TWO FACES OF COURAGE UNDER FIRE The inspiring stories of two courageous Union soldiers who command troops in many of the deadliest battles of the Civil War are reenacted in the Civil War Life 2 Disc Set.
LENGTH: Total Content: 155 Minutes
MSRP: $34.95
CATALOG #: 20420
UPC #: 6-4603204209-2
ISBN #: 1-56839-370-9
RELEASE YEAR: 2010
PRODUCER: Inecom Entertainment Company
TECHNICAL NOTES: Left for Dead – 4 x 3 Full Screen
Shot to Pieces – Anamorphic Widescreen Enhanced for 16 x 9 TV
STREET DATE: June 9th, 2010
These action-packed documentaries reveal how an Ohio schoolteacher and a Harvard student overcome countless injuries and hardship to fight again and again, winning the admiration and respect from all those they encounter. These films show how these heroes venture far beyond their call of duty to fight for their country.
Civil War Life – Shot to Pieces
Harvard student William F. Bartlett is hit again and again by Confederate rifle and cannon fire, captured at the Battle of the Crater and survives to find fortune and love. Inspiring young and old alike with its action-packed story of courage and devotion to duty, Civil War Life – Shot to Pieces immerses the viewer in the smoke, gunfire and pathos of America’s Civil War.
Civil War Life – Left for Dead
Pain, destruction and suffering cannot conquer the infallible Oscar Jackson in Civil War Life – Left for Dead. Jackson fights in some of the deadliest Civil War battles, including the Battle of Corinth where he is blasted in the face with a musket ball. Despite the lingering effects of the bullet lodged in his head, he continues to lead his company until the war ends, later becoming a U.S. Congressman.
Special Features for Left for Dead include: The Making of Left for Dead, a 25-minute documentary featuring interviews with Writers Michael Kraus and David M. Neville, behind the scenes footage, outtakes and storyboard featurette with commentary by Director and Storyboard Artist Mark Bussler.
Special Features:
► Left for Dead Feature with Digitally Mastered Audio and Video
► The Making of Left for Dead 25-Minute Documentary with Behind-the-Scenes Footage, Outtakes, Deleted Scenes and Interviews with Writers Michael Kraus and David M. Neville.
► Storyboard Featurette with Commentary by Director and Storyboard Artist Mark Bussler
► Trailer for Shot to Pieces
► Trailer for Civil War Minutes® – Confederate
Michael Kraus, Narrator/Co-Writer
Michael Kraus is one of the world’s leading authorities on Civil War military history. Kraus has served the film industry as Military History Advisor for Miramax Films’ 2004 film Cold Mountain and Military Coordinator for New Line Cinema’s 1993 film Gettysburg. Kraus’ career includes working as a historian for several A&E television Civil War Journal episodes and as the Northern Commander of many Civil War 125th Anniversary reenactments.
Michael began reenacting in 1966. In 1970, he joined Sherman’s Bummers, the first ultra authentic reenactment unit in the country. In 1975, Kraus became a charter member of the “Irish Brigade”, which exists today as the 116th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Company I, with Kraus as its captain.
Kraus also has provided historical consulting for a variety of other films about the Civil War and has contributed to numerous books and publications about the war between the states, including The 100th Pennsylvania Roundhead Regiment 1861-1865; Echoes of Battle; The Atlanta Campaign; Advance the Colors; Voices of the Civil War; Fredericksburg; Seccessionville; Assault on Charleston; and What Death More Glorious as well as to the periodicals Military Images and America’s Civil War.
David M. Neville, Co-Writer
David Neville is an independent military historian and consultant whose area of expertise includes the Civil War, the Indian Wars and the Korean War. Neville serves as publisher of and a writer for the prestigious journal, Military Images. He has also contributed to a number of books, including Killed in Action and A Vast Sea of Misery, Those Honored Dead, Union Colonels and Waiting for Jacob. Neville is currently writing a history of the graduates of the United States Military Academy who served at the battle of Gettysburg.
