Cheap Battle of Britain (DVD) (Michael Caine, Trevor Howard) (Guy Hamilton) Price

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Customer Reviews of Battle of Britain

Fine DVD of a Finest Hour
Battle of Britain tells an important story and tells it well. The events the film portrays were genuinely crucial, for if Britain had been defeated in 1940, the world would now be a very different place. The film sets the scene for the conflict by emphasising how after the fall of France, Britain was alone with only the RAF to defend it. It depicts the German pilots as arrogant and over confident, strutting around France eager to start hunting. This is contrasted with the British who recognize that they are up against it. Air Chief Marshall Dowding (Lawrence Olivier) is quiet, determined and realistic. The film suggests that this difference in attitude had as much an effect on the outcome of the fight as technology, skill and tactics.

The cast is full of star names, some of them appearing only for a minute or two. At times this can be a bit distracting as a star actor is glimpsed only to disappear again. However, Christopher Plummer, Michael Caine, Ian McShane and Robert Shaw are given enough time to develop their characters and show their acting ability. The viewer comes to care about their fate as individuals, even as their stories are played out against events of great magnitude.

The film does well in showing that those fighting for the RAF were not only members of the British upper class. Moreover it shows that many other nations contributed pilots. There is a wonderful scene showing how members of the Polish Air Force, who had escaped to Britain, forced their way into the fight because the British were initially unsure of their ability. At the end of the film there is a role call and a long list of countries which contributed pilots to the battle. It becomes clear then, that the Battle of Britain was not just Britain's finest hour, but the free world's finest hour also.

Battle of Britain is justly famous for its aerial combat sequences. These are superb. They are played out against stirring music and the sounds of orders. These flying sequences are very realistic and exciting. The formations of aircraft have a certain beauty as they swoop and dive, but the film shows that air combat was a serious business and is not scared to depict the carnage, the blood and the flames.

This film really must be seen in full widescreen. The DVD does not disappoint. The film is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 with the image enhanced for widescreen TVs. The print is very good with only a few minor nicks and scratches. The sound quality is fine. The only extra on the DVD is a trailer, but it is a good one and runs longer than usual at around four minutes. Altogether this is a fine DVD which should appeal to anyone who enjoys films about WWII.

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Spectacular Aerial Sequences
The BATTLE OF BRITAIN is a superb movie made even better by its recent release as a very affordable DVD. For the first time since its release the film can be viewed in wide screen format. I have previously reviewed the VHS version. In short, the DVD is packed with international stars, vintage aircraft (albeit, the German aircraft courtesy of the Spanish Air Force), and a great soundtrack. The DVD release has a much sharper image than the original VHS version. The picture is very crisp and the colors that much more brilliant. The one liberty that was taken with the film was the change in the end credits soundtrack. The original film, VHS copy, and television versions are slightly different. The DVD release has been subtitled differently. In addition, the soundtrack at the conclusion of the film as been replaced -- as has some of the data appearing at the end credits. All in all the only improvemet to this movie would have been if the romantic scenes between Susannah York and Christopher Plummer had been cut from the film. A classic war movie is no place for a love story. In addition to the movie, the DVD also offers one version of the the movie trailer. I was a bit disappointed that the DVD did not include any footage devoted to the making of the film. Indeed, footage of helicopters dropping scale models of aircraft can occasionally be seen on AMC. Still, you can't beat the price for this 1969 classic.

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irresistable
Although made as a tribute to the RAF and this episode in World War II history, it nonetheless followed the successful formula of Tora, Tora, Tora, by making the enemy human and reasonable. It captures the essential spirit of the contestants in this epic air battle. The fact it was done for real, before CGI effects were what they are today, is an asset. There is a reality about it, a versimillitude, that comes from actually using the real articles. It gives the film an authentic look and thus there is no temptation to monkey with history by flooding the skies with an exaggerated computer panoply of planes or having the aircraft demonstrate exciting but very unrealistic maneuvers.