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From Amazon.co.uk
One of World War II's greatest and most controversial leaders is the focus of Patton 360, a three-disc offering from the History Channel. General George S. Patton, "Ol' Blood and Guts" to admirers and detractors alike, had already served in World War I when, at age 57, he was put in command of Operation Torch, the 1943 Allied campaign to seize North Africa from the pro-Nazi French forces who were occupying the area at the time. That's where Patton 360 begins; subsequent episodes chronicle his incursions into Sicily, Belgium, France (where his Third Army landed just weeks after D-day, and Operation Cobra, described as "the largest carpet bombing mission in military history," helped lead the way to victory in Europe), and finally Germany; it was there, some months after the war ended, that Patton died in a car crash.
Scion of a wealthy Pasadena, California, family, Patton was a brilliant military man--his toughness, discipline (he insisted that his men shave every day and observe strict uniform requirements), and willingness to "lead from the front" were unquestioned. But as the series tells it, he was also a foul-mouthed hothead accused of having a "lust for glory" that led to accusations that he put his own reputation before the safety of his soldiers. The fourth episode, "Rogue General," details the infamous incidents (also familiar to fans of the 1970 film Patton, which earned lead actor George C. Scott an Oscar®) in which he slapped two GIs in Sicily, accusing the war-weary men, one of whom also had malaria, of cowardice and forcing Allied leader Dwight D. Eisenhower to temporarily relieve Patton of his command.
All of this is presented by way of the same ingredients used in the earlier Battle 360 series, combining file footage (including silent clips of Patton himself), photos, CGI, occasional re-enactments, expert analysis, and reminiscences of several men who fought under Patton. There is plenty of edifying history delivered, as well as detailed descriptions of strategy, tactics, and weaponry, especially tanks and artillery. But the episodes are also loud and kinetic to distraction, with a constant and relentless background of pounding music and sound effects, flashing graphics, and macho voice-over narration. This may prove wearisome to some viewers, but Patton 360 is entertainment, not scholarship, and as such it is undeniably effective. --Sam Graham
Product Description
It was a war and a series of military campaigns like no other. Now HISTORY™ puts you in the action with Gen. George S. Patton, Jr. as he leads his heroic soldiers in North Africa, in the invasion of Sicily, and in the charge across Europe to defeat Hitler's Third Reich.
Following on the success of Battle 360, Patton 360 uses cutting-edge computer graphic animation and the latest technology to bring viewers a 360-degree view of World War II. Patton, a complicated, colourful, and ferociously determined officer known as 'Old Blood and Guts,' springs to life with the aid of archival footage, personal diary quotes, and commentary from historians and veterans. With insight into the forces he commanded and battles he led, you'll be there for all the drama, from lightning-fast armoured assaults to the Battle of the Bulge and the final battles inside Germany after crossing the Rhine.
Grab a helmet and prepare for action!
• From the producers of Battle 360°, HISTORY presents General Patton’s controversial and thrilling WWII battles in stunning Blu-ray.
Following on the success of Battle 360, Patton 360 uses cutting-edge computer graphic animation and the latest technology to bring viewers a 360-degree view of World War II. Patton, a complicated, colourful, and ferociously determined officer known as 'Old Blood and Guts,' springs to life with the aid of archival footage, personal diary quotes, and commentary from historians and veterans. With insight into the forces he commanded and battles he led, you'll be there for all the drama, from lightning-fast armoured assaults to the Battle of the Bulge and the final battles inside Germany after crossing the Rhine.
Grab a helmet and prepare for action!
• From the producers of Battle 360°, HISTORY presents General Patton’s controversial and thrilling WWII battles in stunning Blu-ray.
• Viewers experience intense fire from the land, air and sea through ground-breaking production techniques, including state-of-the-art video game graphics, mixed with archival footage, to re-animate the heart-pounding WWII battles – a must have on Blu-ray.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By DF McCleland
VINE™ VOICE
Amazon Verified Purchase
Having viewed many programs & DVDs on WW2 in Europe, this video adopts a completely different approach which provides a fresh view of the events which are well known to most persons interested in WW2.
The method of presentation is as follows:
* Follow the campaigns of a charismatic commander in this case Patton who was involved in most battles relating to the American forces during WW2 in the European theatre. Patton fits this bill admirably. After landing near Casablanca, he was involved in the eviction of the Axis forces from North Africa, the invasion of Sicily, the battle for Normandy, the capture of eastern France, Battle of the Bulge & finally the invasion of Germany itself during March 1945. This only leaves the Italian campaign & D-Day itself excluded.
* Use a mix of the following:
o Extensive CGI - more on this later
o Interviews with combatants
o Commentary by current army personnel
o Original file footage
* Instead of commentary being at a general level, the experiences of the combatants form the basis of the CGI visuals & the overall commentary which provides a more personal feel. One also gets a sense of being close to the action.
Being in excess of 9 hours long, this video allows time for a more detailed commentary of the events as they unfolded rather than a broad brush approach of most documentaries on these battles. Having seen too many high level overviews, this came as a welcome break.
On the other hand there were some extremely annoying & irritating aspects to this production:
* Over loud & dramatic music & sound effects
* Visuals especially CGIs zooming in & out too quickly
* Quick flipping through visuals
* Repetitive use of the same CGI images
The device of using Patton to provide the continuity & basis of the video works admirably. In reality over the course of the videos Patton mainly plays only a minor role.
Apart from the annoying aspects as stated, overall this is a fine production with a fresh & novel approach to the war. Overall rating 7.5/10.
The method of presentation is as follows:
* Follow the campaigns of a charismatic commander in this case Patton who was involved in most battles relating to the American forces during WW2 in the European theatre. Patton fits this bill admirably. After landing near Casablanca, he was involved in the eviction of the Axis forces from North Africa, the invasion of Sicily, the battle for Normandy, the capture of eastern France, Battle of the Bulge & finally the invasion of Germany itself during March 1945. This only leaves the Italian campaign & D-Day itself excluded.
* Use a mix of the following:
o Extensive CGI - more on this later
o Interviews with combatants
o Commentary by current army personnel
o Original file footage
* Instead of commentary being at a general level, the experiences of the combatants form the basis of the CGI visuals & the overall commentary which provides a more personal feel. One also gets a sense of being close to the action.
Being in excess of 9 hours long, this video allows time for a more detailed commentary of the events as they unfolded rather than a broad brush approach of most documentaries on these battles. Having seen too many high level overviews, this came as a welcome break.
On the other hand there were some extremely annoying & irritating aspects to this production:
* Over loud & dramatic music & sound effects
* Visuals especially CGIs zooming in & out too quickly
* Quick flipping through visuals
* Repetitive use of the same CGI images
The device of using Patton to provide the continuity & basis of the video works admirably. In reality over the course of the videos Patton mainly plays only a minor role.
Apart from the annoying aspects as stated, overall this is a fine production with a fresh & novel approach to the war. Overall rating 7.5/10.
3 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By P. R. Pearson
VINE™ VOICE
Anyone interested in WW2 or General Patton this is a fine tale, well put together with a mix of old archive material and new digital graphics to fill in the gaps, thoroughly entertaining, I even bought one for an acquaintance at work who is leaving and he liked it too. If you like WW2 stuff, buy it, you will not regret it.
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