|
|
|
 |
|
Reviews |
|
|
|
Not bad, although a bit more research into the Channel Islands could have
been done first. Not sure why it was set on a fictitious island (St
Gregory), and the flag (a Union Jack with a coat of arms in the centre)
looked too 'colonial', although the Lieutenant Governor would have had a
similar flag.
None of the islands have ever had a Senate, and although the States of
Jersey has members called senators, this was not until 1947-48, well after
Liberation.
Have only seen one episode, so don't know whether or not traffic is seen
driving on the right, as was the rule under German occupation.
Thanks Ken for your submission.
I think it's awesome myself, I don't really think about the parts
being all true matters, because it still shows what it was like during German
occupation. I think it is awesome, and I cant wait for the next episode.
Thanks Tom for your submission.
I loved the series. Forget a few innacuracies. The emotions, concerns and
vulnerabilities of both sides are captured perfectly. You actually care what
happens to the characters week by week and I was surprised that I began to care
about some of the German characters too. Please make another series!!
Thanks Neil for your submission.
I really got into it and found it good and compelling watching, a good
Sunday night drama, However I was somewhat displeased with the way it did or
didn't finish. The war didn't just last for that short
length of time and so left the programme in my opinion unfinished.
I am now trying to get a copy of the book if there is
one so as to read on the storyline and end.
Will there then be a sequel or more episodes to follow I hope so.
Thanks Sue for your submission.
Enjoyed the series although the last episode seemed a bit hammy. Puzzled
as to why made up name. Was there an old 70s/80s series set in wartime
channel isles? Some good characters always a good performance from Philip
Glenister. Clair Holman also excellent and the "Baron" will win her over
mark my words. Look forward to 2nd series.
Thanks N Jenkins for your submission.
I thought the series was really good. We had a very enjoyable visit to
the Jersey underground Hospital earlier in the year which tells the story of
the occupation, very much enjoyed watching the story with charactors that
seem very real. Who knows what we would have done in their shoes?
Thanks Sue for your submission.
What an amazing drama! I was hooked! The series must be unfininshed, surely?
What about Zelda she's back in hiding still being hunted down. Please please we
need another series. Sunday nights are always so boring on tv it made a change
to actually look foward to sunday night viewing. Hats off to the writers for
their portrayal of the germans. It certainly broke the stereotypical mould that
they were all 'monsters'.
Thanks Kas for your submission.
Thoroughly enjoyed this series-at last some decent tv no reality rubbish.
Does anyone know if there is going to be another series made?
Thanks Caroline for your submission.
I really enjoyed this series and I hope another series will be made soon.
It's a great programme and I actually found myself caring about what happens
to the characters, especially the Baron and Clare Holman as the Senators wife.
Thanks K Willis for your submission.
I thought it was fantastic! It didnt matter that the island was
ficticious or
that there may have been certain inaccuracies in the specifics of the story -
if the island had not been ficticious surely the storylines would have had to
have been far more true to life and so (to some extent) less able to be
portrayed to us in only 6 episodes. What we saw as a result was the ability of
the makers to put across what matters in this story - feeling! and the feelings
we saw were real and true and the experience of many. What needs to be
remembered from any war is not facts and figures, it is the experience and
above all feelings of those who experienced it. In my opinion, Island at War
gave us this and much more. I for one can't wait to hear of more series' to
come.
Thanks Katie for your submission.
I thought it was a very good series and I hope it wont be to long for the
next. Very belivable.
Thanks Martin for your submission.
Good Series, ended strange with ref to N. Jenkins the series in the 70's
was 'Enemy at the Door', great series that was.
Thanks Dave for your submission.
I loved this series and found it compelling viewing. What will Sunday
nights be without it - I hope they are going to do a second series.
I didn't feel sorry for the Germans but tried to imagine what life must have
been like living under their rule on the Channel Islands. I was planning my
"escape" from St Gregory and I was viewing from the safety of my sofa!
Phillip Glenister was fantastic. Having seen him being interviewed on GMTV and
in a magazine about his role in the film; I found him such a laid back type of
guy.
I thought the actor who was pursuing Zelda was very sinister - superb acting.
What's his background?
Brilliant series, brilliantly acted. Well done to all.
Thanks Lynne for your submission.
