Better Late Than Never…

Even though the Spielberg move on Lincoln was released in November I was just able to find time to get out and see the movie last night.  This is not going to be a glowing review of the movie since so much has been written about it on numerous blogs.  However I am going to take Keith Harris’ advice from his blog, Cosmic America.  I thought the movie was excellent, but I understand that its dialogue heavy style it would not be overly popular with majority of American’s who are used to more action packed movies like the ones seen in the previews.  What I hope happens with people who saw the movie and want to know more and understand more about the man at the center of the movie is to go out and pick up a copy of David Herbert Donald’s “Lincoln”.

That being said, there are a couple of fellow blogger posts I think anyone who sees the movie should also read.  One deals with the Hampton Roads Conference seen near the end of the movie discussed by Brooks Simpson and the other deals with the Emancipation Proclamation from Andy Hall.  Both do a great job placing the events in the movie in better historical context.

Lincoln Lives…

Lincoln Teaser

You Win Some…You Lose Some!

The directors cut of Gods & Generals came out in late May of this year, and just so you are fully informed as you read this post…I have not seen the director’s cut of the movies.  With that being said it is not surprising that some people are not happy with this version…allow me to explain.  Over at the Lost Cause bastion of The Southern War Room, commenter “Roy”  talked about his inability to get through the movie (1st DVD release) with out chocking up.

However since his post of Feb. 26, 2011 “Roy” has seen the Director’s Cut and is not pleased…

You will notice that in his first sentence he claims that fellow southerners should not buy the new edition because the this new edition has been ruined from a southern point of view.  What does this mean…a southern point of view?  I think it is obvious that the movie no longer conforms the Lost Cause Tradition that is so prevalent on websites like the Southern War Room.  Since I have not seen this the Director’s cut so I will hold off on commenting on the rest of “Roy’s” review of the film.  But I you have seen the movie and would like to comment on “Roy’s” review please leave a comment.

And We Wonder Why Their View of the War Is So Limited?

 

Over at the League of the South’s  excuse for a blog, Rebellion Blog, they are celebrating Margaret Mitchell winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1937 for Gone With The Wind.  It is no wonder why Lost Cause Traditionalist hold the views of the war that they do based on Old Rebel’s comment to Michael Cushman’s comment about GWTW being the best movie ever…

“No doubt about it. Everytime I see the scene where Scarlett’s overwhelmed at the sight of all the wounded and dying soldiers, and then the camera pulls us toward the tattered Battleflag flying over them, I get tears in my eyes.”

Big softy!  And they must also be coming around to accepting Public Broadcasting by their endorsement of a Georgia Public Broadcasting documentary on Margaret Mitchell.  But just when you think you have LCT figured out an anonymous commenter has this to say…

Could 1861-1865 possibly have been ‘happier’ times for us, even in the throes of war? At least then honourable people were acting on their principles. Then again, ‘happy’ is a very overrated state of mind, as I tell my wife when she asks me if I am ‘happy’. Any Southerner who is ‘happy’ nowadays is either a scalawag or feeble-minded.

HOPEFUL?! – that’s another story altogether!!!!

Oh well…I am not surprised!!