Most accurate Civil War film

I tend to like Glory also but I have issues. What are the parameters for "accuracy". Shaw actually did die at the top not half way down. He cleared the crest of the works and was gunned down. Yes the fort was backwards :wink:. And when you watch the movie and see the burning tower in the background, there was a white regiment there, the 48th New York (my old reenacting unit). They held that area all night, continually requesting support. None came and the unit was withdrawn before dawn. As Shaw was buried with his men we suspect that the 'other' dead also were also interred as such. Between the two regiments there were 500 casualties.
"Gettysburg". Tom Berenger and that awful hat and beard. I think he is personally responsible for and the model for that piece of sculpture of Longstreet at Gettysburg. imho.
The Horse Soldiers. not totally accurate, but not bad.
 
Glory, Red Badge of Courage, and Andersonville told the story of the average soldier. They all made me feel I was watching scenes that were similar to my GGFs diary. Gettysburg and Gods and Generals focused way too much on the generals and strategies while when you get to see average soldier he is being cut down at the battles of Frederickburg and Gettysburg. I like the soldier's story.
 
As badly as I want to watch "The Colt", I'm pretty sure I can't handle it. ACW and horses?! Forget it. I cried for 15 hours when I saw "The Horse Whisperer".
 
As badly as I want to watch "The Colt", I'm pretty sure I can't handle it. ACW and horses?! Forget it. I cried for 15 hours when I saw "The Horse Whisperer".
Lauren, the colt survived, so you can watch it. Maybe only 7 hours of weeping.
 
What is, in your opinion, the most historically accurate depiction of the Civil War era to appear on the 'silver screen'?

I'm inclined to give a vote for Glory. Gettysburg would be my second choice, but the soldiers looked way too well-fed and hygenic.

Glory doesnt even get which way they attacked Wagner from correct...
 
Glory doesnt even get which way they attacked Wagner from correct...

To this day, I wonder if they didn't just think they'd better show the North attacking from the north, so as not to confuse audiences. I think most audiences could have handled it. :O o:
 
To this day, I wonder if they didn't just think they'd better show the North attacking from the north, so as not to confuse audiences. I think most audiences could have handled it. :O o:

That has to be the reason because if you're going to go through all the trouble to make a historical film like that you must have read accurate battle descriptions and looked at maps and to overlook something like that by mistake is just....I dont even know.
 
To this day, I wonder if they didn't just think they'd better show the North attacking from the north, so as not to confuse audiences. I think most audiences could have handled it. :O o:
I just figure they could find a beach on which they could attack from the south. So what the heck? A beach is a beach is a beach. Close enough.

And I really don't understand how people can go to a movie and look for things that are inaccurate. (Well. The guy or gal who did JEB Stuart's beard in "Gettysburg" ought to be drawn and quartered.)

Y'all get history from study and boards like this. Movies are for fun.
 
A movie that I watched a long time ago and dont remember the accuracy of was the Last Confederate. I know I thought it was a good movie but did not have even as much knowledge as I do now. I would love to see it again.
 
As I recall, there was a "Red Badge of Courage" with Audie Murphy and a later version with Richard Thomas (John-Boy Walton). I like that both movies show how the personal experience of the common soldier in the chaos of combat is entirely divorced from the strategic objectives of a battle and how the same man can be a coward one day and a hero the next, based on circumstance. Stephen Crane did extensive interviews with veterans not long after the war and captured their truth rather than the the romance and sentimentality popular back then.
 
And I really don't understand how people can go to a movie and look for things that are inaccurate. (Well. The guy or gal who did JEB Stuart's beard in "Gettysburg" ought to be drawn and quartered.)

Y'all get history from study and boards like this. Movies are for fun.

Well, really, I don't go intending to look for inaccuracies. But if I happen to notice a glaring one... well, it's like suddenly seeing the boom mike swing into the shot, or seeing the shadow of the cameraman, or something. It just takes me right out of the movie by saying to me, in effect, "THIS IS A MOVIE!"... as opposed to my being able to lose myself in it a bit more.

The sea on the wrong side is a pretty glaring inaccuracy for me. I'm sure plenty of people have watched it and never noticed or knew the difference.
 
As I recall, there was a "Red Badge of Courage" with Audie Murphy and a later version with Richard Thomas (John-Boy Walton). I like that both movies show how the personal experience of the common soldier in the chaos of combat is entirely divorced from the strategic objectives of a battle and how the same man can be a coward one day and a hero the next, based on circumstance. Stephen Crane did extensive interviews with veterans not long after the war and captured their truth rather than the the romance and sentimentality popular back then.


I think there should be a remake of "Red Badge"
 
To this day, I wonder if they didn't just think they'd better show the North attacking from the north, so as not to confuse audiences. I think most audiences could have handled it. :O o:

That has to be the reason because if you're going to go through all the trouble to make a historical film like that you must have read accurate battle descriptions and looked at maps and to overlook something like that by mistake is just....I dont even know.

When watching the making of and the commentary on the "Glory" Special Edition they said they put the fort on the opposite due to the sun positioning giving issues to the cameras. Going the right way would have made bad glares, and would make it hard to see what was actually happening. Also going the wrong way put the sun to their backs, making better lighting. They did at first want to send them charging the historically correct direction.
 
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