tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56451385109293718.post546337076890666596..comments2024-03-28T08:58:30.675-04:00Comments on Passion for the Past: Three Great Historical Movies You Should See: John Adams, Gods & Generals, and GettysburgHistorical Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979801752112100293noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56451385109293718.post-44061200555626898502013-03-17T16:25:38.503-04:002013-03-17T16:25:38.503-04:00I agree on all three! Gods and Generals is my all-...I agree on all three! Gods and Generals is my all-time favorite movie (I can quote it verbatim from beginning to end) and the costuming doesn't bother me a bit, although in a lesser movie it would. As for the poetry and the grand speeches, I love them too. So they didn't hit every aspect of the early years of the war--that would be impossible in a single film. What they did was to select events and figures to give a general picture (which ended up being Southern), and I feel they did it well. And I think the soundtrack is breathtaking! It makes me sad that so few people enjoy this film, and I desperately wish they'd have made The Last Full Measure. Okay, I'll end my "I love G&G" ramble.<br /><br />Re: The civilians of Gettysburg: Definitely! I read a really good book on them last year--The Colors of Courage by Margaret Creighton--which I'd highly recommend if you haven't read it already.Emily Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07037801139615959929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56451385109293718.post-5726256467938682442012-05-16T21:06:23.301-04:002012-05-16T21:06:23.301-04:00If anything, General Jackson was even *more* of an...If anything, General Jackson was even *more* of an evangelical religious nutjob than the movie portrayed. :) I also got tired of the endless melodramatic monologues straight out of Greek mythology before the big battles. Being a man, I skip ahead to the battle scenes.<br /><br />But there were a few moments that really show good directing which make the movie worth it. the Christmas day scene, with the anonymous Johnny Reb and the Billy Yank meeting silently in No Man's Land to exchange a sip of coffee and a puff on a 'tobacky" pipe was quite good, if for no other reasons than a) stuff like this really happened between the picket lines, and b) There was no unnecessary dialogue in the scene to spoil the moment.<br /><br />It also was a bit emotionally gripping to see the early part of the movie follow the young cadets at VMI through their classroom studies to lying about dismembered and bloody in the aftermath of 1st Manassas/Bull Run. And also when the mighty Stonewall Jackson shows a bit of his humanity by shedding real tears for his five year old friend who succumbed to scarlet fever and all his beloved men who died in battle. <br /><br />"I never saw Jackson cry before...not for the boys, not for the cadets at VMI, not for anyone..." <br /><br />"...No sir, I think he's cryin' for them all."<br /><br />We tend to forget that officers, particularly Generals are mortals too, and are just as human and no more invincible than the hapless men they order to go off and fight and die for them.WannabeSoldierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12358110028731137921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56451385109293718.post-59449608977174111022011-02-27T15:40:06.074-05:002011-02-27T15:40:06.074-05:00I'm with David on the GaG issue. The women lo...I'm with David on the GaG issue. The women looked like they were pulled out of a costuming grab bag and I too, never made it through the film for the same reason. <br /><br />But the Adams series, perfection.Robin's Egg Bleuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07940955157144789351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56451385109293718.post-24976021219294952182011-02-26T11:59:35.712-05:002011-02-26T11:59:35.712-05:00Too bad movies do not pay attention to detail as w...Too bad movies do not pay attention to detail as was done in the John Adam's movie.Historical Kenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04979801752112100293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56451385109293718.post-13129981527424087892011-02-26T11:58:19.032-05:002011-02-26T11:58:19.032-05:00David - I agree with you on the women's clothi...David - I agree with you on the women's clothing (as well as their bonnets), which is why I didn't include that in my 'pluses.'<br />It's unfortunate that attention paid to the clothing isn't as high on the priority lists in most 'historical' movies as it should be.<br />I still really like the movie, though.Historical Kenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04979801752112100293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56451385109293718.post-14914525060868873582011-02-26T10:02:25.394-05:002011-02-26T10:02:25.394-05:00My issue with GaG... women's clothing. I'v...My issue with GaG... women's clothing. I've no idea whatsoever if the men's things were closer to accurate, but the women's costuming and hair?? GaG is an appropriate acronym. For a movie that touted its historical accuracy, they ignored half the population entirely, and that's why I never made it to the second half of the film. <br /><br />Loved the first 2/3rd of John Adams. I had absolutely no gripes with the clothing, so it didn't distract me from the plot. :)Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10482308960054622065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56451385109293718.post-14998852344255485142011-02-26T00:56:02.994-05:002011-02-26T00:56:02.994-05:00I completely agree with you about both movies, esp...I completely agree with you about both movies, especially the John Adams miniseries. I love reading about John and Abigail, and the book "John Adams" was such an insight into their life (if you really like them read "The First Family"). And the miniseries is possibly one of the most perfect portrayals of history I have ever seen. And some of my friends were in it! So great choices.Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02984551175322841464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56451385109293718.post-49376394095932851552011-02-26T00:16:44.244-05:002011-02-26T00:16:44.244-05:00I have a theory that people don't like Gods an...I have a theory that people don't like Gods and Generals subliminally because of the soundtrack. While I love the soundtrack, the "heroic" and "triumphant" style songs like the ones from Gettysburg are absent leaving the movie feeling a little over-sentimental. <br /><br />Okay...so it's the only reason I can think of! :DStephanie Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13324411278252488163noreply@blogger.com