Reviews
Civil War: Shot to Pieces:
“He [Bussler] re-creates battles, prison conditions, primitive medical procedures and life on the ‘home front’ with scrupulous fidelity… Extremely well done… these days we could all do with a little of William Bartlett’s courage and sense of duty.” – Ed Hulse, Video Business“With a barrage of bad reviews and dismal box-office returns, Gods and Generals may have put a damper on fans of the Civil War genre. However, the new DVD Shot to Pieces should give devotees a different look at the period, as it looks at the war from the point of view of General William J. Bartlett. Civil War re-enactors recreate the battles that Bartlett participated in, most notably the Battle of Ball’s Bluff and the Battle of the Crater (where Bartlett is captured). The title, part of the Civil War Life movie series, is an interesting companion piece to Gods and Generals and Ken Burns’ Civil War documentary, as viewers follow Bartlett’s struggles throughout the war and his realization during his final years (he died at the early age of 36) that both sides should be considered a unified group of heroes.” – E! Entertainment Radio DVD News
“This is a remarkable story about a soldier in the midst of battle whose determination is an inspiration to all. Highly recommended.” – Library Journal
“[The] medical interpretation in the production [is] a great success. I was quite impressed with the authenticity of the [amputation] scene.” – George Wunderlich, Executive Director, National Museum of Civil War Medicine
“This is one real (unlike the movies) story that (like the movies) ends on a relatively happy note… An informative film that is interesting for its depiction of the [Civil War]… will be appreciated by history buffs.” – Entertainment Today
“This is the film to watch for an authentic telling of the war that immerses you into the smoke, gunfire and war that had to divide America so that we could become one.” – Eve Contreras, Los Angeles Film Magazine
“Gods and Generals isn’t the only new movie to parade Civil War heroes across the screen. The more modest Shot to Pieces, just out on DVD and video, puts a Massachusetts war hero, William F. Bartlett, front and center.” – Boston Herald
“Coming on the heels of the current Gods and Generals is this Civil War action drama.” – Sacramento Bee
“Focuses on the character of William Bartlett, a Harvard student who fights at the battles of Ball’s Bluff and Yorktown, sustaining serious injuries at both.” – Staten Island Sunday Advance
“The action never stops and the re-enactments are great!… captures the heart, bravery and boldness of a great officer.” – review on amazon.com
“Created by historians who care about proper clothing and following the absolute correct formats of those they are portraying.” – review on amazon.com
“Excellent re-enactments and fighting await you in this 80-minute story about a man that defied many odds during the Civil War.” – review on amazon.com
Civil War Life: Left for Dead:
“The use of intriguing camera angles, period music and high quality sound effects and maps heighten the drama as seen through the eyes of dedicated soldiers who marched, fought and died under the union flag.” – Booklist
“Based on Jackson’s journal, which was eventually published as The Colonel’s Diary 50 years after the war, this video personalizes the war for viewers as few programs can. Vintage photographs, clear maps and graphics and realistic live action combine to provide a powerful experience for those with an interest in this critical time in America’s history…. intriguing and sure-to-be-popular title.” – Library Journal
“Left for Dead tells an engaging story of the war through the eyes of one young man who, like so many others, was forever changed by it. Jackson’s is a compelling story, and his personal reflections provide a refreshing perspective on war and its aftermath.” – Brenda Wilt, Civil War Times Illustrated
“For all you civil war buffs this is a fine film. It’s roughly an hour program in the same vein as any A&E type civil war re-enactment. This film follows the civil war experience of Colonel Oscar Jackson as based on his diary. The graphic depictions at times gives a feel for what it must have been like to be in the war.” – customer review on Amazon.com
“Michael Kraus is at it again in this wonderful new piece based on the true story of The Colonel’s Diary. This production covers the Civil War life of Oscar Jackson and his involvement with the 63rd Ohio. The struggles and battles Jackson experiences are told through strong riveting reenactments. The attention to detail and bloody scenes place the viewer right on the battlefield while the story is backed by narration and pictures. It is an interesting and very informative documentary which certainly captures the gore, panic and horrors associated with combat in the Civil War. Great camera angles and different approaches to filming are certainly a bonus for the viewer in this production. This DVD is a must have for anyone following the Civil War especially those interested in learning about the western campaigns. Three Cheers for Kraus and Company, ‘Hoorah! Hoorah! Hoorah!’” – Todd Newman, Cedarburg, Wisconsin (customer review on Amazon.com)
“As Paul Andrew Hutton stated, ‘If we seek today to know something more than strategy and tactics employed by the generals, to something more closely to the men who faced the volleys of minié balls and grapeshot, we must first attempt to overcome the distance that separates our modern sensibilities from the lives of the soldiers who marched, fought and died… To understand the Civil War, you must first attempt to understand the great armies that opposed one another. To understand those armies, you must try to understand those individuals who pledged their oath of allegiance to those great armies and their loyalties to the nation they envisioned. This documentary on Captain Oscar Jackson of the 63rd Ohio conveys just that. It takes one man, out of the 3 million who marched and fought, and makes the 3 million who marched and fought, one man. Oscar Jackson’s story needed to be told.” – Richard DeCarlo, Civil War reenactor
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