The acting was superb and the series as a whole was extremely good.
It also
showed the Germans in probably a true reflection of reality, some were indeed
hardline fanatical Nazis but many others were ordinary men and women with the
same values of right and wrong as us.
My only comment is the historical research done was a little poor, for example
references were made to 'being sent to the Russian front' by the German officer
chasing Zelda a full year before Russia was invaded! Oh yes and Zelda can come
and hide out at my house any day!!!
Thanks Richard for your submission.
Not having a TV at home, I watched some of this series while on holiday in
France. I have regularly visited Jersey and many of the Isle of Man locations
lived up to their names in Jersey. The houses were similar and there were many
beaches on Jersey similar to those filmed on the IoM.
I liked the use of Cornea beach near Maughold for the finding of the Lancer in
episode 4 I think.
I would love a DVD copy of the complete series. Anyone able to let me know
where I could get such a thing. No TV at all at home, but a DVD plays on my
computer. I understand that some or many of the story lines were different to
the 'real life' occurances of Jersey in Natzi occupation, but nevertheless I
loved the two episodes I was able to see. (episode 4 and 5).
Thanks Mary for your submission.
One word AMAZING!!! Really enjoyed it. I have heard that there will
be another series as there going to cover the whole five years of invasion
of the channel islands. I cant wait to see what happens to Angeliqe and
that German Airman. I thought their relationship was fantastic. Can't
wait to see more.
Thanks Rachel for your submission.
I loved this series, but ITV haven't decided whether to recommission another
series. However, there are rumours that a DVD will be released next year of the
series! The officer pursuing Zelda (Walker) is played by Conor Mullen who has
starred alongside Bernhardt (Laurence Fox) in many military productions (such
as Ultimate Force), and Mullen also appeared in Soldier Soldier. Both are
wonderful actors! Look out for 'Colditz' by Granada broadcast sometime this
winter, which Fox stars in!
Thanks Kat for your submission.
I really really enjoyed the series even though I felt that the first episode
was a little slow. I liked the way the drama portrayed some of the Germans as
being nice and 'human', something I have never seen in a war drama before. I
thought Philip Glenister was absolutely fantastic playing the part of the
Baron. Having seen him play the role of photographer, brilliantly in Calendar
Girls, I could hardly believe it was the same actor. He looked so different
yet so believable as a German officer. Can't wait for a new series and hope
that we won't be disappointed!!! Cheers Jane.
Thanks Jane for your submission.
Thought the series was very good, look forward to more episodes in the
future.
Thanks Carol for your submission.
I have heard that there will not be another series. Such a shame when
the story is so obviously unfinished.
Thanks Sue for your submission.
Loved the series and really hope that there will be a second in the
future but have heard that it has been cancelled. Is this true?
Thanks Fran for your submission.
Have really enjoyed the series. Just saw the fourth episode last night and am
looking forward to the last two episodes.
Please, please continue the series. I would love to see what happens to the
characters as the war continues.
I believe this is the only series (film, tv or otherwise) that has made me feel
both hatred and as well as compassion for the Nazis. Truly love the work and
think it would be a shame if you didn't continue the series.
Thanks Katherine for your submission.
I very much enjoyed this series...but what happens to Zelda?? I really wish
they had tied that thread up...also at the end, I felt sure there was at least
one more episode to come. I almost feel like it ended in the middlle. I want
to know more about these characters and what happens to them.
Thanks Jennifer for your submission.
I loved the series but I felt that it ended too soon in the story line.
I hope that they develop more episodes so that there isn't such a drastic
cliffhanger of what happened to who or what.
Thanks Lori for your submission.
Very good series but not long enough. The ending was too ambiguous and I
would love to see more episodes.
Thanks Rita for your submission.
This film rocked! The last part aired just last night and it left me
cold! No
resolution to anything. I like that Walker seems to be in love with Zelda and
that he'd keep sniffing around the Mahys till he found her. They have couple
potential if he'd get over his Jewish reservations. If you'd like to sign my
petition to ITV for a series 2 email me at:rikkitiki22@lycos.com
Thanks Jeri for your submission.
Loved the film but need to find out what happened to Zelda and all the
others in the show. Please do another few chapters to let US Brits in
America know what happened.
Thanks Anilori for your Submission.
