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Speaking of the Civil War two of my favorite movies are “Gettysburg” and “Gods and Generals.” It was understood that the trilogy would be complete with a third movie, “Last Full Measure,” based on the book, about the last two years of the Civil War. But the years have gone by and no movie. I’m highly disappointed. Does any Freeper know why there are no plans to complete the trilogy? I read somewhere on the internet that Ted Turner does not want to fund a third movie. Does anyone know?

I’m highly disappointed. Does any Freeper know why there are no plans to complete the trilogy? I read somewhere on the internet that Ted Turner does not want to fund a third movie. Does anyone know?

Honestly? Because God and Generals sucked. Really. Not so much the fault of the material, just that it didn't translate as well to the screen as the more compressed timeline of Gettysburg did and came across as completely boring and the dialogue/monologues overblown. Turner lost a heck of a lot of money on it, decided not to throw good money after bad by trying to complete the trilogy.

I saw both movies in the DC area. Gettysburg at the Uptown Theater in Cleveland Park (which is more of an old time movie house) and the second on the stadium-seating screens at Potomac Yards. I walked away from the Gettysburg stunned by how impressive it was (esp on the big screen in a theater designed to hold ~1000 people). Gods and Generals just tired and exhausted from the experience. The audience for Gods and Generals had a LOT of the reenactors who'd been in it as well, and they were disappointed too if the discussions I heard on the way out were any indication. There were, however, lots of catcalls and "Hey, look, there's Jim!" type heckling from the audience whenever some of the guys saw friends of other members of their reenactment units. Helped keep me awake.

Now here's what's TRULY disappointing about Gods and Generals. Ron Maxwell filmed the Antietam scenes. But they got left out of the theatrical version because they would've added another hour and a half to it. They were supposed to get put into the DVD, but after the movie bombed Turner apparently balked at the additional costs and killed the idea.