Generation War

[Nick Carraway]

Just released in the US. Though the NYT review is less than glowing it did get good reviews in Germany. Spiegel raved about it. I'm sure our German members will have something to say about it as it was so widely seen there. Glad it is getting a US release!

So German friends, story aside, how was the militaria authenticity?

http://nyti.ms/1gGA9El

[Volksgrenadier 44]

It was shown here in Ireland 2 Months ago on RTE and i realy enjoyed it as did my Girl

All the best

Ross

[feldpost 58]

Hi,

There are several threads on th saga of this German TV show!
I have watched it on YouTube with English subtitles just it was deleted for copyright issues, and again in German language before being deleted again.
The BBC in the UK have bought the rights to show it here, but the UK audience are still waiting for an airing!
I personally thought it was a very entertaining mini-series, and would like to watch it again.
As an English sub-titled version exists, I am holding out for a UK DVD release, possibly after showing on UK TV; but if nothing is forthcoming I will buy a German only language copy when I visit Germany in late March.

Best wishes,

John.

[RPN]

Hello John

The series is showing right now on Australian TV and the DVD will be available
here on 12th February.

If you have a multi-zone DVD player and can't wait for the UK release:
http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/generation-war/dp/6148118

Well worth watching, judging from the two episodes I have seen so far. And Nick, the uniforms etc are pretty good IMO :-)

Regards
Paul

[feldpost 58]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the info..... this is very tempting
Still holding out for a UK release, at least until the first week in April!

Best wishes,

John.

[PEVO]

How bout a U.S. release???

[cjclick]

How bout a U.S. release???

Yes... Don't leave the yanks out!

[Nick Carraway]

How bout a U.S. release???

Um, that is what the ny times article referenced above is about.

[PEVO]

Too vague. Need more info on U.S. release specifics...Dates, TV, Theaters etc.. Also need a U.S. subtitle DVD released...like on Amazon.com

[pasoleati]

PLEASE DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU WANT TO AVOID POSSIBLE REVELATIONS ABOUT THE PLOT!

Well, the local (Finnish) state broadcasting company has so far aired two of the 3 episodes. I just finished episode 2.

1. So far the series has been quite OK. On occasion it feels that the dialogue of the soldiers is a bit "glued on", i.e. does not feel really what one expects young guys to talk about at the front.

2. The explosions are a bit too "old Hollywoodish", i.e. too much flame is visible.

3. One one occasion where it shows advancing German tanks that emit very dense and dark black smoke. I have never seen a spark ignition engine to emit such black smoke, even when in poor condition. In other words, a foul up by the special effects department.

4. The section dealing with Kursk battles shows twice Soviet soldiers firing Panzerfausts/Panzerfäuste. Now, my sources tell me that the Panzerfaust entered service in October 1943. What is more, on both occasions the weapon is fired in a far too confined space, confined enough to probably kill the firer by backblast.

5. On several occasions it can be seen that German salute each other with standard military hand salute when indoors and when wearing no headgear. In the Finnish army, which basically adopted German service regulations, a standard military salute was very much a no-no when wearing no headgear and/or indoors. Anyone more familiar with German army regs?

6. Some cases stretch imagination, like a very fast recovery from a bullet wound one centimeter from heart.

Another case: when two persons escape from a camp transport train, they later light a fire. One may ask how as they have been stripped of their personal belongings. Also one may wonder where does the guy get the needle to suture the girl's wound...

Some of these are minor issues that should not discourage anyone from watching the series.

[jmark]

6. Some cases stretch imagination, like a very fast recovery from a bullet wound one centimeter from heart.

I watched Episode 2 last night and was flabbergasted by this one. Looks like he was back on his feet again in a couple of days at the most.

Jason

[paddywhack]

PLEASE DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU WANT TO AVOID POSSIBLE REVELATIONS ABOUT THE PLOT!

Well, the local (Finnish) state broadcasting company has so far aired two of the 3 episodes. I just finished episode 2.

1. So far the series has been quite OK. On occasion it feels that the dialogue of the soldiers is a bit "glued on", i.e. does not feel really what one expects young guys to talk about at the front.

2. The explosions are a bit too "old Hollywoodish", i.e. too much flame is visible.

3. One one occasion where it shows advancing German tanks that emit very dense and dark black smoke. I have never seen a spark ignition engine to emit such black smoke, even when in poor condition. In other words, a foul up by the special effects department.

4. The section dealing with Kursk battles shows twice Soviet soldiers firing Panzerfausts/Panzerfäuste. Now, my sources tell me that the Panzerfaust entered service in October 1943. What is more, on both occasions the weapon is fired in a far too confined space, confined enough to probably kill the firer by backblast.

5. On several occasions it can be seen that German salute each other with standard military hand salute when indoors and when wearing no headgear. In the Finnish army, which basically adopted German service regulations, a standard military salute was very much a no-no when wearing no headgear and/or indoors. Anyone more familiar with German army regs?

6. Some cases stretch imagination, like a very fast recovery from a bullet wound one centimeter from heart.

Another case: when two persons escape from a camp transport train, they later light a fire. One may ask how as they have been stripped of their personal belongings. Also one may wonder where does the guy get the needle to suture the girl's wound...

Some of these are minor issues that should not discourage anyone from watching the series.

i always love comments like these! collectors always whine about how theres not enough good tv shows/movies on about ww2 and when a really really good one comes on that ALOT of thought and work goes into the same collectors whine about how its not 10000% accurate and nit pick everything!yes i saw the panzerfaust error, i think also i saw the mg42 being used in the german invasion of russia in 41 and there were a few other things but i didnt let that spoil my enjoyment one bit!i thought it was great and yeah sure the ending was a little unreal but i loved the whole series!!!

[pasoleati]

Paddy, I am not a collector... Or maybe I am a collector of books...

[pasoleati]

Well, finished the final episode (ep. 3) last night. Some notes:
-I wonder how have the leftist people in Germany reacted to the description of Soviet behaviour. After all, I have heard that some prominent politician commented that Berlin had never known freedom until the Red Army liberated it.
-I somehow detested Greta from the beginning and did not shed any tears over her fate.
-Those narratives by Wilhelm (?) felt very unhistorical, feeling much more today's views.
-That Wilhelm survived and Friedhelm gave an impression most unfavourable.
-Since the show was about 5 fellows, having one of them Jewish might mislead a bit since even in 1933 less than 1 % of German population was Jewish. In other words, the composition of the group was by no means average.

[feldpost 58]

Hi.

Still no news on a UK television broadcast of this series!
The BBC bought transmission rights months ago, thought they may have shown the show at Christmas 2013.
Seems a sad state of affairs when the UK taxpayer is paying for the BBC through TV licence fees. they buy a European mini-series (will not have been cheap!) and do not air it.
Several areas of the world have now seen the programme, with varied critical responses; UK lag behind again.
If the BBC buy a show they should broadcast it over the air, not hold on to it until all interest has wained; otherwise it is a shameless waste of taxpayers cash.
In the UK we have no choice but to buy a TV license to watch television, and all the money raised goes to the BBC.
Some people attempt to watch TV without this license, and they are tracked down by detector vans and prosecuted in court.
Merry England

Best wishes,


John.