As the nation observes the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day and the end of World War I, They Shall Not Grow Old acknowledges the men who sacrificed all in the of God, Country and the American way. Commemorating that momentous morning, Fathom Events is very proud to be partnering with Warner Bros. to bring director Peter Jackson's extraordinary, highly acclaimed documentary to U.S. movie screens in a two-night-only special event all across the U.S. They Shall Not Grow Old will both in 2D and in RealD 3D, on Monday, December 17, and again on Thursday, December 27. Tickets will be on sale beginning this Friday, November 16, at FathomEvents.com and at participating theater box offices. A full list of locations playing They Shall Not Grow Old will also be available at the Fathom Events website.
Jackson recorded a special introduction to the film (which he has called his most personal) offering his perspective on why the film is important for audiences, who have never experienced WWI footage as anything but grainy black and white, and silent. In They Shall Not Grow Old, Jackson opens a window to the past in a way that has never been seen or heard before. This restoration is a humanizing process that provide audience access to events like never before. An extraordinary look at the soldiers and events of the Great War, the movie uses film footage captured at the time, presented as the world has never seen. By utilizing state-of-the-art restoration, colorization and 3D technologies, and pulling from 600 hours of BBC archival interviews, Jackson puts forth an intensely gripping, immersive and authentic experience through the eyes and voices of the British soldiers who lived it.
“We knew that partnering with Warner Bros. to bring this extraordinary documentary to U.S. audiences was essential,” said Fathom Events CEO Ray Nutt. “Putting this documentary on the big screen via the Fathom network will further illuminate Peter’s work and allow moviegoers to see the impressive visual detail of the restored footage as though they were a part of that moment in time.” Carolyn Blackwood, President and Chief Content Officer, New Line Cinema and executive producer on The Hobbit Trilogy stated, “This documentary is simply special on every level – it is an arresting and gripping way to humanize and honor those who served so bravely during WWI by using actual footage shot at the time and narrated with the voices of the soldiers who experienced it. Leave it to Peter to come up with a groundbreaking way to reflect back on a period in history that deserves another look.”
Jeff Goldstein, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, contributed to the conversation, “With this being the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, I can’t imagine a more appropriate time to honor the courage of the soldiers who fought in WWI – what was then ‘the war to end all wars’ – many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice. Peter has made history come alive through the medium of film, and we are so pleased to be a part of bringing his vision to today’s audiences.”
The screening of the film will be immediately followed by special content with firsthand insights into what went into the groundbreaking feat of research, filmmaking and storytelling. Undoubtedly, this will be a movie-going experience like no other you experience this year.