Gettysburg

In Gettysburg, executive producers Tony and Ridley Scott bring a soaring level of cinematography and dramatic detail to what is an already compelling story. Short on scholarship but long on iconographic moments, Gettysburg presents in stunning Blu-ray quality countless brutal scenes of Civil War battles supported by gripping personal accounts from participants on both sides of the conflict. Sam Rockwell's excellent narration combined with attention-grabbing scripts adds to the overall effectiveness. Lee and Grant combines the scholarship of eminent historians such as James McPherson (Battle Cry of Freedom) and Sean Wilentz (The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln) with writer/executive producer Winston Groom's (Forrest Gump) panache for storytelling and offers viewers a dual biography of two larger-than-life characters, spanning from Fort Sumter to Appomattox. Excellent background for high school history curricula, Lee and Grant provides a compact review of the war as well as succinct analysis of key battles. With all the celebration and remembrance surrounding the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, documentaries such as these two will be in high demand.-Brian Odom, Pelham P.L., AL (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 9 Up-Academy Award nominee Sir Ridley Scott (Gladiator) and his brother Tony Scott (Top Gun) joined their talents to produce this documentary about the battle many historians consider to be the turning point of the Civil War. A male narrator chronicles the three-day battle at Gettysburg by focusing on the lives of eight men who fought there. Confederates and Federals, ordinary men, fighting for their principles and for their homelands, congregated at the small Pennsylvania town in what became the largest battle fought in the western hemisphere. The scale of death and suffering was immeasurable and many scenes in this film are violent and extremely bloody. Tight shots and close-ups put viewers right on location with the soldiers. Visual sidebars discuss a variety of topics, including weaponry and battlefield surgery and the use of amputation. Maps show troop movements. The narrative text cites slavery as the cause of the Civil War and points out that it was a very profitable business with a value of $3.5 billion at the outset of the war. Robert E. Lee lost a third of his army at Gettysburg. Although Union commander Meade did not pursue Lee's army as it retreated South, Gettysburg was a pivotal event. This film can be utilized by various classes across the curriculum including history classes to enhance textbook and primary source research or literature classes after reading classics such as The Red Badge of Courage.-Patricia Ann Owens, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, Mt. Carmel (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.