Korean War in Color (2002)
Review by Doc Ezra
Film:
DVD:

Written by Chris Cassel
Produced by Vincent Kralyevich

Features:

• Marilyn Monroe in Korea footage
  
• Soldier home movies
  
• Timeline feature with bonus newsreels
  
• Gun camera compilation
  
• Korean War Veterans’ Memorial footage
  
• Video biographies of Truman, MacArthur, and Eisenhower
  
• Photo slideshow
  
• Previously unreleased declassified footage
  

Rating: NR, suitable for audiences 16+

Anamorphic: No

My advice: Rent it

Sandwiched between the idealism of the war with the Nazis and the controversy of the conflict in Viet Nam, the Korean War is often lost in the historical shuffle (at least in the Western world). This documentary aims to set that problem straight, by providing one of the most comprehensive and unflinching looks at the war in Korea ever assembled, and using nothing but original color footage from the time of the war in order to do so.

The result is an informative and respectful portrayal of the ins and outs of the war in Korea, from every level of the conflict – from MacArthur’s famous clash with Capitol Hill to the men and women of the real-life M.A.S.H. units. The footage is sometimes startling in its capture of the horrors of war, but the refusal of those assembling the documentary to flinch away from war’s realities keeps any amount of jingoistic flag-waving at bay.

The footage itself is breathtaking and horrifying by turns. Sweeping vistas of the Korean Peninsula are followed in quick succession by scenes of artillery-blasted hills and bomb craters, often from the same locale, giving a chilling glimpse into the devastation that a few days of modern warfare can wreak on a place. The historical data that accompanies the footage is detailed and comprehensive, making the disc an excellent educational resource (albeit probably not for the younger viewers).

The DVD preserves the old footage, but doesn’t do much to pretty any of it up. There isn’t any digital remastery to speak of, though the footage is clean enough to stand on its own. It looks somewhat dated, but that only adds to the authenticity of the presentation. The extras are deep, and run the gamut from the top brass calling the shots at home to the soldiers filming their surroundings from foxholes and firebases. The footage of Marilyn Monroe is presented without sound, which is a bit disappointing, but not a deal-breaker by any means. Some of the archival footage included was even shot by director John Ford during his time with the Army Signal Corps.

If you’re curious about this oft-forgotten war, or American military history in general, then this is definitely worth checking out. Serious history buffs would do well to own a copy, as a better documentary on the era is unlikely to be forthcoming any time soon.