National Geographic - Pearl Harbor: Legacy of Attack (2001)

NO captions or subtitles???!!!

I can't find captions or subtitles anywhere on this DVD, and I've looked a number of times. There's no caption symbol or mention of them on the DVD cover, so I can only assume they're just not there. This is a particular shame given that the DVD is otherwise so excellent, and this is inexcusable in this day and age. I would give the content 5 stars, but I have to mark my rating down to 3 for this apparent omission.

On a different note, I also wish the DVD came with an update on the search for the minisubs, which I find intriguing. The inside view of the Arizona was amazing, with the officer's desk, papers and items still perfectly in place, was striking. August 25, 2007

Best birthday gift for Dad, ever.

I gave Pearl Harbour to my Dad last week for his 74th birthday, and when I spoke to my mum this evening he was watching it again, for eighth time. Quoting my father: "I see something different every time I watch it!" and, " This will be a collectors item in ten years!". It's fun buying him things he likes. March 18, 2006

History Worth Watching

I got this video as a part of a three DVD National Geographic set of WWII related topics. What interested me the most about this video was the combination of original film with elderly veterans giving a first person account of what they experienced at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. There is a third aspect to this DVD having to do with a modern underwater search for a sunken Japanese mini-sub. There were times that this story was somewhat interesting but mostly it interfered with the rest of the program. As I understand it, this search was the reason that the National Geographic took on this project. If so, I guess this documentary had to give that search SOME coverage. However, I would have preferred more of the interviews and the the original film of the attack and its' aftermath. History is presented well in "Pearl Harbor; Legacy of Attack" and it is aided by the excellent narration of Tom Brokaw. Overall I give this DVD a "4.5" but it could have been a "5". March 12, 2005

A powerfully moving tribute to the victims and survivors

Robert Ballard's search for the Japanese sub fired upon by the Ward an hour before the attack on Pearl Harbor and the promise of the first look inside the sunken USS Arizona may be the featured selling points for this wonderful National Geographic special, but it is the personal stories of Pearl Harbor survivors that makes this a moving, incredibly rewarding video experience. This special, hosted by Tom Brokaw, was filmed to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the reprehensible sneak attack, and it is definitely one of the most impressive Pearl Harbor documentaries I have seen.

The video deals almost as much with the present as it does the past, switching back and forth between then and now in a pattern which basically takes you through the overall sequence of events on the day that will forever live in infamy. Personally, I could have done with much less footage of Ballard's search for the Japanese midget sub; it's certainly interesting, but the search fails to provide us with any important new information. The footage taken by robotic vehicles from inside the Arizona was also interesting; this was, after all, the first time the interior of the ill-fated battleship has been seen since the morning of December 7, 1941.

I won't quibble very much about the description and footage of the attack. Obviously, this one video could not go into all of the tragic events of that day, but it does offer a good overview of the situation, does great honor to those who died that Sunday morning as well as those who survived, and gives mention to several facts that aren't mentioned all that often - e.g., the fact that a sub was spotted approaching Pearl Harbor four hours before the attack (and three hours before a second sub was sighted and fired upon by the Ward). It also describes the senseless positioning of naval forces on that morning, making US ships and planes sitting ducks to the overpowering air attack. It does not go so far as to cast blame or ask who knew what in advance, but it does drive home the point that Japanese forces gave themselves away three times in the hours preceding the attack, but no action of any kind was taken by anyone on Oahu. It should not be a secret by now, of course, that the depth of the disaster that day had as much to do with American military incompetence as it did the actual Japanese attack.

The heart of Pearl Harbor, though, is the stories of the victims and the survivors, and this documentary does a great service to all those young men and women. Personal stories of bravery, such as that of Dorie Miller, are told, but these are far surpassed in emotional terms by a number of personal stories of victims - these are stories some men carried with them for decades, and few can relate them now without shedding tears of horror and heartbreak. One survivor had come to Pearl Harbor for the first time in six decades, finally opening up and telling his story because he knew he had only a few months to live. All of those men who suffered and died must never be forgotten, and they must never be relegated to mere numbers. Hearing the personal stories of survivors, no matter how horrible the things they describe witnessing, brings the importance of every individual soul lost that fateful day into the proper perspective. I daresay there are very few men and women who can watch this National Geographic special without becoming emotional themselves - it is a powerful presentation that I think every American should see. December 9, 2004

Beautifully Made, Yet Painful To Watch

Nobody who has been to Pearl Harbor and the 'Arizona' memorial is untouched by the experience. I had always wanted to visit it since I was a child, and finally did so in 2002. Even after all the planning and anticipation, it was still far more emotional and moving that I could have imagined. This DVD is like that, too, although on a smaller scale. Even if you have read about Pearl Harbor, this documentary still has the power to draw tears to the eyes of viewers.

The DVD is multifaceted. In part it showcases Bob Ballard and his quest for a Japanese midget sub. That is interesting enough, but that isn't the real attraction of the documentary. The more important part of the film are images of the December 7, 1941 attack, the haunting footage of the 'Arizona' as she is now (including unbelievable interior shots), and most powerfully of all, the interviews with Pearl Harbor survivors. There are also some interactive maps, a behind the scenes feature and extended survivor interviews as bonus features.

I really must emphasize the importance of the survivor interviews. These interviews are unstructured, and they tell the audience what they think is important. It is all important. I can't imagine that anyone can listen to these men recount their experiences without feeling a huge debt of gratitude to them. They are true American heroes. This DVD is about sacrifice and the things that are good about the United States. It is hard to watch what they went through, but it is important that we never forget.

Buy this DVD and remember the lessons of Pearl Harbor. July 9, 2004

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