Listings:

Directed by: Paul Dickin. This is a record of the events, and the stories of ordinary people on both sides, that unfolded from the New Year's Day bombings in Britain through to the nuclear clouds over Hiroshima.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of BBC News on television, this is a fascinating series of programmes that look back on the past five decades. Each programme is a 30-minute segment covering a decade, beginning with the 1950s. Providing insight into how BBC News is reported, each segment is narrated by one of the following key news figures: Charles Wheeler, Michael Buerk, Kate Adie, John Simpson and Jeremy Bowen. Also includes three extra programmes from 1953, 1963 and 2004 about how the news is produced.

The late British-born American journalist, Alistair Cooke, traces the history of America - from the eve of discovery to the modern day. Through his BBC Radio series, 'Letters From America', Alistair Cooke reported on every aspect of life in the United States for over 50 years. In 1973 he wrote and presented 'Alistair Cooke's America', his critically acclaimed TV series, which became a hit on both sides of the atlantic, generated a best-selling book and earned Cooke an invitation to address congress during the bicentennial celebrations in 1976. Cooke died in March 2004, just a month after his last-ever letter from America. This DVD set offers Alistair Cooke's personal perspective on the history of the USA, combining specially shot archive footage with photographs, paintings and sketches. A 4 disc package. DVD Extras: Special Feature: Pebble Mill At One.

Starring: Sean Pertwee ; David Threlfall ; Catherine McCormack ; Michael Sheen ; Geraldine James This dramatised documentary series tells the story of the rise and fall of Ancient Rome through the six key turning points. Factually accurate and based on extensive historical research, it reveals how the greed, lust and ambition of men like Caesar, Nero and Constantine shaped the Roman Empire. It describes how Rome destroyed Carthage, was conquered by Caesar, how it suppressed the Jewish revolt, and converted to Christianity. CGI is mixed with compelling drama and spectacular live-action battles to tell the definitive television story of how the Empire was formed, how it achieved maximum power, and why it eventually failed.

Join Dan Cruickshank as he takes a global tour of the most breathtaking treasures man has ever created. Exciting and intrepid, intimate and engaging, this series explores some of the world's outstanding man-made spectacles. Traversing the globe, Cruickshank visits every continent to reveal awe-inspiring temples, towers, castles, ruins, monuments, and artefacts. From the exquisite castles of Japan to the Nasca line in Peru, from Persepolis in Iran to the Palace of Versailles in France this is your chance to share in the expressive beauty of man's creative powers.

The Ascent of Man is regarded as one of television's greatest acheivements. Dr Jacob Bronowski traces the steps of scientific imagination through history as they happened, where they happened. This lavish and thought-provoking series tells the story of the ideas that have transformed our lives. More than three years in the making, with location filming in over 20 countries, this award-winning series remains compelling viewing. Includes a specially written 48 page illustrated booklet of viewing notes to accompany this DVD.DVD Extra: Sir David Attenborough remembers The Ascent of Man in a specially recorded interview.This series has been digitally restored and remastered, but due to the archive nature of the material, the sound and picture quality may vary occasionally.

Directed by: Dominic Sutherland, Martina Balazova, Detlef Siebert. It is the site of the largest mass murder in the history of the world - Auschwitz. Yet few know the true and surprising history of this most infamous place, nor how it fitted into the Nazis' overall plan for the mass extermination of the Jews - what they called the 'Final Solution'. For Auschwitz, via its destructive dynamism, became both a microcosm of the Nazi State and the logical consequence of Hitler's warped worldview. Combining rare archive footage, CGI illustrations of the camp never before seen on television and dramatic reconstructions of the key decision-making moments, the story of Auschwitz and the horrific ideology behind it unfolds. DVD Extras: 30 minute 'Forgotten Witness' documentary. Interview with producer Laurence Rees.

