Archive for the ‘Film’ Category
SCV & “Looking for Lincoln”
February 5, 2009Here is a post in the SCV’s blog site about their inclusion in the new PBS documentary called “Looking for Lincoln” They seem very proud of their inclusion in this movie on Linclon and even mention people like fomer president Bill Clinton and Doris Kearns Goodwin…people who are usually not mentioned by the SCV without some form of criticism. They mention a “sizable” segment on the SCV, but their segment is only a bit over five minutes and unfortuantely, the viewer is left with more questions than answers concerning Lincoln and “Black Confederates or Confederate slaves”.
SCV Public Relations and Media Committee
3 February, 2009
After a full year of working with the PBS television network, producers and the host-writer, Henry Louis Gates, the Sons of Confederate Veterans announces its participation and inclusion in the premiere of a the two hour multi-million dollar production entitled “Looking For Lincoln” which will first air on PBS nationwide on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at 9 PM Eastern Time. It will also be repeated in the days following the initial airing. Consult local listing for the airing times in your area.
Pre-play date showings to critics and select audiences indicate the production will likely be regarded as one of the top television shows of 2009 and a potential candidate for major awards.
Besides a sizeable segment on the SCV, the program features former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Doris Kearns Goodwin and about a half dozen historians.
The SCV’s participation went forward after careful consideration and scrutiny by the SCV PR & Media Committee, ultimately approved by Commander-in-Chief Chris Sullivan and continued by his successor, Commander-in-Chief Chuck McMicheal. A series of’ understandings were reached with the producers, leading to “Looking for Lincoln” host, Henry Louis “Skip” Gates and a full production crew coming to the SCV Reunion at Concord, NC.in the summer of 2008.
Interviews were arranged with SCV members regarding Lincoln. These will appear on the program on February 11th. They include, from the PR & Media Committee, Jim Dean, of Georgia, Army of Northern Virginia Commander, Bragdon Bowling, of Virginia,
and former Chief- of- Staff, Don Shelton, of Kentucky.
Considerable time is spent showing the tribute paid at the Reuion to the Clyburn family, descendants of a black Confederate soldier from North Carolina. This includes a conversation with the Associate Archivist at the North Carolina State Archives.
The program was originally conceived to be part of the commemoration of Lincoln’s 200th birthday. While that remained its main theme, the segments including the Sons of Confederate Veterans represent a major breakthrough in network television for the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
For those who would like an advance screening of the program on the internet, conduct a search for “Looking For Lincoln” on pbs.org . The program is divided into segments. The segment most centered on the SCV is titled “The Beginning of the Civil War”.
Lincoln and Memory
February 2, 2009
I had the opportunity over this past weekend to visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library in Springfield as a guest of State Farm and WNET out of New York in order to preview “Looking For Lincoln”… an new documentary from PBS that will air on Feburary 11th. On friday night we were treated to a talk by Philip Kunhardt III on the companion book of the same name that he and his brother and nephew along the same lines as the new documentary. During the dicussion that preceeded the talk by Mr. Kunhardt, we were told by the producer of the documentary that the movie and the book do not follow each other exactly, for the movie was supposed to be four hours but they only received funding for two hours.
Mr. Kunhardt then gave a short talk on Lincoln and Memory and how Lincoln’s myth is more understood today than the real man. Following his talk was a short (15 minute) segment of the movie which dealt with several of the topics in the entire movie. I was supprised to see two very unexpected parts, one interview with Lerone Bennett who said that all he ever believed about Lincoln was a lie. Any student of slavery and the Civil War will know that Lerone Bennett was the author of “Foreced Into Glory: Abraham Lincoln’s White Dream”, which makes the case that Lincoln was really a white supremicist. The other scene that surprised me was the creator of the documentary, whose journey you follow to find Lincoln, Henry Louis Gates attends the 2008 Sons of Confederate Veterans Annual Convention where they honored Weary Clyburn as a black confederate. If you watch this movie on Feb. 11th, you will have to be the judge as to how you think the Clyburn family looked and felt with this “distinct honor” bestowed upon them by the SCV.
The next day the teachers that had attened the “premier” the previous night joined WNET and State Farm for a educational seminar at the Lincoln Presidential Library to learn how to use the companion website and the lesson plans for our classrooms. To be honest this was more helpful and more applicable to my teaching than the previous night for obvious reasons, but it also helped that during the three our seminar we were able to see more of the documentary. I did recieve the entire DVD as I left the museum on friday night but was not able to watch it in my hotel room for lack of a DVD player. After the seminar I had the chance to visit the museum fully and hit the gift shop. There I parted with $50 of my hard earn teacher’s pay and bought the companion book…and I am glad I did.
On monday I was able to set down and finally watch the entire two hour documentary and look through the companion book and I must say the documenaty needed four hours to finish its discussion of the topics it presented. For example, there is the discussion between Gates and Bennett where Bennett says everything he learned about Lincol was a lie…and that is it…no further fleshing out of that idea or argument. The book goes much deeper into why and how the myth of Lincoln developed after his death up until the death of Robet Todd Lincoln in 1926.
All in all the the experience was a great one. I really enjoyed being invited to take part in something connected to the Lincoln 200th Birthday and to visit the ALPLM. I look forward to trying out some of the lessons associated with the documentary and I really look forward to reading more of the companion book.
Heading to Springfield to Look for Lincoln!
January 29, 2009
I will be heading down to Springfield, Illinois tomorrow afternoon to attend the “Looking For Lincoln Springfield Premier Event” at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, which is being held on Friday evening and saturday morning. The event will include a premier of the new PBS documentary ”Looking for Lincoln” written and presented by Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. The keynote speaker will be Philip Kunhardt who co-authored the companion book to the series set to air on PBS on Feb. 11th, 2009.
This will be the first time I will have attened such an event and I think it will be quite interesting to see the premier and take part in the educators workshop on saturday. I will give a full explination of the events upon my return.
Gone with the Wind #1…but Frankly, I don’t give a damn!
February 26, 2008A Harris Interactive Poll announced on the 21st that Gone with the Wind was the favorite movie of all time. I believe that Rhett Butler should have walked up to Ms. O’Hara during the opening scene where she is being “courted” by the two or three young men and told her right then and there that he frankly did not give and damn! This would have made the movie so much more enjoyable and much shorter!
Why after 70 years this peice of “lost cause” crap is still number one is beyond me. I have seen it once and that is time I will never get back. But then again the poll only polled 2,279 people during the dates of Feb. 15-22, 2008.
Oh well, maybe, someday someone will again make a good Civil War movie like Glory and not like GWtW or God’s and Generals.
