They Shall Not Grow Old: In Conversation with Peter Jackson
World War One
•
21m
They Shall Not Grow Old is a remarkable new documentary made by Peter Jackson. The Oscar-winning director has restored and colourised World War One footage from the Imperial War Museum, adding a soundtrack with original audio and transforming the entire project into 3D. In doing so, he has created an astonishing new film that brings the war to life in a way that has never been seen before, ensuring that the lives sacrificed a century ago will remain in the minds and hearts of the generations to come. Inspired by the experiences of his own grandfather, who died in 1940 after having served with the South Wales Borderers since 1910, Jackson trawled through thousands of hours of footage and audio in order to create a narrative that reflects the lives of those fighting on the Western Front. In this fascinating interview, Dan Snow uncovers Peter Jackson’s inspiration for the project, his creative process, and what he hoped to achieve with this astonishing project.
Up Next in World War One
-
The Western Front Tunnels
The creation of man-made underground tunnels played a huge role in the outcome of the First World War. They were first dug to mine under enemy positions and detonate bombs or attack in desperate and fierce fights. As the war dragged on, nevertheless, they developed another purpose: providing sold...
-
The Christmas Truce
On Christmas Eve 1914 many sectors of the Western Front in France and Belgium fell silent. Troops from all sides put down their weapons and sang carols, exchanged gifts and buried their dead in No Man's Land. The following day the truce continued in many, but not all areas, and troops gathered in...
-
Archaeologist Spies of World War One
Archaeologists excavated the ancient past during peacetime, but in war they had a different mission - to play a vital role in modern military intelligence. Historian of archaeology Dr Amara Thornton explores a network of archaeologist-spies, codebreaking, mapping and running agents, and with expe...
