The World at War (1973)
The seventies were a Golden Age for cerebral documentaries with such outstanding examples as The Ascent of Man, Cosmos and Life on Earth. Such shows were content driven, relying heavily upon the quality of the script along with the charisma and gravitas of the presenter. Jacob Bronowski, Carl Sagan and David Attenborough were exemplars of this. Jeremy Isaac’s The World at War is another archetype of quality documentary film making from this decade.
The seventies were a Golden Age for cerebral documentaries with such outstanding examples as The Ascent of Man, Cosmos and Life on Earth. Such shows were content driven, relying heavily upon the quality of the script along with the charisma and gravitas of the presenter. Jacob Bronowski, Carl Sagan and David Attenborough were exemplars of this. Jeremy Isaac’s The World at War is another archetype of quality documentary film making from this decade.
The World at War was first broadcast in the UK on Wednesday 26th October in 1973 on the ITV network. This was the year of the oil crisis, one of many miners' strike and Ted Heath's three-day week. World War II still loomed large in the nation’s collection psyche and influenced global politics. Forty Two years on, The World at War it is still being watched all over the world via DVDs, VoD and TV repeats. It can be cogently argued that the documentary still remains an powerful account of World War II. There are some areas that possibly may revision due to the emergence of de-classified information but as a whole this is still an in-depth, scholarly and accessible historical analysis.
Isaacs always was motivated by wanting to tell the story of World War II from a truly global perspective. At the time UK film makers and scholars still tended to follow a very UK-centric narrative adhering to Churchill’s "finest hour" mindset. Noble Frankland the director of the Imperial War Museum and the series historical adviser encouraged Isaacs to not only adopt this approach but emphasise the role of the Red Army and explore to a greater degree the significance of the war against Japan.
One of the most powerful features of the series was the use of in-depth conversations with ordinary people, often those who were directly involved in the event being explored. The first hand experiences of the average soldier at Anzio or the perspective of the civilians that endured the Blitz remains compelling viewing. The World at War also contains an unprecedented wealth of interviews with the politicians and military leaders of the time. Admiral Dönitz, Anthony Eden, Mark Clark and "Bomber" Harris are among those who shared their often contradictory views on the way key event unfolded. Perhaps the most significant contributor was Hitler's secretary Traudl Junge who paints a very human picture of the Führer's final days.
Two elements worthy of note are the series score by composer Carl Davis and narration by Laurence Olivier. Both underpin the archive newsreel footage and add gravitas to the overall narrative. The script although focusing upon the global scope of World War II, maintains a very human perspective with passages from letters, journals and popular songs from the time. Olivier’s understated delivery often affords the viewer opportunity to contemplate the magnitude of events. Davis’ score adds focus to each episode and never strays into melodrama.
Although the factual rigour of The World at War remains robust there are areas where the narrative requires updating and theatres of war that need a broader exploration. Since the shows original broadcast the facts regarding the breaking of the enigma code at Bletchley Park have come to light. As a result the episode "Wolfpack" about the battle of the Atlantic is now somewhat passé. Both China and India’s experiences during the war are conspicuous by their absence; likewise Yugoslavia’s war time ordeal is only alluded to.
The World at War was a significant undertaking for a major television network at the time and keenly reflected the production and audience standards of the decade. It is highly unlikely that a documentary series of this calibre could be produced today. Not only are there no longer any surviving interviewees with first-hand experience of the events in question, there may no longer be an appetite from the general public for such an in-depth analysis of a period of history we are becoming increasingly removed from.
Once Upon Atari (2003)
Once Upon Atari is a documentary exploring the meteoric success of the Atari company during the seventies and eighties. It consists mainly of interviews with many original Atari 2600 game development staff. Made by Howard Scott Warshaw, a programmer and author of titles such as Yar’s Revenge, Indiana Jones and the infamous E.T. the documentary provides a fascinating insight into day-to-day life at what was one of the most iconic companies of its era. The work environment as described by those who laboured there is the polar opposite of the way many businesses are structured today. This was the age of the game auteur, where successful coders were indulged.
Once Upon Atari is a documentary exploring the meteoric success of the Atari company during the seventies and eighties. It consists mainly of interviews with many original Atari 2600 game development staff. Made by Howard Scott Warshaw, a programmer and author of titles such as Yar’s Revenge, Indiana Jones and the infamous E.T. the documentary provides a fascinating insight into day-to-day life at what was one of the most iconic companies of its era. The work environment as described by those who laboured there is the polar opposite of the way many businesses are structured today. This was the age of the game auteur, where successful coders were indulged.
