Peter Jackson brings the First World War to the big screen

Peter Jackson is filming again. This time, it's not about hobbits, dragons, or other fantastical beings. Jackson dedicates himself to the First World War in "They Shall Not Grow Old." The film is Jackson's contribution to the British 14-18 NOW project - a five-year art project aimed at keeping the memory of the First World War alive.

What makes it special is that this is not a "regular" film with fresh actors and its own set. Peter Jackson and his team exclusively used original footage from the time of the war for "They Shall Not Grow Old." For this, they were allowed to search the archives of the Imperial War Museums and the BBC for usable material.

Polished original footage

According to Jackson, the poor quality of the contemporary footage would immediately prevent an emotional connection with what is being seen. That's why he and his team have brought the old, highly sensitive footage back to life with the help of modern technology. The formerly black and white, shaky, grainy images appear in "They Shall Not Grow Old" in high resolution and in color. Jackson says that the films now look as if they were recorded just a few days ago.

Peter Jackson also solved the problem of missing sound in a remarkable way. The soldiers shown in the film are voiced by real veterans. Only they could truly understand and credibly convey the hardships in the trenches and the dangers of combat to the audience. This is another way to present military history in a current and exciting way.

"They Shall Not Grow Old" will be released in both 2D and 3D. For more information about the film, as well as all known screening dates so far, click HERE.

14-18 NOW on the internet: www.1418now.org.uk