It was a war and a series of military campaigns like no other. Now HISTORY puts you in the action with Gen. George S. Patton, Jr. as he leads his heroic soldiers in North Africa, in the invasion of Sicily, and in the charge across Europe to defeat Hitler s Third Reich.
Following on the success of Battle 360, PATTON 360 uses cutting-edge computer graphic animation and the latest technology to bring viewers a 360-degree view of World War II. Patton, a complicated, colorful, and ferociously determined officer known as Old Blood and Guts, springs to life with the aid of archival footage, personal diary quotes, and commentary from historians and veterans. With insight into the forces he commanded and battles he led, you ll be there for all the drama, from lightning-fast armored assaults to the Battle of the Bulge and the final battles inside Germany after crossing the Rhine. Grab a helmet and prepare for action!One of World War II’s greatest and most controversial leaders is the focus of Patton 360, a three-disc, 10-episode offering from the History Channel. General George S. Patton, “Ol’ Blood and Guts” to admirers and detractors alike, had already served in World War I when, at age 57, he was put in command of Operation Torch, the 1943 Allied campaign to seize North Africa from the pro-Nazi French forces who were occupying the area at the time. That’s where Patton 360 begins; subsequent episodes chronicle his incursions into Sicily, Belgium, France (where his Third Army landed just weeks after D-day, and Operation Cobra, described as “the largest carpet bombing mission in military history,” helped lead the way to victory in Europe), and finally Germany; it was there, some months after the war ended, that Patton died in a car crash.
Scion of a wealthy Pasadena, California, family, Patton was a brilliant military man–his toughness, discipline (he insisted that his men shave every day and observe strict uniform requirements), and willingness to “lead from the front” were unquestioned. But as the series tells it, he was also a foulmouthed hothead accused of having a “lust for glory” that led to accusations that he put his own reputation before the safety of his soldiers. The fourth episode, “Rogue General,” details the infamous incidents (also familiar to fans of the 1970 film Patton, which earned lead actor George C. Scott an Oscar®) in which he slapped two GIs in Sicily, accusing the war-weary men, one of whom also had malaria, of cowardice and forcing Allied leader Dwight D. Eisenhower to temporarily relieve Patton of his command.
All of this is presented by way of the same ingredients used in the earlier Battle 360 series, combining file footage (including silent clips of Patton himself), photos, CGI, occasional reenactments, expert analysis, and reminiscences of several men who fought under Patton. There is plenty of edifying history delivered, as well as detailed descriptions of strategy, tactics, and weaponry, especially tanks and artillery. But the episodes are also loud and kinetic to distraction, with a constant and relentless background of pounding music and sound effects, flashing graphics, and macho voice-over narration. This may prove wearisome to some viewers, but Patton 360 is entertainment, not scholarship, and as such it is undeniably effective. –Sam Graham
Rating: 
(out of 12 reviews)
List Price: $ 34.95
Price: $ 4.21
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November 2, 2010
#1
Review by Robert K. Garrou
Rating:
I knew General Patton was a great battlefield commander. Despite his flaws, he was still the right man to do the job of smashing the Hitler-Nazi machine. This what the series, Patton 360, brings out. It clearly portrays the genius of a man driven to wreak havoc on the enemy. I never realized, until now, just how much of a struggle it was to win back France, and the obstacles that had to be overcome. I have no doubt that if Patton was given full sway, the war might well have shortened by almost a year. But judge for yourself. Watch or buy the series. Enjoy the clever and artful way computer graphics have been combined with historical footage to give a complete and exciting story of World War II’s most controversial but successful general – and appreciate how America always seems to come with a man at the hour of her need or peril.
November 2, 2010
#2
Review by Peter T. Wolf
Rating:
Im between the two extremes of the previous reviewers. I disagree with the negative reviewer that the series did nothing to document Patton’s tactical skill. On the contrary it did that quite well. Further, it documented the skills of his subordinate commanders which any student of WW2 WOULD be interested in. Also, it paid due respect to the skills of the German commanders. THIS the series did very well. Rommel and Kesselring are of course well celebrated in the espisodes. But outside of students of the subject, who knows that much about Manteuffel? Yet here he is given justified attention. So are the early battles against the Vichy French. Where I agree with the negative reviewer was the repetition of the simulated graphics and stock footage, although some of the footage IS rare. In short, the series could have been reduced in length and been more impactful.
