It's obvious that World War II has no shortage of documentaries and other films based upon it, so a project such as Ken Burns' The War (2007) is most effective when viewed from a more emotional perspective. Impeccably detailed accounts of the entire conflict (as well as streamlined looks at specific segments like the Holocaust, the atomic bombing of Japan and Pearl Harbor) have been combed over in films like Shoah (1985) and The World at War (1973). Strategies and statistics have been mulled over. Graphic photos and footage of the dead have been burned into our memories. For obvious reasons, WWII has been called "the largest conflict in human history": it remains a fascinating but tragic series of events that left over 70,000,000 dead and millions more emotionally scarred for decades.

Ken Burn's much-anticipated documentary series spends nearly 15 hours covering America's involvement in the war, from the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor to Japan's 1945 surrender after two atomic bombs killed roughly 250,000 of its citizens. As promised, it proves to be less of a technical or political analysis and more of an account from personal perspectives. The documentary's closing moments claim that roughly 1,000 WWII veterans die each day---and with so many firsthand witnesses passing on, countless stories and lessons are lost every year. Several dozen individuals are focused on during this seven-part series, whether they served in the Armed Forces or knew someone who did. A handful each were chosen from four American cities: Sacramento, California; Luverne, Minnesota; Waterbury, Connecticut; and Mobile, Alabama---and while there are a few exceptions to this rule, The War gives a relatively equal amount of time to each region. This proves to be a logical and fitting scope for the series' lengthy running time, almost never feeling rushed or padded.

As expected, a plethora of personal photographs and home movie clips supplement the newly-recorded interviews nicely, but it's the battlefield footage that really brings The War to life. In addition to a surprising amount of color footage included, these silent segments are supplemented by authentic sound effects and explosions. The resulting effects add plenty of dramatic punch to the footage; since these personal accounts attempt to recreate the individual experience, this proves to be a wise move that elevates the atmosphere perfectly. Films like Saving Private Ryan and even Downfall have attempted to paint pictures with varying degrees of success---and while some may balk at the use of newly-added audio, it can't help but feel authentic when paired with actual footage. In most cases, the illusion works perfectly.

Voice-over narration is provided by Keith David (who previously worked with Burns on Jazz), while other actors---including Tom Hanks, who portrays a Rock County journalist---provide dramatizations of several participants in their younger days. It's a potent mix, rounded out nicely by WWII-era songs and an understated score by composer Wynton Marsalis. In all respects, the presentation style and quality of The War is roughly on par with past Burns efforts like The Civil War and Jazz, making full use of Burns' subtle flourish.

Together with co-director Lynn Novick, Burns leads us on an emotional journey through the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the conflict at Guadalcanal, Bataan's death march, the battle of Midway, the toppling of the Nazi party, the sinking of the Indianapolis, the atomic bombing of Japan and many other trials. Certain participants speak in hushed tones about the death and destruction they witnessed firsthand, though we're quickly reminded that this was "a necessary war". Ultimately, most of these stories are equally inspirational and filled with regret---not always due to potential guilt, but through an overall sense of sadness, anger and loss from the untimely deaths of friends and relatives.

The War first aired on PBS during a two-week stretch (with the final episode coinciding with this DVD release) in edited or unedited fashion, depending on the guts of the individual affiliate. These episodes weren't trimmed for their violent content---as far as I'm aware, at least---but for profanity, which makes little to no sense. Luckily, we're given the unedited version on DVD---and as a disclaimer reminds us during each episode, viewer discretion is most certainly advised.

It's also worth noting that the final cut includes more footage than Burns originally planned, after objections from Hispanic and Native American rights groups for the lack of attention to their wartime contributions. This is especially noticeable during the first episode's conclusion, where roughly 15 minutes has been added with retrospective comments from a few Hispanic soldiers. It's not that these stories aren't worth hearing (in fact, one is incredibly affecting and provides one of the episode's most chilling revelations), but this section really feels tacked on in hindsight. We can admire Burns for not altering the flow of the existing episode, but it can't help but lose momentum as a result.

