Battle 360 - Season 1 (History Channel) (Steelbook)
starring: USS Enterprise
directed by: various
directed by: various
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Product Description:
Studio: A&e Home VideoRelease Date: 12/16/2008
Amazon.com:
It would be an understatement say that Battle 360: Season 1 has substantial appeal for World War II and naval history "enthusiasts." Considering the depth and thoroughness of the program and the sheer volume of data and information on hand--and with ten episodes, each more than 50 minutes long, there's very little that's not covered--it's likely that experts, fanatics, and obsessives will be well satisfied too. Using a combination of extensive computer-generated imagery (CGI), charts, graphics, statistics, file footage, photos, interviews with military men both past and present, and more, the program focuses on the Pacific Theater, where the United States and its allies battled Japan for the three and half years between Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and the end of the war in August 1945. At the center of virtually every battle during that span was the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. Launched in 1936, this Yorktown class vessel, also known as "a fighting city of steel" and "the Lucky E" (for its ability to avoid major catastrophe, at least for the most part), carried 96 planes, a huge amount of weaponry, and a crew whose average was an astonishing 19 years old. Proceeding chronologically, the series details such major conflicts as Midway (when the U.S. disabled no less than four Japanese carriers), Guadalcanal (when the Enterprise suffered serious damage while helping to thwart the enemy's plans to invade Australia), and Leyte Gulf ("the largest naval battle in the history of mankind"), finishing with the Japanese's last-gasp use of kamikaze pilots to attack the U.S. fleet. Much of this is genuinely gripping, as the episodes provide literally minute-by-minute accounts of every encounter and the size, speed, function, and firepower of every vessel and aircraft on both sides. But there are notable drawbacks as well, starting with the fact that for all of its detail, we see almost nothing of the Enterprise's interior or descriptions of daily life on board the enormous vessel. There's also the issue of how much CGI you can take; although there is some film footage (which may or may not be from the specific skirmish being described), the computer work, while generally pretty convincing, is pervasive and rather like a video game without a controller. What's more, each episode is kinetic almost to distraction, with a ceaseless flow of pounding music and sound effects, flashing graphics, and macho voice-over detailing the action. On the other hand, the reminiscences of those who were actually there are often very moving, not to mention a welcome surcease from the high-tech assault of the rest of the show. Bonus material is limited--a few additional scenes--but the steel box it all comes in is pretty cool. --Sam Graham
Studio: A&e Home VideoRelease Date: 12/16/2008
Amazon.com:
It would be an understatement say that Battle 360: Season 1 has substantial appeal for World War II and naval history "enthusiasts." Considering the depth and thoroughness of the program and the sheer volume of data and information on hand--and with ten episodes, each more than 50 minutes long, there's very little that's not covered--it's likely that experts, fanatics, and obsessives will be well satisfied too. Using a combination of extensive computer-generated imagery (CGI), charts, graphics, statistics, file footage, photos, interviews with military men both past and present, and more, the program focuses on the Pacific Theater, where the United States and its allies battled Japan for the three and half years between Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and the end of the war in August 1945. At the center of virtually every battle during that span was the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. Launched in 1936, this Yorktown class vessel, also known as "a fighting city of steel" and "the Lucky E" (for its ability to avoid major catastrophe, at least for the most part), carried 96 planes, a huge amount of weaponry, and a crew whose average was an astonishing 19 years old. Proceeding chronologically, the series details such major conflicts as Midway (when the U.S. disabled no less than four Japanese carriers), Guadalcanal (when the Enterprise suffered serious damage while helping to thwart the enemy's plans to invade Australia), and Leyte Gulf ("the largest naval battle in the history of mankind"), finishing with the Japanese's last-gasp use of kamikaze pilots to attack the U.S. fleet. Much of this is genuinely gripping, as the episodes provide literally minute-by-minute accounts of every encounter and the size, speed, function, and firepower of every vessel and aircraft on both sides. But there are notable drawbacks as well, starting with the fact that for all of its detail, we see almost nothing of the Enterprise's interior or descriptions of daily life on board the enormous vessel. There's also the issue of how much CGI you can take; although there is some film footage (which may or may not be from the specific skirmish being described), the computer work, while generally pretty convincing, is pervasive and rather like a video game without a controller. What's more, each episode is kinetic almost to distraction, with a ceaseless flow of pounding music and sound effects, flashing graphics, and macho voice-over detailing the action. On the other hand, the reminiscences of those who were actually there are often very moving, not to mention a welcome surcease from the high-tech assault of the rest of the show. Bonus material is limited--a few additional scenes--but the steel box it all comes in is pretty cool. --Sam Graham
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Battle 360 is a HIT
This is the best historical video I have ever seen.What makes this series stand out and make it so good is the visual interpretation it provides.If you want to watch a the historical story of the USS Enterprise in World War II this is a must to own and watch. It is worth it.
