dndcullens

This is one of those shows we have on in the background as we do other things. It is not that interesting. The characters are the main problem. Lets start with Gibbs. He is a gunney who does not take much guff. Alright, fair. Then there is the diNozzo character who is there for comedy but is one dimensional. His opposite is the women who follow the "smarter, better" type which has been done to death on other shows but here never get the opportunity to kick diNozzo in the ass as he deserves. They are not well written which is a shame. McGee is the best character but like the rest has not developed beyond the original introduction. David McCallum is fine and does the job but has little else to offer. As for forensics girl (I forget her name), it is just an annoying character. As I said it is now a background noise show with the only interest to see who the guest stars are...and there are some good ones.

The idea of taking existing footage and colorizing them has been tried before with mixed results. However to take this footage and totally revamp it by adjusting the speed and adding voices as Peter Jackson has done here with original WW1 footage has brought this to a new level. The whole thing is done brilliantly and is without fault. I got this DVD (yes, I still buy them) as well as the original ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT on the same day. The movie was the re mastered version and combined with this documentary it brought to life a time when a film on tanks in action (actually they were in practice) brought people flocking to the cinemas. What a wonder they must have beheld to see actual moving pictures of tanks in action. The same astonishment could be directed at this documentary and a really brilliant one it is too. In time this will probably become commonplace but for now lets gaze in wonder at the time long past brought to life again. Really well done.

Let me start by saying the original is a masterpiece and would rate it 10/10 like I have done for this second re-make. The difference is that the cast is German and the story is different (if not the same!!). There is so much that is great in this movie that I have decided to concentrate on just a minor detail and that is teeth. So often in war movies the cast go through hell and still have milky white teeth which would be almost impossible in combat but here even that detail is covered. Minor detail as I say but still covered. Everything else is done so well that there is little not to quibble about. The opening sequence alone is as moving an anti-war sentiment as has ever been put on screen.