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Peter Jackson's They Shall Not Grow Old

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  • Peter Jackson's They Shall Not Grow Old

    "The latest film from “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson has announced a title and world premiere date, Deadline reports. A documentary about World War I using rare archival footage, “They Shall Not Grow Old” will premiere on October 16 as a special presentation at the BFI London Film Festival. The film will be broadcast simultaneously in venues across the UK in 2-D and 3-D. The previously untitled project, which was originally announced in January, will use extensive archival WWI footage courtesy of the Imperial War Museum and audio from the BBC archives. The footage has been colorized and converted into 3-D."

    More here.
    Rock! Shock! Pop!

  • #2
    Probably not something I'd have much interest in, but I'm glad he's making stuff of interest to him rather than just blockbusters.
    Ŗǭƈḱ!Ꞩẖȫçꞣ!Ƥӧꝕ!

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    • #3
      Will he just make another splatter comedy already?
      "Ah! By god's balls what licentiousness!"

      Marquis de Sade, The 120 Days of Sodom.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Alex K. View Post
        Will he just make another splatter comedy already?
        I doubt it. Jackson pretty much peaked with Dead/Alive aka Brain Dead and has been downhill since.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Alex K. View Post
          Will he just make another splatter comedy already?
          As long as it's not set in World War One.
          I'm bitter, I'm twisted, James Joyce is fucking my sister.

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          • #6
            Australian Blu-ray release coming April 10th.

            Click image for larger version

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            Rock! Shock! Pop!

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            • #7
              I wasn't aware this is out already in the UK. Since December. Ordered myself a copy.
              https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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              • #8
                Peter Jackson's Documentary experiment needs two reviews: One on the technical end, the other as a Doc. I'll discuss the tech end in more detail later. Suffice it to say at the top that Jackson and him team used modern means to transform a hundred hours of WWI footage and hundreds more in audio and video into as good a presentation as presently allows, including adding color and 3D to the B&W film.

                As a strict Documentary, THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD is a strong effort. Jackson made the wise decision of not trying to tell the entire story of WWI. Rather, it's a somewhat chronological telling of what a foot soldier would have gone through - from enlistment, to training, to battle and, if they were fortunate, coming home.

                As this was a project of the London's Imperial War Museum, it is primarily from the British empire's point of view. Where there was a lack of footage (particularly the battle scenes - the footage is a century old, and the capabilities/mobility of cameras was limited), Jackson uses a combination of still photos, magazine illustrations and manipulations of the extant footage to fill the gaps. Overall, Jackson succeeds. You do get a sense of what it was like to be on the ground. There is a lack of historical context, which, at times, can be a bit frustrating for non-WWI history buffs: But, that's the point. The soldiers caught in the melee were often bewildered themselves.

                As to the technical aspects, I'm a bit more ambivalent. Obviously, the physical restoration of 100 year old footage is a vital effort. Seeing the ancient photography look as crisp and clear as is often the case here, is astonishing. Colorizing the footage, while understandable, is more of a mixed blessing. Certainly, the soldiers saw the world in "color" - even, if was often mucky and dingy. Some of the shots zing with a vibrancy that does bring them to life, but, by the end, I was relieved to return to the un-retouched Black & White world (although Jackson's decision to add a projector clatter to all of the B&W scenes becomes tedious quickly). Some of the color footage gives the soldiers and almost ghostly pallor, and whole bits look pasty and washed out. Unsurprisingly, the Still Photographs 'colorize' best. It's simply easier not to have to deal with movement. The color & 3D has made the project a modest theatrical hit (along with Jackson's name, of course). Not sure why, but, there was more than a bit of video noise at the screening I attended. That might make sense as a Fathom Event, but, aren't they showing Warner Brothers DCP's now?

                Regardless of my qualms about the colorization, THEY SHALL NOT GROW old is a worthy documentary, and a testament to those who fought.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by JoeS View Post
                  As to the technical aspects, I'm a bit more ambivalent. Obviously, the physical restoration of 100 year old footage is a vital effort. Seeing the ancient photography look as crisp and clear as is often the case here, is astonishing. Colorizing the footage, while understandable, is more of a mixed blessing. Certainly, the soldiers saw the world in "color" - even, if was often mucky and dingy. Some of the shots zing with a vibrancy that does bring them to life, but, by the end, I was relieved to return to the un-retouched Black & White world (although Jackson's decision to add a projector clatter to all of the B&W scenes becomes tedious quickly). Some of the color footage gives the soldiers and almost ghostly pallor, and whole bits look pasty and washed out. Unsurprisingly, the Still Photographs 'colorize' best. It's simply easier not to have to deal with movement. The color & 3D has made the project a modest theatrical hit (along with Jackson's name, of course). Not sure why, but, there was more than a bit of video noise at the screening I attended. That might make sense as a Fathom Event, but, aren't they showing Warner Brothers DCP's now?
                  I haven't seen the doc yet but I am keen to see the colourized footage. The tech on this has gotten very good recently and it's amazing how adding in the colour reduces your distance to the images. Stuff that feels like it belongs to another world in black and white suddenlyseems immediate and relatable in colour. Like I say I haven't seen the result here but when it's done as well people often have done it recently I'm a big fan.
                  "Never let the fact that they are doing it wrong stop you from doing it right." Hyman Mandell.

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                  • #10
                    I don't think the technology's 100% there yet. It looked to me that sometimes it couldn't work out what was supposed to be grain vs. facial features when adding frames, making things look a bit bubbly. I've yet to see colorized footage that looked completely natural to me.
                    I'm bitter, I'm twisted, James Joyce is fucking my sister.

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