They Shall Not Grow Old: In Conversation with Peter Jackson
World Wars
•
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 Wars
-
Untold Stories of World War One
Dan Snow introduces four projects funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council over the last four years, highlighing underexplored aspects of First World War history, from German wartime photography to miltary training in Northern Ireland.
-
Forgotten Faces of the Great War: The...
China started out as a neutral country during the First World War. But by early 1917, one thousand Chinese men were on their way to the Western Front. Tens of thousands more would follow, to provide logistical support to the Allies. They constituted one of the largest labour corps of the war. The...
-
The Search for a Fallen Airman: One M...
Richard van Emden talks to Dan about his new book - Missing: the need for closure after the Great War. The backbone of the book is based on the best single story of World War One that he has found in 35 years of research. It is the story of one woman’s relentless search for her missing son’s body...
