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| Joined: | Sun Mar 2nd, 2008 |
| Location: | Mansfield OH |
| Posts: | 13 |
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Ron Maxwell spent 90 million of Ted Turners cash to make GAG and it returned only 12 at the box office. Do the math. No one in Hollywood will be bankrolling another self indulgent attempt by Ron to finish the trilogy.
GAG is a mess on many levels. As a movie its way too long (and I understand theres whole segments on Antietam and John Wilkes Booth that were cut from the 4 hours we sat thru.) Maxwells problem was that he let the scope of the project run away. It starts out about Jackson and should've stayed there as a decent film about Stonewall would be welcome. But then Ron decides to leave out the Valley Campaign which is Jackson at his best and instead we get an hour of the battle of Frederickburg...a battle that Jackson has little to do with.
Then we get Chancellorsville which is presented with Jackson and staff riding into a Civil War reenactment encampment ala the Magnificent 7. Please!
I dont care if the story about the young girl is true. It was so badly overacted by that kid that I wanted to run screaming from the theater (which by then many people had left or were asleep)
Ultimately the whole experience of GAG was just staggering to me. Maxwell had an opportunity to follow up on the success of Gettysburg but he blew it big time and in the end cost himself the chance to finish the trilogy. As a right wing conservative, he of course claims there was a liberal conspiracy to crush GAG. I dont think he understands that his version of the Lost Cause on film wasnt going to sell well outside of certain regions. Too bad he destroyed his own franchise and, I guess, his friendship with Ted Turner.
Kent Dorr - Ohio