Shermans infamous scorchedearth march through the confederacy in the. Though he almost always starts off to make a film about some legitimate subject in this case, general william shermans infamous march to the sea during the civil war, the movies ultimately never pan out, or the focus changes as mcelwee finds something more interesting to focus on. Librivox recording of shermans march to the sea, and the burning of columbia, south carolina, from his memoirs by william tecumseh sherman. Shermans march to the sea, and the burning of columbia, south carolina, from his.
It was awarded the grand jury prize at the 1987 sundance film festival. The movie was originally supposed to focus on general william t. At the beginning of ross mcelwees shermans march, the film maker tells us that he. One response to shermans march 1986 david csontos, on september th, 2008 at 9. Audiences and critics alike fell in love with mcelwees quirky, funny and fascinating newsweek firstperson narratives that would help define a new era of personal documentaries.
If ever a movie fit that description, it would be ross mcelwees groundbreaking 1986 documentary shermans march, a loping, idiosyncratic reverie through history and the heart, loosely conjoined by the camera lens. Shermans devastating sweep through georgia and the carolinas in the closing days of the civil war. Shermans march to the sea also known as the savannah campaign or simply shermans march was a military campaign of the american civil war conducted through georgia from november 15 until december 21, 1864, by maj. See more ideas about shermans march, war and american civil war. Throughout the film, mcelwee is either hooked up with women or meets them as he tracks shermans march. Read in english by david wales this librivox recording comprises part of chapter 22 and all of chapter 23 the march to the sea from atlanta to savannah november and december 1864 of american civil war general william tecumseh shermans memoirs. Documentarian ross mcelwee originally set out to make a travelogue of sorts tracing general william t. A meditation on the possibility of romantic love in the south during an era. Shermans march 1986 directed by ross mcelwee, 1986 after his girlfriend leaves him, ross mcelwee takes a voyage along the original route taken by general william sherman but rather than cutting a swath of destruction designed for force the confederate south into submission, as sherman did, mcelwee searches for love, camera in hand, training his lens with phallic resolve on every. The first fulllength narrative of general william t.
The campaign began with shermans troops leaving the captured city of atlanta on november 15 and ended with the capture. The book is highly critical of sherman and the march. Shermans march to the sea new georgia encyclopedia. Watch shermans march, the documentary by ross mcelwee fandor. Rent sherman s march 1986 starring ross mcelwee on dvd and bluray. It started as a retracing of the civil war generals vandalic sweep through the south, but after being dumped by his girlfriend, filmmaker ross mcelwee tur. The success of such a personal film depends completely on the personality of the director ross mcelwee, whos decided to put himself in front of the camera in a project that began as one thing. When first run features released ross mcelwees sundance awardwinning shermans march in 1986, it went on to become one of the. When first run released ross mcelwees sundance award winning shermans march in 1986, it went on to become one of the largest grossing documentaries ever. The great thing about shermans march is the overall simplicity of the idea. See more ideas about shermans march, american civil war and civil war photos. The campaign began with sherman s troops leaving the captured city of atlanta on november 15 and ended with the capture of the port.
Sherman abandoned his supply line and marched across georgia to the atlantic ocean to prove to the confederate population that its government could not protect the people. Articles have featured research on slavery, abolitionism, women and war, abraham lincoln, fiction, national identity, and various aspects of the northern and southern military. Overview of shermans march, 1986, with at turner classic movies. Anne sarah rubin talked about union general william tecumseh shermans march to the sea and the concept of civilized war. Not only is shermans march a beautiful portrait of one mans personal journey through the strange tapestry of love and history, its a wonderful snapshot of the american south in the early 80s.
