WW1 - in colour - Hell in the trenches

I've just stumbled on this video.

It is many scenes of the men from both sides of world war one and it is all in colour.

I never knew that there was any existing colour footage from WW1.

Not only are the images deeply moving, but the choice of music sets the tone very well.

We all know what war does and what happened in WW1 and that is why I decided to post this incredible bit of film in this section.



www.youtube.com...

Originally posted by Extralien
I never knew that there was any existing colour footage from WW1.

I'm pretty sure it's hand-tinted, and not really a color film. Actual color film was not available until after WWI, in the mid-1920s. Before then, technicians would go through and either on a print table or directly on the film and add color with a pen or brush.

Hand Colored Films

[edit on 30-3-2009 by Nohup]

That's what makes it so surprising to me.
I knew this technique was used later, as some portions of the film does look very much touched up.

Yet other parts are so good.

Either way, I have seen WW1 in a whole new light now. The colour seems to add to the impact of that conflict.

reply to post by Nohup


The first commercial color film was available in 1907. Autochrome plates were developed in France by the Lumiere brothers. Pictures using autochrome plates were in color, but color FILM wasn't developed until the 1930s. These were taken using autochrome plates, not hand painted.

Im sure it wouldnt be hard to fix it all with computers now adays, if this footage wasnt handpainted back then.

It wouldnt be hard to match the grayscale footage to colour.

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I have never seen colour footage tho, it puts a whole different feel of it. more tactile? I dont know the word I am looking for

It would seem that there are some slight differences as to the first colour film(movie)

April 9, 1914 in History
Event:
1st full color film shown "World, Flesh and Devil" in London

www.brainyhistory.com...

This is a list of color film processes known to have been developed for shooting or viewing color motion pictures since the development of such photographic technology towards the end of the 19th century.

en.wikipedia.org...

Still, the vid above just made me sit up... I'm deeply glad someone took the time to do that. I wonder if any of it is genuine colour film footage.