3.5 stars.
November 2, 2010
#3
Review by CGScammell
Rating:
I bought this video for my husband who is a big fan of Patton and could recite every one of his quotes. I ordered this on 22 November and received it today. Within 30 minutes my husband had the DVD in his player to watch it.
The combination of both archival news footage and computer graphics had me pulled into the battle as soon as I heard the tank rounds explode in the TV room.
This DVD set of three discs runs over seven hours long. The story, narration and scenery pull you into the battle. Tank rounds never stop exploding in the background as you go from scratchy video to CGI to talking heads and back to scratchy video as the battle goes on, as if in real time. And, like zooming in and out with Google Earth, you get to see aerial views of the battlefield as well as lateral shots and ground shots. Old-looking maps of the warfront show the US and Nazi armies moving toward each other in the Benelux area.
The transformation between film footage and CGI is continuous, as the CGI helps continue the battle scenes. You may see one scene of a tank getting hit. That very same tank then turns into a computer-enhanced graphic that turns around and fires a shot back. This is thrilling, exciting and scary all rolled into one!
Between battle scenes old veterans of this battle retell their version of the fight. This is classic History Channel quality. Even the narrator sounds so History Channelish.
My husband gives this production five stars, I give it four. My complaint is the background superimposition of what looks like an old compass dial coming at you while you are listening to a veteran retell his story, or a historian comment on the action. It’s not noticable at first, but in most every archival footage there is that compass dial coming at you like shooting stars or snow aiming for the camera. What is that all about? My husband was so engrossed in the story he says it didn’t bother him, but to me it was annoying. This did not take away from the subject matter, though: Patton was an amazing strategist.
Thus, from two history fans, 4+ stars. A great gift for any Patton fan.
November 2, 2010
#4
Review by Nick
Rating:
I was waiting for Patton 360 to come out on DVD for a long time, but I must say that I was mildly disappointed. Frankly, there was way too much going on. Instead of focusing on one aspect at a time, like the ground campaign or naval help, the show tried to tell the story of everything and everybody all at once. I understand that the producers were trying to be complete, but I think they sacrificed the personal aspects of the war. I loved Dogfights and Battle 360 because I was literally on the edge of my seat during some of the battles, but Patton 360 failed to deliver suspense. Perhaps Dogfights and Battle 360 was more condusive to showing a mano-a-mano fight than Patton 360 because Patton 360 focused more on strategy and the overall campaign than individual fights.
However, I found Patton 360 to be very enlightening. Obviously, I just described how it wasn’t very good as a movie experience, but in terms of historical documentation, Patton 360 is excellent. I agree that it showed Pattons prowess both as a tactician and as a leader, going in depth about how his troops would be arranged and how he would lead from the front. Other documentaries I have seen focused entirely on his personal life or on his impact on the war, but this series showed his tactical strategies, something which I haven’t seen much of.
tl,dr: Not that great as a movie and dramatic experience, but awesome as a documentary, 3.5 stars.
November 2, 2010
#5
Review by Brianuspugnatus
Rating:
Patton may be the selling point of this dvd set, it’s actually just as much about the units he commanded as about the general himself. To cover the campaigns it uses stock footage, computer animation,(there probably isn’t any footage of some of the French and Itallian afvs), reenactments, strategic maps with colored arrows, interviews of surviving veterans, and talking head historians. Of the later, they are of mixed value, the steadfast Patton enthusiasts are weak, but the author of An Army at Dawn, and The Day of Battle, Rick Atkinson, has excellent observations. Some of the veterans have some good stories, such as the guy in Sicily who tries to take out a Tiger tank by himself with a bazooka but quickly changes his mind. I enjoyed the earlier segments on North Africa and Sicily more than those on France to the end of the war. However they are all enjoyable to those interested in the history of the men commanded by this controversial, unique, and ultimately successful general.