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The History of Warfare: The Battle of Hastings 1066 Movie Streaming.
Movie Title: The History of Warfare: The Battle of Hastings 1066 The History of Warfare: The Battle of Hastings 1066 is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download The History of Warfare: The Battle of Hastings 1066 |
This DVD is a disappointment which had the potential to be great better than it is…..
First, the helpful points: it provides an adequate overview of the Battle’s background, which begins around the inaugurate of the 11th century. Dr. David Chandler is an informed and authoritative commentator, pointing out for instance how both sides made exhaust of horses, but the English only for transportation while the Normans fought on horseback as well. Readings from the Anglo-Saxon Sage and the writings of William of Poitiers – both contemporary with the Battle – are welcome additions, as are scenes from the Bayeux Tapestry…..
The disappointment lies in the fact that so miniature relevant information is presented visually in what is largely a video medium. In short, there is no reason to have made this program in DVD format as opposed to a printed book, and petite would be lost in an audio book format. Oh, there are some rather chaotic battle scenes by a re-enactment group, but they wait on to interpret exiguous if anything over and above the commentary. They are more in the nature of computer-screen wallpaper. And there is an actor portraying Harold Godwinson who merely wanders around staring at things as though in a daze. (Stare this and ask yourself: does this guy notice like someone who could have led the English to victory over Harald Hardrada at Stamford Bridge? ) …..
But the bulk of the material in this DVD is presented verbally. Where determined aspects would have benefited from visual depictions, the opportunities were ignored – for example, to explain the various troop placements relative to one another, or to price the routes of Harold’s march to the north to confront Hardrada and then south again to fight Duke William at Hastings. But no, not a single plot or device for context. And as for the “computer graphics” promised in the blurb on the DVD box, there are none that I seize…..
Finally, there is one glaring error in the narrator’s statements. After first implying that Aethelred the Unready and Aethelred II were two different kings (they are in fact one and the same), Aethelred is then called “a Danish king”. This would indeed have been news to the Anglo-Saxon Aethelred, who ordered the St. Brice’s Day massacre of all Danes in England in 1002!…..
Instead of this DVD, I suggest getting one of the many great books covering the Norman Conquest – to name unprejudiced one, David Howarth’s “1066: The Year of the Conquest” – and supplementing it with an edition of the Bayeux Tapestry such as David M. Wilson’s book, or the Bayeux Tapestry Digital Edition on CD-ROM, or even one of the quite pleasant (and free) web sites on the B.T. which include commentary.
this DVD is exceptionally informative and documentive. I never realized that there were actually 2 phases of the battle; one against Harold and his Vikings, and the other against William and his Norman forces. The DVD is historically accurate; you will not be disappointed if you hold this DVD…it is a must for history buffs!!!
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