www.bbc.co.uk/markkermode I talk to Lord of the Rings director, Peter Jackson, about how he made his astonishing World War One documentary, which premieres tomorrow.
My dad was a sergeant in WW1 he was gassed but survived of course.I am now 70 and i was the youngest of four children. He never spoke a word about the war to me, i was informed by my brother about some details i do have a copy of his service record.
You are lucky to have that service record. In the US, most of the army service records were lost in a fire (since everything was on paper). Very unfortunate. My Great-Grandpa was in The War. We have one personal letter he wrote to his sister when he was in France, but no official records.
Charles Francis At our farm house in Virginia we found some gear of a relative of mine. A big B on an allied helmet, intact gas mask and it really is surreal.
Just the fact that Jackson went to some of the actual battle sites to take photos and get the colors correct boggles the mind. Just a brilliant piece of artistry.
Since you can never recapture the light of a specific day at a specific time; each day is different and affected by wind, clouds, season etc, The colours other than a uniform or a tree will be a guess. Certainly the landscape won’t be.
When Peter Jackson has the time, and the passion to do it properly, he can make amazing work! Just look at LOTR vs the Hobbit! He was passionate about lotr, the hobbit he was burned out and making it up as he went along
It does boggle the mind, why the hell would anyone waste resources to go there personally just for that? Ridiculous, I'm sure there were many more reasons to visit the actual places other than colour.
The late grandfather of my wife was already a very old man, when I met him in the eighties. He wore a row of medals on the coat of his grey suit on remembrance day and was picked up by a taxi to meet with the rapidly diminishing WW1 veterans in a Glasgow club. Heared that he went through the whole thing, from the beginning, when he was an enlisted young Scottish soldier, towards the very end, when he was a decorated NCO. The only thing he said to me at our wedding; ''Are ye takin' good care of this bonny wee lassie? If not you'll get intae trouble with me.'' And I knew he wasn't joking. Eventhough he was already 93 then. They don't make men like that anymore.
Dad said grandpa was proud of his service in world war one. he was in the medical corps and clerked in a delousing station in saint naziere for the returning troops. but when the second war came it broke his heart. he thought he had served for nothing.
I was amazed looking at this. Deplorable conditions....yet, all smiles and good cheer. Kinda puts your own life and problems and how you deal with them in their proper perspective.
Its much easier to put ones life into perspective-if one had no viable choice. Once in service, one way or another, they were there "for the duration", so they had to make the best of a horrible situation=human nature.
I was trying to say that it helps me to put my life and problems into their proper perspective. If they can still find a way to be cheerful, considering the situation they were in, then I should be able to break a smile and not get so down or ovewhelmed while dealing with problems far less than theirs. That's what I was trying to communicate with my post.
Just came back this evening from this. Absolutely one of the most important pieces of Documentary and Cinema in our generation. Thank you so much Mark for doing such a great justic to the great Peter Jackson in the interview. What a phenomenal piece of work.
@snopes it's very much the story of British and commonwealth infantry and tanks during the Western front. Peter said he could do ones on every facet of the war andvevery experience but chose to do the British Infantry experience and vision of the front.
Building frames to artificially increase frame rate is called interpolation. It's been available for years, but the algorithm and computing power as time goes on is getting truly incredible. I love that director's such as PJ leverage this stuff and make such amazing films.
This is the correct use of frame interpolation. I turn ilthe version of it built into my TV off, since it makes everything look like the Hobbit in 48fps when it’s applied to normal tv or films.
As far as I'm aware.... not much? They're interpolating frames, not animating/altering them. So I'm reasonably sure keyframes weren't a large part of the frames per second alterations they did computationally.
+SMGJohn Wouldn't it work even better in animation(since there are less details in the frame than live action footage), and having "normal" frame rate as a base provides it has plenty of data to work with and less to fill in. It looked bad because you don't like soap-opera effect, not because the tech is bad, interpolating 2d animation is ideal workload. I've only seen a couple of those videos on yt, and didn't notice any artifacts, maybe if I go frame by frame.. but the tech is fascinating.
Peter Jackson and team should get the highest of honours for this masterpiece of film. To create this extraordinary work is truly astounding. This personally showed me the absolute horror of WW1 to me like no other. This will be watched for generations to come in understanding the real feeling and thoughts of the soldiers who fought and died in this terrible war.
I think one of the things that's so amazing is that this takes away a lot of the detachment. Old film often looks wonky and we sort of distance ourselves from what's happening in them. This literally makes you feel closer to the people in the film. Peter Jackson just continues doing amazing things, well done. Really well done.
I watched this the other evening & it left me speechless. The restoration on the archive footage is so good, that at times it looks like it was filmed just the other day.
Spot on. When I first saw this yesterday I wasn't too aware of the background and assumed at first that all the colour footage was a re - enactment! Amazing piece of work.
When they did the first transition shot from the old film to the newer frame rate with color I was so blown away. It was incredible how you felt so much more connected realizing you were seeing real events in front of you.
I thought that I had seen loads of WW1 footage and what could Sir Peter Jackson do to make it any better? Blimey! How he and his team have revived these films is amazing. It was worth every moment of their hard work, especially where the soldier plays the beer bottle! For a history geek like me who, in 1996, met and chatted to a Great War veteran this was brilliant. Thank you Sir Peter and co.
Just saw it today. Really powerful, moving documentary which, for me, the sound editing made it feel even more real than the enhanced frame rate and addition of colour.
It is painful to watch with hindsight knowing that most of these guys were about to enter a slaughterhouse. The fact that they were joking around and cheery makes it worse! A brilliant achievement technically but ultimately an anti war film that shows the ruthless ness and brutality of war as well as the waste of human life! To achieve what? Grab some territory? The rampant slaughter made it all pointless! It was easier to ignore or dismiss their deaths and sacrifice when they were nameless and faceless black and white grainy images of the previous films. Once they were fleshed out as you could call it and the film is colorized and speed corrected suddenly the soldiers are given a new life! Only to be wiped out by the bombs and guns! This film is ultimately difficult to watch and painful because one wishes one could save these men from their doom but you can’t! You can only watch helplessly and witness their destruction! Too painful for me to stomach but Peter Jackson should win an award for Technical achievement! RIP Soldiers
Tyler Shobe It’s being shown today 16 Oct,in cinemas in UK. I’m off to Nottingham to see it there’s a Q and A with PJ at the start.Ive heard it may be available later on streaming services.
MonsterHobbiesABCA it is planned to be screened for all on Armistice Day (11/11) on BBC in the UK. Hopefully it is made available to you, as let’s face it, your country was part of this history too.
Once it's shown in cinemas it's going to be screened on BBC in November. Even if US networks don't screen it you might be able to view it over the internet. Most stuff on BBC ends up on iPlayer. You might need a vpn and connect to a UK ip address to fool iPlayer that you are in UK and therefore have UK TV licence.
Until it is shown on the BBC why not watch the 26 episode `The Great War` documentary by the BBC made in 1964..a true remembrance marathon of WW1, hard to believe it is the centenarian anniversary!
