Gods and Generals
 

I was just wondering, how many of you are going to see this film opening day? Has anyone seen "Gettysburg"? Comparisons? Anyway, I've already seen Gettysburg but won't comment on it... yet. But I'm pretty stoked about the up and coming prequel...

Jeff Shaara's book will be translated to the bigscreen this time, and I find the storyline refreshing in terms of insights derived from Civil War. More issues will be touched upon more so than in Gettysburg such as: African-Americans in the ranks, the women on the homefront (we'll see something reality-based and less Gone With the Wind over-the-top), the impact of the war on developmental issues regarding national parks et al, and American families prior to this unique and horrendous period in US history. I read the Killer Angels after discovering Gods and Generals, and I found both novels to be comparable even though the former was a Pulitzer Prize winner, so I'm just anxious to see how all of this pans out in screenplay form. The cast is already amazing and many were recasted from the first film--now seasoned actors, so there should be no worries whatsoever.

For film score lovers, I don't know how you took to Randy Edelman's Gettysburg score, but I have to say, it was some of the most contrived, uninspiring, insipid, smothering, confusing, and godawful SOUND that I've ever heard in a movie/film. Needless to say, I wasn't happy at all or mentally sound after watching the film... what's truly astounding is that the album sold like hotcakes that year (albeit highly overrated). [FTR, Edelman's style never worked well (in general) except in the score for Dragonheart.] Well... FORTUNATELY, I recently discovered that John Frizzell collaborated with Edelman for this flick. I've heard the sample tracks at the official site and have been quite pleased with what I've heard and read; Mark O'Connor will be lending some virtuoso violin solos to the score!!! :D I can almost swear it at this point that the end result won't be anything like the Last of the Mohicans album... props, lots of freaking props. [I think this says something about the production team... actually, it says quite a lot about learning from gratuitous MISTAKES of the past. Wouldn't you think?] (-;


Check it out: Gods and Generals Official Website

I saw the preview today in front of About Schmidt. It looked all right, I'm not too excited about it. I will watch it if theres nothing else to see at the time.

I think it looks great, I can't wait to see it!

While I probably won't catch it on opening weekend, this is one film I plan to see in the theater. If that doesn't happen, then I'll definitely be getting the DVD to fill out my war movie collection. (supposing the reviews are halfway decent.)

I will be there on opening day. :johnwoo:

I've been waiting for this one for years, and will eagerly await "The Last Full Measure" as well. I'll be there opening day!

I too was not all excited about the preview for this one. We'll see though...

Okay, so they're giving an "authentic" Civil War movie a PG-13 rating?

WTF?

I can't imagine the battle scenes having any gravity to them if they're blood-less.

Yeah, I know. Especially if you've seen Gettysburg, you'd think that they would seriously be incorporating worthwhile changes for this time around. So far, I've noted two improvements...

Although Martin Sheen (imo) is most like General Lee, Robert Duvall will play him in the prequel; what's astonishing though is that he's actually a direct descendent of the the general!

The other thing being the movie score... yes, I can't ramble on about it enough, but it's a DRASTIC change the more and more I hear the tracks. Near unbelieveable when compared, but it'll all have to wait until opening day.

This one looks more epic than Gettysburg. It also looks like it had a hell of a lot bigger budget than Gettysburg as well.

Definitely checking this one out!

where is the option for no interest in this whatsoever, and Iwill be watching something else opening day instead?

looks like a good movie, but i rarely frequent the theaters (last 3 movies are ttt spiderman and aotc). i will be checking it out when it hits the silver disc.

Definitely. Gettysburg was originally made for television... that, itself, could explain a lot of things. I concur that Gods and Generals will definitely be fulfilling in terms of a worthwhile movie experience.

This is random, but... I never thought that Jeff Daniels could do drama so well until I saw Gettysburg; imo he's one of the few poignant highlights in the entire marathon. He'll be older in this version, but great acting is one of the reasons why I want to see G&G in theaters ASAP.

