Gods & Generals

[LadyTalia]

Just had the opportunity to meet Sean Platt who plays the doctor that takes care of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson as well as Ron Maxwell, the director.  They previewed 30 mins of footage from the movie and *wow*!  I can't wait! They then told us that Hollywood doesn't think it will work and they need everyone to go on opening weekend who can in order to prove the "money people" wrong.  It looks like it will be an amazing movie if you are at all interested in Civil War history! 

LT

[John Corn]

It looks like an awesome movie. :righton:

[Augie #70]

If it is anywhere as good as Gettysburg was I can't wait.

[George_F]

I'm looking forward to seeing this Lady T. There is alot of historical aspects...and this is where the folks interested in history hang out.

"Gods and Generals" opens this Friday. It is the 226 minute adaptation of the book by Jeff Shaara which covers the Civil War from the John Brown hanging through the battle of Chancellorsville.

Jeff Shaara is the son of Michael Shaara who wrote "The Killer Angels" upon which the Ted Turner produced film "Gettysburg" was based. Mr. Shaara was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his novel, one which I feel was not at all merited. I found it too lofty in tone and too literal in presentation, flaws which became worse when placed on screen. The movie was further hampered by inexpert direction and stiff performances from most of the actors, a notable exception being Jeff Daniels who did an excellent job as Colonel Chamberlain. Martin Sheen's Lee came across as something of a meek fuddy duddy, Tom Beringer's Longsteeet appeared to be sleepwalking through the battle. Some of the smaller parts were awful, such as the actor portraying Harrison the spy, all broad theatrical gestures and tosses of the head, smirks, shrugs. Far too much of the dialogue was straight forward narrative rather than anything which would pass as normal conversation.

The same production team and the same director are behind "Gods and Generals" but I have hopes that it will be a much better movie than "Gettysburg." This is because Jeff Shaara is a much better writer than his late father. "Gods and Generals" is a good read, has a broader scope than "Killer Angels" and avoids the overly reverential tone of that earlier book. Martin Sheen has been replaced as Lee by Robert Duvall for "Gods" and I can't help but thinik that this will be a more interesting portrayal.

I'm geared up and really looking forward to seeing it, even if the character parts of the film don't represent an improvement over "Gettysburg", it is still the first film to attempt stagings of two of the more incredible spectacles of the war....the failed Union assualt on Mayre's Heights during the battle of Fredericksburg, and the successful flank attack by Jackson's Corps at Chancellorsville. That is something I've wanted to see since I was a little kid and first read about these events.

Any thoughts, comments from those who have seen "Gettysburg" or have read the books?