It will be on the big screen (the best way to see it) in our local Regent cinema on Armistice Day....I'm in New Zealand. Let me know if you can make it and I will keep you a seat. ;-)
"People were kind to each other in a way that they had never experienced before, and probably didn't experience again. Complete strangers had to help each other survive." P. Jackson
I agree, he is mumbling like crazy. And he talks really fast. And is not even completing half the sentences properly. Quite odd and a bit worrying. I remember how slow and clear he spoke on the LotR making of movies... but this and other videos I have seen of him lately... not good. Sounds to me like somebody who clearly does not get enough rest and recover. Hope his health is not affected to much and hopefully he is resting enough. We all love him and want him to make many more projects.
I saw this documentary on 1/22/2019 at a local theater. I thoroughly enjoyed it for what it is and what it portrayed. Well produced and is in 3d!! Outstanding work representing terrible times. See it if you can.
I can't wait to see this documentary. I'm so grateful someone has finally restored this footage with so much care. I'll be interested to see if the colourisation feels justified.
I believe a copy of this film has been sent to every secondary school in the UK. But really this should go to every University in the UK too... considering the actions of some Student Unions (University of Cambridge) in regards to Remembrance Day.
"Cambridge University’s Student Union (CUSU) has voted down a motion to promote Remembrance Sunday amid fears about the “glorification” of conflict.". "The amendment, proposed by student activist Stella Swain, struck out references to “British war veterans”, “Remembrance Day” and “Poppies”. " "Cambridge University’s Conservative Association said it was “shocking” that the motion was not passed, as they accused students of seeking to “erase” the memory of veterans."
Maybe someone should point out to Stella Swain that it's because of the actions and sacrifice of so many young men of the past that she has the ability to attend a university and live in a free society. Remembering our dead isn't 'glorification of conflict', it's simple respect for people who gave their lives in defense of home, families and freedom.
A wonderful piece of work. Peter Jackson and his team put their heart and soul into this tribute to those men. You can see in this interview how much it means to him. Will go down in history as a fitting centenary tribute.
I hope they start restoring a lot more old footage like this.. it really brings the past to life.... so interesting to see the world 100 YEARS ago.. amazing...
My grandfather, William, served in the Royal Horse artillery in the great war. He said he enjoyed the war and was proud of it. He was a tin plate worker from Port Talbot who in the great depression 10 years later would cycle 50 miles a day to get a days work to feed his family. Men like him were not victims. They were tough, smart, hard working, and enjoyed life. Too much of our coverage nowadaysof these men is portraying them as poor lost victims. They were not. Hats off to Peter Jackson for revealing the truth about these brave men.
Crazy, my great grandfather served in the South Wales Borderers, he was from Port Talbot, he travelled twice around the world as a stowaway before joining the army and going to France, he had a poor upbringing and had to leave home at 11, his parents just couldn't afford to feed him. Three times wounded in France he eventually got home in 1919.
This looks incredible. Maybe they should look at old German footage to see if they had the same camaraderie and togetherness, would be an interesting comparison.
Peter Jackson has made the finest film EVER and I cannot believe how humble he is when talking about the methods employed to produce this masterpiece from footage more than 100 years old. What a tremendous film and one that I have viewed 5 times thus far. A truly splendid fellow. Go and watch They Shall Not Grow Old now, but, do enjoy this Kermode Uncut. Fantastic.
Praythee, but where can I find it? I live in Nigeria, Africa, and its not as easy finding stuff over here as it must be for you lot over there, if you get what I mean. I love British military history and can't get enough of material like this one. Much thanks for any help, mate.
If you read "the ragged trousered philanthropist" written in approximately 1910 you realise what horrific conditions the average working man lived in. Over-worked, under-paid and hardly able to feed his family. Extreme poverty was the norm. So going to war was a better life than back home for most. Shoes on there feet and plenty to eat plus adequate pay. Yes there was terrible carnage but the spectre death was something people lived with on a daily basis before the war. We have been guilty in the last century and this of judging their way of life by using our morals and idea of modern society. It doesn't work
Exactly,plummz.Many of my Grandads contemporaries had their uniforms fitted a couple of sizes bigger because the army knew from experience that the lads would fill them better after a few months of regular meals.( my Grandad and his brother were two such undernourished privates ).Sadly ,neither of them survived the 3rd battle of Ypres.
@JohanDees no of course not everyone was poor, but there was a huge disparity in wealth distribution. The rich were very rich and the working classes very poor. This was before the welfare state & the NHS. My point isn't a political one, merely that life expectations for the men that joined up weren't the same as now- life expectancy for poor working classes was in the 30's. Life in the trenches was tough but for perhaps the majority life before & after the war was worse. Not excusing the huge waste of life but it was a different time.
Very well articulated and important point that many are still yet to grasp. My great grandfather went off to war because, even at the young age of 19, he realised that this would more than likely be the most interesting and exciting time of his entire life and as you say, would take him away from the pressing realities of life at the time, and was almost an exciting deviation from the inevitable life path of the working class at that time that could be foreseen with quite a high amount of accuracy.
Fabulous piece of work. Congratulations to all concerned for providing the necessary support and backing, financial, material and otherwise, that Peter and his team needed to do this job properly.
Skin colour is usually where previous efforts at colourisation have fallen down in the past. Considering how bad colourisation looked twenty or thirty years ago I think Peter Jackson's efforts here are, for the most part, surprisingly good and it started to resemble the two strip technicolor that came about in the 1920s. Slowing down of the frame rate to a natural level and the clever use of sound really brought this to life and reminded me that these were real people. A good job all round done by Mr Jackson.
Civilians at home did not have a clue of the horrors these brave men experienced on the front line!...Today's techno world we have a better understanding i guess? Bravo Mr Jackson for an incredible endeavour!
Wonderful! Now if Peter could only do that to the very famous, and much admired 'World At War' series, it would be one of the greatest achievements in the history of cinema!
OK, so as you might guess by my pic I'm a military historian. When They Shall... hit my local theater, I made sure to get to see it. The quick 'tl, dr' review: I like it. A lot. This is the most significant and poignant documentary since Ken Burns' The Civil War. If you have a chance to see this on the big screen, DO IT. It's well worth the money. Stay after for the 30 minute 'making of' video. Long version: This almost redeems Jackson for the hot mess he made out of The Hobbit [but he's still got a ways to go to clean up the disaster that was Mortal Engines...]. I was unaware of the colossal amount of footage retained by the IWM, but God bless them for it. Just editing and correcting the video footage was a major undertaking, not to mention adding sound. Whoever thought to get all the interviews from surviving War One veterans in the 60's ought to be posthumously celebrated. It is probably the single most significant effort in memorial archiving of the 20th Century. One also hopes that the BBC has continued the practice in all of Britain's military endeavors since. Consider this film to be a worthy capstone to the wonderful work that historians, veterans groups, and governmental groups have done to observe and memorial the single greatest disaster to ever afflict the British Empire. As an American Civil War reenactor, let me remind foreign readers that our 150th observances overlapped the 14-18 100th anniversary. More than once I caught video of a War One observance and thought to myself, 'Damn it! I wish we'd thought of that!'.
