In History Channels two-part, four-hour Special Presentation: THIRD REICH, rare and never-before-seen amateur footage tells the epic story of the Third Reich as it's never been told before: through the eyes of the people who lived it.
THIRD REICH: THE RISE
A unique perspective on the rise of Nazi Germany and how millions of people were so vulnerable to fascism, told through rare and never-before-seen amateur films shot by the Germans who were there.
THIRD REICH: THE FALL
How did the Germans experience the Allied victory in WWII? Rarely-and never-before-seen amateur films recount the catastrophic downfall of the Third Reich through the eyes of the people who lived it: the Germans themselves.
If you have even a casual interest in what happened in the era that Adolf Hitler made life on Earth a living hell for so many then you owe it to yourself to watch this amazing documentary. The story starts with a young Hitler and examines how he became to be evil personified and rose to power in Germany. Never before seen amateur footage captured during this horrific era sheds a new light and look at the Nazi Party. There are interesting German newsreel recordings as well, that help transport the viewer into the events that shaped the world and also spawned the "Greatest Generation". It is jaw dropping to see tens of thousands of Nazi stormtroopers goose-steeping in unison.
The holocaust is looked at in haunting detail and some of the footage is disturbing but necessary to learn from. What is different from past documentaries is the life for Germans that just wanted to remain peaceful and never supported Hitler and his Nazi regime, but still had to deal with the consequences left after the War had ended and they were left to pick up the pieces. The narration that leads you throughout is excellent. I was stunned by some of the things I saw as I watched this series and now a have a better understanding from all parties involved. I highly recommend you take the time to watch this. 9/10
Third Reich arrives on DVD with a 480i transfer in the aspect ratio of 1.78:1. There are a variety of sources that were used to bring this story to life. A majority of footage was shot on cameras by amateurs and in black & white. Black levels were remarkably strong for this vintage. The brief scenes of color contain deep reds of the Nazi banners, and earthy browns on clothing. Detail was okay while there was inherent softness in the image due to the source and not the transfer. Overall this is a good presentation. 7/10
Audio is provided by a Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 track. Dialogue reproduction is key here and it was consistently crisp and clean in regards to the narration. Music cues have a decent heft to them that adds to the foreboding theme. Complements the on screen material well. 7/10