WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.

First Friday Filmclub

Well, dear history hangers-on, June brings with it a significant date. Few among you will not already have guessed... June 6th, "D-Day", and the onset of Operation Overlord, when the allies sought to break through the Atlantic Wall built by the Germans. 

It was also my father's birthday. He often spoke of the landings in some detail, taking it all quite seriously and making sure that we all knew how significant a movement it was by the combined forces. He seemed to be quietly proud of having this tenuous connection to the date. He was eight on the day when the radio reports were coming through, and he never forgot them. He, it was, who bought me my first Airfix model - a Hawker Hurricane. The Spitfire may have been all fine lines and dash, but the Hurricane was every bit as fit and had a friendlier demeanour. The Lancaster bomber was next, then for balance, a Messerschmitt 109, and so it went on. Dad had been thwarted from joining the airforce due to a blind left eye and partially deaf right ear, but he ensured my interest was encouraged. (Yet again, I digress!)

This documentary is very, very worth your while. Comprehensive coverage with much offered that has not been seen before. It is 1hr 40 minutes in duration, so you may wish to bookmark it. Entirely created with archival footage remastered and colourized, it was written and directed by Jean-Christophe Rosé and was produced for France Télévisions as part of the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in June 2014.

It is expertly brought into life from the original black and white footage, much of it shot by some talented cameramen, who are named and honoured during the film. The narration is pitched perfectly, and the added soundtrack (apart from the awful 'bagpipes' [spoiler - no, they aren't] for the Scots soldiers landing 😬) lends a sense of presence that would have been lacking before. I did not feel the length of this, for the quality is so high, and there was a real sense of truly 'seeing' the men and preserving the memory as they made their mark on history.

11 comments:

  1. I can't believe I watched the whole thing. The old soldiers making the plans and they young men and citizens dying. So much death and destruction. Anyway, it was very clear and crisp and the colorization was good. I am glad they blurred the dead.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hari OM
      Thank you for spending the time, Kristin; that you did confirms my suggestion this is a quailty and capitvating production. Yxx

      Delete
  2. Hi Yam - yes ... my Dad would be 20 a few days later in June 1939 - and had some horrific experiences during the War - they weren't talked about to us. Thank you for this film ... I'm not sure I'll watch it - though appreciate you letting us know about it - cheers and hope you've had a good journey home. Hilary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hari OM
      No worries, Hilary - I know not everyone will want to. What impressed me so much about this film though, is that for once, at no time did I have any sense of voyeurism. It is pure 'fly-on-the-wall'. Yxx

      Delete
  3. History (from both sides) right there in front of our eyes. Real men - real events- not a movie plot.
    There’s the nonchalant Americans, you can almost see Stalins mind churning. Oh and look here comes Churchill with Monty not far behind. I’ve only watched the beginning and must put it on pause- 6pm and dinner is calling.
    Will continue later this evening. Thank you for finding it

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for sharing the film. My Dad and uncles were somewhere there, not sure exactly. Luckily they all made it home safely. Take care, enjoy your day and happy weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  5. My dads' 2 brothers were there, one on a ship/beach the other in the air as a tail gunner. I was still 3 months from being born.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you YAM...lots to remember.
    Bryan's Uncle was a POW. Thankfully he came home, never spoke of it.
    Completed is college education and was a Chemistry Professor.
    Hugs Cecilia

    ReplyDelete
  7. Our JL's birthday is June 6th, as well! Thanks for the video. I'll share it with JB. XX

    ReplyDelete

Inquiry and debate are encouraged.
Be grown-ups, please, and play nice.
🙏