My friends and I truly enjoyed this series. It's very hard during times
of war to remember the enemy are mostly ordinary people like ourselves. It
brings out the best and the worst in us. I think this story showed that. We
were quite stunned the way it ended. It left us disappointed and
dissatisfied.
Thanks Christine for your submission.
Just read all the reviews. The last episode aired last week in Boston
(2/20/2005) and I am left, like so many others, what the
outcome...continuation... is. Feel a wee bit cheated. Excellent acting and
directing. Is there a book? Can't seem to find one. Looking forward to another
series.
Thanks Anita for your submission.
St. Gregory may have been fictitious, but it gave viewers here in the
US an idea of what our English cousins faced for six years. Excellent character
development all around, but the five episodes aired across the pond were not
enough. There were too many holes and unfinished pieces of business for both
the locals and the Nazis. Please confirm that Granada TV is planning on a
second season.
Thanks Mark for your submission.
Island At War was very well done. One of the better drama I have seen in a
while. I have always had an unexplainable fascination for the 2nd World War and
so I get swept into movies of this genre. It was refreshing to see a movie that
dealt with real character portrayal and development, and not the Hollywood
Glitter with the fake characters we are normally subjected to. It wasn't
raunchy and could have been filled with dramatic war effects but chose to keep
that to a minimum.
Imagine my disappointment when I turned on the television at the normal time on
a Sunday Night to see what I had hoped was to be one of the final episodes
moving us towards a powerful conclusion. It made it difficult for me to get
into the next movie because I was left a little bitter and resentful. Don't
these people know that we do not like to be left hanging? Please give us
closure and do another series.... or are you working on the producing dramatic
tension that will fuel our anxiety and anticipation? Be careful not to build
our expectations falsely and then be remiss on delivering.... you have much to
live up to.
Thanks Robert for your submission.
What an excellent series! Among its many virtues, I found the depiction
of the Germans to be remarkable. It is hard to think of any other series,
films, or
documentaries that go beyond the usual depiction of all WW2-era Germans as pure
evil. My only complaints were the brevity of time covered in the series (a few
weeks vs. the several years of the actual Channel Islands occupation) and (to
join with many others) the way the series ended, without resolution of many
plotlines. There were five 90-minute episodes shown on my PBS station here in
the US. Were there 6 episodes shown in the UK? An early press listing I found
on an ITV web page said that there would be 6 episodes, with the series ending
with a deportation of many island residents to an internment camp. Any word on
a second series or sequel?
Thanks Susan for your submission.
I was an extra in this and I remember it was very cold one day but I
was so excited about the filming it didn't really bother me! This
progamme itself was very good,shame I didnt see myself though! I look
forward to any more of these programmes and I will try and get
involved in it again!
Thanks Alison for your submission.
Just discovered this excellent series on our local PBS affiliate
here in Los
Angeles and ordered the 6-episode DVD box set from Amazon.com. My wife and
I both work in the Hollywood industry and agreed that this is exceptional TV
drama, wonderfully written directed and performed. The look and production
design are lovely and put you right back in time. I do hope the producers
will revive the series or perhaps do a feature length film to tie up the
loose ends. Even if this doesn't happen, the existing work is truly a
classic. Well done on the Isle of Man!
Thanks Bob Hackl for your submission.
Outstanding series, with the interaction between the two cultures extremely
well handled. Very believably acted. A refreshing change from the standard
TV fare. However - Island at War simply cannot be left hanging. If it were
a US series it would be in its 15 season already, with 10 more to come! Why
wouldn't ITV continue on with what is obviously such a well received series?
Everything very authentic. Great autos, quaint villages. Seemed to
authentically duplicate the war period.
Thanks Russ Walsh for your submission.
One of the best programs ever made for television. The dialog shows
off the extraordinary talents of playwright Stephen Mallatratt (1947-2004)
and the cinematography is clever, profound, and stunning. I very much liked
that the creators did not feel compelled to "wrap up every loose end" in the
finale.
Thanks Omar Firestone for your submission.
|
|
|
|
| Publications |
|
Island at War [2004] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Peter Lydon, Thaddeus O'Sullivan
Acorn Media, DVD, 15 February, 2005
Third Party Price: £21.44
Buy Now
More Info
|
|
|
