Patton 360: The Complete Season 1 [Blu-ray]

Awesome series I knew General Patton was a great battlefield commander. Despite his flaws, he was still the right man to do the job of smashing the Hitler-Nazi machine. This what the series, Patton 360, brings out. It clearly portrays the genius of a man driven ...

Format : Color, NTSC
Publisher : A&E HOME VIDEO
Company : A&E Home Video
List Price: ~~$49.95~~
Our Price: $36.99
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Product Description

It was a war and a series of military campaigns like no other. Now HISTORY puts you in the action with Gen. George S. Patton, Jr. as he leads his heroic soldiers in North Africa, in the invasion of Sicily, and in the charge across Europe to defeat Hitler's Third Reich.

Following on the success of Battle 360, PATTON 360 uses cutting-edge computer graphic animation and the latest technology to bring viewers a 360-degree view of World War II. Patton, a complicated, colorful, and ferociously determined officer known as 'Old Blood and Guts,' springs to life with the aid of archival footage, personal diary quotes, and commentary from historians and veterans. With insight into the forces he commanded and battles he led, you ll be there for all the drama, from lightning-fast armored assaults to the Battle of the Bulge and the final battles inside Germany after crossing the Rhine.

Grab a helmet and prepare for action!

DISC ONE (5 episodes, approx 235 min):
Blood & Guts / Rommel's Last Stand / Baptism of Blood / Rogue General / American Blitzkrieg

DISC TWO (5 episodes, approx 235 min): Leading the Charge / On Hitler's Doorstep / Siege Warfare / Battle of the Bulge / Crushing the Third Reich

Amazon.com

One of World War II's greatest and most controversial leaders is the focus of Patton 360, a three-disc, 10-episode offering from the History Channel. General George S. Patton, "Ol' Blood and Guts" to admirers and detractors alike, had already served in World War I when, at age 57, he was put in command of Operation Torch, the 1943 Allied campaign to seize North Africa from the pro-Nazi French forces who were occupying the area at the time. That's where Patton 360 begins; subsequent episodes chronicle his incursions into Sicily, Belgium, France (where his Third Army landed just weeks after D-day, and Operation Cobra, described as "the largest carpet bombing mission in military history," helped lead the way to victory in Europe), and finally Germany; it was there, some months after the war ended, that Patton died in a car crash.

Scion of a wealthy Pasadena, California, family, Patton was a brilliant military man--his toughness, discipline (he insisted that his men shave every day and observe strict uniform requirements), and willingness to "lead from the front" were unquestioned. But as the series tells it, he was also a foulmouthed hothead accused of having a "lust for glory" that led to accusations that he put his own reputation before the safety of his soldiers. The fourth episode, "Rogue General," details the infamous incidents (also familiar to fans of the 1970 film Patton, which earned lead actor George C. Scott an Oscar®) in which he slapped two GIs in Sicily, accusing the war-weary men, one of whom also had malaria, of cowardice and forcing Allied leader Dwight D. Eisenhower to temporarily relieve Patton of his command.

All of this is presented by way of the same ingredients used in the earlier Battle 360 series, combining file footage (including silent clips of Patton himself), photos, CGI, occasional reenactments, expert analysis, and reminiscences of several men who fought under Patton. There is plenty of edifying history delivered, as well as detailed descriptions of strategy, tactics, and weaponry, especially tanks and artillery. But the episodes are also loud and kinetic to distraction, with a constant and relentless background of pounding music and sound effects, flashing graphics, and macho voice-over narration. This may prove wearisome to some viewers, but Patton 360 is entertainment, not scholarship, and as such it is undeniably effective. --Sam Graham

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Customer reviews

Awesome series by .. Robert K. Garrou (Pikeville, NC)
I knew General Patton was a great battlefield commander. Despite his flaws, he was still the right man to do the job of smashing the Hitler-Nazi machine. This what the series, Patton 360, brings out. It clearly portrays the genius of a man driven to wreak havoc on the enemy. I never realized, until now, just how much of a struggle it was to win back France, and the obstacles that had to be overcome. I have no doubt that if Patton was given full sway, the war might well have shortened by almost a year. But judge for yourself. Watch or buy the series. Enjoy the clever and artful way computer graphics have been combined with historical footage to give a complete and exciting story of World War II's most controversial but successful general - and appreciate how America always seems to come with a man at the hour of her need or peril.

Getting drawn into the battle by .. CGScammell (Southern Arizona)
I bought this video for my husband who is a big fan of Patton and could recite every one of his quotes. I ordered this on 22 November and received it today. Within 30 minutes my husband had the DVD in his player to watch it.