Walter Thompson, Winston Churchill's personal bodyguard for over 20 years, saved the great statesman' life on at least 13 separate occasions. But Thompson was much more than simply Churchill's protector. Friend, confidante and companion; Thompson was, for many years, the only person Churchill could turn to for a normal conversation. From Thompson's early years at Scotland Yard to his last day in Churchill's ervice after his defeat in the 1945 General Election, this series examines the strong personal bond that developed between the two men over the many years they spent together both abroad and in the UK. Drawing content from Thompson's own diaries, and a wealth of archive material, this is a compelling insight into the dedication, bravery and resourcefulness of the man who, in effect, was Churchill's closest friend during some of the most turbulent years of the 20th Century.

Starring: Kenneth Clark (Pres/Narr) In 1966 BBC Television embarked on its most ambitious documentary series to date. The eminent art historian Lord Clark was commissioned to write and present an epic examination of Western European culture, defining what he considered to be the crucial phases of its development. Civilisation: A Personal View by Lord Clark would be more than two years in the making, with filming in over 100 locations across 13 countries. The lavish series was hailed as a masterpiece when it was first transmitted in 1969.From the fall of the Roman Empire to the Industrial Revolution and beyond, Clark's compelling narrative is accompanied by breathtaking colour photgraphy of Europe's greatest landmarks. This 'history of ideas as illustrated by art and music' remains the benchmark for the numerous programmes it inspired.Includes a specially written 36 page illustrated booklet of viewing notes to accompany this DVD. DVD extras: Sir David Attenborough remembers the making of Civilisation and Photo gallery of behind-the-scenes stills.

Starring: Simon Schama. Bringing Britain's rich history to life, Simon Schama's unique storytelling describes the triumphs and trials of the monarchy, the effects of warring religions, the expansion of the empire and the decline of Britain as a world power. The story begins around 3100 BC and concludes in 1965. This DVD features the complete 15-part epic BBC series, presented on six DVDs in special edition packaging. DVD Extras: Two interviews with Simon Schama plus satellite link with Mark Wilson. Three original music pieces from the programme. Behind the scenes footage. One hour BBC Four Simon Schama lecture. The History Of Britain advert/promo. Photo gallery. Schama biography (text).

On June 6th, 1944 the largest military invasion and defence the world has ever seen occurred. D-Day tells the epic story of the preparation and execution of the Allied invasion of Normandy. It tells the story of the defence of the Western Front by the forces of the German Empire, and of the complex and deadly secret war fought by the men and women of France and mainland Europe. D-Day brings to life the dramatic and astounding tales of courage and sacrifice, joy and despair, love and betrayal. The planning for the Allied invasion on June 6th 1944 took two years and cost thousands of lives. It involved a deception of breathtaking audacity. Both the preparation leading up to and the actions and events on the day itself relied on the absolute discretion of many and the genius and nerve of a few. D-Day examines the intricate jigsaw from both sides - presenting events through the eyes of the men and women who were there, telling their extraordinary stories. Produced by Richard Dale (The Human Body, Walking with Cavemen, Teachers), D-Day redefines the genre of drama/documentary in factual storytelling. DVD Extras: Making of. Eye-witness testimonials. Fact files. Original score.

What do the buildings we construct say about us as people? Dan Cruickshank travels across the world, celebrating different types of architecture and showing how our buildings reveal our aspirations, our ingenuity and our beliefs. In each programme, buildings from all over the world are dramatically juxtaposed, revealing unexpected connections between very different types of architecture. From the Kizhi Cathedral in remote northwest Russia to the convent of St Catherine in Sinai, Egypt, and themes that range from beauty, to power, paradise and pleasure, this series is a monumental journey that takes in some monumental structures, gradually building an architectural knowledge so that, through the series, a story of world architecture is told.

Digitally remastered the original Wolfgang Peterson's Das Boot 6-part mini series is here presented in the complete uncut version. Das Boot is regarded as one of the most outstanding and accurate representations of Germany's elite U-Boat crewmen during World War II. Told from the German perspective the crew aboard U-96 are portrayed in a hopeless life-and-death struggle coping with endless hours of loneliness and desperation, giving way to terror when confronted by the enemy.

