Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

Gettysburg Blu-ray Movie Review

Make an appointment to visit this 'Gettsyburg' address.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman September 24, 2011

In the recent tenth anniversary commemoration of the tragedy of September 11, 2001, we were repeatedly reminded that around 3,000 innocent people lost their lives that horrible day. Some of the many pundits on the air over the days leading up to the main memorial ceremonies tried to put this total into context by drawing a contrast with the attack on Pearl Harbor, which claimed around 2,400 lives. But more than one commentator also brought up the Civil War and its enormous toll on our nation’s lifeblood. This was obviously done not to slight the tragedy of 9/11, but perhaps to remind us of a salient fact that has disappeared in the vestiges of time, namely that the Civil War was by far the bloodiest, costliest event in terms of lives that this nation has ever suffered here in its own boundaries. While the horror of having been attacked by outside elements in both the Pearl Harbor and 9/11 tragedies can’t be underestimated, how much more horrible is it to contemplate the fact that the Civil War was a self-inflicted wound? The cliché of brother fighting brother has long been used to highlight the internecine aspect of the conflict, but perhaps it has become such a cliché, actual thinking about what it must have been like tends not to delve very deeply a lot of the time. We’re into a four year period now where we’re commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, and that will no doubt bring many television specials and other events helping to elucidate the incredible viciousness of this conflict which literally tore our nation in two. Gettysburg is an excellent, if generalist, documentary done for the History Channel, executive produced by the film world’s iconic brothers Ridley and Tony Scott, which gives a fascinating overview of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Contrast 9/11’s death toll of around 3,000 with Gettsyburg’s death toll of around 50,000 (exact numbers are impossible to know due to a number of factors) and some idea of the mass destruction of the three day battle becomes at least a little more real for those who pause to actually consider the numbers and attempt to connect with the human tragedies hiding behind the statistics.

Having the Scott Brothers as Executive Producers might augur both good and bad things for a traditional History Channel documentary, but the fact is, this actually is pretty standard fare for the network, albeit one with perhaps a bit more emphasis on blood and guts in the recreations than is typically the case. (In fact this documentary comes with its own warning that it may be too intense and graphic for some viewers). We are given a day by day recounting of Gettysburg, replete with some excellent depictions of individual battles, intercut with brief profiles of some of the major players, as well as the usual assortment of talking head experts. While there’s certainly nothing innovative in Gettysburg’s structure, the documentary benefits from very little fat in its ninety minute or so running time, though those with a cursory knowledge of the battle may in fact be pining for a little more meat on the documentary’s bones, as it tends to quickly flit from skirmish to skirmish, with little to no context and only the most basic of background information imparted.

Gettsyburg is often described as the turning point of the war, but what Gettsyburg makes abundantly clear is just how close that turning point could have turned in the Confederacy’s favor. This was after all the “high water mark” for the Confederate’s ingress into northern territory, and throughout the three day battle, they were precariously close to decimating the Union forces, more than one time, in fact. As the documentary moves through various timelines of the three days, over and over again a seemingly slight misjudgment leads to the Union forces being able to hold on, sometimes by the skin of their teeth, to razor thin advantages that enabled them to withstand repeated pummelings by the Confederate troops. In fact at the end of the first day of fighting it seems a foregone conclusion that the Confederates had won the day and indeed the battle.

While we get decent enough, albeit very quick, profiles of everyone from the icons like General Robert E. Lee and General George Meade, the documentary is actually more affecting in its equally quick portrayals of some of the “grunts” who were on the ground doing to the dirty work. The best of these is a nice sequence detailing the sad death of Union soldier Amos Humiston, who perished anonymously (this was 40 years before dog tags, as the documentary points out), but who was holding a photogravure of his children in his arms when his body was found. A description of the photo was published nationwide (the technology to actually reproduce the photo in newsprint didn’t yet exist) until his widow in upstate New York perhaps incredibly recognized the description and identified him. His body was then moved to the new Gettysburg Memorial Cemetery where in the dedication ceremonies President Lincoln managed to sum up the nation’s grief as well as its resolve in a mere two minute speech which has become immortalized as the Gettsyburg Address.

Also well done are a couple of “technology” explication that help to uncover the physics of such things as the Minié Balls, the then revolutionary bullets that were utilized and which did untold damage to soldiers’ limbs, intentionally designed not just to shatter bone but to carry bacteria like gangrene into the bloodstream so that amputations became a necessity. (The documentary has a rather gruesome sidebar detailing amputations). Also covered is the technology behind the cannons utilized, and the various explosive charges they emitted. The sound of these explosions was so forceful that soldiers standing next to the units regularly tore their eardrums, resulting in blood dripping down the side of their faces, and during the height of the Gettysburg cannon blasts, the explosions were heard up to 40 miles away.

It’s probably in these smaller details rather than in the overarching story that Gettysburg does its finest work. Too often these epochal battles are seen in broad strokes, and the actual individuals doing the fighting are thought of—if they’re thought of at all—as “mere” cogs in a wheel. Gettsyburg helps us to get up close and personal with at least a few of these soldiers, on both sides of the battle, thereby helping to illuminate the human story behind the dry text of history books or even History channels.

Gettysburg Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Gettysburg blasts onto Blu-ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. Perhaps due to the Scott Brothers' involvement, the recreations here have more of an epic film look than many similar History Channel documentaries. Sequences are filtered and desaturated, and several feature freeze frames and other devices. Overall, fine detail is exceptional throughout the series, even in some of the strangely filtered segments. Colors tend to be skewed wildly and widely at times due to intentional filtering and desaturation, but in the contemporary interview talking heads segments, they are absolutely accurate and very well saturated. Unlike many television offerings on Blu-ray, this is presented in a 1080p (as opposed to 1080i) transfer and that helps the documentary achieve a nicely flowing filmic quality that reproduces the superb production values very well.

Gettysburg Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Gettysburg's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio mix is incredibly well realized, with floorboard shattering LFE pulsing through the documentary's ninety minute or so running time. While the voiceover narration and talking heads segments are expectedly anchored in the front channels, the battle sequences are fully alive with surround activity, with a variety of great panning effects as blasts and bullets fly this way and that. The low end of this documentary is really astounding at times, with some of the most impressive LFE in recent memory, at least with regard to documentaries and not typical summer action blockbusters. Fidelity is excellent throughout the documentary, and though the piece tends toward some busy sonic activity, the mix is very well done and important information being imparted in the narration is always clear and well prioritized.

Gettysburg Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

No supplements are offered on this Blu-ray disc.

Gettysburg Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Gettsyburg may not be the be-all end-all in Civil War documentaries in general, or for this battle in particular, but it does manage to highlight some individual stories, as well as some technical aspects, very well. This piece is probably better approached as an adjunct to study rather than the "main event," so to speak. With unusually high production values, and some very visceral recreations of some of the major battles, this is an excellent introduction or review of the "turning point" of the Civil War, though those with an intense interest in the subject will no doubt want more information than this generalist piece offers. With great looking video and astoundingly well done audio, this release is Recommended.