Ken Burns - Civil War

[cheerful_deviant]

Just finished watching The Civil War documentary by Ken Burns last night. I watched it many years ago and was deeply moved by it. Several months ago I bought it on DVD but just got around to watching it again. It is still as moving the second time as it was the first.

I know that there are hundreds of books and many other documentaries on the war but none have had quite the impact on me that this on did. Something about the combination of pictures and actual letters being read aloud really strikes a chord.

I found myself, just as I did the first time, playin the next episode as soon as one ended. I couldn't bring myself to stop even though I knew how it all ended.

It is this series that I credit for rekindling my interest in history.

Anyone else ever watched this series? Have a similar reaction?

 

[OldnotDead]

I have yet to watch all the episodes, but I really like his work.

I DID watch (and rewatch) his series on Jazz and Sam Clemens.

One of the things I have always admired with his work is the amount of effort he spends putting things into the context of the times. To me it is the aspect of history that is so often missed in early education.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

It was a great series. The music itself did so much to capture the innocence and pain of the era. I can't remember the name of the main fiddle theme, "Ashokin Farewell"? Something "Farewell". It was sweet enough to make you cry just hearing it.

The American Civil War. Another war that started out with flags and calls to patriotism and ended in mud and blood and terrible senseless carnage.

---dr.M.

 

[cantdog]

And is Shelby Foote a trip or what?

I liked him so well I bought the three volume Civil War history of his. Great read. And then another great read, and so on. Long books, but a good history is a gift. Those photos from the greenhouses-- amazing. I want to own a set of Foote illustrated with those photos.

cantdog

 

[cheerful_deviant]

And is Shelby Foote a trip or what?

I liked him so well I bought the three volume Civil War history of his. Great read. And then another great read, and so on. Long books, but a good history is a gift. Those photos from the greenhouses-- amazing. I want to own a set of Foote illustrated with those photos.

cantdog

He is. He added a lot to that series.

I've been considering buying his books to read, but up until now I haven't heard of anyone who read them. Now I'm going to have to buy them, (damn, bn.com just makes it to easy to spend money).

Originally quoted by dr_mabeuse

It was a great series. The music itself did so much to capture the innocence and pain of the era. I can't remember the name of the main fiddle theme, "Ashokin Farewell"? Something "Farewell". It was sweet enough to make you cry just hearing it.

I agree, that peice of music (also can't remember the name, have to look tonight) was perfect for that series. The proper music can add so much to the feeling of just about anything. Melancholy enough to reflect that it was a truly sad and traumatic time in history but no so dirgeful so as to be depressing.

 

[Virtual_Burlesque]

... I can't remember the name of the main fiddle theme, "Ashokin Farewell"....

"Ashokan Farewell" was composed and performed by Jay Ungar.

They put out a soundtrack CD. I have a copy.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

The Ken Burns series was incredible. It taught me things about the war I never knew, and I grew up in the south, have a masters in history, and studied the war under the late T. Harry Williams, who was one of the great Civil War historians.

While the ending is a tad sentimental, old soldiers get that way sometimes. Burns' genius was to masterfully mix the trivial and personal with the big issue, great people, and epic events.

Foote is a trip. He and Faulkner were old drinking buddies. Those must have been very interesting events. One fact I've never heard remarked upon, by Burns or Foote, is that the last episode has a recording of a "Rebel Yell."

For those who loved the music, here's a link to a page on the PBS website that has a short (16K) clip.

Ashokan Farewell

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Virtual_Burlesque]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/06/19/images/gods_and_generals_4_large.jpg

How do you here feel about “Gettysburg ”?
Some critics were unkind, but did you enjoy the more recent “Gods and Generals”?



Edited to Add:

Rumple: By “Rebel Yell” are you referring to “the pibroch of Southern fealty,” or did you have something more specific in mind?

 

[rgraham666]

I love history and I loved that series.

It reduced me to tears time and again. As OnD put it, the context was superb.

I'm still quibbling with myself whether the War accomplished it's alleged motive, freeing the slaves. Or whether it held that goal back with all the bad feelings on both sides. Or whether the real motive was simply States vs. the Federal Government.

It also taught two lessons. One not learned until too late. And the other learned and applied.

The not learned lesson was that modern war, with efficient artillery and rapid fire weapons would end in a slaughter. The carnage of WWI could have been avoided if this lesson was learned.

The learned lesson was to make sure you are fair and kind to your defeated opponent. This didn't happen after the end of the Civil War, with all the horrid consequences that came from it.

It did happen after WWII. By treating the Axis fairly we avoided a WWIII, in my opinion. It's no surprise that the President responsible for The Marshall Plan was a Southerner.

I thought Gettyburg and Gods and Generals were both alright movies. Not great, but I thought they did a good job of showing the history of the times.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Rumple: By “Rebel Yell” are you referring to “the pibroch of Southern fealty,” or did you have something more specific in mind?

VB,

I'll be the first to admit I had to look up, "pibroch." That didn't help much since my dictionary says it's a piece of music written for Scottish bagpipes (which, to me, sounds like a classic oxymoron).

The Rebel Yell to which I referred was not the Kentucky product contained in the type of bottle the late Janis Joplin reportedly loved to throw at certain males of the specie. Instead, I alluded to the battle cry the southern armies were famous for using.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Virtual_Burlesque]

Here you go, Rumple,

Everything You Always Wanted To know About Pibroches But Were Afraid To Ask!

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

VB,

Freeman was a great historian. But as a judge of music, well, he was a great historian.

In Ken Burns "Civil War" there's a film clip of the 75th reunion with the same "yell" the sound clip in the article contains.

RF

 

[Colleen Thomas]

The Ken Burns series was incredible. It taught me things about the war I never knew, and I grew up in the south, have a masters in history, and studied the war under the late T. Harry Williams, who was one of the great Civil War historians.

While the ending is a tad sentimental, old soldiers get that way sometimes. Burns' genius was to masterfully mix the trivial and personal with the big issue, great people, and epic events.

Foote is a trip. He and Faulkner were old drinking buddies. Those must have been very interesting events. One fact I've never heard remarked upon, by Burns or Foote, is that the last episode has a recording of a "Rebel Yell."

For those who loved the music, here's a link to a page on the PBS website that has a short (16K) clip.

Ashokan Farewell

Rumple Foreskin

Hey Rumps.

Just an interesting personal tidbit. I was driving down the highway at college, headed out of town and saw a book lying in the road. I stopped and went to see what it was. It was a copy of foote's civil war. It was also a first edition, signed by the author. I have to think some professor, somewhere was cursing his kid over that one since the closest building was the local high school

-Colly

 

[cheerful_deviant]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/06/19/images/gods_and_generals_4_large.jpg

How do you here feel about “Gettysburg ”?
Some critics were unkind, but did you enjoy the more recent “Gods and Generals”?



Edited to Add:

Rumple: By “Rebel Yell” are you referring to “the pibroch of Southern fealty,” or did you have something more specific in mind?

I have yet to watch 'Gettsburg' and even though I own 'Gods & Generals', I have not watched that one either. I have heard good and bad on both.

"Not historically accurate."

"The battle scenes are not realistic."

blah, blah, blah... I prefer to make up my own mind. Far to often critics are just a little too impressed with themselves.

Anyone else seen them?