A gripping anatomy of some of the most important days in history, hour-by-hour as they unfold. As the clock ticks, the events of the day climax, and we learn just what happened and how the day affected the course of history.

Focusing on three of the most important discoveries from the world of the ancient Egyptians, this series journeys back in time to explore Howard Carter's discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun, the Great Belzoni's finds from the reign of Ramesses II and Champollion's deciphering of the hieroglyphs. Join Carter, Belzoni and Champollion as they overcome immense obstacles to unlock the secrets of an as-yet undiscovered world and reveal their seminal finds. Then travel even further back, to the amazing period of history unveiled by their astounding work.

Complete and unabridged - the BBC's highly acclaimed series looking at the events of 1940 as recounted by those who were there - British soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians. If you have ever wondered what it was like to stand on the beaches on Dunkirk waiting for rescue, to fly a Spitfire in the Battle of Britain or to live through the London Blitz, this DVD will provide you with all the answers.

Britain best-known steeplejack, the late Fred Dibnah, turns investigator in this BBC series and uncovers the craftsmanship behind some of the UK's most astouunding arhitectural feats. DVD Extras: Fred Dibnah biography and filmography.

The BBC series of six half hour programmes all about Fred Dibnah's passion for all thing steam powered.

Fred Dibnah travels through Britain on his restored traction engine in search of engineering and mechanical skills of the past - an age when Britain was the "workshop of the world". Volume One features the first six episodes of Dibnah's final series.

Fred Dibnah travels through Britain on his restored traction engine in search of engineering and mechanical skills of the past - an age when Britain was the "workshop of the world". Volume Two features the last six episodes of Dibnah's final series.

Features the following episodes: The Industrial Landscape Back Street Mechanic The Machines That Changed the World Men of Iron The Victorian Gentleman Preserving Our Past

This set includes both volumes of the BBC series from the greatest steeplejack of all time. Made combining highlights from many of Fred's programmes over the last 7 years with a focus on the many sides of Fred and his contribution to our knowledge and appreciation of Britain's architectural, industrial and engineering heritage.

Featuring unbroadcast episodes: 7. All Steamed Up 8. Riches Beneath the Earth 9. Changing The Landscape 10. Great British Builders 11. Masters of their Trade 12. A Good Day's Work.

From one of Hollywoods stormiest affairs, to a story of rags to riches and corruption to become Argentinas first lady, these are some of the greatest love stories ever told. Series One examines many passionate love affairs, including those of Jackie Kennedy and JFK, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Juan and Evita Peron, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. These programmes unlock the secrets to the headline romances which captured the imagination of us all.

Lavish, all-action dramatic spectacles based on the lives of six men who shaped the world around them, either by sheer force of will, genius, courage or even greed. Powerful, magnetic personalities who have earned their place in the world's imagination, all prepared to die for what they believed in - whether it was God or gold, the pursuit of power and glory or a magnificent ideal. From Spartacus, the gladiator who brought Rome to its knees, to the audacious military genius Napoleon, this series combines absorbing drama with CGI to ask what were the motives, the strengths and even the weaknesses that drove these men to achieve what no one else had dared. The amazing stories of Hernan Cortez, Attila the Hun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Richard the Lionheart are also included.

It was the defining moment of the 20th Century - the scientific, technological, military, and political gamble of the world's first atomic attack. This drama-documentary attempts to do what no other film has done before - to show what it is like to live through a nuclear explosion, millisecond by millisecond. Set in the three weeks from the first test explosion in New Mexico to the eventual dropping of the bomb, the action takes viewers into the room where the crucial political decisions are made; on board the Enola Gay on her fateful voyage; inside the bomb as it explodes; and on the streets of Hiroshima when disaster strikes. Parallel storylines interweave, unfolding the action from both US and Japanese perspectives, and revealing the tensions and conflicts in the actions and minds of people who were making history. Special effects recreate the reality of the mission - even going inside the workings of the bomb - and archive film replays the horrific aftermath. DVD Extras: Specially Extended DVD Edition of Programme. Interview with producer. A Tale of Two Cities. Enola Gay newsreel interview.