The combination of both archival news footage and computer graphics had me pulled into the battle as soon as I heard the tank rounds explode in the TV room.

This DVD set of three discs runs over seven hours long. The story, narration and scenery pull you into the battle. Tank rounds never stop exploding in the background as you go from scratchy video to CGI to talking heads and back to scratchy video as the battle goes on, as if in real time. And, like zooming in and out with Google Earth, you get to see aerial views of the battlefield as well as lateral shots and ground shots. Old-looking maps of the warfront show the US and Nazi armies moving toward each other in the Benelux area.

The transformation between film footage and CGI is continuous, as the CGI helps continue the battle scenes. You may see one scene of a tank getting hit. That very same tank then turns into a computer-enhanced graphic that turns around and fires a shot back. This is thrilling, exciting and scary all rolled into one!

Between battle scenes old veterans of this battle retell their version of the fight. This is classic History Channel quality. Even the narrator sounds so History Channelish.

My husband gives this production five stars, I give it four. My complaint is the background superimposition of what looks like an old compass dial coming at you while you are listening to a veteran retell his story, or a historian comment on the action. It's not noticable at first, but in most every archival footage there is that compass dial coming at you like shooting stars or snow aiming for the camera. What is that all about? My husband was so engrossed in the story he says it didn't bother him, but to me it was annoying. This did not take away from the subject matter, though: Patton was an amazing strategist.

Thus, from two history fans, 4+ stars. A great gift for any Patton fan.

a VERY Addicting Series..Great! by .. G. Harper (Georgia)
Watch the first episode and you're hooked to get through them all asap.
I don't know why it's called the complete season one...it's the Complete SERIES. It's ends with the death of Patton.
Extremely well made. They used archival footage and tossed in some very good computer graphics to fill in gaps and brought back many of the actual men who served under Patton for new interviews as the events unfolded. Very well done and presented. I must say too, enjoy this and this type of series while we still can. Those brave men who served in WW2 are now in their late 80's to 90's, 10 years from now, this series will be impossible to make as there sadly won't be any survivors left.
If you are a war buff, a patriot, a historian or just want to watch some GOOD....get this DVD set. This is a Strong 5 star rating.

FANTASTIC! by .. JOJO DANCER ()
I am a 45 year old world war two history buff. I have may dvd's on this subject. This production may be the best i have ever watched on this war. The narration, CGI, interviews of veterans, archive film and photographs from the war, the music and historical accuracy are all great. VERY EXCITING and stimulating to the senses.

An incredible series on the greatest American that has ever lived!! by .. John B. Cimino ()
First off, anyone who has a problem with how General George S. Patton Jr. got things done doesn't understand war. Sure, in his private life he was flawed (who isn't) but when it came down to being a monster in the throes of war there was no one better than "Old Blood and Guts". Does anyone who thinks that General Patton was this crazed war monger understand what horrors existed in WWII? You can read about it and imagine it all you like but you needed to be there to truly understand the period from 1940 thru 1945. Patton was the quintessential fighting leader! With the strategic mind of Napoleon di Buonaparte, the charisma of Alexander the Great, the majesty of Julius Caesar, the willpower of William the Conqueror and the dedication and loyalty of George Washington, Patton was the perfect soldier to inspire all his men to do what was necessary in order to win against the bloody reality that was breathing down on the American dream. He was the RIGHT man at the RIGHT time and the RIGHT place!! Even FDR, Marshall, Churchill and Eisenhower knew this fact and despite Patton's controversial actions, put up with his aberrations because they had to. America and the world needed Patton and everyone knew it. Hitler and the entire Axis were fearful of Patton, even at the height of their own powers!! This just shows you how incredible Patton's mystique really was. The series; "Patton 360", does a beautiful job demonstrating the triumphs and tragedies that Patton had to endure during the war years. Any student of history would do well to look into this documentary, and see just how much of a genius the man was at a time when we really needed a leader like him. Anyone can sit behind their computer, television, book, etc., today and question many of Patton's methods. His accomplishments in war are just astounding, simply the greatest achievements in military history! He captured 81,000 sq. miles of territory (the size of France), he captured over 1,250,000 prisoners (nearly 5 armies) while his army was only about 250,000, he killed or wounded a 1/2 million Germans and he did all this at a faster pace than anyone in the history of war!!! All doubters must ask themselves; If you went to war and you had to put your life on the line and believe in someone who would lead you to victory, no matter what the cost, who would you choose? This was the genius of Patton,and in my humble opinion, Patton is GOD!!!