To Appomattox (1 Viewer)

[Scott]

Please have it be reasonably historically accurate without all of our current PC nonsense and I would be more than happy to ignore a button or hat out of place. Just an aside, with all the background info, historical photo data and original uniforms preserved, it does seem criminal that most most of the new ACW stuff is so off on the legit details...( Ridley Scott? history channel gone stupid or just plain lazy) Michael

I'll say! As for "PC", if they show people who were actually there as they actually were then no problem.

I can watch the old Northwest Passage with Spencer Tracy and the Peter Pan costumes and "Trap Door" 45/70s on Roger's Rangers because it's a crackin' good movie.

 

[Mitch]

A fine episode the soup nazi. Just did not want to miss out on a forum nazi comment. I must say, I think its important to have things accurate and correct. To all, I would say that this is a good thing. I think that this accuracy issue has been warped here as its been used a lot on this forum in the wrong way. Rather than using it to improve detail and accuracy its been used as a tool to hit manufacturers certain folks don't like.

Cheers for the reply
Mitch

Somewhere around the time of the "Soup Nazi" episode of Seinfield, it became common to attach "Nazi" to anything one thought someone else was way too concerned about. This was common in reenacting for people who literally counted stitches in reproduction clothing and gear. "Music Nazi" was one I heard for CW people who cared around period instruments and songs. Use of "Nazi" is now considered a "Godwin" as one who reverts to comparing an opponent on the "internets" to the Nazis....loses the argument. See Godwin's Law.

 

[kingtoot]

looks like Stephen Lang could pass for General l
Lee already..some decent actors taking part, some not so much. Dwight Yoakam as a yankee? sounds like a TV mini-series shaping up alright. I'm optimistic, anything ACW is better than nothing. It looks like they're gonna cover both theaters of war at least.

 

[Rob]

I see Damian Lewis is also in it, he gets good reviews in most things he's in and was very good in Band of Brothers.

Rob

 

[Scott]

.............. Rather than using it to improve detail and accuracy its been used as a tool to hit manufacturers certain folks don't like.

Cheers for the reply
Mitch

Not me Mitch, just consumer feedback. My then 5 year old son and I met a man from Hasbro way back who designed the smaller GI Joes. My son told him the guns wouldn't stay in the hands. I comment because I care.

 

[Mitch]

Scott..

No accusation was laid at your door. Just commenting on the fact that critique is sadly seen as a dirty word
Mitch

Not me Mitch, just consumer feedback. My then 5 year old son and I met a man from Hasbro way back who designed the smaller GI Joes. My son told him the guns wouldn't stay in the hands. I comment because I care.

 

[Scott]

Scott..

No accusation was laid at your door. Just commenting on the fact that critique is sadly seen as a dirty word
Mitch

"Pheww!" Not me. "Critique" does sound snooty.

 

[Scott]

.......... I have high hopes for this one but no doubt Scott will view it with a notebook and unthread those wrong uniform stitches until its threadbare :tongue:

Hey! You're talking about a guy who restitched the INSIDE of his Union "sack coat" to pass the authenticity requirements for Burkittsville 2001.

^&grin^&grin

 

[NY Collector]

Still not seeing it Bob. Looks too bright eyed. The eyes need to hint at sadness.

Yes eyes look WRONG.......

 

[trooper]

Having just read the write up put on here by UK Reb the thing that puzzles me is that given the extensive interest in the ACW why on earth did they shelve the third part of the Gettysburg/ Gods and Generals films? Trooper

 

[Scott]

Having just read the write up put on here by UK Reb the thing that puzzles me is that given the extensive interest in the ACW why on earth did they shelve the third part of the Gettysburg/ Gods and Generals films? Trooper

The second part is a bomb. The two Killer Angels sequel novels aren't that memorable.
There's good stories out there and good film makers. They should be introduced to each other. Hope this Appomattox film does well. I see "furriners" making Russo-Turkish War movies, 30 Years War, and Chinese history films that really rock! US history should be easy! Things blew up and folks got "nekkid" in America as well.

 

[UKReb]

Having just read the write up put on here by UK Reb the thing that puzzles me is that given the extensive interest in the ACW why on earth did they shelve the third part of the Gettysburg/ Gods and Generals films? Trooper

Alan

The merits and demerits of both movies have been discussed long and hard on these boards over the years but Scott is correct the bottom line was in fact the bottom line of the latter film which never made a plug nickel. Turner then pulled out of the last novel although legend has it that Maxwell still works on that final script to this day.

