British War DVD Collection (DVD)

British War DVD Collection (DVD) ... / The four films presented in The British War Collection unapologetically embody the dogged spirit and pluck of an embattled nation during its greatest crisis; that they also represent the zenith of post-war British cinema is a testament to both their quality and veracity. First in chronological order is The Cruel Sea (1953), a rivetingly faithful adaptation of Nicholas Monsarrat's gripping novel (itself semi-autobiographical) in which Jack Hawkins is the epitome of determined professionalism in the face of ever-present disaster. Moving from sea to air, The Dam Busters (1954) uses the same documentary-style approach to storytelling, though combined here with the more overt patriotic appeal of Eric Coates' famous march theme. A similar never-say-die spirit pervades both The Colditz Story (1955)--an authentic retelling of PR Reid's narrative--and Ice Cold in Alex (1958). Coincidentally or not, both films star the always indomitable John Mills. In Colditz, Mills heads a distinguished ensemble of British thespians as they attempt to escape from the infamous fortress, while in Alex he and his marvellously tight-knit cast journey painstakingly towards what is probably the most famous glass of lager in the world. On the DVDs: The British War Collection comes in a neat fold-out package with postcard-style cards for each movie. All four discs are presented in their original aspect ratios (Cruel Sea and Dam Busters, 1.33:1; Alex and Colditz, 1.66:1). The black and white prints are in pretty good condition, and are accompanied by reasonably clean mono soundtracks. Other than the original theatrical trailers there are no extras. --Mark Walker