Fred Griffith Movies
According to Appalachian folklore, in the year 1856 a man emerged from the mountain wilderness around Cold Springs, North Carolina to avenge his father's death. His vengeance was so powerful that by the time he was finished, nothing was left but a ghost town. Twenty years later, when his daughter's honor is brought into question, the mysterious avenger returns to ensure that justice is served. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Director Ron Maxwell and producer Ted Turner return to the glory and tragedy of the Civil War in this historical drama, a prequel to Gettysburg, which examines the early days of the conflict through the experiences of three men. Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (Jeff Daniels) left behind a quiet life and a career as a college professor to become one of the Union's greatest military minds. Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson (Stephen Lang) was, like Chamberlain, a man of great religious faith who served in the defense of the Confederacy. And Gen. Robert E. Lee (Robert Duvall), who led the Confederate army, was a man who was forced to choose between his loyalty to the United States and his love of the Southern states where he was born and raised. As Chamberlain, Jackson, and Lee are followed through the declaration of war and the battles at Manassas, Antietam, Frederickburg, and Chancellorsville, the film also introduces us to the many supporting players in the epic tale of the war between the States, among them the women these men left behind, among them Fanny Chamberlain (Mira Sorvino) and Anna Jackson (Kali Rocha). Based on a novel by Jeff Shaara, Gods and Generals also features a new song written and performed by Bob Dylan. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Duvall, Stephen Lang, (more)
- 2002
Launched on May 18, 1941, the Nazi battleship Bismarck was the largest war vessel of its kind ever built. Wasting no time in making its mark on the Second World War, the Bismarck spent the first eight days of its existence cutting a swath of destruction and devastation throughout the North Atlantic, sending several Allied ships (and sailors) to the bottom of the sea. But on day nine -- May 27, 1941 -- the Bismarck itself was defeated and destroyed by the combined efforts of the British battleships Rodney and King George. When the smoke cleared, the Bismarck was sunk beneath the waves, carrying 2,106 German sailors with it. Produced and directed by James Cameron, the man who brought the movie megahit Titanic to life in 1997, the two-hour documentary Expedition: Bismarck uses state-of-the-art technology and filming equipment to offer viewers the first images of the Bismarck since its death 61 years earlier. This required Cameron and his hardy crew to risk their own lives by plunging some 16,000 feet into the icy North Atlantic, but the end results were well worth the danger involved. Debuting on the Discovery Channel cable network on December 8, 2002, Expedition: Bismarck was made available on both video and DVD within a matter of days after its TV bow. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fred Griffith
