It's amazing what they can do with such old footage...

‘They Shall Not Grow Old’ First Trailer: Peter Jackson Breathes New Life Into Century-Old WWI Footage



The first trailer has been released for Peter Jackson’s “They Shall Not Grow Old,” which brings breathtaking detail to century-old archival footage, presenting WWI like it’s never been seen before. Not one to shy away from a challenge, the Kiwi director, best known for “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies, has turned out an ambitious documentary of epic proportions. His first movie in four years, since the final installment of “The Hobbit,” Jackson and his team have colorized and restored hours of WWI footage, having gained exclusive access to Imperial War Museums’ film archive and audio from BBC archives.


Created to honor the centenary of the First World War armistice, on November 11, 1918, “They Shall Not Grow Old” brings to life the reality of war on the front line for a whole new generation. The footage has been colorized, converted to 3D and transformed with modern production techniques, making the hundred-year-old footage feel like it was shot today.

“They Shall Not Grow Old” was co-commissioned by 14-18 NOW and Imperial War Museums in association with the BBC, and produced by WingNut Films and executive produced by House Productions. The film will make its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on October 16. A live Q&A with Jackson will be hosted by journalist Mark Kermode.

Link - They Shall Not Grow Old

That looks very interesting. have to check this one out for sure

That is simply amazing to watch video that shows the world of 100 years ago in that kind of detail.

Wow it looks good. It's definitely cool that they can do that with old footage.

Have been looking forward to this since it was announced. My grandfather fought in the Argonne. I also spent some time exploring around Verdun and Metz in late ‘90s. Even 80 years after the fighting stopped, you could still see the landscape covered by craters.

This looks amazing!

Does anybody know if there's commercial software to do this?

I must see this!!

Tht looks amazing. I never cared for the Ted Turner treatment but this looks spectacular.

Those tanks...

I wonder how they are doing the sound?

quote:

Originally posted by matai:
Does anybody know if there's commercial software to do this?

Sure, several.

But they won't be this good, and Jackson's production company, Weta Workshop, is surely using something custom or they're hand correcting the result of automated conversion.

It appears that this is just a UK release for now...? I hope we get a chance to see it here in the States.

WW1 - probably more than any other war - just makes me ask 'Why?'

it seems so ridiculous and wasteful -- just a senseless meatgrinder -- no redeeming tactics or maneuver

Ok boys - over the top - right straight into overlapping high volume machine gun fire ... again and again

that plus the seemingly unending artillery barrages that pounded static lines mercilessly

hell on earth

--------------------------------------------------

I'd watch that in a theater, in a heartbeat. Hope it crosses the pond.

quote:

Originally posted by redstone:
I wonder how they are doing the sound?

Jackson hired lip readers and actor's to provide the sound -

"Forensic lip readers, who usually work with the police determining what people say on silent security camera footage, were able to decipher the words spoken long ago on film. Actors were hired to give the soldiers on screen a voice for the 90-minute film."

link

quote:

posted October 10, 2018 02:04 PM Hide Post
WW1 - probably more than any other war - just makes me ask 'Why?'

it seems so ridiculous and wasteful -- just a senseless meatgrinder -- no redeeming tactics or maneuver

Ok boys - over the top - right straight into overlapping high volume machine gun fire ... again and again

that plus the seemingly unending artillery barrages that pounded static lines mercilessly

hell on earth

You left out one important detail. The use of gas. When I was a kid I worked with a WWI Vet whose lungs were severely damaged by chlorine gas. He had some tales to tell when he was able to breathe.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig209:
WW1 - probably more than any other war - just makes me ask 'Why?'

it seems so ridiculous and wasteful -- just a senseless meatgrinder -- no redeeming tactics or maneuver

Ok boys - over the top - right straight into overlapping high volume machine gun fire ... again and again

that plus the seemingly unending artillery barrages that pounded static lines mercilessly

hell on earth

--------------------------------------------------

It wasn’t expected to be that way. The new technology of the machine gun made protection techniques critical. The trenches only made it a stale-mate. New forms of maneuver (namely combined arms warfare), isn’t going to be invented until a couple decades later.

We all focus on new technology, but who gets new tech first almost never matters. It’s the revolution in the use that matters. The Germans and Japan didn’t invent the tank, submarine or aircraft carrier. Germans developed how to use the tank as well as combined arms warfare and effective submarine warfare. Japan used the aircraft carrier in a way no other country had ever imagined delivering a decisive blow in a way nobody thought possible at the time. So simple as well, just mass the carriers in a group and launch waves of aircraft!

Here are a few WWI picture books in the "then and now" format:

http://www.rzm.com/books/atb/western.cfm

http://www.rzm.com/books/atb/flanders.cfm

http://www.rzm.com/books/atb/somme.cfm

http://www.rzm.com/books/atb/endeavors.cfm

For those who expressed an interest in seeing this, it will show for two nights here in the US on December 17 and December 27.

Check here on the Fathom Events website to see if it will be in a theater near you.

quote:

Originally posted by cheesegrits:
For those who expressed an interest in seeing this, it will show for two nights here in the US on December 17 and December 27.

Check here on the Fathom Events website to see if it will be in a theater near you.

I don't catch many movies in the theater anymore but I was hoping to see this movie and, according to the link, it will make an appearance near me, and so I think I'd like to see this one on the big screen.

Cheesegrits thanks for posting!

if you miss it, check justwatch to see when / where it's streaming.