Bought our tickets for showing here in Alexandria, VA. My Aussie granddad was at the Somme. He was a prisoner for two years, but returned and in 1921, my Mum was born. And here I am.
I'd give it 1/10 Hobbit content, 10/10 for it's emotionally disturbing yet weirdly uplifting tale of Britishness in face of adversity. It is an important piece of work.
@MIKE J It might not be a "LOL" moment but its quite a sign of the vaudevillian times (think travelling stage shows). People with multiple talents would entertain the masses with tricks like juggling, firebreathing etc etc. He messed up juggling the bottle so like any consumate performer he plays it off by literally playing it off. Little moments like this are why the film truly shine.
I just happened to start watching this on bbc lastnight without knowing anything about it and it was an amazing experience. I was confused not knowing if it was real footage or actors or completely cgi and the sound blew me away. So I googled it and I just thought WOW! Peter Jackson and the people who put this together deserve a round of applause!
As a Great War living historian who portrays the regiment my great grandfather was in.....this utterly captivated me. Truly wonderful work. Oh and Peter, there is a ‘Tommy’ to remember the Monmouthshire regiment in Abergavenny in Wales (my mums home town) should you feel a visit.
Making the film, going all over the world on whirlind tours to "sell" the film to critics and audiences, all the while taking care of his own private life and planning the next 3 or 4 future projects in his head. This was probably the 5th or 6th interview of the day with probably another half dozen or so to go. No wonder he looks tired....
My sister in laws granduncle died in Pozieres in the German push in March 1918. He was from Tipperary Ireland and joined the Leinster division. He was injured in 1916. He won an MM and was mentioned on the Gazzette in 1917.
Really hope my dad gets to see this. Is it coming to cinema? I notice tomorrows special showing is not in Cardiff. Peter seems tired/ill here. Hope he's OK.
Jet lag. Flying from New Zealand to London is absolutely the most exhausting sit down you could ever have, no matter what class you sit in. Also he does a bit of amateur coal-mining at night, so really is burning the candle at both ends and in the middle. Oh, and he had a boil that day.
We went to go see this last night in 3D at the theater- pretty amazing work. I hope it comes out on digital format for worldwide enjoyment. My wife is not a history nerd like me, but she admitted that everyone SHOULD see because it shows the human side of the Great War. Peter Jackson does a great segment at the end of the movie explaining the techniques they used, it was just as entertaining as the movie itself.
My wife and I saw the movie this afternoon here in the US of A. Truly outstanding, it makes me see the war from a new perspective....from the perspective of the soldiers in the trenches. Colorization and the insertion of added frames to make the movement natural shows these men to be no different from people today, just a hundred years earlier. So many of the films we see from that era, because of the limitations of the photography, make the people seem to be more than just from another era but from another world. This film is like looking at news video from a war today, except it contains all the brutality in its vivid color. Thank you Peter and crew for making The Great War come alive for us and seeing the carnage and sacrifice of the poor wretched blokes who fought in it, from both sides.
I was going to book a ticket to see it on Tuesday for the Live streamed Q&A and like a total clown forgot to click through to the end of the website, so it never went through. HONESTLY. WHAT THE HELL, ME?
I saw a similar interview with PJ about this film, and he answers in the same way..sudden bursts of speech, each word tumbling over the next, then slowing down and going so quiet, it was hardly possible to hear what he was saying. He appears to have some kind of breathing problem, so he rushes to get sentences out before he runs out of breath. He also mentions in the other interview, that his grandfather (who fought in and survived WWI) would have seen the same mine detonation at exactly the same time as it was being filmed, just a few 100 yds to one side, so he was now seeing exactly what his grandfather saw.
@@cheekyboy5000 He said in the interview that he wanted to show it from the soldiers point of view and that for most of them it was a great adventure, haven't obviously seen this film yet but from the small clips I've seen they appear to be having a marvellous time, .. we know that later things changed dramatically. Can't wait to see this movie.
Watched it today: amazing piece of work from one of the greatest filmmakers of all time; the colourisation & ‘interpolation’ process (which normalises the olden days’ jerky film speeds to what we’re used to nowadays) produces a stunning piece of work; haunting in its poignancy throughout, truly humbling.
Is Peter Jackson ok? He seems to be putting back on the weight he lost and seems very manic, almost talking over himself at points...he seems almost unsure of himself and what he's saying.
He just seems very tired. Might be the end of a long day talking to the press, movie stars sometimes mention how when doing publicity after 20 interviews in a row it becomes hard not just to maintain a peppy attitude, but to even speak.
When people publicize a new film they get put in a hotel room and the press come through like they are on conveyor belts, can go on for hours and must get pretty tiring and monotonous answering the same questions over and over again all day, I think it would effect anybody.
Amazing. Learned recently my grandfather also served (a regiment - I think that's the word - out of Kansas). The colorization brings these fellows alive -- very affecting. Look forward to seeing it. Thanks Peter and team.
I don't think the colour looks very good, personally. It's clearly oversaturated, and there doesn't seem to me much improvement over the coloured-in black-and-white photos that have been around for ages.
Bear in mind that with film you have to do the colouring process 24 times a second, so I'm not surprised that it looks similar to basic photo colourisation.
@@ColourSurgeMedia Sure. But considering they're touting how they've used up-to-the-minute computer enhancement techniques, and that the frame rate interpolation is actually very good, you'd think that it might've looked a *little* better.
True, I do not like the colors that much either. But Jackson himself says here that they could have spent way more time (and therefore also money of course) on the colorization to make it look better. It is after all the BBC and not a 200 million Hollywood production. As always if they would do another one they would probably do it way faster, cheaper and even better looking since the technology is constantly improving and they now know how.
Just be glad we are even seeing this in colour. Knowing they probably had a ton of work per keyframe is enough of an achievement. Let alone complete addition of sound and dialogue.
This film is going out on the BBC this month. My great uncle died in the first word war. He got malaria in the Dardanelles fighting the Turks. I’m looking forward to seeing Peter Jackson’s restoration. A great job. Thank you to all the people involved in this project.
Sure. Nationalism is itself using undefined or ill-defined terms to suggest some geographical area and/or people have a higher value than another geographical area and/or people. Much like gods in religion, the actual definition of what constitutes the "nation" or "country" or whatever the nationalist tendencies is aimed at, is rarely agreed upon, so instead nationalist demagogues will often define themselves by their enemies and how they are not them.
@Jonathan Edwards If you own something, isn't it yours to do with what you want? WWI was exactly the battle between those who simply assumed the right to ignore the law (from Princip's shooting, over Austria-Hungary's collective punishment of Serbia, to Germany's invasion of Belgium) and the burgeoning democratic countries that began to recognize the need for some sort of supra-national system of regulations. The system of 1648 (Westphalian peace) was an attempt to create peace between religions, by making the nation something greater than the beliefs of the individual. 200 years later, the nation had become the religion you'd use as an excuse to wage war... So, yeah... rationally the idea of the nation lost it's raison d'etre with WWI, IMO.
