Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4049 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-07-05
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Subtitled, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Dutch, Danish, Czech, German, Norwegian, Romanian, English, Hebrew, Polish, Swedish, Icelandic
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 243 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Thanks to generous funding from media mogul Ted Turner, first-time director Ronald F Maxwell was able to make an almost word-for-word adaptation of Michael Shaara's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Killer Angels. Running over four hours, Gettysburg (1993) splits into two convenient parts for TV viewing (although a 70mm print was given limited theatrical release). This story of three bloody days of conflict in July, 1863 (an unimaginable 50,000 casualties), is divided equally between Union and Confederate forces. On the Union side, Jeff Daniels is the quietly heroic Colonel Joshua Chamberlain; Sam Elliott is utterly convincing as General Buford, the Union cavalryman who holds the Confederate army at bay on the first day. Martin Sheen plays an oddly subdued and vacillating General Lee--a controversial portrait of the legendary Confederate chief--while Tom Berenger, despite being almost hidden underneath an enormous authentically period-style beard, is strong and authoritative as General Longstreet (whose opposition to Lee's plans gave many in the Confederacy a reason to blame him for the disaster at Gettysburg). Chamberlain's last-ditch defence of Little Round Top, which prevented the Union forces from being flanked on the second day of battle, forms the climax to the first half; the heartbreaking Pickett's Charge--the Confederates' disastrous frontal assault on the entrenched Union lines on the third day--is the movie's greatest set piece and one of the most compelling reasons to endure a little too much stodgy dialogue (lifted directly from the novel) and an apparently over-reverential attitude to the subject-matter. But much of this movie was made in and around the actual battle site, so it's only to be expected that the cast and crew tread carefully, as if literally under the watchful eyes of the men whose lives they are re-enacting. And re-enactment is the key: with a cast of thousands in splendidly detailed period costumes, cannonades galore and massed ranks of musketry, the sheer scale of the military spectacle is endlessly impressive. If as a piece of filmmaking it has many faults, as an historical re-enactment Gettysburg is unsurpassed--even by the epic Waterloo (1970), which drafted in a large chunk of the Russian army as Napoleonic extras. --Mark Walker

Synopsis
GETTYSBURG captures in vivid detail one of the most famous battles of the Civil War, in which more than 50,000 American lives were lost. Covering three days of brutal military campaigns, the film re-creates the world in which Robert E. Lee, James Longstreet, Lewis Armistead, and others made their tactical decisions and demonstrated their leadership.
Special attention is paid to historical accuracy in costumes, epic battle scenes, and weaponry. The film alternates between Northern and Southern perspectives in order to deliver a full picture of the battle that changed American history.

Customer Reviews

"The Killer Angels" magnificently brought to the big screen
"Gettysburg" is based on Michael Shaara's novel "The Killer Angels," and both works focus on this crucial battle on July 1-3, 1863 through from the perspective of five key figures: The first day of the battle is dominated by Union Calvary General John Buford (Sam Elliot), who slowed the Confederate advance to preserve the precious high ground for the Federal army. The second day comes down to the efforts of Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (Jeff Daniels) and the 20th Maine, who hold the extreme left end of the Army of the Potomac at a crucial moment in the battle. The third day focuses on the clash of wills between General Robert E. Lee (Martin Sheen) and his veteran commander James "Pete" Longstreet (Tom Berenger), who have been arguing offense versus defense throughout the battle, climaxing in the fatal finality of Pickett's Charge. The focal figure of the Charge is Confederate General Lowell Armistead (Richard Jordan), who must attack the position defended by his best friend Winfield Scott Hancock, made all the more poignant by the fact that this was Jordan's final role; he died from a brain tumor the same year this film was released.

However, it is the character of Chamberlain who emerges as the hero from this film. Chamberlain was featured as well in the celebrated PBS documentary "The Civil War," and the result is that he has become the idealized citizen-soldier or gallant knight of the Union army. The result of his military and political career is almost as fascinating as his defense of Little Round Top, for which he received the Congressional Medal of Honor. Jeff Daniel's performance is certainly the finest of his career to date, and he gets to give an eloquent speech on the Civil War as a fight to make other men free. His interplays with veteran Sergeant "Buster" Kilrain (Kevin Conway) deal with the war on a philosophical level, which is not surprising because the man is a college professor. But in the heat of battle he proves himself, and while we cannot imagine ourselves being Robert E. Lee, we can identify with Chamberlain. The end result is that the best part of the film comes not at the end, but before the intermission.

Every year I watch "Gettysburg" on the four days covered in the film, June 30 and July 1-3 (then on the 4th of July I watch "1776"). Only "Glory" is on this level in terms of depicting Civil War battles. This film touches me with the opening credits, where the photographs of these real soldiers are replaced with those of the actors playing them. This is quite evocative, especially when Randy Edleman's evocative score swells as we see the face and name of George Pickett. Even if you have never seen this movie you have undoubtedly heard Edleman's score, which has been used to advertise several films and for the closing credits of the Olympics broadcast. It should have been nominated for an Oscar.

Brilliant Reconstruction of the Battle, and the People in it
This is not only a excellent battle reconstruction video, it is also a serious drama and seeks to analysis why and how the various people involved in it reacted to the situation they faced. At one level it is a very good historical reconstruction of two of the main events of the Battle of Gettysburg, Roundtop and Picket's charge. At another level it is an examination of the lives of the people involved, at all levels, and what happened at a critical turning point in the American Civil War. Well acted and produced, for those who are interested in history, or military history this film is a must. Not only is ther dedicated historical reconstruction there isd a sense of time, place and history that is evaocative.Buy it.

A Worthy DVD Version
Perhaps the greatest battle ever fought on American soil, a battle which changed American history forever, brought to the screen by Turner Entertainment gets a worthy DVD release. Released on a single disc which is a flipper, it is supplemented by extras which are worthy of the price alone. There is a very good documentary The Making of Gettysburg which should be seen by all movie enthusiasts and historians alike. It can be seen how much actual work and detail went into the making of this extraordinary picture. Also allows the viewer to develop a greater understanding of the events of the battle and the effect it had not only on the two armies involved, but also on the United States as a whole. The movie itself has already been well reviewed, therefore it needs no further comment from me. Suffice to say, it is a good buy indeed, and should not be missed.