David Dimbleby presents this landmark six-part BBC documentary series telling the dramatic story of Britain's architecture - the extraordinary buildings that define a nation and which grew out of the experiences and beliefs of the British people. How did we get from the fortified tower to the grand open mansion and back again to the gated communities of today? How did we lose the marketplace to the out-of-town shopping mall? When did it become so important how libraries and prisons look? What does the way in which we arrange our city centres say about us? Can architecture really make a difference to our quality of life? This authoritative account of 1000 years of change in Britain's buildings tackles these questions and many more. Episodes are: 'The East - A New Dawn', 'The Heart of England - Living it Up', 'Scotland - Towering Ambitions', 'The West - Putting on the Style', 'The North - Full Steam Ahead' and 'The South - Dreams of Tomorrow'.

Starring: Michael Wood (Pres/Narr) Michael Wood explores four of the most famous myths in the world: Shangri-la, the Golden Fleece, the Queen of Sheba, and the Holy Grail. His journeys take him to some of the most remote and exciting places on earth - from the fantastic landscapes of Western Tibet, to the mountains of Georgia and the Caucasus; and from the plains of Southern Iraq, to the coasts of Ethiopia, Yemen and the Horn of Africa. The stories he reveals will also take in Greece and Turkey, India and Nepal, Egypt and Israel, and the world of Celtic Britain and the West of Ireland. In his investigations Michael Wood delves into the past to separate fact from fiction, and find the historical truth.

Filmed in Greece, Turkey and Berlin, charismatic historian, Michael Wood, attempts to discover whether there was any truth in Homer's epic poems. Is Hissalik the site of the Mighty Troy? Did Helen, Achilles and Agamemnon ever exist? What was the significance of the famous wooden horse? Be prepared for new and dramatic twists to the tale.... DVD Extras: Interview with Michael Wood. Interactive menus. Scene selection

Starring: Michael Wood (Pres/Narr) Combining popular history with adventure and travel, Michael Wood (In Search of the Trojan War) embarks on an odyssey of discovery, following the ancient triumphal march of Alexander of Macedonia from Greece to India, to bring us new insights into a man whose myth and achievements still resonate down the centuries.

The rise and rise of the iron lady Margaret Thatcher is one of the world's most well-known public figures. But how much do we really know about her as a person? In this witty, humorous and imaginative drama, Britain's first female Prime Minister is portrayed as you've never imagined her. An attractive 25-year-old woman up against that most conservative and male of all institutions - the British Conservative Party. Beginning on the night she met her husband-to-be Denis, the film tells of the young Margaret Thatcher's steely determination to get selected to a 'winnable' Tory seat in the Fifties and imagines what might have gone on behind the scenes during her ten-year struggle as she was rejected by a succession of five home counties Tory selection committees and finally - against considerable local opposition - selected for the seat she was to be identified with for the rest of her political career - Finchley! Starring Andrea Riseborough, Rory Kinnear, Geoffrey Palmer, Oliver Ford Davies and Samuel West

For over two millennia, India has been at the centre of world history. But how did India come to be? What is India? These are the big questions behind this intrepid journey around the contemporary subcontinent. In this landmark series, historian and acclaimed writer Michael Wood embarks on a dazzling and exciting expedition through today's India, looking to the present for clues to her past, and to the past for clues to her future. The journey takes the viewer through majestic landscapes and reveals some of the greatest monuments and artistic treasures on Earth. From Buddhism to Bollywood, from mathematics to outsourcing, Michael Wood discovers India's impact on history - and on us.