@Federal Bureau of Investigation : Yes it would, because you base it on the geography of birth, and not a conscious choice. By that logic, those with another culture can simply use the same logic to claim themselves superior. However, if you let people have the choice, then you can argue with them about what ideas and cultural mores and traditions are better or worse in a more objective manner. I'm pretty confident in my own secular humanist, democratic rule of law, individual freedom and human rights ideas, but I don't for an instance believe that Denmark is the only place in the world where those ideas exist. Oh, yeah, and the idea that ethnic homogeneity is a good idea... wauw... really... two world wars haven't taught you that the strongest cultures are those that are open and take in new ideas and people? Show me a culture that has thrived by closing itself to the outside...
@Federal Bureau of Investigation What strawmen? You made a claim, I questioned the validity of that claim, since it wasn’t based on anything. You could try to argue your case, or is that too hard? Come on, give it a go...
The purist in me is very worried about this and the precedent it sets. I understand that color can help, but if you *need* color to find the humanity in this footage, then the problem isn't with the footage.
It is very hard to find modern parallels in speeded up faded black and white footage, this verson brings these people to life and just makes it so much more real.
It was already real to begin with. adding fake color, doesn't make it more real, it makes it less authentic. Even if the color is well research and executed, it's inauthentic.
@@gblatt8472 If the people filming 100 years ago could have captured footage in HD colour then they would have. Adding colour and slowing the speed just allows us to see the war in a more realistic way. It's not like they've destroyed the original footage.
It's not meant to be a primary source, but adding colour and (more important, I think) slowing the film down to a naturalistic speed removes a barrier between the people in the movie and modern audiences - it does make them seem more human, whether you approve of that or not. It's quite a dramatic effect: suddenly you're not looking at jerky old historical footage that many people struggle to connect with, but at a bunch of normal looking people . That being the case why does it matter that it's not totally authentic in every detail? As someone pointed out all the original footage still exists. Nobody is having the wool pulled over their eyes, they're just having a bit of a revelation about the normality of some young men who have been turned into legends by their circumstances and their remoteness from us.
Saw this on the Six O'Clock News last week and was gobsmacked. They could use this technology on any old pre- sound film. I'd like to see this used on Fitz Lang's classic *Metropolis.* But not on the Harold Lloyd/Charlie Chaplin/Buster Keaton films. They'll lose their comedy value.
Peter Jackson , you will be remembered for this and rightly so.
Just bought it today should have it in a week
Yes, at least now we know who ate all the pies.
I mean, the guy also made Lord of The Rings. So I think he is legit the best director of all time.
My dad was a sergeant in WW1 he was gassed but survived of course.I am now 70 and i was the youngest of four children. He never spoke a word about the war to me, i was informed by my brother about some details i do have a copy of his service record.
You are lucky to have that service record. In the US, most of the army service records were lost in a fire (since everything was on paper). Very unfortunate. My Great-Grandpa was in The War. We have one personal letter he wrote to his sister when he was in France, but no official records.
Charles Francis At our farm house in Virginia we found some gear of a relative of mine. A big B on an allied helmet, intact gas mask and it really is surreal.
It would appear that the use of nerve agents in Salisbury and gas in Syria confirms that leaders of some countries learn nothing from history.
You are lucky to have so much detail about your great grandfather.Interesting to hear of his particular problem being so tall .
caesarmatty 70% of uk service records were lost in ww2 from Luftwaffe
Just the fact that Jackson went to some of the actual battle sites to take photos and get the colors correct boggles the mind. Just a brilliant piece of artistry.
it's true! I really did
Since you can never recapture the light of a specific day at a specific time; each day is different and affected by wind, clouds, season etc, The colours other than a uniform or a tree will be a guess. Certainly the landscape won’t be.
When Peter Jackson has the time, and the passion to do it properly, he can make amazing work! Just look at LOTR vs the Hobbit! He was passionate about lotr, the hobbit he was burned out and making it up as he went along
Not that surprising
It does boggle the mind, why the hell would anyone waste resources to go there personally just for that? Ridiculous, I'm sure there were many more reasons to visit the actual places other than colour.
As a Briton - an Englishman - I cannot thank you enough, Peter Jackson.
Couldn't agree more, he's done us, and history a fantastic service
The late grandfather of my wife was already a very old man, when I met him in the eighties. He wore a row of medals on the coat of his grey suit on remembrance day and was picked up by a taxi to meet with the rapidly diminishing WW1 veterans in a Glasgow club. Heared that he went through the whole thing, from the beginning, when he was an enlisted young Scottish soldier, towards the very end, when he was a decorated NCO. The only thing he said to me at our wedding; ''Are ye takin' good care of this bonny wee lassie? If not you'll get intae trouble with me.'' And I knew he wasn't joking. Eventhough he was already 93 then. They don't make men like that anymore.
And we could use them by the millions now.
Kill all commies
@@plantfeeder6677 Wrong war bud
@@moth8550 That was not to what he was inferring. Steller l reading composition bud.
@@moth8550ur an idiot, bud
Jaw dropping stuff. Incredible what they've done to bring life to the dusty footage. Can't wait to see this.
Same here. Looks fantastic. Finally something good to come out of 2018.
Did you not see Incredibles 2 ?? ;)
But no Imax 3D option.
3/10
@@FirstLast-cf4mi I saw it in 3D last night at the imax in Chichester
@@TranceTrousers Do you have any idea if it's possible for non UK resident to see it ? I'd pay a lot to see that.
Dad said grandpa was proud of his service in world war one. he was in the medical corps and clerked in a delousing station in saint naziere for the returning troops. but when the second war came it broke his heart. he thought he had served for nothing.
I was amazed looking at this. Deplorable conditions....yet, all smiles and good cheer. Kinda puts your own life and problems and how you deal with them in their proper perspective.
Its much easier to put ones life into perspective-if one had no viable choice. Once in service, one way or another, they were there
"for the duration", so they had to make the best of a horrible situation=human nature.
I was trying to say that it helps me to put my life and problems into their proper perspective. If they can still find a way to be cheerful, considering the situation they were in, then I should be able to break a smile and not get so down or ovewhelmed while dealing with problems far less than theirs. That's what I was trying to communicate with my post.
they didn't know what was coming - hence the smiles.
Looks to me like they had already seen a lot of combat by the time these reels were shot. That's my impression anyway.
Anthony Johnson, I was struck by that too.
Just came back this evening from this. Absolutely one of the most important pieces of Documentary and Cinema in our generation. Thank you so much Mark for doing such a great justic to the great Peter Jackson in the interview.
What a phenomenal piece of work.
This is amazing stuff. Could be done with older footage from eg Victorian era. Like actual time travel. A wonderful achievement.
Brooklands race footage from Pathe would be amazing.
Yes, it was absolutely incredible!
