Hatfields and Mccoys

Really well done mini-series. Acting is phenomenal by so many people. Look up "Hatfields and McCoys" on IMDb and there's a very long line of productions on this topic. Rightly so since it is such an incredible piece of history on so many levels. But, none of those productions comes anywhere near this mini-series with Kevin Costner totally in his element. Gorgeous country/nature, too. The plot follows the history well-enough. It's a dramatization not a documentary. If I were a McCoy, perhaps, I would be a bit upset because - honestly, for me - I sided with the Hatfields. Perhaps, that could be a criticism but bible thumping and righteousness gets me annoyed every time and Randall McCoy is heavy-handed with it. One of my favorite lines in the mini-series was when Devil Anse Hatfield said to the ever-righteous Randall McCoy: "....you're just a huckleberry above a persimmon..." Can't wait to use that quip. The writing and the authenticity of language was realistic enough - although, admittedly, I am no expert.

I have to say I was skeptical to say the least when I first heard of this TV-show. A western with Kevin Costner sounded like something we have all already seen, so many times. I even considered not to watch it just because it sounded little lame to me. Well because there are so few shows about civil war the and time after that I decided to watch it anyway. And oh boy I am glad I did.

As I said there is so few good shows or movies about this era. In my opinion this is one of the best. A good dose of action and drama! There is romance and there is some good old western shooting and riding. Tho the thing I like best about this mini show is that it really feels authentic. Its like I am there watching the rebuild of the south after a long civil war. So all the history fans out there I am pretty sure you will like it a lot. I think all the actors do a great job! The characters are quite deep and interesting. Some of them also little comical. My favorite is Bill Paxton as Randall McCoy! The father and head of the family and a man full of so much agony and bitterness. I like Kevin Costners performance too!

The fact that I like this genre so much might affect my review but I still think this is a show well worth watching.

As a descendant of the Hatfield clan I found everything shown in this mini series mostly true. As a young teenager I did a report on it for school. The Johnse/Rosanna romance was true. As for Johnse being a romancer of women Rosanna even mentions that in part 1. The stolen pig is true along with the all of the killings that took place. The only parts I haven't confirmed in my time on earth is the part where Devil Anse takes Johnse fishing to find out if he told Nancy where the Hatfields were and Devil Anse being baptized. It's by far the best movie production by far about the feud. A lot of the little things like the 2 guys cutting the tree on the down hillside which isn't the way to cut a tree doesn't bother me. The major points of the feud were brought out n now a lot more know about history of the Hatfield & McCoys.

I enjoyed Hatfields & McCoys except for one thing: The audio in the first segment was horrible. So bad in fact that most of my friends turned it off after 30 minutes because they couldn't understand what the actors were saying. The plot, especially in the beginning was very important to the rest of the story, and there were so many characters involved that if you didn't know what they said, you were lost. The biggest issue was the mumbling of the actors, combined with what appeared to be lousy sound pick-up. Further along into part one, the audio seemed to clear up and the actors stopped mumbling for the most part. The second and third parts of the series were much better, audio wise.

Be aware that I am from southern WV, and while it may be hard for people outside this area to understand the dialect, it isn't for me. The early mumbling and audio was just bad.

Now, as far as the rest of the movie: I give it a 7, which is high for me. I'm glad to see the fact that these people weren't portrayed as stupid barefoot hillbillies. Check the history of Devil Anse on the Net and you'll find out that he was smart, wealthy, and the family turned out doctors and lawyers and governors. All in all, I like the show.

Ted Mann is a genius. Brought a bit of Deadwood to this piece and when the writing is great and the piece is filmed with such professionalism the results are going to be good. This is an amazing piece of history and all involved should be proud. I especially loved Costner, Mare Winningham, Tom Berringer and Jenna Malone, though I could name many more. What a story! I have to go back to Kevin Costner. I didn't understand a few of his lines, but here he is playing (and playing well) a generational historic character and doing it in a way that I did not think he had the capability of doing. He is wonderful as Devil Anse. It just goes to show you that if you give a talented pro great lines, they'll deliver. And he did, big time. This is tough, gritty and beautiful film making and if history means anything to you, I highly recommend Hatfields and McCoys.