User Reviews

The centerpiece of this documentary is the 3D photos restored and put to film for the first time. They are not really color photos but sometimes colorized photos, however the detail in those photos is amazing. The faces staring back at you in these 3D photos from over a 100 years ago really make the people seem to come alive again and make the viewer feel the pain of the lost generation and the senselessness of the war more than any regular photo or video would. I am assuming the filmmakers were able to access the original glass plates of the photos, the quality really is that good. The difference in detail and quality is essentially stark when compared to movie clips from the same era, which are low quality and grainy as expected. However the occasional movie clips are essential in bridging to story and have been sped down to fit the sombre mood. Unlike most documentaries, there is no retelling of mostly well known historical facts and dates, but instead the movie relies on "testimonies" in the form of often very touching letters written by participants of the war and replies from their loved ones. This touching and moving documentary is perfectly fitting for a 3D presentation, which makes the latest demise of 3D all the more regrettable, as that means this documentary will inevitably remain obscure and accessible only to 3D fans and owners of the necessary equipment to enjoy it.

This documentary is not about the political circumstances but gives you a great impression from the people's point of view of WWI. It uses original stereoscopic color photographs in incredibly high quality from before, during and after the war, while letters of people who were fighting it and their loved ones are being read out, so you get a very personal and touching point of view, while it also makes you aware that it couldn't happen again anytime. The German Blu-Ray is Region B locked but has English subtitles. With the wonderful original 3D pictures it gives you a surreal, almost super-real impression of the time, like you've never experienced it before.