[TV] They shall not grow old

[Giraffe]

Downloaded and watched tier half tonight. Will watch the rest tomorrow night.

Very well done. It is very hard to imagine the brutality of the war without seeing it and this gives you exactly that.

 

[Easy 10]

Saw it at the cinema a few weeks ago and watched again last night. That part of the film where it slows down and turns to colour is so effectively done and expertly timed.

Just watched it.

That moment when the colour flushes in, that fair took my breath away - from the familiar grainy old black and white pictures, which somehow "disconnects" you from the reality of it, or at least forms a barrier...to have that suddenly stripped away, absolutely incredible. The reality of it just bursts out of the screen and drops you right into it. That film should be on every school curriculum, its an astonishing achievement.

Thats TWO things this weekend where the BBC have absolutely smashed it out of the park. Dynasties, and They Shall Not Grow Old. Utter brilliance.

I'll mention here my great grandfather, Thomas Rider. Injured in battle, he died in a field hospital in 1916 aged 37, and is buried in Rouen. Having watched that film, I feel like I have an even greater appreciation now of what he and his comrades went through. I'm proud to be descended from a hero.

 

[Eeyore]

Absolute must watch. Graphic, unnerving, and very poignant

 

[jaghebby]

Another must watch is WW1's Secret Shame - Shell shock. Dan Snow's documentary looks at Shell Shock in WW1 and about mental trauma and PTSD suffered by soldiers that resonates today as it did then and how we still fail the young men we send to fight on our behalf.

 

[cunning fergus]

Another must watch is WW1's Secret Shame - Shell shock. Dan Snow's documentary looks at Shell Shock in WW1 and about mental trauma and PTSD suffered by soldiers that resonates today as it did then and how we still fail the young men we send to fight on our behalf.

I’m surprised the BBC series the Great War, which was produced in 1964 has not been mentioned or shown on TV over the recent years commemorating WW1.

This series was commissioned as part of the 50 year anniversary of WW1, and is surely the pre-cursor in terms of format etc. for the World at War. Birmingham University used to provide a Masters course on WW1 and this series was considered essential viewing.

I can’t think why the BBC would not want to celebrate this extensive documentary series in 2018, it’s not even on iplayer (although it’s interviews with soldiers and civilians are). I think it can be found on You Tube.....

http://youtu.be/n5u3F6fpsb4

 

[Wardy's twin]

Watched this tonight on catch-up. I thought it might be anti-war but the message I got from it was the opposite. Most of the comments by survivors seemed just to accept what happened as a matter of fact and some appeared to miss the'life'. Excellent piece of work though bringing to life the old footage.

 

[lawros left foot]

The Last Tommies, another BBC WW1 documentary is again, an excellent, difficult and very moving piece of television.

Only on IPlayer for about another 3 weeks, worth a watch. Even the old boy (Grenadier Guards Officer) who thought it ( the war ) was 'great fun, I rather enjoyed it'

 

[Wozza]

Most of the comments by survivors seemed just to accept what happened as a matter of fact and some appeared to miss the'life'.

I thought the title was a bit of a mismatch, really.

"They shall not grow old" obviously refers to those who didn't come back, but the doc was from the point of view of those who did.

 

[The Rivet]

I thought the title was a bit of a mismatch, really.

"They shall not grow old" obviously refers to those who didn't come back, but the doc was from the point of view of those who did.

Hmmm...we can't interview the dead.