DVD Review: Civil War: The Untold Story

Providing new insights into the causes of the war, as told through the lens of the Western Campaign, the ground-breaking documentary Civil War: The Untold Story debuts on DVD on April 29, 2014 from Athena, an RLJ Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand. Narrated by Emmy® and Golden-Globe nominated actress Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey), the stunning 2013 production, set to air on PBS stations in Spring 2014, uses dramatic battle recreations, compelling archival imagery, 3-D maps, and insightful interviews with top Civil War scholars in this five-part series to show why the West played such a vital part in the outcome of the war. Focusing on the often overlooked battles of Vicksburg, Shiloh, Atlanta and more, the series also explores the issue of slavery and the surprising roles that African-Americans played in the conflict. The DVD 2-Disc set includes five episodes, plus rare archival footage from the 50-year anniversary of the Siege of Vicksburg (14 min.), and 12-page viewer’s guide (276 min., plus bonus, $49.99, AcornOnline.com).

In this revealing documentary from the award-winning producers of Life after Katrina, Homes of the Underground Railroad, How the West Was Lost, and many more, Elizabeth McGovern recounts how the struggle between North and South—long defined by battles like Gettysburg, Antietam, and Bull Run—was quite dependent on events in the lands then known as “the West.” Although often overlooked, the western theatre—between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River—saw some of the conflict’s bloodiest encounters, such as Shiloh, Vicksburg and Chickamauga. It featured iconic leaders like the Union’s Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman as well as the Confederacy’s Albert Sidney Johnston and John Bell Hood. This series also tells inspirational and untold stories of African Americans—from enslaved to emancipated, to fighting for their freedom.

Episodes: Bloody Shiloh; A Beacon of Hope; River of Death; Death Knell of the Confederacy; With Malice toward None

Civil War: The Untold Story was directed and produced by Chris Wheeler of Great Divide Pictures.

Bonus Features: Rare archival footage from the 50-year anniversary of the Siege of Vicksburg (14 min.); 12-page viewer’s guide with a map, a timeline, profiles of Westerners who played major roles in the conflict, and articles on African Americans fighting for their freedom and Texas in the Civil War

Street Date: April 29, 2014                           SRP: $49.99               UPC: 0-54961-2234-9-7

DVD 2-Disc Set: 5 episodes – Approx. 276 min., plus bonus – SDH Subtitles - Contains disturbing images

My Thoughts

This amazing documentary gives you a look of some of the lesser known battles of the Civil War.  It also discusses the history of slavery and its economics.   The set includes five outstanding episodes, each of which is its own stand alone program.

Bloody Shiloh - This episode details the battle at Shiloh Methodist Church in February of 1862. The bloody battle there cost the lives of many and may have played a huge roll in the outcome on the war. The reenactments in this episode are realistic and well done.

A Beacon of Hope - A counterattack at Shiloh by Grant leads to thousands of causalities. This episode also touches on the  Emancipation Proclamation and Corinth.

River of Death - Grant hopes to capture the Mississippi River.

Death Knell of the Confederacy - The confederacy looses 34,000 men and morale begins to dwindle. 

With Malice Towards None - After Atlanta falls the democrats negotiate peace. Lincoln wins a second term.

This is only a brief overview of what you'll find in these episodes. There is so much going on, so much new information to soak up, it would take a whole novel to go into it all. It touches on a lot of great battles that may have changed the course of American history.  If you love a good documentary  about the  history of war, than this is the box set for you. You can order Civil War: The Untold Story on  DVD for only $49.99 at Acorn Media.

 ***Please note that I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way. ***