TV on DVD

DVDs march on to shelves for World War I centennial

 37 Days
37 Days

We are now more than a month into the 100th anniversary of World War I, aka "The Great War," aka "The War to End All Wars." Of course, we all know now that while it was great (great as in huge), it was hardly a war-ender. Rather, its ripple effects are still being felt.

As part of the commemoration, TV movies and documentaries are flooding the DVD market. Many of these are BBC productions, which makes sense. After all, we've got about three years to go before we hit the centennial of America's entry into the conflict.

Here are just a few of the offerings from the BBC (each one is $20.98):

37 Days (three hours): Not a documentary, but a fact-based drama (that does rely heavily on caricatures) about the 37 days leading up to the declaration of war. Narrated by lower-level workers in the British Foreign Office and the German Chancellory, the film follows leaders of both countries -- English Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey (Ian McDiarmid), Kaiser Wilhelm II (Rainer Sellien), Germany's ambassador to Britain Prince Lichnowsky (Urs Remond) and a young Winston Churchill (Nicholas Asbury) among them -- as they make big decisions and small blunders with huge consequences.

Churchill's First World War (90 minutes): The legendary hero is most closely associated with World War II, but this documentary uses historical analysis and Churchill's letters to show how the first war (and his failure at Gallipoli) shaped him into the man who led his country to victory against the Nazis. There's a particular focus on his relationship with wife Clementine.

Royal Cousins at War (two hours): A look into the family ties that linked (and shaped) Germany, England and Russia and especially first cousins Kaiser Wilhelm II, King George V and Tsar Nicholas II. The documentary covers some of the complicated family history and national tensions that contributed to World War I.

14 War Stories (eight hours): This internationally produced series explores WWI through 14 "regular" people: an Austrian farmer; a Russian girl who joins the Cossacks; a young French boy whose town is occupied; and so on. Their true stories are related through re-enactments and readings from their letters and diaries. Meanwhile, narration explains the political and cultural situations in the various countries involved in the conflict. It's a dramatic and effective look at the war that's educational, but also frames a huge story in a relatable, personal way.

New this week: About a Boy, Season 1; Arrow, Season 2; The Big Bang Theory, Season 7; Bones, Season 9; C.S.I., Season 14; Castle, Season 6; Grimm, Season 3; Hannibal, Season 2; Hawaii Five-0, Season 4; Highway to Heaven, Season 5; Prisoners of War, Season 2; Roosevelts: An Intimate History, Complete Series; Sleepy Hollow, Season 1; South Park, Season 17; Tour of Duty, Season 1.

Next week: The 100, Season 1; Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Season 1; China Beach, Season 4; Defiance, Season 2; How I Met Your Mother, Season 9 and Complete Series; L.A. Law, Season 3; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Season 15; Mama's Family, Season 5; Modern Family, Season 5; Mom, Season 1; Nashville, Season 2; Necessary Roughness, Season 3; The Red Skelton Show, The Early Years; Royal Pains, Season 5; Scandal, Season 3.

Style on 09/14/2014

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