Overlord (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Very Good lots of real footage of the actual events.

To make a film about the preparations for the D Day landings on an extreme budget is ambitious. Large parts of the film are old newsreels which are interesting, but for me, it didn't do much to help the atmosphere, or the fact that the cast is only about 4 strong... It's like watching a play about the landings where a few actors tread the boards and every so often, a newsreel is shown to make up for the deficits of the auditoriam. The film is an ambition too far in my view

Interestingly although not advertised on the site or on the dvd jacket, this Metrodome issue does come with full English subtitles for the hearing impaired. Plenty of extras including interviews and a little booklet.The film itself is a combo of actual war footage from the Imperial War Museum and 'acting' by a small group of principal actors filmed in the mode of 1940's newsreel camera footage, which is well done and clever in my opinion. It's just the content that's not very compelling, and if the director wanted realism he got it, as much of this acting content came over as slightly amateurish which may have been intended.Made in 1975, a time when much quirky stuff was written and filmed and gave such a broad taste to the audiences of the time ---- today this can only be viewed as an oddity except by a few who will take its value as experimental and satisfying.83 minutes run time, black & white throughout. Different.

Overlord is a unique project that mixes archive footage with scripted scenes, a surreal and dreamlike film about a guy's perception of youth and military education during wartimes, which makes everything look like a dream that turns into a nightmare. It is a mix of Kubrick, Bunuel, Chris Marker and Brecht and almost anticipates Lynch in its cold and mysterious atmosphere and style.A film made of simple feelings and everyday moments with sudden mysterious visions of something terrible about to happen.It is a fascinating, intriguing and unsettling experiment that produces a sense of disorientation where the documentary/fiction mix increase the unreal mood instead of making it more realistic. From a young director, with a surprising protagonist, this film is visually exceptional and would deserve a blu ray transfer, although the dvd is very good: the photography and integration of footage and new scenes is by the great John Alcott, Kubrick's director of photography in 2001, Barry Lyndon, Shining, Clockwork Orange.

Excellent film. There are a few versions, but the Metrodome DVD comes with quality extras, including a commentary by director Stuart Cooper. My only complaint is that there was no booklet enclosed as advertised on the sleeve. However, this is a fine edition of an outstanding and largely under-celebrated film classic. The black-and-white archive material, printed from the original IWM negatives, is stunning, always authentic to the narrative context, and together with the interspersed invented storyline - expertly shot in monochrome by John Alcott - makes for an almost seamless visual work, with both contemporary music and a haunting theme score by Paul Glass. The central character, a young British conscript, is unforgettably portrayed by Brian Stirner with fine support from Nicholas Ball, David Harries, and Julie Neesam. A beautiful and compelling study of the pity of war.

I saw this on TV and was impressed with the documentary film stock, obviously some of the stuff that always appears in any D Day documentary, but a lot less of Omaha beach! The scenes of the blitz seem very realistic because the sound includes the firemen swearing!I was interested to see the build up to D Day in the English villages and towns. Most impressive were aerial film of Corfe Castle.The storyline was a little vague, but seemed to follow everything that my generation (I was born in 1942) remember of WW2.I thought of my father in law when they showed the civilians being bullied into being soldiers. I can imagine him moaning, but accepting the discipline.A good film, but probably for my generation.Geoff Freeman Overlord [DVD] [1975 ]

OK so i bought this in error of another war film of the same name, so i watched it and was bored silly, ive only given it 2 stars for the old scenes of war equipment ive never seen, those bits were interesting, Going back up for sale now

My dad passed away 3 years ago ,and I had to get this for mum as a keepsake. He starred in the film ,at just 22 years old.He then went on to serve as a cold stream guard. This film is very precious to us and it's lovely to see my dad ,so young , miss him lots. ❤️