@snopes it's very much the story of British and commonwealth infantry and tanks during the Western front. Peter said he could do ones on every facet of the war andvevery experience but chose to do the British Infantry experience and vision of the front.
Hear hear... I agree. Life changing - for the better.
Building frames to artificially increase frame rate is called interpolation. It's been available for years, but the algorithm and computing power as time goes on is getting truly incredible. I love that director's such as PJ leverage this stuff and make such amazing films.
I use it at work all the time, the best in my opinion is still the alchemist.
This is the correct use of frame interpolation. I turn ilthe version of it built into my TV off, since it makes everything look like the Hobbit in 48fps when it’s applied to normal tv or films.
What do keyframes have to do with it?
As far as I'm aware.... not much?
They're interpolating frames, not animating/altering them. So I'm reasonably sure keyframes weren't a large part of the frames per second alterations they did computationally.
+SMGJohn
Wouldn't it work even better in animation(since there are less details in the frame than live action footage), and having "normal" frame rate as a base provides it has plenty of data to work with and less to fill in. It looked bad because you don't like soap-opera effect, not because the tech is bad, interpolating 2d animation is ideal workload. I've only seen a couple of those videos on yt, and didn't notice any artifacts, maybe if I go frame by frame.. but the tech is fascinating.
Peter Jackson and team should get the highest of honours for this masterpiece of film. To create this extraordinary work is truly astounding. This personally showed me the absolute horror of WW1 to me like no other. This will be watched for generations to come in understanding the real feeling and thoughts of the soldiers who fought and died in this terrible war.
6:25 what an incredible transition from a distant historic echo to something so real and personal
I think one of the things that's so amazing is that this takes away a lot of the detachment. Old film often looks wonky and we sort of distance ourselves from what's happening in them. This literally makes you feel closer to the people in the film. Peter Jackson just continues doing amazing things, well done. Really well done.
I sincerely want to thank the whole team for making this film.
I watched this the other evening & it left me speechless. The restoration on the archive footage is so good, that at times it looks like it was filmed just the other day.
Spot on. When I first saw this yesterday I wasn't too aware of the background and assumed at first that all the colour footage was a re - enactment! Amazing piece of work.
I watched this at IWM, the moment the colour came in, and the restoration, I was left just speechless.
When they did the first transition shot from the old film to the newer frame rate with color I was so blown away. It was incredible how you felt so much more connected realizing you were seeing real events in front of you.
A labour of love. Thank you Peter and team.
I thought that I had seen loads of WW1 footage and what could Sir Peter Jackson do to make it any better? Blimey! How he and his team have revived these films is amazing. It was worth every moment of their hard work, especially where the soldier plays the beer bottle! For a history geek like me who, in 1996, met and chatted to a Great War veteran this was brilliant. Thank you Sir Peter and co.
Thank you. My grandfather lied about his age to fight in the WW1 and it brought his experiences to life.
Peter Jackson is just a great man. Can’t wait to see this
Just saw it today. Really powerful, moving documentary which, for me, the sound editing made it feel even more real than the enhanced frame rate and addition of colour.
Only watched this last night on BBC2, a truly remarkable film, very affecting, made me laugh, cry and feel extremely uncomfortable
It is painful to watch with hindsight knowing that most of these guys were about to enter a slaughterhouse. The fact that they were joking around and cheery makes it worse! A brilliant achievement technically but ultimately an anti war film that shows the ruthless ness and brutality of war as well as the waste of human life! To achieve what? Grab some territory? The rampant slaughter made it all pointless! It was easier to ignore or dismiss their deaths and sacrifice when they were nameless and faceless black and white grainy images of the previous films. Once they were fleshed out as you could call it and the film is colorized and speed corrected suddenly the soldiers are given a new life! Only to be wiped out by the bombs and guns! This film is ultimately difficult to watch and painful because one wishes one could save these men from their doom but you can’t! You can only watch helplessly and witness their destruction! Too painful for me to stomach but Peter Jackson should win an award for Technical achievement! RIP Soldiers
Such a fantastic film! Everybody should see it - young as old. Thank you so much, Peter Jackson
Really hope us in the US and other parts of the world are given some way to watch the film because it looks truly remarkable
Tyler Shobe It’s being shown today 16 Oct,in cinemas in UK.
I’m off to Nottingham to see it there’s a Q and A with PJ at the start.Ive heard it may be available later on streaming services.
I wonder if it will be available in Canada since we have a BBC connection...but it might not be seen on these shores for at least 2 years from now.
MonsterHobbiesABCA it is planned to be screened for all on Armistice Day (11/11) on BBC in the UK. Hopefully it is made available to you, as let’s face it, your country was part of this history too.
Every country was part of World War I. :D....but let's hope it is shown here.
Once it's shown in cinemas it's going to be screened on BBC in November. Even if US networks don't screen it you might be able to view it over the internet. Most stuff on BBC ends up on iPlayer. You might need a vpn and connect to a UK ip address to fool iPlayer that you are in UK and therefore have UK TV licence.
I watch this documentary on Sunday night wow,!!
The moment it change from black-and-white to colour revelation wonderful touching human document
Really hope this becomes available on BluRay or Web, as I just found out about this today, which is the date that it airs in UK only cinemas.
It will be shown on the BBC as they were part of the project
It will be on BBC on armistice day
Until it is shown on the BBC why not watch the 26 episode `The Great War` documentary by the BBC made in 1964..a true remembrance marathon of WW1, hard to believe it is the centenarian anniversary!
A great series- the first of its kind and is considered a groundbreaking classic of the genre.
It will be on the big screen (the best way to see it) in our local Regent cinema on Armistice Day....I'm in New Zealand. Let me know if you can make it and I will keep you a seat. ;-)
"People were kind to each other in a way that they had never experienced before, and probably didn't experience again. Complete strangers had to help each other survive." P. Jackson
Peter Jackson, the mumble king. Can we restore audio for Peter.
Onion Sandwich 😂😂😂
@Cellar Door I understood him perfectly and Im not from NZ.
Imagine if everyone was the same . Dead world
He's not quite in the Nick Nolte league! I had no problem understanding PJ
I agree, he is mumbling like crazy. And he talks really fast. And is not even completing half the sentences properly. Quite odd and a bit worrying. I remember how slow and clear he spoke on the LotR making of movies... but this and other videos I have seen of him lately... not good. Sounds to me like somebody who clearly does not get enough rest and recover.
Hope his health is not affected to much and hopefully he is resting enough. We all love him and want him to make many more projects.
I saw this documentary on 1/22/2019 at a local theater. I thoroughly enjoyed it for what it is and what it portrayed. Well produced and is in 3d!! Outstanding work representing terrible times. See it if you can.
I can't wait to see this documentary. I'm so grateful someone has finally restored this footage with so much care. I'll be interested to see if the colourisation feels justified.
So what'd you think?
@@Tiger74147 big thumbs up. You should watch it.
@@spartan5637 Oh I already did haha, it was great.
Yeah, I too, like you, really want to see how they really got a big piece of metal in their face, especially!