Rating: - Battle 360
If you're a WW II junkie and love collecting DVD's about the biggest war of all time, then this a must-have for your collection. This DVD set is about the history of the WW II aircraft carrier U.S.S. Enterprise and the computer graphic effects are extremely good. The best parts are when real veterans from the Enterprise add comment to the stories being told.
Rating: - Battle 360, The Enterprise
In the style of a documentary, this shows (in detail) all of the battles the USS Enterprise went through from the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the end of WWII.There are a lot of very interesting interviews from men who served on her as well as actual footage.
Rating: 
- Correct graphics and better narration and it would have been perfect!
I loved the show and purchased the DVDs as soon as they were released and have thought long and hard about what kind of rating to give this series. I finally decided that, unlike some of the other reviewers, I simply could NOT give it 5 stars for one simple reason - am I the only one who got sick of, or even noticed, the use of some of the same graphics over and over again!?!?
For the time and care they spent/used correctly identifying the different classes of ships, both USN and IJN, ... Read More
Rating: - Battle 360 season #1
I've enjoyed the whole season and my only complaint isn't so much with what it presents but rather what it doesn't present.We certainly made blunders and didn't have the battle experience of the Japanese in the beginning.The quality of our torpedo's left a lot to be desired.(The controversies of the war are not shown maybe they are right.)I wish it showed more, that generation was simply amazing far beyond our widest dreams but there was racism in their too all the foibles of man and despite it ... Read More
- Battle 360 is a HITThis is the best historical video I have ever seen.What makes this series stand out and make it so good is the visual interpretation it provides.If you want to watch a the historical story of the USS Enterprise in World War II this is a must to own and watch. It is worth it.
- Battle 360If you're a WW II junkie and love collecting DVD's about the biggest war of all time, then this a must-have for your collection. This DVD set is about the history of the WW II aircraft carrier U.S.S. Enterprise and the computer graphic effects are extremely good. The best parts are when real veterans from the Enterprise add comment to the stories being told.
- Battle 360, The EnterpriseIn the style of a documentary, this shows (in detail) all of the battles the USS Enterprise went through from the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the end of WWII.There are a lot of very interesting interviews from men who served on her as well as actual footage.
- Correct graphics and better narration and it would have been perfect!I loved the show and purchased the DVDs as soon as they were released and have thought long and hard about what kind of rating to give this series. I finally decided that, unlike some of the other reviewers, I simply could NOT give it 5 stars for one simple reason - am I the only one who got sick of, or even noticed, the use of some of the same graphics over and over again!?!?
For the time and care they spent/used correctly identifying the different classes of ships, both USN and IJN, ... Read More
- Battle 360 season #1I've enjoyed the whole season and my only complaint isn't so much with what it presents but rather what it doesn't present.We certainly made blunders and didn't have the battle experience of the Japanese in the beginning.The quality of our torpedo's left a lot to be desired.(The controversies of the war are not shown maybe they are right.)I wish it showed more, that generation was simply amazing far beyond our widest dreams but there was racism in their too all the foibles of man and despite it ... Read More