It's certainly a somber affair in most respects, though The War isn't all death and destruction: among other things, it reminds us that the country was never stronger and more unified that it was during World War II. From start to finish, we're treated to a personal journey through four of the 20th century's most pivotal years.

Presented on DVD by Paramount, those who viewed The War during its original PBS broadcast will find that it makes the transfer to disc quite nicely. The technical presentation is strong in most respects (especially in the audio department), while a number of bonus features have been included to sweeten the pot. All things considered, The War is a handsome package that stands in good contrast to existing WWII documentaries and related films. Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio and enhanced for 16x9 displays, The War looks about as good as expected. The bulk of this material is composed of vintage photographs and filmed footage, and most of it looks appropriately worn and battered; this isn't a complaint, of course, and certainly isn't a fault of the DVD transfer. Newly-filmed interviews look smooth and vivid in comparison (though a bit on the soft side)---and while the highly saturated colors tend to bleed ever so slightly, there's very little to complain about here.

The audio presentation (available in Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 mixes) deserves special attention for several reasons. Since virtually all of the older footage was recorded without sound, the wartime atmosphere was authentically re-created from scratch for dramatic purposes. The results are attention-grabbing and dynamic, putting viewers square in the middle of directional gunfire and booming explosions. In contrast, the subtle score by Wynton Marsalis provides a clean, unobtrusive complement to the action, never fighting for attention with the dialogue and sound effects. From top to bottom, this is a masterful audio treatment that truly earns high marks. Optional English subtitles are available during the main feature (and the extras as well, though someone forgot to turn off the Caps Lock key).

Next up on Disc 1 is "Making The War" (36:22, below left), a compact behind-the-scenes documentary with retrospective comments from Burns, Novick and several members of the cast and crew. Among other topics, this piece touches upon the music, sound design and the collection & editing of footage; though no segment goes into an astounding amount of detail, it's a nice overview of the lengthy production.

Also included on this disc is an extensive Photo Gallery divided into 28 sections (below right), featuring images from a number of conflicts and events during the war. Though these are presented with no commentary and only minimal captions, the images speak for themselves. On a related note is a collection of short, text-based Biographies of the main contributors from all four cities, as well as 11 other participants. Closing things out are a few Educational Resources that strongly encourage teachers to get involved in a number of ways.

Aside from the second commentary, Disc 6 houses the rest of the bonus material. First up is a collection of Deleted Scenes (17 clips, 42:31 total) presented in a mix of anamorphic and non-enhanced aspect ratios; additionally, some include time-codes and all are only available with 2.0 audio. A handful of these are worthwhile inclusions that could've easily made the final cut, including a clip with Andy Rooney that discusses the censorship of wartime journalists and reporters. Others are simply fragments of included stories that don't add a great deal, but they're worth browsing through.

On a related note, we're also treated to a collection of Additional Interviews (14 clips, 55:21 total) with some of the main contributors including Quentin Aanenson, Asako Kotuno, Daniel Inouye, Katharine Phillips and more. Unlike the deleted scenes, these are firmly ground in the present---and in most cases, their retrospective comments and additional stories are certainly worth hearing. Closing out the bonus features is the same assortment of Educational Resources included on Disc 1. Most extras are presented in anamorphic widescreen and all include optional English subtitles.

For documentary fans and WWII buffs alike, Ken Burns' The War offers a thoughtful portrait of life on the front line and back home in America. Those specifically looking for a detailed technical account of the war---or "the whole story", for lack of a better term---should look elsewhere, as this seven-part series focuses solely on the individuals. The combination of vintage clips and photographs with newly-recorded interviews adds a finely-tuned, emotional weight to the proceedings, while the layers of Wynton Marsalis' tasteful score and carefully-added sound effects brings much of the wartime footage to life. Paramount's six-disc package supports the main feature nicely, combining a strong technical presentation with an assortment of appropriate bonus features. Though the high retail price may scare off casual fans, there's enough content here to consider The War worth adding to any DVD collection. Highly Recommended.