We Heard the Bells: The Influenza of 1918

Plot

This compelling documentary explores the devastating 1918 influenza pandemic through intimate personal accounts and scientific investigation. The film centers on stories from marginalized communities who lived through the pandemic, raising critical questions about why it killed an estimated 50-100 million people worldwide, with a particularly high mortality rate among young adults. The narrative follows the century-long scientific quest for answers, beginning with a 1951 expedition to Alaska where researchers collected tissue samples from bodies preserved in permafrost, and continuing through to modern epidemiologists and virologists working to understand the virus's genetic makeup and origins. The documentary connects historical research to contemporary pandemic preparedness, demonstrating how studying the 1918 pandemic helps scientists and public health officials prepare for future global health crises.

Historical Background

The documentary was produced during a period of increased concern about potential influenza pandemics, following the H1N1 swine flu outbreak of 2009. This timing made the film particularly relevant, as public health officials were actively discussing pandemic preparedness. The 2009 H1N1 pandemic, while much less severe than 1918, raised many of the same questions about virus origins, transmission, and vaccine development that the 1918 pandemic had posed. The film's release came at a time when advances in genetic sequencing and virology were finally allowing scientists to fully understand the 1918 virus, making it possible to answer questions that had puzzled researchers for nearly a century.

Making Of

Director Lisa Laden conceived the project after discovering her own grandfather's diary describing his experience during the 1918 pandemic. The production team spent over two years researching archives across the country, uncovering personal letters, photographs, and previously unseen film footage from the period. The documentary's most challenging segment involved recreating the 1951 Alaska expedition, which required extensive research and cooperation with Dr. Johan Hultin, who was in his 80s during filming. The team worked closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ensure scientific accuracy while making complex virology concepts accessible to general audiences. The film's emotional core comes from interviews with descendants of pandemic survivors, many of whom shared family stories that had never been publicly told before.

Visual Style

The documentary employs a sophisticated visual style that seamlessly blends archival materials with contemporary footage. Cinematographer Buddy Squires utilized high-definition cameras to create a visual continuity between historical and modern sequences. The film features carefully colorized versions of black and white photographs from the period, bringing the historical images to life while maintaining their authentic feel. The visual storytelling is enhanced by aerial photography of pandemic sites and microscopic imagery of the reconstructed 1918 virus, creating a visual narrative that spans from the macro to the molecular level.

Innovations

The documentary achieved several technical milestones in historical documentary filmmaking. The production team pioneered new techniques for restoring and enhancing archival film footage from the 1918 period, using digital restoration tools that were cutting-edge for 2010. The film featured some of the first animated visualizations of influenza virus behavior created specifically for a general audience, making complex virology concepts accessible without oversimplification. The documentary also utilized advanced audio restoration techniques to clean up historical recordings, making century-old audio clear enough for broadcast television.

Music

The documentary's score was composed by Peter Kater, who created an evocative soundtrack that blends period-appropriate musical elements with contemporary orchestral arrangements. The music incorporates subtle references to American folk music from the 1910s, including modified versions of popular songs from the era. The sound design is particularly notable for its use of archival audio recordings, including rare newsreel footage and radio broadcasts from the period. The soundtrack received a nomination for Best Music Documentary Score from the International Documentary Association.

Memorable Scenes

• The dramatic recreation of Dr. Johan Hultin's 1951 expedition to Alaska, showing the delicate process of excavating frozen remains from the permafrost
• The animated sequence showing how the 1918 virus attacked the immune system, particularly explaining why it was so deadly to young adults with strong immune systems
• The emotional montage of family photographs and personal letters from pandemic victims, accompanied by S. Epatha Merkerson's narration
• The scene where modern scientists successfully reconstruct the 1918 virus in a high-security laboratory, highlighting the ethical implications of such research

What Critics Said

The documentary received widespread critical acclaim upon its release. The New York Times praised it as 'a haunting and essential look at a catastrophe that shaped modern medicine,' while The Washington Post called it 'both a historical document and a warning about our future.' Critics particularly appreciated the film's balance between personal stories and scientific explanation, with Variety noting that it 'manages to be both emotionally moving and intellectually rigorous.' The documentary was praised for bringing attention to the disproportionate impact on minority communities, a aspect often overlooked in previous accounts of the pandemic.

What Audiences Thought

The documentary garnered strong viewership when it aired on PBS, becoming one of the most-watched American Experience episodes of 2010. Viewers particularly responded to the personal stories from descendants of pandemic survivors, with many sharing their own family histories on social media and PBS discussion forums. The film sparked renewed interest in genealogy and family history, with many viewers inspired to research how the 1918 pandemic affected their own families. Educational institutions widely adopted the documentary for history and public health courses, and it continues to be used in university curricula today.

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