Once Upon Atari features informal but in-depth interviews with the likes of Larry Kaplan (Kaboom! ), Rob Fulop (Missile Command ), Tod Frye (Pac-Man ) as well as Atari co-founder, Nolan Bushnell. The documentary format is predominantly "talking head" interviews intercut with some game clips and a wealth of personal photos. If you're at all interested in the significance of Atari and its place in the annals of gaming history then you'll be extremely satisfied. This is an honest snapshot of how the game industry worked over three decades ago. It certainly paints a vivid picture of the organised chaos that occurred daily at the Atari office.
Once Upon Atari is filled with anecdotes such as “the hot tub, the sprinkler lobotomy, the flying frog, walking on walls”. Many were fuelled by the use of recreational drug. It’s amazing how these talented individuals were given creative freedom and fiscal responsibility at such a young age. It reminds me of the similar culture that existed in dot-com “companies” of the late nineties. The programmers essentially worked their own hours, eschewed the conventional formality of the business world and were known for their hijinks both in and out of the office. As with dot-com “millionaires”, the programmers often made their fortunes, only to lose them shortly thereafter.
Although very simply made Once Upon Atari highlights the unique situation at Atari and how through synchronicity, it brought an eclectic group of talented freethinkers together at the right time. It’s amazing to think that during the eighties, a hit game could be conceived, written and lovingly crafted by just a single developer. A freedom that I’m sure many who currently work in the gaming industry would view with envy today. If you are a gamer who is at all interested in the history of the medium or have fond memories of the Atari 2600, then you need to watch this documentary. It’s funny, informative and compelling.
Trek Nation (2010)
Trek Nation is a relatively straight forward documentary with a clear premise. It follows Eugene Roddenberry’s search to find out more about his father Gene and to understand the cultural phenomenon of Star Trek. Directed by Scott Colthorp the film endeavours to explore the enduring appeal of the franchise as Eugene discovers more about the father he didn't know and the show that passed him by. Through interviews with cast and crew members from all five Star Trek shows, as well as fans and celebrities who were influenced by the show while growing up, Trek Nation methodically follows a linear path. Yet this uncomplicated approach proves to very effective and surprising candid.
Trek Nation is a relatively straight forward documentary with a clear premise. It follows Eugene Roddenberry’s search to find out more about his father Gene and to understand the cultural phenomenon of Star Trek. Directed by Scott Colthorp the film endeavours to explore the enduring appeal of the franchise as Eugene discovers more about the father he didn't know and the show that passed him by. Through interviews with cast and crew members from all five Star Trek shows, as well as fans and celebrities who were influenced by the show while growing up, Trek Nation methodically follows a linear path. Yet this uncomplicated approach proves to very effective and surprising candid.
As with the great Bruce Lee, there is a wealth of material available about Star Trek in the public domain. Much is apocryphal, some is actually bogus and the remainder is regularly recycled. So it’s important to maintain a healthy sense of scepticism when watching any alleged revelatory documentary. Too often have I watched spurious material that seeks to canonise Gene Roddenberry. The ridiculing of fans is another common occurrence because it is so easy to do. Fortunately Trek Nation did not go down that route and strives to be fair and objective.
Eugene is honest about his own failings in his relationship with his father and very matter of fact about his own father’s weaknesses. Some tried and tested ground is re-explored with some established Star Trek facts once again being reiterated. This includes Nichelle Nichols Dr. King anecdote as well as the Will Wheaton’s Mary Sue assertions about his own role in Star Trek: TNG for example. However the interactions with grass-roots and celebrity fans alike are quite genuine. The interview with George Lucas was quite illuminating and really does lay to rest the perennial fanboy Star Wars versus Star Trek argument.
Although far from a clinical dissection of fandom and the nature of fame, Trek Nation isn't a bad stab at unravelling the mysteries of a father and son relationship that was skewed by fame and the media spotlight. It also offers a good starting place for non-Star Trek fans to determine what the exact appeal of the franchise is. Ultimately it reaches the same conclusion as all those other shows, documentaries and books. Star Trek has at its heart a fundamental philosophy. One that has a universal appeal because it shows potentially shows humans at their best and what we could achieve given the right circumstances.