Peter Jackson has had an impressive and interesting career, and all coming from humble beginning making schlocky horror films for almost no budget in New Zealand. I’ve been a fan of his work since he started, and like many was somewhat surprised when it was announced he would helm the live action trilogy for THE LORD OF THE RINGS. But he proved his talents as a low budget director to be exponentially impressive with each film project, and solidified himself as a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry. Jackson has established himself so well and been so successful that he’s reached a point where he can do passion projects on the side, and those projects are equally impressive when held up to his big budget mainstream work. THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD is a documentary Hollywood probably wouldn’t take interest in getting behind, normally, but thank God someone like Peter Jackson did, even doing it for no fee – a true passion project in every sense. The concept is simple enough, taking 100-year-old film footage from World War I, restoring it, speed correcting it, and colorizing it to where at times it looks like it was shot today. The presentation we saw was also in 3D, adding yet another layer to the already impressive production.
The film opens with a statement from Jackson addressing the audience, in which he explains how he was approached by the Trustees of the Imperial War Museum in London, and given unlimited access to their archives. This is footage that mostly has never been shown, as it sat in the vaults of London’s Imperial War Museum for many years. And in lieu of standard documentary narration, we hear recordings of real life soldiers talking about their experiences, or telling stories about their time during the war. The first 15 minutes or so is made up of archived footage shown in standard black and while with all the grain and aging damage you’d expect from film this old. Then you hit a moment where the color kicks in, and you’re transported into the action in a very immersive way. Jackson didn’t just enhance the footage, he even went so far as to get lip readers to determine what we being said in the moment, and have voice actors recreate the dialogue to where we can actually hear the soldier IN the scene we’re watching talking to each other. This is done so brilliantly, there were multiple moments where I had to remind myself I was watching something shot 100 years ago.
As explained in the opening address, Peter Jackson chose not to show dates or locations so as not to specify any particular moment, rather transport us into the look and feel of the period. He also notes there are hundreds of stories from World War I that could and should be told, so this is just his way of encapsulating a more general recollection of the time. That’s not to say there aren’t specific moments brought up in the various audio used from the archived interviews, but we walk away with a more generalized idea of the experiences these soldiers endured… it’s a smart way to present the era without trying to get too focused on any one moment. And while this is in many ways like an immersive history lesson, it’s not without emotional resonance – I found at least two moments where I got choked up and felt the power of these images and audio, it’s hard not to feel the power in what these men experienced. Another creative aspect is the use of old war posters and cartoons to enhance some of the stories being told, all interspersed with the footage and still photos that are masterfully edited to keep you glued to the screen for the one hour and 39-minute running time.
If you’re a war buff, you’ll appreciate the little things shown here, like explaining how the men set a fire in a trench without creating too much smoke, or the problems experienced with hygiene when stuck in the battlefields. If you’re a fan of documentaries, this isn’t anything typical by any means, and definitely raises the bar for docs like it. Jackson may have inadvertently redefined how these types of films need to be made, at least when possible. I left wondering what it be like if he decided to do a series of these, perhaps taking on World War II next, then Vietnam… there’s a lot of possibilities, but if this remains the only one of its type, it’s an incredibly well-produced product that deserves to be seen and shared.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
