Men dressed in WWI uniforms take part in a reconstruction of the WWI battle of Verdun, at the 'Fort de Douaumont', Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018 in Verdun, eastern France. Hundreds of volunteers from 18 countries gathered in the French town Verdun as part of a string of events to mark the centenary of the end of World War One. Re-enactors dressed in soldiers’ uniforms have brought to life a big military encampment in the town. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
London, UK—The famous director Sir Peter Jackson will be releasing his latest film next month. This time, however, don’t expect hobbits and dragons. The acclaimed New Zealander has explored other battlefields: the unknown faces of World War One.
The movie is called “They Shall Not Grow Old.” It will be released in November to commemorate the centenary of the armistice that ended the Great War. It was contracted as part of the 14-18 NOW programme.
What’s unique about the movie is its protagonists. Jackson did not cast any actor for his movie, nor explore any landscapes. Instead, he utilized original photo and movie footage from WWI. He and his team received permission from the Imperial War Museum and the BBC to scavenge through their film archives for relevant footage.
“We all know what First World War footage looks like. It’s sped up, it’s fast, like Charlie Chaplin, grainy, jumpy, scratchy, and it immediately blocks you from actually connecting with the events on screen,” said the famous director.
Everything was in black-and-white. But with the aid of cutting-edge technology (the film footage was quite fragile), Jackson managed to rework them in high-definition colour.
“The results are absolutely unbelievable. This footage looks like it was shot in the last week or two, with high-definition cameras. It’s so sharp and clear now. The faces of the men just jump out at you. It’s the faces, it’s the people that come to life in this film,” added Jackson.
Jackson, however, couldn’t invent any voice for the footage since they were silent. He thus took a very logical step and contracted veterans for their voices. He believed that only they could understand the hardships and dangers of combat and thus relay to the audience the raw reality of the trenches.
“It’s the human beings that were actually there, that were thrust into this extraordinary situation that defined their lives,” added the New Zealand director.
London, UK—The famous director Sir Peter Jackson will be releasing his latest film next month. This time, however, don’t expect hobbits and dragons. The acclaimed New Zealander has explored other battlefields: the unknown faces of World War One.
The movie is called “They Shall Not Grow Old.” It will be released in November to commemorate the centenary of the armistice that ended the Great War. It was contracted as part of the 14-18 NOW programme.
What’s unique about the movie is its protagonists. Jackson did not cast any actor for his movie, nor explore any landscapes. Instead, he utilized original photo and movie footage from WWI. He and his team received permission from the Imperial War Museum and the BBC to scavenge through their film archives for relevant footage.
“We all know what First World War footage looks like. It’s sped up, it’s fast, like Charlie Chaplin, grainy, jumpy, scratchy, and it immediately blocks you from actually connecting with the events on screen,” said the famous director.
Everything was in black-and-white. But with the aid of cutting-edge technology (the film footage was quite fragile), Jackson managed to rework them in high-definition colour.
“The results are absolutely unbelievable. This footage looks like it was shot in the last week or two, with high-definition cameras. It’s so sharp and clear now. The faces of the men just jump out at you. It’s the faces, it’s the people that come to life in this film,” added Jackson.
Jackson, however, couldn’t invent any voice for the footage since they were silent. He thus took a very logical step and contracted veterans for their voices. He believed that only they could understand the hardships and dangers of combat and thus relay to the audience the raw reality of the trenches.
“It’s the human beings that were actually there, that were thrust into this extraordinary situation that defined their lives,” added the New Zealand director.
The movie will be also be released both in 2D and 3D.
Sir Peter Jackson is the acclaimed director of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies. J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of the captivating universe of Middle Earth, was a WWI veteran. He fought in the Somme. His war experiences and the losses of most of his childhood friends marked him and influenced his writings.
On a side note, Sir Jackson has one the world’s largest collection of WWI-era airplanes. His fleet, which numbers over 40 restored aircraft, includes many versions of the German Fokker Dr. I and British Sopwith Camel.
It is quite refreshing to see that people still care about those that fought in the war meant to end all wars. Although a hundred years may have elapsed, the First World War and its tragic tribute mustn’t be forgotten. And they won’t, as long as people can see the faces, read the letters, hear the stories of servicemen that fought.
Barrett is the world leader in long-range, large-caliber, precision rifle design and manufacturing. Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world.
PO Box 1077 MURFREESBORO, Tennessee 37133 United States
Scrubba Wash Bag
Our ultra-portable washing machine makes your journey easier. This convenient, pocket-sized travel companion allows you to travel lighter while helping you save money, time and water.
Our roots in shooting sports started off back in 1996 with our founder and CEO, Josh Ungier. His love of airguns took hold of our company from day one and we became the first e-commerce retailer dedicated to airguns, optics, ammo, and accessories. Over the next 25 years, customers turned to us for our unmatched product selection, great advice, education, and continued support of the sport and airgun industry.
COMMENTS
There are on this article.
You must become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this article.