Make room on your ACW video library shelf for a worthy film: Antietam - A Documentary Film. An hourlong documentary by Historical Films Group of Media Magic Productions of g, Michigan, is produced in cooperation with The Civil War Trust.

I had purchased this tape at the Greystone store (the retail arm of the producer of Civil War journal and other fine documentary series) in Gettysburg without any prior knowledge of the film. Thus, I was taking a chance' that it would just be another small-budget film saturated with video footage of reenactors. I even had some paperwork in front of me (hey, it's the age of 'not enough time), whose attention was going to be shared with the viewing of the tape. Well, I must say that it was about 2 minutes or so into the tape (or should I say 'film') that I decided that my attention was NOT going to be shared. Letterboxing, dramatic music by the London Philaharmonic, dolly and tracking shots, and film. Not video, but film, and this was just the beginning of a what I think is a film that stands tall and proud with Ken Burn's CIVIL WAR documentary and Ron Maxwell's GETTYSBURG!

The producers had chosen five major settings, and in each one a main character or group of characters are concentrated on to illustrate the action and drama present at the battle. For example, in the Miller Farm segment, the film introduces us to the Perry brothers of the 1st Texas as well as Company F of the 6th Wisconsin.

Briefly represented are the opening campaign moves, such as the replacement of General Pope by General McClellan, and the fight through the passes of South Mountain. Of course, the majority of the film is on the battle itself represented with segments on the Miller Farm, Dunker Church, Sunken Road, Burnside's Bridge and the arrival of Early's reinforcements. Additionally, there's an effective scene illustrating the 12th Corps' hospital at the Middlekauf Farm, which shows the work that the surgeons had to perform.

For many of the scenes in ANTIETAM the actual battlefield was utilized as a set for filming. However modifications were made when necessary by Combat FX & Engineering, the special effects department of Historical Films Group. A scale replica of the Dunker Church was made just 2 miles away from the original. At the Sunken Road, loads of dirt were brought in and used to recreate the roadbed at the time of the battle, and a snake rail fence was built on both sides of the road, replacing the present day post and rail fence. For the Miller Farm scenes, a cornfield was planted in the checkboard fashion of the period. These are just some of the examples of the extreme detail that has gone, and is still going (of which more at the end of this article), into this production.

Beyond the effects, the sets and the overall production value of the film, are the actors and reenactors. The actors are probably not going to be familiar to us, but the opposite could have surely been a distraction. Their portrayals, along with the reenactors, really puts soul into the dramatizations to make the viewer feel that it is as believable as being there in 1862. They bring a human aspect to the battle, drawing one emotionally to either side's participants. One example is Captain Zacharias, who we get to know briefly as he attends to his men, before he's shot while rallying his men of the 7th MI on Dunker Church Ridge. The 7th MI was on the left flank of the unfortunate division of General Sedgwick, when that unit was hit on the flank by Confederate General McLaw's Division. The 7th was destroyed.

Unlike the film GETTYSBURG, this film doesn't shield the viewer from the bloodshed, and squibs of theatrical blood, sounds of minie balls hitting flesh, trees, whatever, and yells or groans from the victims all add to the effect of showing, rightfully, the horrors of combat.

Interspersed among the dramatizations are prestigious historians and authors, such as Tom Clemens, David Finney, D. Scott Hartwig, Micheal Priest, Gordon Rhea, and James I. Robertson, who give us succint historical information, which greatly aids those not familiar with the battle. Additionally, this 1998 release is narrated by the esteemed actor James Earl Jones, whose voice lends even more sincererity to the moving images.

Beyond all of the above merits, the most welcome news to us all is that this video is but the forerunner to a planned film that will be of a 3-hour length! If the quality of this production is any indication, it may very well vie with GETTYSBURG or John Houston's RED BADGE OF COURAGE to become the definitive film representation of an American Civil War battle, at least to this reviewer.

I would like to thank the director, Brad Graham, for his kind response to my enquiry for information and photos to accompany this review. Mr. Graham comfirmed that production is continuing with the planned release of a longer, more dramatic version. Also, there are plans to release a companion photo book using the photographs taken on set in combination with the period photos taken by Gardner and Gibson.

For more information or to order the videotape, one can write to Media Magic Productions 3120 Pine Tree Road Lansing, MI 48911 517.393.3100 or 517.393.333 fax

There's a website for the ANTIETAM film at: www.historicalfilm.com with an order form, and they do offer different formats besides VHS.

I urge all to buy this tape to help fund the ongoing production, let alone to own a marvelous film on one of our important battles. The video can also be purchased at the National Parks Bookstore as well as through Greystone's American History Store (888.581.8835 or www.greystoneonline.com)

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