THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD

(director: Peter Jackson; editor: Jabez Olssen; music: Plan 9.; Runtime: 102; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Clare Olssen, Peter Jackson; Warner Bros.; 2018-U.K./New Zealand)

“Splendid World War I documentary in 3D.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Splendid World War I documentary in 3D directed by Peter Jackson (“King Kong”/”Lord of the Rings”). It’s a masterful visual job, with colorized archival footage to give it a fresh look. It also uses grainy b/w newsreel clips and has many interviews (including those with soldiers who survived). Digital VFX supervisor Wayne Stables does a marvelous job in restoration for the New Zealand film associated with the BBC. To bring the war to life, Jackson uses more than 600 hours worth of material from England’s Imperial War Museum.

The title is derived from Laurence Binyon’s 1914 poem “For the Fallen.”

It was a fascinating watch to look back at the British soldiers in the trenches and see how young they looked (many lied about their ages and were under 19), and with so many looking fatigued.

It was created to mark the centenary of WWI. Jackson personalizes it and speeds up the pace, which makes it a delightful watch. Jackson’s own grandfather served in World War One with the 2nd South Wales Borderers infantry regiment from 1910 to 1919.

REVIEWED ON 2/1/2019       GRADE: B+