"They Shall Not Grow Old" a WWI Doc. Directed by Peter Jackson with Imperial War Archive Footage

The Great War, the war to end all wars, a.k.a WWI lasted 4 years (1914-1918) and took the lives of millions of soldiers.  "They Shall Not Grow Old" is the title of Peter Jackson's documentary which is an immersive film bringing the audience into the trenches, battlefields and psyches of British soldiers who fought on the battlefields & frontlines in WWI.  Sir Peter Jackson is a highly successful film director, producer & screenwriter.  He's known for his trilogies "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit."   Jackson has earned 3 Oscars, 3 BAFTAs and a Golden Globe.  "They Shall Not Grow Old" is his 1st doc. and was awarded the BAFTA for Best Doc.  Jackson mulled over & worked on this project 4 years.  Sir Jackson provided a prelude to the movie.  He confides when approached by the IWM (Imperial War Museum) & the BBC to make a film utilizing any material from their IWM archives without any restraints on filmmaking, he was at a loss.  Jackson felt overwhelmed & was baffled at how to approach this project.  The 100th Anniversary of the Armistice ending WWI was Nov. 11, 2018.  Jackson completed this doc. & released it to commemorate this historic date and to pay homage to the millions who fought and to those who died fighting for their country.   Prior to the film, Jackson talked about the miraculous restoration or archival footage devised by technicians who developed new methods for making the original footage appear clear and contemporary (without the shaking, jolting) appearance.  Colorization was made on much of the footage.  The technical advances remarkably to enhance the visual quality was respectful to the integrity & sensitivity of war and all its serious implications.  Jackson invited those interested in learning about the new technical techniques to stay after the credits and he would offer insights into these processes.  The film itself is completely absorbing, horrifying, illuminating and of historic prominence.  There was fear, camaraderie & levity found among the men. The images of wounded soldiers & corpses are indelible.  Most significantly, it's an honorable tribute to veterans & a testament to the insanity & barbarity of war.  "No war is worth it. " "Useless."  It was sad to note that many veterans returning home were not welcomed, employable and dissociated from civilian life.  "We should always ask ourselves why? Why this war."  The actual narrations were compiled from interviews taken from 200 seniors who were veterans of WWI.  From these interviews, 120 different voices were utilized as voice overs. The omnipotent impact immerses the viewer into the trenches, fox holes, terror & tedium of being a soldier.  Very little reference was given to dates or battles.  Watching the film, I questioned whether the voices were "staged" which mitigated the validity of convincing commentaries.  Sir Jackson should have alerted the audience to this vital information in his intro.  Aside from that, "They Shall Not Grow Old" is a crucial masterpiece.