A tip: watch movies on instaflixxer. I've been using them for watching a lot of movies lately.
I believe a copy of this film has been sent to every secondary school in the UK. But really this should go to every University in the UK too... considering the actions of some Student Unions (University of Cambridge) in regards to Remembrance Day.
Their safe spaces would be packed to the rafters if this was shown.
"Cambridge University’s Student Union (CUSU) has voted down a motion to promote Remembrance Sunday amid fears about the “glorification” of conflict.".
"The amendment, proposed by student activist Stella Swain, struck out references to “British war veterans”, “Remembrance Day” and “Poppies”. "
"Cambridge University’s Conservative Association said it was “shocking” that the motion was not passed, as they accused students of seeking to “erase” the memory of veterans."
Id like to see the film sent to every school in Canada(my country) every country of the Commonwealth and the USA!
Take your reactionary bullshit elsewhere.
Maybe someone should point out to Stella Swain that it's because of the actions and sacrifice of so many young men of the past that she has the ability to attend a university and live in a free society. Remembering our dead isn't 'glorification of conflict', it's simple respect for people who gave their lives in defense of home, families and freedom.
Fabulous film. Watched the whole hour and half on BBC. Essential viewing. Gruesome ,sad. The reality of warfare....
A wonderful piece of work. Peter Jackson and his team put their heart and soul into this tribute to those men. You can see in this interview how much it means to him. Will go down in history as a fitting centenary tribute.
Unbelievable restoration.
@paul w You both know what I meant, stop being pretentious twatbags.
I hope they start restoring a lot more old footage like this.. it really brings the past to life.... so interesting to see the world 100 YEARS ago.. amazing...
Powerful footage, especially seeing those horses take a direct artillery shell. Very moving. Poor bastards.
My grandfather, William, served in the Royal Horse artillery in the great war. He said he enjoyed the war and was proud of it. He was a tin plate worker from Port Talbot who in the great depression 10 years later would cycle 50 miles a day to get a days work to feed his family. Men like him were not victims. They were tough, smart, hard working, and enjoyed life. Too much of our coverage nowadaysof these men is portraying them as poor lost victims. They were not. Hats off to Peter Jackson for revealing the truth about these brave men.
Crazy, my great grandfather served in the South Wales Borderers, he was from Port Talbot, he travelled twice around the world as a stowaway before joining the army and going to France, he had a poor upbringing and had to leave home at 11, his parents just couldn't afford to feed him. Three times wounded in France he eventually got home in 1919.
My great uncle Edward was killed at the Somme, what he must have gone through I cannot imagine these men were so brave we will remember them .
My brother was one of the voice over artists that contributed this production and he was honoured and proud to do so.
This looks incredible. Maybe they should look at old German footage to see if they had the same camaraderie and togetherness, would be an interesting comparison.
read All Quiet on the Western Front
Read Storm of Steel by Ernst Junger
@@stevencolbare1250 OMG, what if they did?!
That would be super interesting to see a German perspective.
john smith I would love a German version!
Peter Jackson has made the finest film EVER and I cannot believe how humble he is when talking about the methods employed to produce this masterpiece from footage more than 100 years old. What a tremendous film and one that I have viewed 5 times thus far. A truly splendid fellow. Go and watch They Shall Not Grow Old now, but, do enjoy this Kermode Uncut. Fantastic.
Praythee, but where can I find it? I live in Nigeria, Africa, and its not as easy finding stuff over here as it must be for you lot over there, if you get what I mean. I love British military history and can't get enough of material like this one. Much thanks for any help, mate.
If you read "the ragged trousered philanthropist" written in approximately 1910 you realise what horrific conditions the average working man lived in. Over-worked, under-paid and hardly able to feed his family. Extreme poverty was the norm. So going to war was a better life than back home for most. Shoes on there feet and plenty to eat plus adequate pay. Yes there was terrible carnage but the spectre death was something people lived with on a daily basis before the war. We have been guilty in the last century and this of judging their way of life by using our morals and idea of modern society. It doesn't work
Exactly,plummz.Many of my Grandads contemporaries had their uniforms fitted a couple of sizes bigger because the army knew from experience that the lads would fill them better after a few months of regular meals.( my Grandad and his brother were two such undernourished privates ).Sadly ,neither of them survived the 3rd battle of Ypres.
@JohanDees no of course not everyone was poor, but there was a huge disparity in wealth distribution. The rich were very rich and the working classes very poor. This was before the welfare state & the NHS. My point isn't a political one, merely that life expectations for the men that joined up weren't the same as now- life expectancy for poor working classes was in the 30's. Life in the trenches was tough but for perhaps the majority life before & after the war was worse. Not excusing the huge waste of life but it was a different time.
Read the book now, and you'll realise almost nothing has changed in over 100 years.
@@jacko717 scarily true
Very well articulated and important point that many are still yet to grasp. My great grandfather went off to war because, even at the young age of 19, he realised that this would more than likely be the most interesting and exciting time of his entire life and as you say, would take him away from the pressing realities of life at the time, and was almost an exciting deviation from the inevitable life path of the working class at that time that could be foreseen with quite a high amount of accuracy.
Fabulous piece of work. Congratulations to all concerned for providing the necessary support and backing, financial, material and otherwise, that Peter and his team needed to do this job properly.
Skin colour is usually where previous efforts at colourisation have fallen down in the past. Considering how bad colourisation looked twenty or thirty years ago I think Peter Jackson's efforts here are, for the most part, surprisingly good and it started to resemble the two strip technicolor that came about in the 1920s. Slowing down of the frame rate to a natural level and the clever use of sound really brought this to life and reminded me that these were real people. A good job all round done by Mr Jackson.
Saw the whole thing in the UK on 11th November. Absolutely amazing ... and eerily haunting. Well worth a visit to see it again.
Civilians at home did not have a clue of the horrors these brave men experienced on the front line!...Today's techno world we have a better understanding i guess? Bravo Mr Jackson for an incredible endeavour!
Outstanding piece of film. Well done Peter J and your team.
Wonderful! Now if Peter could only do that to the very famous, and much admired 'World At War' series, it would be one of the greatest achievements in the history of cinema!
Perhaps one of the most brilliant works of art so far this century. And judging by the way things are headed, it will remain so.
OK, so as you might guess by my pic I'm a military historian. When They Shall... hit my local theater, I made sure to get to see it.
The quick 'tl, dr' review: I like it. A lot. This is the most significant and poignant documentary since Ken Burns' The Civil War. If you have a chance to see this on the big screen, DO IT. It's well worth the money. Stay after for the 30 minute 'making of' video.
Long version:
This almost redeems Jackson for the hot mess he made out of The Hobbit [but he's still got a ways to go to clean up the disaster that was Mortal Engines...]. I was unaware of the colossal amount of footage retained by the IWM, but God bless them for it. Just editing and correcting the video footage was a major undertaking, not to mention adding sound. Whoever thought to get all the interviews from surviving War One veterans in the 60's ought to be posthumously celebrated. It is probably the single most significant effort in memorial archiving of the 20th Century. One also hopes that the BBC has continued the practice in all of Britain's military endeavors since.
