Lincoln and Lee at Antietam: The Cost of Freedom | 
| Director: Robert Child
Actors: Ronald F. Maxwell, Dennis E. Frye, Mike Brown (xviii), Ed Mantell, Cindy Brinkerhof
Studio: Inecom Entertainment Company
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $11.24
You Save: $13.71 (55%)
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Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 14057
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Ntsc, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 0
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 90 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 15752
UPC: 806213157520
EAN: 0806213157520
ASIN: B000CA6D9K
Theatrical Release Date: January 31, 2006
Release Date: January 31, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
The bloodiest battle ever fought on American soil is thoroughly examined in Lincoln & Lee at Antietam: The Cost of Freedom, a worthy addition to anyone's Civil War video collection. Directed and written by Robert Child and narrated by Ronald F. Maxwell (the director of the definitive Civil War epics Gettysburg and Gods and Generals), this straightforward, no-nonsense documentary emphasizes the tactics, strategies, and historical context of the battle at Antietam, in Sharpsburg, Maryland, on September 17, 1862. Further emphasis is placed on the wartime conditions (political agendas, ready status of armies, etc.) that led to President Abraham Lincoln's orders to defeat Gen. Robert E. Lee's exhausted army at Antietam. Lee and other Confederate strategists had hoped to stage a surprise invasion, but Lee's battle plans fell into the hands of the Union army, and Lincoln's victory--which was essential to his issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation to end slavery--turned Antietam into the pivotal battle of the war. Although Child (who also directed Gettysburg: Three Days of Destiny) uses dramatic readings, maps, and photographs (especially the legendary battleground photos of Matthew Brady) in a manner similar to Ken Burns' epic-length documentary The Civil War, the look and presentation of Lincoln & Lee at Antietam is entirely different, with many sequences involving contemporary Antietam reenactments. Many of the Civil War's most colorful and important figures factor into this detailed 90-minute account, which clearly benefits from impeccable in-depth research. A 25-minute interview with Maxwell reveals the filmmaker's massive 15-year commitment to bringing his epics to the screen, and his feature-length commentary with Child lends another layer of detailed information to this authoritative DVD. --Jeff Shannon
Product Description
The Single Bloodiest Day in American HistoryTold by Ronald F. Maxwell director of Gettysburg and Gods and Generals Written directed and produced by Robert ChildIt s September 17 1862 and President Abraham Lincoln needs a victory in order to issue the Emancipation Proclamation and end slavery in the South. But Robert E. Lee has other plans invade the North. When Lee s strategy falls into the hands of the Union Army the result is the single bloodiest day in American history at the Battle of Antietam in Sharpsburg Maryland. Includes scarce footage from the 125th 135th and 140th Antietam Reenactments.Historical insight provided by:-James M. McPherson Princeton University Pulitzer Prize winning author of Battle Cry of Freedom and Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam-Allen C. Guelzo Gettysburg College America's only repeat winner of the Lincoln Prize; Nominated by President George W. Bush to the National Council of the Humanities-Dennis E. Frye National Park Service (NPS) Historian at Harpers Ferry author of Antietam Revealed and the Associate producer of Gods and Generals-Patrick Falci actor/performing historian portrays General Ambrose Hill at Antietam-Paul V. Chiles National Parks Service (NPS) Historian at Antietam National Battlefield Park-Features Stanley Wernz President of the Association of Lincoln Presenters as Abraham Lincoln and Benjamin Black as General Robert E. LeeFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/MILITARY & WAR UPC: 806213157520 Manufacturer No: 15752
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| Customer Reviews:
 The Antietam reason: February 8, 2006
Todd E. Newman (Valparaiso, IN)
28 out of 28 found this review helpful
Lincoln and Lee at Antietam covers the entire struggle of the Antietam Campaign. The political concept about why Lincoln needed a Union victory and Lee's need to take the war north were covered as well as the battle. With various interviews featuring historians such as James McPherson, this documentary is very well done. The battle coverage is brief and not entirely descriptive although it includes reenactment scenes from the 125th, 135th and 140th Antietam Reenactments. A majority of the footage and photography is excellent as it shows the beauty of the Maryland landscape around Antietam. Some of the film really points out General McClellan's "slow-to-react" method of dealing with Lee's invasion and how he missed a multiple of opportunities to really whip Lee during this campaign.
Being a reenactor, covering a battle in detail in under two hours is nearly impossible. Naturally I would like to see more. I did enjoy the political views shown on both sides be it Union or Confederate. It showcased the importance of how crucial this conflict was to each party. It presented the facts about what could be gained and lost for both armies and governments that I liked.
For a veteran reenactor or student of the battle of Antietam, a majority of this presentation is fairly basic and might be too standard although McPherson's explanation about why Antietam was politically important for Lincoln is something most people could learn about in this great presentation.
Excellent! January 9, 2007
L. Jones (Anniston, AL)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
I bought this for my husband who loves anything Civil War related. I read the reviews and seemed to be well received. It was excellent. We both thought it was very well done. I highly reccomend it!
Get this now July 13, 2007
Mark Wolf (PA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is one of the best movie / documentaries i have ever seen on the battle of Sharpsburg. mostly historians are telling the story, But tell it in a very detailed very informative and compelling way. This is a winner.
 Not Quite Realistic July 6, 2008
Bradley F. Smith (Miami Beach, FL)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a documentary, not a drama. But the many scenes of reenactments of Antietam by local Civil War buffs drags this down a bit. They don't look realistic. If men were being shot at, they wouldn't look so casual or silly as do the amateurs seen throughout this film. Still, you get a decent recounting of the Civil War's bloodiest battle. The real thing was most surely vastly worse than what you see here.
 Good Basic History; Not for Veteran Civil War History Afficianados August 7, 2008
Larkin C. Eakin (Houston,TX)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Simply stated this is an acceptable documentary review of the Battle that gave Federal Troops what the Union "spun" as a victory by the North, ending a line of spectacular defeats that it had suffered while Lincoln labored to build an Army and looked for a General that would fight and pursue defeated CSA troops, unlike Gen. George McClellan,. McClellan, who was content to entrench and drill the much larger Army of the Potomac, which was 2-3 times larger than the Confederate Army at Antietam . The experienced Civil War historian will find this tape to be very basic, although it does recount the carnage accurately and the fact that the Army of the Potomac won--if, indeed they did-- at a horrific cost that might be seen as a loss today.
The Lincoln vs Lee approach is not really a story or a subtext to the Battle of Antietam, nor is it a proper subtext for a documentary. At this point Lincoln was trying to hold Maryland and Louisiana in the Union and praying (literally) for a General that could crush the Confederacy as quickly as possible. The real contrast was between one of Lee's uncharacteristic tactical mistakes and McClellan's characteristic indecision in engaging the enemy. This DVD is not a waste of money, but start with Ken Burns "Civil War" if you truly want to understand Antietam in context. Burn's masterpiece is still the best-written and most sweeping documentary on the Civil War ( or on any subject) ever made.
The Burns five-disc set is available from Amazon at a substantial reduction from its $150 issue price. Good sets (get the re-mastered version--much sharper and 16:9 aspect for HD Televisions) go for half that if you shop carefully and really care about this pivotal battle.
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