This page features reviews from the films and other material to help spread the word about Livingbattlefield's mission, to engage, enlighten and entertain.
D.C Reviewer, Teddy's Takes
If you've been watching PBS lately, I hope you have logged some time with Livingbattlefield's fantastic new World War II travel documentary series, "The American Road to Victory." The three-part series has an immediacy most filmed chronicles of WWII lack. It delves into some of the more down-and-dirty conflicts American forces fought back then, such as the Battle of the Bulge and D-Day, but not in a way you've seen before.
The films really find innovative ways to tell the stories of these battles to make them interesting for those just learning the facts and those who have heard the stories countless times. For instance, in "The Americans on D-Day," you'll get a real-time account complete with a digital clock showing the time of day and night when the action described and depicted on screen actually took place back on June 6, 1944.
Best of all, the host of these three films is this kind of crazy old dude named Ellwood von Seibold. He's clearly in his 60s, but he tells the stories by literally running and jumping and crawling through the actual locales today where the real battles took place nearly 70 years earlier. The press notes say he is the "Steve Irwin of battlefield guides," and for once the press notes aren't feeding media a line of B.S. As meticulously researched as these films are, von Seibold is the real reason to watch them.
"The American Road to Victory" offers three must-see films for WWII and history buffs and anyone who likes a good documentary with the power to almost literally transport. Check your local listings for PBS airings in your area. Or better yet, go preview and buy the DVDs at:
http:/ /livingbattlefield.org/
Best of all, the host of these three films is this kind of crazy old dude named Ellwood von Seibold. He's clearly in his 60s, but he tells the stories by literally running and jumping and crawling through the actual locales today where the real battles took place nearly 70 years earlier. The press notes say he is the "Steve Irwin of battlefield guides," and for once the press notes aren't feeding media a line of B.S. As meticulously researched as these films are, von Seibold is the real reason to watch them.
"The American Road to Victory" offers three must-see films for WWII and history buffs and anyone who likes a good documentary with the power to almost literally transport. Check your local listings for PBS airings in your area. Or better yet, go preview and buy the DVDs at:
http:/ /livingbattlefield.org/
DVD Review: The American Road To Victory Trilogy
September 14, 2011
The average American knows several things about World War II – mostly that it was a war that involved the Germans under Adolf Hitler which the USA did not enter until the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. Most people also know about specific battles and names of European cities where we made our stand against the tyranny of Nazi Germany; a lot of these battles have been the focus of spectacular movies and television shows, such as Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan and HBO’s Band of Brothers. People also definitely know about the atomic bombs which leveled Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. But what a lot of people couldn’t do is point out Normandy on a map, nor let you know where various notable battles in the European theater of war took place. The American Road to Victory 3-DVD set by Living Battlefield seeks to correct this, taking us to each specific location and giving us an immersive, you-are-there experience.
Each respective disc in this 3-disc set takes us through D-Day, Hell’s Highway and the Battle of the Bulge with enthusiastic host Ellwood von Seibold leading each step of the journey. Dressing as whatever type of soldier he is talking about at the time – paratrooper, general, pilot, infantry, Allied or German – he narrates with a breathless, almost frenzied excitement as he moves along the actual locations of famous battles that turned the tide for the Allies. Meticulously researched and informative, these discs are a must for anyone seeking to know details of these famous battles – and we’re talking so far as to include the names of random soldiers and commanders who made the slightest differences towards winning or losing their specific fights.
The thing to enjoy about these discs is just the amount of information that the producers and von Seibold have to present, which they do using several techniques. These could have easily been one of those types of on-location tour programs where the camera sweeps around the area, showing you what is and forcing you to imagine what was. However, there’s so much more to be found here to give you a more personal connection to each battle. In addition to narrator von Seibold’s personal reenactions of each particular scene he’s describing, there is actual wartime footage used alongside newly-shot footage, reenacted by a handful of participants. Pictures and stories of the deceased provide an even more grim portrayal of the horrors of war. But best of all, there are interviews with surviving members of both Allied and German forces, which is where the DVDs really shine, as each interviewee’s story is treated with respect and the reverence befitting such a serious subject. Several of their stories will stay with you, no matter how distanced you are from WWII – one that easily comes to mind is from The Americans on D-Day of the boat driver who had a very grisly cleaning duty, which he had to do repeatedly. There is very little humor on these discs, and it mostly comes from von Seibold running around and saying that he can’t do so while carrying the heavy loads these men were carrying.
