"The village of Imber on Salisbury Plain was abandoned nearly 70 years ago when the residents were forced to leave their homes in 1943."
Rex Sawyer, an author who wrote a book about the former British township, is interviewed about Imber, its history and the recent project to restore its church.
Most of the narration is done by Sawyer, lending credence to the story. The pictures, taken by BBC photographer David White, add mood and context to the spoken words. Additionally, the audio is crisp and clear and the sounds of war in the background contribute an ominous ambiance to the entire proceedings. The additional music sounds like traditional Anglo fare, which adds to the piece's historic bent. The other interviews are interspersed professionally and offer seamless transition in the long show.
The juxtaposition of tales of American soldiers in Imber with the images of young British soldiers in the pictures completes a ghastly motif of war. The entire thing, while sadly depressing, offers a glimmer of hope in its closing moments about the church's restoration, which brings the township of Imber full circle by the end of the rather long slideshow.
No comments:
Post a Comment