The new seven-part documentary &8220;The War,&8221; which was directed and produced by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, explores the history and horror of World War II from an American perspective. It follows the fortunes of so-called ordinary men and women who got caught up in this cataclysm of human history.

The 15-hour film, which will be shown for two hours each night starting Sunday, took six years to make. It focuses on the stories of citizens from four towns across America &8212; Waterbury, Conn.; Mobile, Ala.; Sacramento, Calif.; and Luverne.

During the film, individuals from each community take the viewer through their own personal journeys into war, painting vivid portraits of how the war dramatically altered their lives and those of their neighbors.

By focusing on the personal stories of ordinary Americans who had extraordinary experiences, the film tries to bring one of the biggest events in the history of the world down to a very intimate scale, a press release stated. It demonstrates that even in extraordinary times, there are no ordinary lives.

On the Net: www.pbs.org/thewar.