Gettysburg

By far the best re-enactment of the Battle of Gettysburg we've seen (though not the best documentary about Gettysburg--Episode 5 of Ken Burns' The Civil War having the edge here), Gettysburg combines top-notch footage from the Gettysburg 130th Committee's recreation of the historic battle last summer, with excellent digital video effects. The first two-thirds of the program are devoted to the battle itself: the three days of carnage which took place from July 1-July 3, 1863 at Gettysburg, PA, where the Union and Confederate armies fought their biggest and bloodiest battle. While a narrator describes the action, a montage of video images--ranging from muskets firing to shots of wounded soldiers awaiting treatment in a tent--ebb and flow across the screen. The few animated maps (and one wishes there had been more) give viewers a basic idea of the positioning of the various divisions under Lee's and Meade's commands. The last third of the program is an entertaining behind-the-scenes series of interview clips with a handful of the 8,500 re-enactors who gathered to keep alive this tragic moment in American history. Better than Gettysburg "In Hell or Glory" (VL-3/94), Gettysburg may not appeal to all general audiences, but Civil War enthusiasts and history buffs will eat this up. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)