The UK release from Network for presenting the series in the correct aspect ratio and including almost all the significant extras from the other releases. Note that it misses out on some minor extras as well as the half-hour restoration documentary from the cropped releases.
Notes:
The 26-episode "The World at War" was conceived and produced by Sir Jeremy Isaacs (for Britain's Thames Television) and was first broadcast on the ITV Network on the 31st October 1973. Narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier.
About the aspect ratio/audio:
"The World at War" was originally shot on film (interviews on 16 mm) and was broadcast in 1.33:1 aspect ratio. "The Ultimate Restored Edition" was extensively restored from the original negatives of 35 mm film in 1.78:1 aspect ratio (the original image was zoomed in/cropped and re-framed). Audio was also restored from the original tracks (full mix mono and a music and effects mono) before creating the 5.1 surround mix.
About the framerate:
This was a UK series broadcast at 25fps, with a variety of footage that might have been shot at 24fps (or a different speed entirely). It's entirely possible both framerate options present some of their footage at a different speed to which it was filmed, although it could be argued that 25fps is the more accurate representation of the end result. -
CUTS:
- Blu-ray A America- A+E Home Entertainment - No cuts
- Blu-ray ALL The Ultimate Restored Edition United Kingdom- Fremantle Home Entertainment - No cuts
- Blu-ray B Original Version (Restored) United Kingdom- Network - No cuts (1844:18 - 25fps)
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Do you own a release not listed? Then please visit our forums and let us know!
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Comparison added by Jari_Kovalainen on 29/09/13
Comparison last updated by Rick_Curzon on 10/07/23UPDATE LOG:
29/09/13: Initial entry.
Please ensure you read our disclaimer.
30/09/13: Updated listing.
23/03/18: Added UK Network release, ASINs, updated listings, confirmed US release region, changed overall.
10/07/23: Dates.
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