Gettysburg & Gods and Generals DVD Set - Warner Home Video - Civil War Movie Collection for History Buffs & Film Enthusiasts

No need for spoilers here - anyone who has studied US history knows how things turned out. What is missing, though,are the nuances and the deeper examination of the personalities. Sure, history majors are immersed in such things, but most of us learned what we needed to, added regional biases and moved on.It's the regional biases that are embedded in the two films that comprise this set. There are subliminal artifacts that favor the southern views. What makes them subliminal are the context, music, and even the focus. The northern focus is almost matter of fact; the southern delved in honor and the whole lost cause narrative. As you watch the two movies be aware of the shift in perception depending on if the scene is northern or southern. Subliminal stuff aside, the films are true to historical events, including the northern lights display, Moss Neck Manor and the Corbin family and the character studies of the main historical figures. And the outcomes, of course.Some interesting facts include Gettysburg being filmed first and Gods and Generals follow. Historical chronology is inverted in the actual production, but each captures the period portrayed. I think that Robert Duval's portrayal of Lee is perfect for the earlier period. He comes across as fresh and bound by his own code of honor. In the Gettysburg file Lee is played by Martin Sheen who perfectly displays Lee's weariness and even loss of tempter at J.E.B. Stuart. Stephen Lang stands out as performing a very credible General Stonewall Jackson in Gods and Generals, and then performing as General Picket in Gettysburg. He is one of the actors that I truly admire for his ability to not only get totally in character, but to assume the character's physical and personal identities. Ted Turner made uncredited appearances in both films, but the real interesting walk-ons were actual US congressmen who played roles. I am not going to cite them, but if you do a little research you will get a fairly long list of names.While there is a subtle bias in the two films, they are quite real. I grew up in Caroline County with relatives in Spottsylvania County (Virginia), so am very familiar with the places in Gods and Generals. Indeed, there were still some veterans alive from both sides when I was born in VA in 1948. That gives me an insight into some of the events and places, even if by word of mouth, and that film certainly captured the place and time. I have also visited Gettysburg, and while I do not have the same ties to the area, I could feel the weight of those events depicted in that film. I did research the main players and will say that Jeff Daniels did a remarkably job of portraying Chamberlain.