Their Finest Hour: 5 British WWII Classics (Film Movement Classics)
If the contents of this Blu-ray set are any indication, the British film industry consistently took a more sophisticated, nuanced take on World War II than its Hollywood counterpart. The five films included here stand up well alongside the best American war pictures.
Only one of the five was made during the conflict In Went the Day Well (1942), based on a Graham Greene story, a German platoon disguised as Royal Army encamp in a small English village in preparation for the anticipated invasion. They are aided by the town’s leading citizen but ultimately thwarted by the townsfolks resilience and determination. Directed by documentary filmmaker Alberto Cavalcanti, the movie shows how hard it can be to kill.
The 1955 Dunkirk is less about the beach (as in Christopher Nolan) than a cross-section of Britain in early 1940. The frontline troops are represented as are civilians at home. The journalists don’t believe the government’s manipulation of facts and quarrels break out in pubs over who’s shirking and who’s not. Some people listen to the Berlin broadcasts of British traitor Lord Haw Haw.
Based on a nonfiction account, The Colditz Story (1955) shows the problems of international cooperation as POWs from several countries plot their escape. The aerial combat scenes from Dam Busters (1955) inspired Star Wars. The set also includes Ice Cold in Alex (1958).
The Vinyl Revival (MVD Visual)
It’s no longer a fad. The revival of interest in vinyl recordings continues to grow. As Pip Piper’s documentary shows, the audience isn’t confined to Baby Boomers trying to buy a memory but is a badge of cool for younger listeners. According to many interviewees, it’s an opportunity to opt out of the digital world. When well-packaged and produced, vinyl albums are beautiful artifacts that offer an immersive experience. Album covers provide the information fans want.
