New York Times-bestselling historical fiction writer Jeff Shaara joins Reel History for a discussion on historical myth, movies, the film adaptation of his own novel, and the power of a good story. Visit www.jeffshaara.com to learn more about his many fantastic books.
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Reel History delves into historical films to separate fact from fiction. These engaging episodes explore, contextualize, and clarify stories related to the most famous historical movies. In contrast to the more prevalent “reaction” videos, these installments seek not only to entertain but to educate and inform. For host Jared Frederick and producer Andrew Collins, these episodes are a labor of love and a means of expressing passion for the past as well as cinema. Courteous viewer feedback is always welcome. The views expressed are our own and do not necessarily represent our employers or organizations with which we are involved.
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I read it as "God's and Genitals" at first which I guess could be correct from a certain perspective.
Nice timing! Now I can write my 499 paper proposal while listening to Jared and Jeff!
It’s a shame the last full measure was never made, would have loved to see the battle of the wilderness on film
Great interview. Interesting insight into how the Hollywood filmmakers usually have their own agenda and want to make the film they want to make – happens to varying degrees ranging between 0 and 100%, but usually somewhere in the middle!
Did I just see a flash of Recon Jack when talking about the Marines at Chosin?
THE LAST FULL MEASURE …is my favorite book of his. The Gods and Generals film adaptation gets an Aplus ONLY FOR THE BATTLE SCENES but the rest of the movie is an F ! A real shame , I would still love to see The Last Full Measure filmed.
That’s funny. Shaara REALLY dislikes the movie Green Berets… when I went through Special Forces selection a long time ago, when it was all done, to celebrate, our our NCOIC (who was a Green Beret of course) had us all watch that movie because HE at least really liked the movie… and those of us who were all there trying out for SF enjoyed it…
I've read many of his books. I believe Six on WWII, two on the Revolution, and the two on the Civil War. I feel stupid. I was pronouncing his name wrong. I was putting the accent on the second syllable.
It's getting all too common that when I watch Reel History, I end up ordering a book from Amazon. I now have a nice Hardbound copy of The Frozen Hours, on the way. You haven't steered me wrong, yet. I'm running out of room to keep books I've read.
The book is always better than the movie.
I always felt Gods and Generals would have been better with a tighter screenplay (without the happy slave scenes too). It's too bad Mr. Shaara wasn't asked to do the script.
The months long campaign on Guadalcanal would be difficult to condense into into a single novel, but someone were to try it I would focus on the two day long Naval battle of Guadalcanal. Focus on the events leading up to it on why the Japanese were so desperate to land troops and supplies and how knocking out airfield was a priority. Couple that with the dynamic of how the naval balance of power in the changed between day and night thanks for the air cover Henderson field provided. Nearing the climax focus on on the the US Navy's disastrous first night as the cruiser force under Admiral Callaghan gets mauled, but manages to hold on long enough to prevent the bombardment of Henderson field.
Then in the finale on the second night show how a completely ad hoc US Navy task force thrown together from two inexperienced relatively new battleships the Washington and South Dakota alongside four destroyers who had barely had any time to co-ordinate with each other get tossed together and told to hold the line against an overwhelming enemy force led by the Japanese Battleship Kirishima with the result being the destroyers all but wiped out, the South Dakota disable and severely damaged, and the Washington largely undetected by the Japanese sneaking up on the Kirishima and engaging her at point blank range sinking her causing the Japanese to turn back.
That was a great interview. Can't wait for the TR novel. Thanks Jared and crew.
Mr. Shaara is too polite to say this, but I'm not: Gods and Generals is Lost Cause hagiography, pure and simple. Gettysburg has its own sins—slavery is pushed far to the background, not one Black character has any dialogue, and it feeds too much into the brother-against-brother myth—but at least it's an honest attempt to show the significance of the battle from more than one perspective, and that's no easy job. The movie version of Gods and Generals, on the other hand, is full-tilt neo-Confederate hogwash. And it's boring.
I ask allot of people in the hobby, usually around a campfire and or while partaking in beverages, I wonder who he like better as Lee, Duvall or Sheen? I myself loved them both, but I feel Duvall (being a Virginian himself) grabbed what I feel the persona of Lee would be like.
sounds like his Pearl Harbor book is very similar to “At Dawn We Slept” which I am currently reading for the first time.
I was around 12 or 13 years old when I met BOTH of you at a book store at Gettysburg! Mr. Shaara was signing books and you were putting out a book about illustrated biographies of the Civil War! I became a history major in college and doing a bunch of stuff in the field now because of both of your influences. So it's awesome to see you two do this great interview!
I agree it would have been better if they stuck to his book. That said, the extended cut is slightly better than what got released in theaters. The 20-30 minutes of Maryes heights at Fredericksburg is the best part of the movie.
There was one film about the Chosin Reservoir. Retreat Hell. I hope you can put this on your list of movies to review.
What a charming man! Such a good interview. I'd love to see more one on one interviews like this.
Andrew, your editing has improved so much. Thanks for all the hard work you put into these.
Cheers to you both!
Excellent interview and insight! Like you, I caught the Civil War bug in the early 90s. I was 10 years old when Ken Burns’ Civil War came out, and remember watching it with my dad. Then a few years later I remember sitting in the theater and watching Gettysburg for the first time, followed by many viewings on that classic double VHS set! I remember how excited I was when I learned Jeff would be following in his father’s footsteps. I loved every page of Gods and Generals and the Last Full Measure. Gone for Soldiers was also an amazing and underrated book. It was fascinating to read about so many of the Civil War’s personalities in their younger years!
I was fortunate enough to be chosen as a reenactor to participate in filming Gods and Generals. It was an amazing experience that I will always cherish and enjoyed along with my dad and brother. Stephen Lang was an amazing actor, and an amazing person. I will never forget him sitting down in the catering tent to eat with the reenactors. He truly cared about getting the performance right, and I was glad to hear that Mr. Shaara agreed with that! I do wish the screenplay would have followed the book more closely, and still don’t understand why they went away from the wonderful story Jeff put on paper.
I would love to see Jeff write about young George Washington in the French & Indian War…what a fascinating experience it would be to read his style of story telling recounting the events of Jumonville Glen, Fort Necessity, and the Battle of the Monongahela!
Gods and Generals, Killer Angels, A Blaze of Glory, A Chain of Thunder, The Smoke at Dawn, The Fateful Lightning and The Last Full Measure would make a great series. I think they could be run together well.
The costumes were too clean, perhaps immaculate. No one was dirty from dusty road marches, sweating in woolen uniforms, and sleeping on the ground. That's Hollywood..
The Battle of Chosin Reservoir actually has been made into a two part movie in China. It is called The Battle at the Lake Changlin (2021) and part two in (2022). Naturally, it is from the Chinese point of view, but it does show the hardships that both sides endured. To my surprise, it accurately, portrays the American escape.
He sure complains a lot for a guy that claims he doesn’t want to complain.