Fall 2019: They Shall Not Grow Old

Originally screened: November 6, 2019

Director: Peter Jackson

Country: United Kingdom

Runtime: 100 minutes

Given access to the Imperial War Museums archive of WWI materials in London, Peter Jackson has made something difficult to categorize: the resulting film is empathetic and respectful, but also astonishing and ruthless, a borderline experimental effort to lay bare war’s labour and scars. At first, footage is shown without decoration, the whir of the projector playing behind oral histories. But before long, modern techniques (colour, sound collage) are put to use. As an entire generation of men are seen being run through their country's military conditioning process, Jackson in turn uses every tool he has to rouse his audience out of the usual conditioned response of remembering the Great War, or any war.

Where to watch today: They Shall Not Grow Old is available on home video from Warner Bros. and is available to stream online via Crave + HBO.