Starring: Samuel West (Pres/Narr) The BBC's definitive television history of the rise and fall of the Nazis. The Nazis - A Warning From History exposes the popular myths surrounding the rise and fall of the Third Reich. The series explores how the Nazis came to power, how they ruled, how they treated their occupied territories and, above all, how a cultured nation could be responsible for such acts of inhumanity.

Nelson's Trafalgar, made by the BBC, is a wonderfully authoritative documentary commemorating the 200th anniversary of the naval victory. For the first time a documentary uses the very latest state-of-the-art CGI to tell the story of the battle and the real story of Horatio Nelson, the man who led the fleet to their famous victory. The DVD also includes highlights from the spectacular 'Trafalgar 200' celebrations on the UK's south coast.

To honour the passing of Pope John Paul II, BBC DVD is proud to release a special commemorative DVD, dedicated to the life of a man whose enormous influence reached around the globe, as leader of the Catholic Church for over 27 years. Deeply committed to peace and reconciliation, he travelled constantly, and become a globally recognised figure, reaffirming the traditional values of the Catholic Church. Geoffrey Palmer narrates the DVD.

In television's first comprehensive journey through the vast and varied landscapes of Russia, the resourceful Jonathan Dimbleby makes an epic journey from one end to the other, killing cliches and revelling in the unpredictable. Across nine time zones and through all extremes of weather, he seeks out the people of this strange and extraordinary land. From the Arctic Circle where the summer sun never sets to the subzero wastes of Siberia, from white witches to hirsute masseurs, from oil wells to shamans, Dimbleby's journey by boat, train, truck and foot is heart-warming, entertaining and compelling. From outside, Russia is both forbidding and enticing. Inside it becomes an exhilarating adventure.

Last year we fell in love with Francesco da Mosto in Venice. Get ready to fall in love all over again. This time in Paris, and in the company of Sandrine Voillet shes as chic, charming and elegant as the city she adores.Travelling through 400 years of history we discover the extraordinary events and people who have shaped the City of Lights. Sandrine reveals and revels in the art, literature, music and architecture that are integral to Paris immortal beauty.

Starring: Robert Lindsay. Seven Wonders of the Industrial World uncovers the truth behind the epic monuments of the Industrial Revolution, from Isambard Kingdom Brunel's 'great ship' the SS Great Eastern to the Panama Canal that linked the Atlantic and Pacific oceans more than half a century later. These are stories driven by burning ambition, extravagant dreams, passion and rivalry of great minds. Each film uses dramatic reconstruction to tell a different story. Each film is based on real events and the actors' words are adapted from records of the day. Each ground breaking film explores ways the Industrial Revolution changed the world and reveals how the modern world was forged: In rivets, grease and steam; in blood sweat and human imagination. This three DVD set contains all seven films : The Great Ship; The Brooklyn Bridge; The Bell Rock Lighthouse; The Hoover Dam; Transcontinental Railway; The Sewer King and The Panama Canal which were originally broadcast on BBC Two in 2003. DVD Extras: Timeline. Biographies. Picture gallery. Scene indexing.

Rough Crossings is the astonishing story of the struggle to freedom by thousands of African-American slaves who fled the plantations to fight behind British lines in the American War of Independence. With gripping, powerfully vivid story-telling, Simon Schama follows the escaped blacks into the fires of the war, and into freezing, inhospitable Nova Scotia where many who had served the Crown were betrayed in their promises to receive land at the war's end. Their fate became entwined with British abolitionists: inspirational figures such as Granville Sharp, the flute-playing father-figure of slave freedom, and John Clarkson, the 'Moses' of this great exodus, who accompanied the blacks on their final rough crossing to Africa, wher they hoped that freedom would finally greet them.

