Apocalypse: World War II

Originally produced for French television, this six-part documentary series on World War II uses a dramatic gimmick to stand out from the crowded pack: black-and-white archival footage from the 1930s and '40s has been spruced up for a digitally colorized high-definition format. The good news is that the result is visually superb—anyone who only recalls colorization from the ghastly spray-paint hues employed by Ted Turner's minions during the 1980s will be genuinely surprised at how far the technology has advanced. The bad news is that the color enhancement is completely unnecessary, as the historic material (which includes scenes never shown on this side of the Atlantic) powerfully conveys the genuine drama and horror of the conflict. Style notwithstanding, most of the substance here—which takes a chronological approach—is familiar, with voiceover narration and recorded excerpts of speeches covering ground mined in countless other productions, including the benchmark series The World at War (VL Online-11/04). DVD extras include a “making-of” featurette and additional footage. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)