The only technical issue I have with these discs is the sound mix on disc 2, The Americans on Hell’s Highway, as all the narration from either von Seibold or the WWII survivors gets kind of muddy; it is not as clear as the audio presentation on discs 1 and 3. But the picture, ranging from shot-on-HD video to stock war footage to the reenacted, intentionally distressed footage looks wonderful, with lots of detail included in each shot. The camera lingers in each location in order to give you full, uninterrupted views of the land as it is at present; however, it’s not so long as to disrupt the pacing of each program. The final disc, The Americans in The Bulge, is presented in 5.1 surround sound, with the subwoofer and all speakers being put through their paces with every gunshot and explosion, keeping the viewer as entrenched in a battle as they could be without actually being there.
Living Battlefield has put together a valuable set of discs that not only inform, but immerse the viewer on some of the lesser-known minutiae concerning some of the biggest battles that helped the Americans and the Allies win the war. A must-have for anyone wanting to know more about these battles, these DVDs are available now from LivingBattlefield.org!
FINAL GRADE: A+
Reel Film News DVD Review by Eddie Pasa
A Client Review:
I collect any DVD that has veterans interviewed, I would guess I have 200 or so about WWII, and this is a real surprise. It is very well done, from the soldier's interviews, to the reenactments, to the correct period gear, to the stories about forgotten heroes like 19-year-old James Hendrix.
I also appreciated seeing the exact spots where history occurred and seeing so many of the monuments to American troops that exist.
Throughout this 90-minute film, Ellwood Von Seibold zips around and shows his passion for history and his appreciation for the American contributions.
Buy this DVD and the others in this series, I am aware of two others. I wish there were more.
Well done, Mr. Von Seibold and colleagues. Michael Luck, Georgia
Selected quotes from reviews of the American Road to Victory Series.
We learn from history so that we don't repeat it. But more than that, we often study history to learn of HOW people lived in the past - it's fascinating. One of the most studied periods in history is that of World War II, and the battlefields in Europe.
We've recently discovered an extraordinary film series that gives a glimpse into this time period. It includes The Americans on D-Day (following the events on June 6, 1944), The Americans on Hell's Highway (heading from the Belgian-Dutch border up Hell's Highway), and The Americans in The Bulge (from the Ardennes Forest to Malmedy, St. Vith, and Bastogne). The series is hosted by Ellwood von Seibold, who throws himself into the role. There are also archival clips, re-enactments, and interviews with WWII veterans. The film series is produced by Livingbattlefield, LLC, and is airing on public television starting this summer. It's impressive!
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The American Legion - June 4, 2009
For those who have never been to Normandy, “The Americans on D-Day” is the next best thing to being there. And for those who have visited those hallowed beaches in northern France, this program will add well-crafted detail to your experience.
The American Legion - April 26, 2010
This well-researched program covers the many details of what went right and what went tragically wrong during the nine-day saga of Market Garden. The narrative is bolstered with several interviews of veterans from both sides who took part in the battle, including Capt. T. Moffatt Burriss of the 82nd Airborne, who parachuted into the Netherlands last year to help commemorate the operation's 65th anniversary.
"Hell's Highway" intercuts archival and re-creation footage most effectively, creating a compelling visual montage that makes the solid, to-the-point narration even more compelling. Seibold excels in his battlefield tour . . . .
Philip M. Callaghan is The American Legion’s media director.
The American Legion - October 28, 2010
“The Americans in the Bulge” tells the tale of what really happened at the Battle of the Bulge with clarity and well-researched authority. Nearly out of breath at times, Seibold reveals the twists and turns of the battle in the places where they occurred, as he drives in a jeep, races across a field or hides behind a tree as an enemy tank rolls past. Well-crafted, animated maps help Seibold’s commentary along, clearly showing viewers the advance of German forces and their objectives.
Archival film footage is effectively intercut with outstanding reenactment video to weave a visually entertaining program – one that should be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in World War II.
Rick Steves Tours Supports The Americans on D-Day
I am pleased to recommend this film [The Americans on D-Day] to anyone interested in learning more about the pivotal role that American forces played in the liberation of Normandy. I have great respect for the presenter’s knowledge and have been fortunate to have witnessed his explanations of the events surrounding the D-Day Landings, and have been moved by his passion for the subject. I trust Ellwood von Seibold to guide our group tours to the D-Day beaches and I highly recommend his tours to individual travelers in our guide books. - Steve Smith
John McManus, Ph.D
author of "Alamo in the Ardennes: The Untold Story of the American Soldiers who made the Defense of Bastogne Possible," and "Grunts: Inside the American Infantry Combat Experience, World War II through Iraq."
'The Americans in the Bulge' is an entertaining, accurate, absorbing look at the American experience in that monumental struggle. The film brings the past to life, conveying the look and feel of the battle. Whether you are a novice or an expert on World War II, there is something for you to see in this fine movie. I wish that all filmmakers would present history this way!"
