They Shall Not Grow Old

~ Meg

I’ve been waiting to see this film. Peter Jackson’s amazing restoration of footage from the Great War:

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Published by Meg

Easily amused, never bored and constantly distracted. My creative pursuits include writing, drawing, painting and photography.

24 thoughts on “They Shall Not Grow Old”

  3. This footage has been available to the public for quite some time (I reviewed my copy of the 3-disc documentary set “World War I in Color,” which has a copyright of 2003, here: https://wp.me/p4zV0n-zR), but it looks as if the latest generation of digital enhancements has added to the viewing experience. They also seem to have done quite a bit more work on lip-reading, to add an authentic touch to the voice-overs (I remember seeing a video of an early phase of that research, which employed the hearing-impaired to reveal what the men in the sunken road were saying).

    A definite must-see.

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    1. Itā€™s an amazing transformation. I cannot wait to see it. The digital enhancements make it seem contemporary. Hopefully I will find it in a theater near me!

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  6. Saw this preview too afew times. Although I love history, Iā€™m not usually a big ā€˜war-movie fan,ā€™ although there have been a few exceptions such as ā€˜Saving Private, a ā€œThin Red Line,ā€ a Serial that was on TV about 5 years ago, ā€œBand of Brothersā€ and a more recent George Clooney & Crew movie about the guys who find and reclaim/return the art the Nazis stole from the Jews, the Louvre etc. at the end of WWII. Iā€™ve seen a few, (read a few books too)ā€™ but a, not a war buff or fan of movies b/c of that gore, even though Iā€™m sure many movies are quite realistic with these effects now.

    But, I feel this one is important to see, & Iā€™m also feel humbled, that the solidiers who died or survived w/o limbs, sight, were disfigured, along w/ PTSD and other mental health issues, canā€™t be forgotten, US, Canadian, etc. B/c sacrifices in the Great War, & WWII after (although this is just the first war) cannot be downplayed.

    The movie title was also well chosen from McCraeā€™s famous poem and the line: ā€œThey Shall Not Sleep.ā€ I think this movie is vital b/c for the most part itā€™s ā€œ real,ā€ its not effects or acting. It points to other words in McCraeā€™s poem, ā€œTo you from flailing hands we throw / The torch be yours to hold highā€ ā€” so that the movieā€™s audience does not forget these soldiers sacrifice (what and why they fought) and do not ā€œbreak faith.ā€ B/c these young men mostly, ā€œlived, were lovedā€ and saw ā€œsunset glowā€ were like any young man or woman today, but had the responsibility to go to war.

    So, for me thatā€™s my biggest reasons why this preview and upcoming movie are vital to watch. We know history repeats itself, but maybe if we do not forget the reality, the ā€˜realiness of war and deathā€™ for freedom, we can hold that off and do better. War is never just, but there are times itā€™s a cruel necessity.

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    1. Iā€™m generally not a war movie fan either. Of course my interest in the Great War overcomes any aversion I have to the genre. I truly hope this film will do the subject the justice it deserves – by all accounts it does. The digital restoration looks amazing, really bringing the footage to life. I hope you get to see it, Mandi! And me too!

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  8. It is absolutely brilliantly done – and harrowing; he does not shirk from showing some very grisly footage, but that’s as it should be, of course. Seeing it as if it is current footage really brings home the human dimension.

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    1. Iā€™m hoping to see it tomorrow night and Iā€™m glad to hear it was well done! The previews are outstanding. This is a marvelous use of technology – bringing these stories back to life.

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