![]() ![]() This isn't a war film through the lens of Steven Spielberg, who even in his most realistic and dire depictions of military combat avoids the more gruesome aspects of death and decay. This film simultaneously rekindles a deep appreciation for their sacrifices (and for veterans of more modern wars and soldiers still serving today) while also reminding us of the human toll, senseless carnage, and man's inhumanity towards their fellow man in the arena of war. And those lucky few who did still carried the psychological scars and nightmarish memories from the experience. Obviously, the men telling us of their experiences throughout the film are those who made it home alive, but not all did so in one piece. This is a deeply personal and intimate look at the lives of soldiers, men as young as 14 to as "old" as 19 in most cases, who signed up for the war effort out of patriotic duty, with some paying the ultimate price. This ain't your grade school history class war documentary. This is all to say, go into They Shall Not Grow Old expecting a technological marvel the likes of which you've never seen before, but also be prepared for a difficult emotional journey. It’s the people that come to life in this film.” We’re making a film that shows this incredible footage in which the faces of the men just jump out at you. “We’re making a film not the usual film you would expect on the First World War. Here’s what Jackson had to say about the project: Interviews of World War I veterans, taken in the 1960s and 1970s, are the only voices heard as the film's narrators throughout, retelling of their experiences professional lip-readers and voice actors also add matching dialogue to the restored footage throughout the film, though the technique is used sparingly. It was important for him to limit the scope of the narrative and to tell the story, not in the traditional military documentary style full of names, dates, and landmarks, but through the voices of the soldiers themselves. However, Jackson also mentioned the myriad of other important historical events that took place during the campaign, like the women who occupied vital roles in the work force, the other major battles around the world, and the political forces behind the conflict. He opted to narrow his focus to the British soldiers and their journey from pre-war life, to recruitment, to service and combat, to their eventual return home, for those who survived the horrors of war. ![]() Jackson explained that he was given free rein when it came to the narrative, the only restrictions being that he used the archival footage, recordings, and other content made available to him. ![]() While I hope this preamble plays in front of the movie in theaters this weekend, in case it doesn't, I'll recap his comments here. Our preview screening was preempted by Jackson himself who explained the film we were about to witness (in 3D, mind you). ![]()
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