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To do justice to such a battle was always going to be a massive
undertaking, but Ted Turner - media chief and sometime performer
in this movie - got it all going and the resulting 254-minute
film is just awesome.
There are Civil War re-enactors by the thousands, a host
of excellent actors and battlefield action on a scale not
seen for decades. Gettysburg also has, it has to be
said, some of the worst fake beards in the history of movies.
But that is being picky as for most of the four-and-a-quarter
hours of Gettysburg you will spend your time in the
front stalls of some of the most extensive action scenes filmed.
It was shot on the actual areas of the battle and more than
one person choked up on the fact that it was almost like taking
part in the conflict itself.
Having read a fair bit about the Civil War and Gettysburg
itself, the movie really brings the characters and battle
to life.
Tom Berenger puts in his best performance ever as Confederate
General Pete Longstreet and Jeff Daniels is equally as good
as Colonel Chamberlain, the union officer who basically saved
his army by mounting a suicidal bayonet charge when his regiment
had run out of ammunition.
Richard Jordan is marvellous as General Lo Armistead, another
southerner, and sadly it was his last film role as he died
of a brain tumour only months afterwards.
Martin Sheen plays General Robert E. Lee, the overall Confederate
commander, but - surprisingly - is a tad unconvincing.
Having sat through Gettysburg on the big screen one
of the major bits of interest was would it hold up on the
small screen. The answer is yes, with the crispness of DVD
images and its sound going a long way to making up for the
sheer size of a cinema. An extra bonus is that you also have
the chance to sup a few drinks and run off to the loo whenever
you feel the need.
The video transfer is excellent, although some of the low-light
shots do get a bit grainy, and the sounds of battle will have
your speakers shaking.
War-movie fans will love Gettysburg and so will anyone
who enjoys spectacular movies, history and great characters.
Conclusion: Movie 85%, Extras 80%
Continued:
DVD details at a glance >
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