I hope that this series is worth the wait but only time will tell although I am told that the buzz is good around the bazaars even though they are still writing the scripts. Looking at the cast of characters-not that that's a criteria- but it could bode well as the thread of the series is the relationships formed prior to the war by the commanding officers and the effects (if any) it had on them and their families during the conflict.

That's what I have always found fascinating about this particular war the fact that a vast number of the commanders and officers knew each other really well with many being close friends and even married into each others familes. Most had trained together at the United States Academy at West Point. A large proportion of them had fought side by side in the Mexican War of 1846-48 and the irony of this is those same young officers, graduates of the same professional school and displaying the same leadership and heroism that they had learned together-some of them suddenly found themselves on opposite sides and according to the dictates of war were now also each other's enemy.

If the series can capture a little of that and the cast of characters leans towards it- it just might be worth watching.

Bob

 

[lancer]

A good Yankee ACW chum of mine gave me the heads up on this as he has been hired as a technical assistant on the series. Produced by Sony Television Productions it will be an 8 hour mini-series to be released early 2013. A number of television companys are currently bidding for the series. Some very notable history consultants have already been recruited including Gordon Rhea who in my book is the modern expert on Grant and his Overland Campaign. I have high hopes for this one but no doubt Scott will view it with a notebook and unthread those wrong uniform stitches until its threadbare :tongue:

Rob here's a link for the cast

http://www.toappomattox.com/To_Appomattox.html

Hi Bob. Glad to see that Gordon Rhea's works are appreciated. I agree that he is the man for the Overland Campaign. Loved the Cold Harbor volume. Heck, I liked them all. Back when I was in the military book business, the man I worked for knew Rhea, as he was a very good customer, and used to visit the shop. I met him on several occasions. Very nice gent. Very smart gent. Used to purchase books for research on his project. We had another customer who was working on a massive work of the Atlanta Campaign, although this was 20 years ago, and I don't think he ever finished/published it. A great loss as he knew a great deal. We also had such notable writers as Gary Gallagher and Brian Pohanka in quite often. Those were great days and I soaked up a of knowledge. Pohanka was also a huge Zulu War fan. -- Al

 

[Warrior]

If this 8 part miniseries is picked up by HBO or AMC, it has a chance.

If it is picked up by NBC, CBS or ABC, it will be a disaster as in the former case, it will be cutting edge like The Pacific or Band of Brothers or The Walking Dead, but if it is the latter, it will be PG rated and PC to the hilt, not a good combination when depicting ACW combat.

 

[Combat]

I'm not sure how historically accurate it is, but "Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter" looks like good fun:wink2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34x6m-ahGIo

 

[Scott]

I'm looking forward to this one. Lincoln could hold up an axe at arms length with his thumb and forefinger. Vampires would be easy for him. Jefferson Davis had his good points but he doesn't inspired this kind of movie myth making.

 

[Kaap]

I've been following this new serie for a while now. According to IMDB.com it's scheduled for release in 2013. I assume this will be HBO material as it fits perfectly in their lineup.

Only thing I'm very cautious about is the fact that it's only 10 episodes or so so I highly doubt there will be much indept footage when it comes to certain battles. The fact that they lined up a bunch of specific persons from the ACW and it only beeing around 10 episodes I think we can safely assume it will be more of less a The Pacific type of series, episodes focussing on a specific person. How can you dedicate a few episodes around a conflict or its important figures where there is so much to be told about...

I'm looking forward to it with best hopes.

 

[Rob]

I'm no expert just an enthusiast, but if HBO deliver the quality they did with Band of Brothers and the Pacific its going to be must see tv. ^&cool

Rob

 

[Kaap]

Perhaps but Band of Brothers focussed on the lives on 1 company throughout the war. How would they be able to do the same focussing on several key figures of the civil war in connection to the various battles fought. WW2 fighting was much more continues than civil war fighting.

 

[Rob]

Perhaps but Band of Brothers focussed on the lives on 1 company throughout the war. How would they be able to do the same focussing on several key figures of the civil war in connection to the various battles fought. WW2 fighting was much more continues than civil war fighting.

No, I didn't mean the same format, I meant HBO bringing their quality and realism to a show that the sort of money they put in provides.

Rob