Our local base theater (Little Creek Amphib Base) is holding a free sneak preview of G&G on Sunday, Feb. 16. I will be there, and will write up my impressions that evening.

Semi-Related Tangent: Gettysburg on DVD
 

Since this is a DVDTalk forum, I'm wondering if anyone here actually *owns* Gettysburg on DVD? If so, why? Is it worth purchasing for even 10 bucks? Are the commentaries worth time spent rewatching this film? I'm piqued in knowing why so many consider it an "amazing feat in film making", "One Of The Best Civil War films of all time", etc.

I personally think that Gods and Generals will top Gettysburg in terms of being a better film overall with (perhaps) an impressive DVD edition to boot. What say you? :)

Uh, because I like the film and am a Civil War buff, making it a must own DVD for me.

ditto

I totally agree with FHaggis though. Gettysburg is a terribly unbalanced film. Some sections of the film and some performances are brilliant. The centerpiece of the film is Jeff Daniels performance as Chamberlain and the defense of little round top. This scene and all the scenes with Daniels' regiment of deserters is EXTREMELY powerful. These scenes stand alone as some of the most moving and well done war film scenes ever. Sadly much of the rest of the film is junk. Martin Sheen as Lee is terrible, yet (presumably because he was the biggest star) he gets the most screentime. The later half of the film focusing on the 3rd day of the battle and Pickett's Charge contains absolutely nothing of value. So overall it is an unevan endeavour, at times brilliant and at times pitiful

Though I wasn't particularly impressed by the trailer for the film, as a fan of war films, I'll most definitely be checking it out in theaters. I hope Jeff Daniels is as good in this as he was in Gettysburg. Duvall looks good in the role of Robert E. Lee.

One note about the DVD release of Gettysburg, after checking out the listing at IMDb.com, it does not appear to be the extended version of the film. It seems the laserdisc release is the extended version but the DVD is not. Someone please correct me if I am mistaken; I'm just going on what I've read. I realize this may not be an issue to most but I just wanted to point it out anyway.

Haha, what I'd really like is to borrow the Gettysburg DVD and to listen to the commentary while multitasking. I want to know just what the hell they were thinking throughout the entire movie.

Finally, someone willing to expound! :) About Jeff Daniels, that is what I thought too. If I owned the film on DVD, those chapters involving Col. Chamberlain would be sections I'd review over and over again. The others would be the (like you've pointed out) Little Round Top and the poignant death of Brig. Gen. Armistead. What was hellish? Well, nothing like inculcating your audience with banal, plodding, entirely *bathetic*, one-sided litanies about politics and god knows what with endlessly recycled cut scenes from the battlefield. Talk about tedium and heavy-handed film making.

He looked the part and acted the part, but he sure didn't have to screen presence to pull it off. Had he not been given so many overtly pensive monologues to recite, I would have been a much less distraught member of the audience. I like Martin Sheen as an actor, I really do, but this role was *not* for him.


As a Civil War aficionado myself, I was immensely disappointed with the exceptionally talky nature of the marathon that really had no impact on the pending battles. Those few "brilliant" moments were what kept me barely afloat to make it through the what... 200+ minutes or so. This is why I'm anxiously awaiting the release of Gods and Generals; this prequel looks to have the potential to top Gettysburg a hundred times over.

A war movie that is PG-13=the suq

Nope not really my cup of tea, but will surely see it eventually durning it's theatrical run.

Saw Gettysburg in the theaters and have the DVD. Found it interesting and surprisingly fast paced for the length. But it did have that TV mini series feel to it (because it was originally slated for this type of release)
I'm hoping that G & G will be a bit more action packed in the battle sequences. I would like to see it in the theater but don't think it will make it here to Japan.

Gettysburg was originally a mini-series idea for TNT, but New Line bought the rights for it and released it theatrically. The new film is 210 minutes long and made especially for theatrical release. There is very little blood in Gettysburg, and even though the movie is rated PG-13, I'm guessing there will be a little more in Gods & Generals.