The Killer Angels by Michael Sharra

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Based of Michael Sharra’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Killer Angels, Gettysburg is a literary adaptation that popularized the bloodiest battle fought between the North and the South during the Civil War. Initially intended as a TV mini series, Gettysburg was produced as a full-length feature film. The film glorifies Union and Confederate soldiers in the historic bloodbath of Gettysburg. The film enables viewers to experience a first hand account of the spirit and battleground of the four-day battle. This permits for a more personalized account of the war. As viewers, we must keep in mind that the film is based off a fictitious book. What that means, is that the film should not be considered a documentary nor an actual account of what happened in summer of 1863. What the film does do for viewers is, boost interest in a real life event by providing an understanding of how horrific the battle was.

The sun rises, the mist evaporates, and the dew vanishes. June 30th, 1863, Gettysburg, the eve of what will be the bloodiest battle on American soil. Spy, Henry Harrison, spots Union cavalry on the move. Early in June 1863, General Robert E. Lee’s army of Northern Virginia moves North across the Potomac with 70,000 men. Lee’s objective is to lure the Union soldiers out into open field and decimate them (Gettysburg 1993). Lee plans to do this north of the Union capital, Washington. The clash of Lee’s army and the Army of the Potomac in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was the watermark of confederacy. This historical battle is the turning point of the war, and leads to the fall and surrender of Rebel army. The surrender at Appomattox Courthouse ends the war and begins the reunification of America.

Kees Van Oostrum, the cinematographer, of...

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...0. Second. United States of America: McFarland and Company, 2011. 207-220. Print.

"Sponsored Events." Canon DLC: Event: Kees Van Oostrum, ASC to teach Canon Cinema at Maine Media Workshops. Canon USA Inc., 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.

Stevens, Nathaniel. "Gettysburg / Gods and Generals Question and Answer with director Ron Maxwell Hot." digitalchumps. N.p., 7 July 2011. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. .

"Movie Review - Gettysburg Starring Jeff Daniels, Martin Sheen, and Tom Berenger." Yahoo Contributor Network. N.p., 22 June 2010. Web. 12 Apr. 2014. .

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