CSNbbs

I blew off the Super Bowl and went to the theater with my wife to watch "They Shall Not Grow Old."

Good decision.

Great-great movie that provides a personal, emotional perspective on what it was like to serve as a British soldier on the Western Front in World War I.

This is not an academic movie that provides strategies and battle plans. It is "a day in the life" type reality movie using actual film footage from 100 years ago that director Peter Jackson had colorized and modernized to fit today's screen.

All narration is provided by WWI veterans from interviews in the 1960's and '70's. Director Peter Jackson and staff filtered through 600 hours of interviews. No academic historians, ala David McCullough (who's books I have read and whom I admire), just the voices of the men who were there and have now passed on.

The best part of the movie, is the 30 minute clip after the movie is done where Jackson explains how he did it all. Fascinating stuff!

Do yourself a favor and see "They Shall Not Grow Old."

No cheap and creepy politics, left or right. Just reality and genius film making.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrabKK9Bhds

My late Great Uncle served with the Canadian contingent to the UK forces during WW1 and was badly wounded and gassed at the 2nd Battle of Ypres in 1917. I met him in 1967 and his vocal chords were still showing the effects of the gas attack, 50 years later. He didn't talk much about the war, but he did say there must never be another world war like that or nobody would survive.

I want to see this movie to better understand what he went through. Sounds good from what everyone is saying.

My wife and I saw it a couple weeks ago. I also HIGHLY endorse. Very well done. Really provides a perspective for trench warfare and fighting in that era. I hope they do more films like this. Just incredible.

Understand that this is a documentary, made from refurbishing old hand turned movie film taken live from the battlefield during WW1 on the Western Front. It was colorized in in unbelievable way, making it appear to be iMovie made today, and they used forensic lip sync experts to determine what the soldiers were saying, and dubbed that into the film voice overs. Incredible detail was taken, and everything is done so as to provide complete accuracy. All of the narration is provided through the actual voices of soldiers who served, but who have been dead for generations. If you are a history buff like I am, it is an absolute must-see. when I watched there was a half an hour after the movie where the producer explained how everything was done, which was equally as interesting.

I live under a rock and didn't realize that this was out already. I'm going to go see it ASAP.