Consider this film to be a worthy capstone to the wonderful work that historians, veterans groups, and governmental groups have done to observe and memorial the single greatest disaster to ever afflict the British Empire.
As an American Civil War reenactor, let me remind foreign readers that our 150th observances overlapped the 14-18 100th anniversary. More than once I caught video of a War One observance and thought to myself, 'Damn it! I wish we'd thought of that!'.
Bought our tickets for showing here in Alexandria, VA. My Aussie granddad was at the Somme. He was a prisoner for two years, but returned and in 1921, my Mum was born. And here I am.
I believe this is Peter Jackson's greatest work to date yet! Bravo!
I saw this film this afternoon and it confirmed my belief. Brilliant!
I'd give it 1/10 Hobbit content, 10/10 for it's emotionally disturbing yet weirdly uplifting tale of Britishness in face of adversity. It is an important piece of work.
Well....'Let's no be too hasty...' -Treebeard
Well done mr Jackson. You’ve created something very tangible for future generations to experience.
We saw these soldiers in black and white or sepia originally, yet their own memories of the war were in colour. Now we too can see it in colour.
Saw this last night what a wonderful tribute to the men who fought in WW1. Excellently done.
my two great uncles were killed in that war.one in 1916 and the other in 1917.
Watched it just now. Cannot believe how clear and crisp the colour is on some shots. Felt so real. The best upscale I’ve ever seen!
I wish I had every second in theater recorded
the wait was driving me crazy after I ordered the blu ray from Britain
Charles, Francis
Sir
Thank you for your service. We will never forget . 🏴
2:50 playing a bottle like a banjo LOL
@MIKE J It might not be a "LOL" moment but its quite a sign of the vaudevillian times (think travelling stage shows).
People with multiple talents would entertain the masses with tricks like juggling, firebreathing etc etc. He messed up juggling the bottle so like any consumate performer he plays it off by literally playing it off.
Little moments like this are why the film truly shine.
All with a totally straight face.
I love seeing the film go from grainy and black and white to high definition and color. Simply amazing.
We will remember them...
But BBC I player thinks it's okay to delete it completely after a week it came out.
This is a much needed documentary and wish I had a television.. thank you, Peter
Kermode: "This is Peter Jackson, he works mainly in computers, hey Peter?"
Jackson: "Computers, yeah"
I just happened to start watching this on bbc lastnight without knowing anything about it and it was an amazing experience. I was confused not knowing if it was real footage or actors or completely cgi and the sound blew me away. So I googled it and I just thought WOW! Peter Jackson and the people who put this together deserve a round of applause!
Mark: so how do you do this
Peter: computer.. power... Fire power
Mark: how did you get the speed to look natural
Peter: power.. computer fire power
"So you're saying you set fire to the computers?"
As a Great War living historian who portrays the regiment my great grandfather was in.....this utterly captivated me. Truly wonderful work. Oh and Peter, there is a ‘Tommy’ to remember the Monmouthshire regiment in Abergavenny in Wales (my mums home town) should you feel a visit.
"Computers... Computer power"
taistelutomaatti seems no people were involved in the making of this film 🙄
What's your problem with computers?
I have so much respect for Peter Jackson. This is an important document of history and it deserves praise. 🙏🏻
Pete just looks exhausted... constantly working on these big projects.
Making the film, going all over the world on whirlind tours to "sell" the film to critics and audiences, all the while taking care of his own private
life and planning the next 3 or 4 future projects in his head. This was probably the 5th or 6th interview of the day with probably another
half dozen or so to go. No wonder he looks tired....
He's got the immortal engines movie coming out soon.
What an absolutely horrific war. PJ as well as every person that took part in this film deserve honorary recognition.
MK “How did you make this picture look and sound so good?”
PJ “Computers”
Roll credits!
My sister in laws granduncle died in Pozieres in the German push in March 1918. He was from Tipperary Ireland and joined the Leinster division. He was injured in 1916. He won an MM and was mentioned on the Gazzette in 1917.
Really hope my dad gets to see this. Is it coming to cinema?
I notice tomorrows special showing is not in Cardiff.
Peter seems tired/ill here. Hope he's OK.
As I understand it, it'll be shown on the BBC on Armistice Day.
@@M.G.74 Thank you
This is wicked awesome! Thanks to all parties involved, for the work that went into this project! I can't wait to see it in it's entirely.
What's up with Mr. Jackson? He seems a little exhausted.
It’s all the restoration. It’ll do you in.
the hobbit trilogy
Because he probably was working on this while doing like 3 other projects. He's a workaholic.
Hes probably spoken to dozens of other journalists at this press event and answered many of these questions several times
Jet lag. Flying from New Zealand to London is absolutely the most exhausting sit down you could ever have, no matter what class you sit in. Also he does a bit of amateur coal-mining at night, so really is burning the candle at both ends and in the middle. Oh, and he had a boil that day.
We went to go see this last night in 3D at the theater- pretty amazing work. I hope it comes out on digital format for worldwide enjoyment. My wife is not a history nerd like me, but she admitted that everyone SHOULD see because it shows the human side of the Great War. Peter Jackson does a great segment at the end of the movie explaining the techniques they used, it was just as entertaining as the movie itself.
This is insane!!! Due to movement correction and quality colorization these looked like modern actors recreating trench warfare.
Exactly!
Mr. Peter Jackson, this is an utterly brilliant piece of filmmaking. Kudos!
Computers.
@Zees Chan You are a very funny person. Really!
😂
Things are bigger, yet smaller. It's computers.
it's techniputer
My wife and I saw the movie this afternoon here in the US of A. Truly outstanding, it makes me see the war from a new perspective....from the perspective of the soldiers in the trenches. Colorization and the insertion of added frames to make the movement natural shows these men to be no different from people today, just a hundred years earlier. So many of the films we see from that era, because of the limitations of the photography, make the people seem to be more than just from another era but from another world. This film is like looking at news video from a war today, except it contains all the brutality in its vivid color. Thank you Peter and crew for making The Great War come alive for us and seeing the carnage and sacrifice of the poor wretched blokes who fought in it, from both sides.
This is the lords work that has been done.
No. It is archiving the lords work between 1914-1918
Astonishing piece of work thank you Peter for your dedication to bring these heroes back to life🙏🙏🙏
This is fascinating, but Peter seems more than a bit... flustered? It's a weird and slightly uncomfortable interview.
He's at a press junket, this is probably the 50th time he's answered the same questions.
I was going to book a ticket to see it on Tuesday for the Live streamed Q&A and like a total clown forgot to click through to the end of the website, so it never went through.
HONESTLY. WHAT THE HELL, ME?
I saw a similar interview with PJ about this film, and he answers in the same way..sudden bursts of speech, each word tumbling over the next, then slowing down and going so quiet, it was hardly possible to hear what he was saying. He appears to have some kind of breathing problem, so he rushes to get sentences out before he runs out of breath.