Sherman led some 60,000 soldiers on a 285mile march from atlanta to savannah, georgia. Ross mcelwee sets out to make a documentary about the lingering effects of general sherman s march of. Signed, numbered and dated cindy sherman 56 1985 on the reverse. Shermans march has such an engagingly loose attitude that one is surprised to find it developing a structure albeit a loose one, as the civil war trail seems to mirror mcelwees own failed. Shermans march is the vivid narrative of general william t. After his girlfriend leaves him, filmmaker ross mcelwee takes a voyage along the original route followed by general william sherman but rather than cutting a swath of destruction designed to force the confederate south into submission, as sherman did, mcelwee searches for love, camera in hand, training his lens with phallic resolve on every. General slocums name is proposed by the democratic party as the nominee for governor. Shermans conclusion of the burning of columbia is characteristically candid. Meet the cast and learn more about the stars of shermans march with exclusive news, pictures, videos and more at. A meditation on the possibility of romantic love in the south during an era of nuclear weapons proliferation is a 1986 documentary film written and directed by ross mcelwee. A meditation on the possibility of romantic love in the south during an era of nuclear weapons proliferation is a 1986 documentary film written and directed. Sherman visits atlanta, georgia, for the international cotton exposition.
Documentary filmmaker ross mcelwee sets out to make a movie about union general shermans march to the sea towards the end of the american civil war, but keeps getting sidetracked by his own love life. Mcelwee began the film with the idea of tracing general shermans decisive campaign through the south, showing how its devastations still linger psychically, if not visibly. Shermans march to the sea, by union general jacob d. From november 15 until december 21, 1864, union general william t. Shermans march 1986 by rick demott tuesday, february 15, 2005 at. A mediation to the possibility of romantic love in the south during an era of nuclear weapons proliferation, sherman s march. Ross mcelwee sets out to make a documentary about the lingering effects of general shermans march of. In november and december 1864, general sherman marched his troops.
After his girlfriend leaves him, mcelwee takes a voyage along the original route followed by general william sherman. The overall structure of the film is a clever look at the unpredictability of an artists focus, in that filmmaker ross mcelwee set out to make a documentary about the savannah. Special annecy 2018 edition of animationworld magazine. Search for more papers by this author first published. Shermans march has some outstanding moments that capture the difficulties of relationships, but the lengthiness and lack of focus make it difficult to praise. Civil war history is the foremost scholarly journal of the sectional conflict in the united states, focusing on social, cultural, economic, political, and military issues from antebellum america through reconstruction.
Aug 15, 2016 15 nov 21 dec 1864 name is commonly used for the savannah campaign. Shermans march 1986, dvd, full frame, special interestdocumentary, 720229910972. Shermans march through georgia and the carolinas, documentary filmmaker ross mcelwee instead. Shermans march through the confederacy near the end of the civil war.
Shermans march is a 1986 autobiographical documentary film written and directed by ross mcelwee as mcelwee himself explains onscreen, the film was originally meant to be a documentary about, yes, william tecumseh shermans march to the sea through georgia in late 1864, and his followup march through the carolinas in early 1865, which concluded with confederate surrender and the end of the. Rent shermans march 1986 starring ross mcelwee on dvd and bluray. Its mostly about ross mcelweethe director and his adventures with hot southern. Originally setting out to retrace union general william t. A mediation to the possibility of romantic love in the south during an era of nuclear weapons proliferation, shermans march. Sherman s march to the sea also known as the savannah campaign or simply sherman s march was a military campaign of the american civil war conducted through georgia from november 15 until december 21, 1864, by maj. Though i never ordered it and never wished it, i have never shed any tears over the event, because i believe that it hastened what we all fought for, the end of the war. However, the film focuses on shermans breakup with his girlfriend during this crucial time in history, and the. Perspectives on the south through film and is free. Weaving together hundreds of eyewitness stories, burke davis graphically brings to life the st. Documentary filmmaker ross mcelwee sets out to make a movie about union general shermans march to the sea towards the end of the american civil war. Although part of me wants to call this a must, another larger part cant. Clinton body count epstein suicided mena iran contra barry seal medellin part 2 railroad murders duration.
707 1245 1627 279 291 523 635 1005 1304 42 1112 790 719 852 1068 1053 253 916 833 1416 350 706 1218 579 884 1319 406 1302 40 930 1580 722 1326 168 1062 855 86 1038 241 1362 1292 961 455