A World War II Odyssey Of An Indiana Dentist.

Combining still photographs and color 8mm film footage of varying quality with voice-over narration by its subject, this program chronicles the personal story of Major Myron Greene, D.D.S. as he enters the Army during WWII, and ventures overseas to duty in Ireland, Africa, Tunisia, the European theatre, the invasion of southern France, and the first month of the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp. Stills and B&W/Color film footage dating from 1941-1946 are used to chronicle basic training, behind-the-scenes army life, the carnage of war, and the joy of liberation, from a personal point of view. A map shows Dr. Greene's trek across the globe during wartime. Smooth dissolves make stills flow into one another and color film brings the war to life, transforming what is an impersonal historic event to many of the younger generation into an up-close personal story with pathos. However, the video quality is out-of-focus much of the time and resolution ranges from good to poor with inconsistent sound/music balance. Part autobiography, part geography and WWII history lesson, this program is an important oral history document. Even though the program suffers from rough technical quality, it should still be considered for its historical value. Recommended for schools and large public libraries with in-depth WWII history collections; for others, this is an optional purchase. (J. Scholtz)