He also mentions in the other interview, that his grandfather (who fought in and survived WWI) would have seen the same mine detonation at exactly the same time as it was being filmed, just a few 100 yds to one side, so he was now seeing exactly what his grandfather saw.
No, he's just upset because the topic is quite moving, and upsetting. Hundreds of thousands of men, going to their deaths.
@@cheekyboy5000 He said in the interview that he wanted to show it from the soldiers point of view and that for most of them it was a great adventure, haven't obviously seen this film yet but from the small clips I've seen they appear to be having a marvellous time, .. we know that later things changed dramatically. Can't wait to see this movie.
Watched this last night..Awesome viewing and i'm just in awe of every soldier caught in this film.
Trepidacious! And that’s why Kermode is king!
Watched it today: amazing piece of work from one of the greatest filmmakers of all time; the colourisation & ‘interpolation’ process (which normalises the olden days’ jerky film speeds to what we’re used to nowadays) produces a stunning piece of work; haunting in its poignancy throughout, truly humbling.
Proper old boys...Unlike this bloody" I'm a victim "generation,!!
a masterpiece..this documentary should be everywhere.
Is Peter Jackson ok? He seems to be putting back on the weight he lost and seems very manic, almost talking over himself at points...he seems almost unsure of himself and what he's saying.
He just seems very tired. Might be the end of a long day talking to the press, movie stars sometimes mention how when doing publicity after 20 interviews in a row it becomes hard not just to maintain a peppy attitude, but to even speak.
When people publicize a new film they get put in a hotel room and the press come through like they are on conveyor belts, can go on for hours and must get pretty tiring and monotonous answering the same questions over and over again all day, I think it would effect anybody.
Amazing. Learned recently my grandfather also served (a regiment - I think that's the word - out of Kansas). The colorization brings these fellows alive -- very affecting. Look forward to seeing it. Thanks Peter and team.
I don't think the colour looks very good, personally. It's clearly oversaturated, and there doesn't seem to me much improvement over the coloured-in black-and-white photos that have been around for ages.
Bear in mind that with film you have to do the colouring process 24 times a second, so I'm not surprised that it looks similar to basic photo colourisation.
@@ColourSurgeMedia Sure. But considering they're touting how they've used up-to-the-minute computer enhancement techniques, and that the frame rate interpolation is actually very good, you'd think that it might've looked a *little* better.
True, I do not like the colors that much either. But Jackson himself says here that they could have spent way more time (and therefore also money of course) on the colorization to make it look better. It is after all the BBC and not a 200 million Hollywood production. As always if they would do another one they would probably do it way faster, cheaper and even better looking since the technology is constantly improving and they now know how.
Just be glad we are even seeing this in colour. Knowing they probably had a ton of work per keyframe is enough of an achievement.
Let alone complete addition of sound and dialogue.
They should have hired someone to try using a neural network.
This film is going out on the BBC this month. My great uncle died in the first word war. He got malaria in the Dardanelles fighting the Turks.
I’m looking forward to seeing Peter Jackson’s restoration. A great job. Thank you to all the people involved in this project.
That's no restoration, but remastering. Restoration keeps the original appearance of the work.
This will help us remember. WWI is my go to example of why nationalism needs to be countered by rationalism...
Sure. Nationalism is itself using undefined or ill-defined terms to suggest some geographical area and/or people have a higher value than another geographical area and/or people. Much like gods in religion, the actual definition of what constitutes the "nation" or "country" or whatever the nationalist tendencies is aimed at, is rarely agreed upon, so instead nationalist demagogues will often define themselves by their enemies and how they are not them.
@Jonathan Edwards If you own something, isn't it yours to do with what you want? WWI was exactly the battle between those who simply assumed the right to ignore the law (from Princip's shooting, over Austria-Hungary's collective punishment of Serbia, to Germany's invasion of Belgium) and the burgeoning democratic countries that began to recognize the need for some sort of supra-national system of regulations. The system of 1648 (Westphalian peace) was an attempt to create peace between religions, by making the nation something greater than the beliefs of the individual. 200 years later, the nation had become the religion you'd use as an excuse to wage war... So, yeah... rationally the idea of the nation lost it's raison d'etre with WWI, IMO.
Both sides thought they made very "rational" decisions before, during and after the WAR. How did that work out?
@Federal Bureau of Investigation : Yes it would, because you base it on the geography of birth, and not a conscious choice. By that logic, those with another culture can simply use the same logic to claim themselves superior. However, if you let people have the choice, then you can argue with them about what ideas and cultural mores and traditions are better or worse in a more objective manner. I'm pretty confident in my own secular humanist, democratic rule of law, individual freedom and human rights ideas, but I don't for an instance believe that Denmark is the only place in the world where those ideas exist. Oh, yeah, and the idea that ethnic homogeneity is a good idea... wauw... really... two world wars haven't taught you that the strongest cultures are those that are open and take in new ideas and people? Show me a culture that has thrived by closing itself to the outside...
@Federal Bureau of Investigation What strawmen? You made a claim, I questioned the validity of that claim, since it wasn’t based on anything. You could try to argue your case, or is that too hard? Come on, give it a go...
My Grandfather was in that war as well. I remember asking about it and he only would say, "We couldn't let them take over."
The purist in me is very worried about this and the precedent it sets. I understand that color can help, but if you *need* color to find the humanity in this footage, then the problem isn't with the footage.
It is very hard to find modern parallels in speeded up faded black and white footage, this verson brings these people to life and just makes it so much more real.
It was already real to begin with. adding fake color, doesn't make it more real, it makes it less authentic. Even if the color is well research and executed, it's inauthentic.
@@gblatt8472
If the people filming 100 years ago could have captured footage in HD colour then they would have. Adding colour and slowing the speed just allows us to see the war in a more realistic way.
It's not like they've destroyed the original footage.
It's not meant to be a primary source, but adding colour and (more important, I think) slowing the film down to a naturalistic speed removes a barrier between the people in the movie and modern audiences - it does make them seem more human, whether you approve of that or not. It's quite a dramatic effect: suddenly you're not looking at jerky old historical footage that many people struggle to connect with, but at a bunch of normal looking people . That being the case why does it matter that it's not totally authentic in every detail? As someone pointed out all the original footage still exists. Nobody is having the wool pulled over their eyes, they're just having a bit of a revelation about the normality of some young men who have been turned into legends by their circumstances and their remoteness from us.
Loren Greenblatt
The color helps, but the movement corrections are truly amazing and give life to this outstanding film.
Jackson has given those men life.
What a fantastic job he did.
Saw this on the Six O'Clock News last week and was gobsmacked. They could use this technology on any old pre- sound film. I'd like to see this used on Fitz Lang's classic *Metropolis.* But not on the Harold Lloyd/Charlie Chaplin/Buster Keaton films. They'll lose their comedy value.
The recent Metropolis blu-ray is restored to play naturally at 24 fps. It looks great but I guess things can always be made to look even better.
I am looking forward to this. My grandfather fought in the Great War and he told a few stories! One not so pleasant! I will be looking for his face!