Cold Mountain

[exlrrp]

Just went and saw this.
A lot of you Rebs Ive talked with in the past may not believe this but I always related the most to the Rebs after the war---I went and gave it my best shot--and well beat I got for my efforts but the sonsabitches lost it anyway.
I definitaly thought of myself as another Veteran of a Lost Cause.
I think this film is some definite food for thought apropos our war, I think there's some real comparisons.
I mean how much do you want to give to a lost cause? Who wanted to be the last man to die for a horrible mistake??
When is it time to just go home?
There's some intersting insights on PTSD and life on the homefront.
This film was beautifully done, may be the next oscar winner, I'll bet Kidman, Zolweiger and Law all get Oscar nominations. Soome beautiful shots of NorthCarolina, it is a beautiful place--but how long does it take to walk across it, anyway?
I'm not a big Jude Law fan I must admit, he looks too much like a lost deer caught in the headlights. Most people I knew had The Look after seeing too much.
The plot seemed a little contrived--the good were too good, the bad were too bad, but it sure did well show the misery involved. I havent read the book so I don't know how well it followed it.
One thing they don't show: 2 out of 3 Union soldiers who fought in The Crater were black--was this not shown out of PC or just historical inaccuracy.
It was a little too long for me and too many long significant looks for me (as opposed to T&A but there's somma that too) but other than that I'd recommend it--about a thumb and a half up.
I won't tell you the ending, case you go

[Arrow]

Originally posted by Desdichado I don't think ANY "war movie" about ANY war could be considered accurate. Oh, they can get all the little technical details right if they try, but ultimately all you're going to get is a snapshot at best. Unfortunately, anyone who wasn't actually there is going to seize on that snapshot as if it were some kind of all-encompassing mural. People tend to treat movies as history, even when they're clearly not.

Good Morning Vietnam works as a film because it's not a movie about Vietnam, it's a movie set IN Vietnam. It's a freaking huge difference that film makers just don't seem to get.

I think films like We Were Soldiers are nothing more than pornographic violence. It's one thing when a book tells a story about something that happened. A book is a personal thing. It informs. When it gets turned into hundreds of people sitting in air-conditioned padded seats, munching popcorn and watching people die for their entertainment on a Friday night, it just transcends sick. Life has no soundtrack.

And I don't know what Oliver Stone(d) was thinkin' with his movies, but I'd like to punch him in the nose.

I was trying to find words to compare the movie Cold Mountainwith the book of the same title by Charles Frazier and could not. Your whole post expresses my thoughts perfectly.

I went to see the movie Cold Mountainand the description of the story contained in the book that Griz had told me about was not there. I left the movie and got to the book store before it closed at 11 pm.They had the book andit took me on a journey that I will never forget.

The opposite happened with We Were Soldiers I read the book and saw the movie with my children in their home. It was a serious time and not a form of entertainment for any of us. Again the movie could never tell the story contained in the book. I do think there was one good thing that came out of that movie and that is a more respectful view of the Vietnam Veteran and what he lived through. Other than that I would agree completely with your statement that Hollywood War Stories are largely poronographic violence.

Arrow>>>>>

[Arrow]

A perfect description of "Soldiers Heart" told in the journey of Inman as he finds his way home to Cold Mountain.

Peace,

Arrow>>>>>

[39mto39g]

I haven't see it and don't plan to.
Some people see the guy as some kind of hero making his way back to his girl.
I see the guy as a deserter, should be shot, End of story.

Ron

[DMZ-LT]

Don't go to the movies much but the book was one of my favorites of all time. I can still " see " the old lady cutting the goats jugular vein and petting and comforting him as he died in order to feed her guest. The cycle of life.

[phuloi]

Won`t pay to see the movie..might see it on HBO some day.I read the book a couple of years ago when it was sent to me by my dear,departed sister.One of the very best historical novels I`ve ever read.James and Arrow`s insight on Inman`s PTSD is right on,and much more prevelant in the book,according to Arrow`s review.

Thousands of boys fighting for The Confederacy,having endurred sub-human conditions,headed for the hill country of Tennessee,No. Carolina,and Northern Ga. You`re right,Ron.They were deserters,technically,but they had been fed magot-infested meat,were ill supplied militarily,and were all but forgotten by their commanders.I can`t blame them for their decision to di di.

[39mto39g]

deserters, in that time were different than now, and the story you told would be one to say, see ya, Im outa hear. If historys accout is true or just some story to make this a "LOVE"story and make you feel sorry for him.
History writters have a way with writting history they way they want you to see it, not the way it really was.

Ron

[Packo]

Cold Mountain:

Read the book years ago. Loved it....Movie was first movie I ever saw that did a great job of interpreting the book.

Zelwinger stole the movie. She was great.

James, I hate to tell you this but it was not filmed in NC. When I watching the movie I leaned over to Deb and said..."That ain't North Carolina". We watched the credits at the end. Filmed in Romania which would explain the lack of black extra's for the battle scene. NC was not chosen because of all the development now in the mountains. Too many electric wires etc. Its being ruined by yankees movin' down...just like the coast. (No offense to my yankee friends)

Ron, I cannot judge a man that fought in 3 years + in combat you and I could never imagine, in conditions worse than anything we had, with no food, or resupply to speak of. No man who fought in Gettysburg, Petersburg, etc. could be a coward. He'd just had enough and went home. Just my thoughts. We used to say in the field, that coward and hero stuff don't mean nuthin'. Plus if I had Nicole and Rene waitin' on me......I would have run home!

J.E.B. Packo
Unreconstructed Southerner.

[Gimpy]

"COLD MOUNTAIN" was (is) close to where my ancestors first established homesteads in North Carolina in the early 1800's. Started out in a little town called Marshall not very far from Asheville, N.C. and worked they're way "down" the Smokies towards Cold Mountain. The REAL Cold Mountain is a beautiful place...........kinda remote for most "hikers" and easy to get lost due to lack of marked trails. I'm sure that'll change now that the movie has made it famous.

My father took me up there a couple of times in the early 1960's looking for old graveyards in old Church sites to find some of our relatives. Some of the most beautiful mountains in the world!

[Arrow]

I agree Renee Zellweger stole the show playing the part of Ruby. Next to Inman Ruby was my favorite character in the book after that I was completely fascinated with the goat woman and her worldview.

I sawsome people I love in those characters as I read and some of myself too.

The love story nor the waris the main focus of the book.Inman's journey home while descending into a place mentally that he fears he will never recover frombecause of what he has experienced in battle is the primary purpose of the author. In my thinking Charles Frazier captured the definition of "Soldier's Heart".

Peace

Arrow>>>>>