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Residents invited to first public showing of Civil War film that brings Battle of Fredericksburg into living rooms, classrooms Date published: 11/3/2009
BY CLINT SCHEMMER Not since Ron Maxwell's "Gods and Generals" or Ken Burns' PBS "The Civil War" series has there been such hubbub over a film featuring Fredericksburg. The latest effort is a home-grown one, but has the polish of a professional production. "Civil War Fredericksburg: Then & Now," set for its public debut Thursday, appears to already be a hit with students of history. The feature-length film, a joint venture of the Fredericksburg Civil War Round Table and the nonprofit Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, has something for everyone, its initial viewers have said. For those just getting interested in the War Between the States, as well as hard-core history buffs, it provides a thorough treatment of the Battle of Fredericksburg and local historic sites. From the comfort of their living room, people can tour the battlefield from Falmouth through the city to Spotsylvania County's Slaughter Pen Farm, walk with the descendants of four soldiers who took part in the December 1862 fight, and travel back in time through "then-and-now" scenes mixing modern cinematography and historic images. The result lets the audience see the region and its most pivotal period in a way offered by no other film, according to some of the people who attended its premiere last week at a sold-out special meeting of the sponsoring groups. "I think it's an outstanding effort to take the Fredericksburg story to a national audience, and I applaud the filmmakers for all of the energy and effort they have put into the film," said Russ Smith, superintendent of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. "I hope residents of the local area will also take advantage of this film in order to see its battlefields in a new light." The project began humbly, as a DVD of historic photos that could be used by teachers and groups across the country. But once educator Bill Huber teamed up with videographer Scott Eyestone, on-camera host Scott Walker and preservationist Thomas Van Winkle, it really took off. "This was completely an all-volunteer, community effort," Eyestone said. "It grew organically, with the abilities of all of the people who became involved in it."
Date published: 11/3/2009
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