Travel back through history to a time when King James I ruled the land in this fascinating BBC 2 series... A hidden Welsh border valley provides the ideal setting for a documentative reality-experience as a group of archeology and history experts spend a year immersed in country life as it was 400 years ago, when King James I ruled the land. Each episode will focus on amonth in the life of the farm, following the seasonal tasks that the team endeavour to carry out - from harvesting and building, to the birthing of calves, from salting and smoking meat to sheep shearing and garment making. DVD Extras: Picture gallery, A 1620 farm calendar, James I biography, Production notes & Unseen footage

The Royal Palaces are the backdrop to a thousand years of British history and are preserved as unique historical monuments. The conservation of these monuments needs to be balanced with the necessity of a continual flow of curious visitors. Narrated by Robert Lindsay, this DVD features an insight into the activity behind-the-scenes at The Banqueting House, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace, The Tower of London and Hampton Court. As well as the extensive work required to maintain these palaces and their artefacts, we glimpse the detective work it takes to discover and present long forgotten practices. We also learn the intricacies involved in creating the displays that detail real life events.

Director: Ken Burns Starring: Jason Robards, Morgan Freeman, Derek Jacobi, Jeremy Irons, Sam waterston, Julie Harris, Arthur Miller A full-scale documentary depicting the American Civil War. Nine episodes. I - The Cause 1861. II - Bloody Affair 1862. III - Forever Free. IV - Simply Murder - The third year of the war. V - The Universe Of Battle - From Gettysburg to Lookout Mountain. VI - Valley Of The Shadow Of Death - 1864 The Wilderness To Atlanta. VII - Most Hallowed Ground - From the Crater to the Shenandoah. VIII - War Is All Hell - 1865 The Final Offensives. IX - The Better Angels Of Our Nature - Victory. Assassination. Rebirth.

A box set commemorating the 25th anniversary of The Falkands War, including The Falklands Play and Tumbledown.

In the mid-1920s, Claude Friese-Greene drove from Land's End to John O' Groats making a series of films en route. These remarkable films captured the life and people on his journey in colour, at a time when a world was filmed in black and white. This pioneering use of colour was to be the culmination of the work he had carried out with his father, the cinematographer William Friese-Greene. This unique archive of Friese-Greene's footage, preserved and restored by the bfi, reveals many things in the UK that have changed in 80 years, as well as, surprisingly, what has remained. The film is being brought to television as a result of a BBC/British Film Institute co-production. It will be broadcast on BBC 2 in three episodes commencing on Tuesday 18th April 2006. In The Lost World of Friese-Greene, presenter Dan Cruickshank traces the original route in a vintage car, tracking relatives of the people who appear in the films. He shows footage to people who appeared in the films as children and are seeing themselves on film for the first time 80 years later. Episode 1 starts in the West Country as Cruickshank uncovers radical changes in rural traditions from cider-making to stag hunting and takes a look back at holiday fun at the seaside. Episode 2 picks up his journey in Cirencester, travels onwards to Wales through the Midlands and North to Lancashire and the Lakes. In the final episode, he journeys through Scotland, meeting local historians and descendants of people in the films, with breathtaking scenery all the way. DVD Extras: Extended interviews with some of the people Dan Cruickshank encounters on his journey. Interview with cinematographer Jack Cardiff (DOP for Michael Powell's The Red Shoes, Black Narcissus and A Matter of Life and Death)

A rare treasure trove of amazing colour footage, preserved and restored by the BFI, reveals the story of the Dalai Lama and his secret Himalayan kingdom in a way never told before. An exclusive interview with the Dalai Lama, focussing on his early life and childhood is intercut with colour archive film from the 1930s, 40s and 50s as well as revealing interviews with ordinary Tibetan people who remember life before China sent in troops. Presented by Dan Cruickshank, this astonishing film allows us to glimpse into the rich culture of Tibet, showing us ancient ceremonies, Buddhist rituals and family life, from a time before Tibetan people lost their country, nearly 50 years ago. We were just so engrossed in our little pond, recalls one interviewee. We knew nothing, what was happening in the world, what could happen. And so we lost our country

To mark the 80th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, this two-part documentary examines The Queen's history and reveals her influences and sources of inspiration. In a unique project, cameras follow a cross section of The Queen's engagements over the period of one year to mark this special anniversary. With insight behind the scenes in public and in private across the year, the films feature The Queen's royal visit to Canada and the state visit and Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Malta. Through interviews with those who know her well, the programme explores the Queen's role in the modern state and examines the deep crisis the monarchy faced during the 1990s. With special permission The Queen at 80 also features private archive of historic occasions behind the scenes on The Queen's wedding day and Coronation.

