Gettysburg.

• Author: Rothenberg, Robert S.

This epic, four hour-plus presentation of the three-day battle that turned the tide of the Civil War has followed a rather eccentric path. Originally devised as a mini-series for Ted Turner's TNT cable network, it instead wound up as a major motion picture release, reaching modest audiences for a film of such spectacle. Ironically, its appearance on video finally may attract the wide viewer base that alluded it on the big screen.

The movie's length - some disparaging critics claimed that the original battle seemed shorter - was daunting, despite an intermission that virtually turned it into a double feature. At home, the ability to stop the video while going for snacks or to the bathroom makes prospects more palatable. Once nestled in front of the TV set, viewers will find a rare combination of entertainment and

education that. despite the cast of thousands and panoramic sweep, is surprisingly intimate in personifying this historical watershed.

By concentrating on various military figures, household names and lesser-knowns who played key roles, the confusion of 70,000 Confederate troops clashing with a Union force numbering 80,000 becomes relatively easy to decipher. Military strategy of both sides untolds clearly, and the reasons for and results of each action are easy to follow. The use of actual locations and re-enactors - Civil War buffs in full uniform who annually re-create famous battles - as...