Thanks for 'Gods and Generals': Michael Medved's open letter to Ted Turner

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Friday, February 21, 2003 | Michael Medved

[rwfromkansas]

Yay for Michael Medved.

[George W. Bush]

Sorry, I'm not much on historical movies, never saw Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, Braveheart, etc. And civil war era stuff, like Gone With The Wind, is hard to sit through (nope, haven't seen that either). Most of these movies are tedious to sit through. But I did like Mandingo, a great slave-era comedy. A friend got me to watch Gladiator. It was okay but I wouldn't pay to go see it and didn't like the ending with that pagan heaven scene.

When I want history, I read books.

I think Turner is a Southern loyalist and wants to paint a more complex picture of the South and the Confederacy, something that shows something of the human dimension of the old South aside from slavery. And, given the success of wholesome movies in recent years, notably those with some Christian content, the old atheist is willing to fill his pockets with Christian dollars. I imagine he'll enjoy the irony.

I expect that it'll be a hit. It's politically incorrect enough to make a lot of money. We haven't had a film like this in a long time.

[dennisw]

Great to see Steven Lang getting a prime role and doing great! Crime Story was his old series with Dennis Farina and Dexter Gordon. Ha.

[Jerry_M]

"My single greatest concern is that many Christians will lack the spiritual and theological maturity to understand the consistency and orthodoxy of Jackson's worldview. They will seek to evaluate this man through the twenty-first century grid of pop-Christianity, or brand him a self-contradiction, or an enigma."

Ah, but the Calvinists among us will understand full well. (Of course, we have a difficult time understanding the many Christians who don't view the world the way that these men did.)

To my FRiends, see the "new" tag line. I guess that I am not alone!

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Mandingo, a great slave-era comedy.

LOL. Martin and Lewis, right?

[George W. Bush]

Mandingo really has to be seen to be believed. It's hard to decide if you despise the white owners or the black slaves more at the end of it all. I'd say this film singlehandedly set civil rights back at least fifty years. Oh, and if gross but corny depictions of slavery aren't enough, it has some miscegenation and incest sprinkled in. Back in the '70s, SNL did a skit of it. Garret Morris was the slave woman and O.J. Simpson was the mandingo. So, this film was an embarassment back when it was made and it's only gotten worse with time.

Mandingo is to slave era movies (like Roots) what Plan 9 From Outer Space is to science fiction movies.

My favorite line: "Ja, ja, dry du zteal de neegger frrom der poor vidow voman!". Priceless.

[Porterville]

Is this a good movie; should I watch it???

[Let's Roll]

I don't have the vocabulary to sufficiently praise Ken Burn's Civil War. Although I often play the sound track, I could not watch the actual documentary a second time so moving was the first time. Those brave soldiers were all "our boys".

[Let's Roll]

I don't have the vocabulary to sufficiently praise Ken Burn's Civil War. Although I often play the sound track, I could not watch the actual documentary a second time so moving was the first time. Those brave soldiers were all "our boys".

[Mike Darancette]

I could not watch the actual documentary a second time so moving was the first time. Those brave soldiers were all "our boys".

I got the tapes, the book, and read most of the sources cited in the bibliography.

The public school and university teaching on the subject was woefully insufficient.

[PISANO]

Medved ranks it 4 out of 4 Stars and Ebert gives it 0 out of 4 stars. Medved is conservative and Ebert is a Lib...guess that says it all. I will be going to see this movie.

[doglot]

"Unless you wish to give up on the other seventy channels or more, you have to put up with it."

Exactly! I don't care to live in a complete vacuum myself.

[Southack]

Here's Why The Left Wants To Divide Conservatives With Pro-South Films

[safisoft]

I do take umbrage with Mr. Medved's characterization of Jeff Daniel's Chamberlain. I thought the speech was moving

I agree. It was a powerful moment and set the stage for the battle scene that followed. This was a film not only about the historical facts, but about the about the characters' humanity. I did think it ironic that Chamberlain was quoting, "Hail Caesar" while Jackson prayed about having to fight on "the Sabbath". Chamberlain is such a rich historical figure and such an honorable man it was right to give us this glimpse into such a man of letters.

[safisoft]

But, like you, I worry that this won't come close to recouping it's $80 million price tag

"The Last Full Measure" is slated to begin filming in the summer of '03. I think they will recoup the money on this and even make some. The opening weekend it made about $5 million, but was released in only 1,500 theaters. Consider that because of the length of this movie is twice the length of the average and thus can only play half of the time in a theater it makes its 8th place opening weekend look pretty good.

[skeeter]

The false beards and over-fed re-enactors that proved seriously distracting last time have been replaced by impeccable art direction, costumes, make-up and sets.

Thank goodness Maxwell was astute enough to place the sweathogs in the rear this time.

Bless anyone for being devoted enough to take up re-enacting, but civil war era infantry just were NOT overweight.

[Zack Nguyen]

Thanks!

[Dante3]

it should make quite a profit in DVD sales.

[BartMan1]

ping to you; belatedly.....

[GSWarrior]

Do you, or did you ever in the past, boycott David Horowitz?