The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals form The Household Cavalry, Britain`s most senior army regiment and the Queen`s official bodyguard. One week they could be on horseback, escorting the Sovereign down the Mall, the next patrolling downtown Basra in their tanks. This DVD follows the fortunes of the men of The Household Cavalry and tells their stories of war and ceremony. Offering an unprecedented and unique insight behind-the-scenes, the series details their ceremonial and military duty as well as their 350 year history.DVD special features: Unseen Footage. Picture Gallery. History of The Household Cavalry. Production Notes. Scene Indexing.

Keith Michell stars as England's infamous, fickle king in a splendid period production. Tudor England comes to life as each wife's story unfolds, from Catherine of Aragon to Catherine Parr.Starring Keith Mitchell, Annette Crosbie, Dorothy Tutin, Anne Stallybrass, Elvi Hale, Angela Pleasance and Rosalie Crutchley. Winner of 15 awards, including the Prix Italia, an Emmy and 5 BAFTAs

For the very first time this major BBC production - commissioned to mark the 90th Anniversary of the Somme reveals how British tactics changed over the months of the campaign and turned defeat into victory.Featuring superb and highly authentic dramatic enactments which vividly recreate the experiences of soldiers on both sides and contemporary combat footage, it compares the assault on Thiepval by a company of the 2nd Salford Pals on July 1st 1916 with an attack on the same objective by men of the 12th Middlesex in September that year. The terrible lessons illustrated by the wholesale decimation of the Salford Pals had led to new battlefield innovations such as more air observation, the creeping barrage, tank support and, most crucially, more power to commanders in the field in just a few short months.Spectacular, authentic and deeply moving, this gripping account of the true battle of the Somme offers an entirely fresh perspective on events, while its dramatisation of real soldiers experiences provides a soldiers eye view of the fighting as never before.

A time of notorious outlaws, gunfighters-turned-sheriffs and frontier justice, the Wild West has proved a fertile ground for stories of heroism and triumph over adversity to grow. From the most famous outlaw of them all, Billy the Kid to vengeful lawman Wyatt Earp audiences have been captivated by these legends. But what of the men behind the myths - and the truth? Blending fast-paced drama with the latest archaeological, forensic and ballistic research, this series brings the truth to life. Was General Custer little more than an inept, vain man, the Battle of Little Bighorn nothing more than an attempt to further his career? Which side of the law was Wyatt Earp really on? And, find out why the Governor of New Mexico is today considering a pardon for Billy the Kid.

Revealing life on board the only 16th century warship on display anywhere in the world. It's one of the best known and best preserved ship wrecks in the world. The speed with which the Mary Rose sank in July 1545 ensured that it and its contents were entombed in silt and preserved from the ravages of time, providing archaeologists and historians with a Tudor time capsule. The 30-year programme to excavate, raise and conserve the wreck is the most complex and extensive maritime archaeological project ever undertaken. Twenty years into the programme, project experts exclusively reveal the results of their work. Skilfully interweaving the modern-day story of the raising of the ship and its conservation with dramatic reconstruction of its final doomed moments, this film provides a unique window on a fascinating world.

