Product Description

Depicts the famous Civil War battle which was the turning point of the war.
No Track Information Available
Media Type: DVD
Artist: BERENGER/DANIELS/SHEEN
Title: GETTYSBURG
Street Release Date: 06/21/2005
Domestic
Genre: ACTION / ADVENTURE

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #314 in DVD
• Brand: BERENGER/DANIELS/SHEEN
• Released on: 2004-02-03
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 254 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Three days in the summer of 1863, at a place called Gettysburg. Although it received a theatrical release, this four-hour depiction of the bloody Civil War battle was shot as a made-for-television film. But no taint of cheapness or shortcuts should stick to this magnificent picture (well, except maybe for those phony-looking mustaches). Based on Michael Shaara's book The Killer Angels, this film takes a refreshingly slow, thorough approach to the intricacies of battle. In ordinary circumstances, those intricacies might seem of importance only to fans of military strategy or Civil War enthusiasts, yet in Gettysburg they come across as the very stuff of life, death, and unexpected heroism. If the film has a problem, it's that it climaxes too early: the first long segment, detailing the struggle of a "civilian soldier," Union Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (Jeff Daniels), to hold his ground against long odds, is an enthralling piece of moviemaking. Daniels, in a heartbreaking performance, does his best film work. Other cast members include Tom Berenger, Sam Elliott, and Martin Sheen as Robert E. Lee. Richard Jordan, in his final role, gives a powerhouse performance as Confederate general Lewis A. Armistead. Oh, and you can also try to spot Ted Turner, whose company produced the film, as a Confederate soldier. Writer-director Ronald F. Maxwell seems inspired by the gravity of the battle; long as it is, every moment of Gettysburg is informed by a nobility of purpose. --Robert Horton

DVD features
Even without the movie, the Gettysburg DVD would qualify as a valuable document for Civil War enthusiasts. The feature-length commentary is highly informative for filmmakers and historians alike, and the making-of documentary, while not strictly about the production of Gettysburg, incorporates historical insights from the film's entire primary cast. Equally noteworthy is the Oscar-nominated 1955 documentary The Battle of Gettysburg, narrated by Leslie Nielsen. Produced and written by MGM studio executive Dore Schary (just as Nielsen was about to star in Forbidden Planet for the studio), the film relates the events of history through scenic views of the Gettysburg battleground as well as the many statues and landmarks that serve as timeless reminders of Gettysburg's historical significance. Battle maps and strategic descriptions are also provided, making this DVD a concise and compelling tribute to the soldiers--North and South--who perished on those fateful days in 1863. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Best Civil War Movie Ever!
The movie was so enthralling that I had to buy and read the book "Killer Angels" that it is based on. The movie was 4 wonderful hours itself, and had so many special features that gave me a couple more hours to enjoy.
I watched it first from the rental store, but after seeing it, I had to own it. Tom Berenger and Jeff Daniels were fantastic in their roles.
I have watched it three times alone and a couple more with friends and family. This is a four-star movie!

DVD Sound Compared To VHS
I love this movie to death, in spite of all the flaws mentioned in the reviews found herein. I personally feel we're lucky the producer made this film at all, and that it turned out as well as it did. But I will not dwell on the movie content, and focus instead on a technical point that keeps me from giving this DVD 5 stars. While the DVD picture is superb compared to the washed-out look of the VHS tape, the audio has been re-mastered, and in the new soundtrack the former bold crack of the guns is now quite muddy and muted. The original VHS soundtrack is still available on the DVD as an option, but this is only useful if you speak French. I much prefer the original VHS mix myself, and believe a 5-star DVD should give viewers a choice of soundtracks - all of of which would be in their own language. While I will definitely keep this DVD in my collection, I have also purchased a back-up set of tapes for the long-haul.

Hugely disappointed in the quality
This DVD was horrible quality. It looked like a pirated dvd. Very difficult to watch.