In Victoria's Empire, Britain's favourite comedienne Victoria Wood travels through the old British Empire in search of the legacy of Queen Victoria. Victoria's irreverent pilgrimage will take her to key places around the world that also share her namesake, from Fort Victoria in Ghana, to Victoria, Nova Scotia, and finishing at Zambia's Victoria Falls. Victoria's adventure will be fuelled by her fascination with the Queen Victoria - both her public and private persona. She will explore how Victoria felt about the colonisation being forged in her name and what she was like as a wife and mother. In her inimitable fashion, Victoria Wood will record her adventure tracing a nation's colourful history - blending the outrage and eccentricity with a celebration of the ordinary.

From the Triassic period to the late Cretaceous - a mere 65 million years ago - Walking With Dinosaurs offers a unique insight into the lives of these spectacular reptiles. Each programme traces the life of a group of dinosaurs at different times within their evolutionary history. The dramatic narrative describes how they searched for food, mated, laid their eggs, fought and died in savage fights with fellow predators. Advanced techniques are used to create real and natural images as the one hundred and sixty million-year history of dinoasaurs is explored. Extras include: Includes the special 50 minute behind-the-scenes documentary, 'The Making Of Walking With Dinosaurs'. Screen aspect ratio 16:9 Widescreen. Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo.

In 1954, the BBC produced an outstanding documentary series on aerial warfare from 1935 to 1950, comprising fifteen half hour episodes. The series took two years to make. It featured the pick of nearly twelve million feet of Allied and enemy film footage, and was heavily weighted towards the role of the Royal Air Force. The series starts with an RAF ill-prepared for the outbreak of war in 1939, its aircraft outclassed and outgunned by a new generation of Luftwaffe fighters and bombers. World War Two in the air is covered in great detail, in every theatre of operations, from the Battle of Britain and the role of RAF Coastal Command to the bombing of Nazi Germany and the air war against the Japanese. The series culminates with a look at the Berlin Airlift, the air war in Korea and the new generation of military jets facing new threats and new enemies in the Cold War world. WAR IN THE AIR was broadcast to huge critical and public acclaim. For decades, it was considered essential viewing for every new RAF recruit. However, it has never been repeated on BBC Television. Now, DD Home Entertainment, in consultation with the BBC and the Imperial War Museum, are able to offer this major series - complete and uncut - on DVD for the very first time, making use of pristine film prints of the original episodes.Narrated by Sir Philip Joubert KCB, CMG, DSC.

Introduced by Laurence Rees. World War II redrew the political map of the world and ushered in changes whose reverberations are still felt today. The BBC series in this box set cover the most crucial aspects of the war. This 12 disc box set, released to commemorate VE Day, contains the 10 definitive BBC series that have shaped our understanding of WWII. The box set contains the following four volumes: Volume One The Nazis: A Warning from History (2 Discs) The Road to War (1 Disc) The ideology and murderous excesses of the Nazi Party's 12-year reign of terror is examined in The Nazis: A Warning from History. The Road to War considers the build-up to the conflict and explains how the major nations found confrontation inevitable. Volume Two Dunkirk (1 Disc) War of the Century - When Hitler Fought Stalin (1 disc) Battle of the Atlantic (1 Disc) The drama-documentary Dunkirk tells the stories of the miraculous evacuation of thousands of servicemen from France, while War of the Century: When Hitler Fought Stalin reveals the true horrors of the war on the Eastern Front and Battle of the Atlantic details German U-boats attempt to starve Britain to submission. Volume Three Horror in the East (1 Disc) Battlefields (1 Disc) D-Day (1 Disc) The 'barbaric' psychology of the Japanese forces is examined in Horror in the East and the inimitable Professor Richard Holmes uncovers the conflict's major campaigns in Battlefields, while dramatic reconstructions and personal testimony of the Allied invasion make up the compelling D-Day. Volume Four D-Day to Berlin (1 Disc) Auschwitz - The Nazis and 'The Final Solution' (2 Discs) D-Day to Berlin documents 'Operation Market Garden', 'The Battle of the Bulge' and the discovery of the concentration camps, a horror analysed in detail by the acclaimed documentary Auschwitz: The Nazis & 'The Final Solution'.