Feature film about the Battle of New Orleans back on track

"The Battle of New Orleans," a long-stalled historical epic recounting events leading up to and during the historic 1815 clash, is again moving forward. "Kidnap" producer Joey Tufaro and his locally based Gold Star Films have been bought on board to co-produce the film with project founders Fred and Ken Atchity. Their hope is to bring the film before cameras in 2018 and release it into theaters by the end of 2019.

The Atchity brothers first announced their plans for the film -- which they envisioned in the vein of 2000's "The Patriot" and 1995's "Braveheart" -- in January 2015, the battle's bicentennial year. Their ambitious outlook called for filming to begin in 2015 with a release date as early as 2016. Both dates came and went, however, with little movement on the project.

Now, though, with Tufaro and his Gold Star Films partner Todd Trosclair on board -- both fresh off the success of the release in July of "Kidnap," an action-thriller starring Halle Berry -- the project has been given new life. According to Tufaro, negotiations are underway to attract big-name actors to the project, and possibly a high-profile actor-director, although he said it's too early in the process to reveal the names being sought.

"The Battle of New Orleans" will be filmed in the New Orleans area and will be based on author Ron Drez's nonfiction book "The War of 1812: Conflict and Deception," which recounts the against-all-odds story behind the battle. "What most people don't realize about the Battle of New Orleans is how pivotal it actually was in deciding the fate of our young nation," Tufaro said.

Fought as part of the War of 1812 -- which has been characterized as the American Revolution 2.0 -- the Battle of New Orleans saw Gen. Andrew Jackson commanding a ragtag force cobbled together of several factions, from American Indians and Cajun farmers to free men of color and the pirate Jean Lafitte's band of privateers, in an effort to defend the city against the British. The two sides met just downriver from the French Quarter on Jan. 8, 1815, at Chalmette Battlefield. By the time the dust had settled, the British had suffered an estimated 2,600 casualties, compared to about a dozen for the American side, making for a decisive American victory.

While the battle was famously fought after the Treaty of Ghent had been signed to end the war, word of the treaty hadn't yet gotten to the battlefield. Consequently, generations of schoolchildren were taught the battle was unnecessary. But there are those -- including Drez -- who speculate that, had the British won the war and taken New Orleans, the treaty might have been immediately nullified by the British, who would have then taken control of the city -- and thus the Mississippi River.

"Together, (Jackson's forces) defeated the British armada, which enabled The Treaty of Ghent to be ratified by Congress, thus ensuring the continuing independence of the United States of America," Tufaro said.

The resumption of progress on the Atchity brothers' "Battle of New Orleans" project is particularly timely. First, since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has repeatedly cited Jackson as one of his political idols. A portrait of Jackson hangs in Trump's Oval Office, and the president visited Jackson's tomb in Nashville, Tenn., in March.

It also, however, comes at a time in which Jackson's legacy -- including his championing of the brutal Indian Removal Act as president -- has drawn renewed scrutiny. Amid recent calls for removal of Confederate monuments around the country, some have called for Jackson's iconic statue in New Orleans to be removed and his name scrubbed from the public square dedicated in his honor. (For the record, Jackson was never a part of the Confederacy; he died 15 years before the Civil War began.)

Tafaro, however, shrugged off any potential for controversy, pointing out that -- irrespective of Jackson's legacy in other areas -- the battle marked a pivotal point not just in New Orleans' history but in American history.

"Andrew Jackson, like most well-known historical figures, had a polarizing personality and many of his policies would be controversial given today's political climate," Tufaro said Monday (Aug. 21). "Our film concentrates on the tremendous sacrifices he and his men made to shape our country's landscape for generations of Americans to come."

"The Battle of New Orleans" won't be the first film to focus on Jackson, Lafitte and the Battle of New Orleans. In 1938, Cecil B. DeMille directed "The Buccaneer," starring Fredric March as Lafitte and Hugh Sothern as Jackson. Two decades later, actor Anthony Quinn directed a 1958 remake, with Charlton Heston playing Jackson and Yul Brynner as Lafitte.

The script for a competing "Battle of New Orleans" project, penned by Daniel Kunka, has also been circulating in Hollywood in recent years, even landing in 2015 on the Black List, an annual ranking of the most liked unproduced screenplays in Hollywood.

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The Advocate Guest commentary: Sir Peter Westmacott: The last battle

Photo provided by the Library of Congress -- The Battle of New Orleans. General Andrew Jackson stands on the parapet of his makeshift defenses as his troops repulse attacking Highlanders, by painter Edward Percy Moran in 1910.

Two hundred years ago today, the armies of the United States and United Kingdom fought each other for the last time. My country, the United Kingdom, was resoundingly defeated in that battle, the Battle of New Orleans. So you may find it odd that I’ve traveled to New Orleans to join in the city’s commemorations.

I’ve come here because, while we remember the past and a great American victory, we celebrate even more the peace that followed — and the extraordinarily close and effective alliance the U.K. and the U.S. have built since.

The Battle of New Orleans is perhaps the most important of all the 1812 anniversaries, even if it is a battle that should never have been fought: the Treaty of Ghent had been concluded three weeks earlier but word hadn’t reached the opposing armies!

Winston Churchill’s final advice to his cabinet was “Never be separated from the Americans.” I’m pleased to report that since 1815, our countries have never stood on opposing sides in battle and today our relationship has never been closer. The “special relationship,” a phrase coined by Churchill, is as impressive in breadth as it is in depth.

Our soldiers, sailors and airmen train together, deploy together and recuperate together. We share intelligence and capabilities with each other that we don’t share with any other allies. Right now, U.K. and U.S. air force personnel are working tirelessly over Iraq to degrade the Islamic State group and eliminate the threat this brutal terrorist organization poses to our people and people around the world.

Beyond our unparalleled military alliance, the United States and Great Britain boast the world’s largest bilateral investment relationship. The trillion dollars we invest in each other’s economies — more or less evenly — supports a million jobs on each side of the Atlantic. In Louisiana, over 11,000 workers are employed by companies based in the U.K. — more than any other country.

Our shared fundamental values, from the Magna Carta through the Bill of Rights to the present day, are still the values that inspire people in every country on Earth. We share a common language. We watch each other’s television programs and movies, we enjoy each other’s music. The top minds of our countries study and work together. We share the top 10 and all but three of the top 20 universities in the world. Young Brits and Americans continue to clamor for prestigious scholarships, like Rhodes, Marshall, Gates and Fulbright.

So the special relationship — or, as President Barack Obama has called it, the indispensable relationship — is one of real substance. From the battlefield, to the boardroom, to the classroom, the United Kingdom has no greater partner than the United States.

Today, plans will be unveiled for the New Orleans Passage to Unity Memorial garden, dedicated to the Battle of New Orleans and the lives lost in that fight. But it will also serve as a tribute to the extraordinary relationship that has since developed between our two great nations.

It is for this reason that the British government is working with British and American businesses to help fund the memorial. Together, we can ensure it will serve as a testament to how far we have come in the last 200 years, and as a living reminder that the world is far safer and more prosperous when our countries stand together.

Sir Peter Westmacott is Britain’s ambassador to the United States.

Ken and Fred Atchity of Atchity Brothers Entertainment will produce the feature film, Andrew Jackson—Battle For New Orleans

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                          

Jan. 9, 2015

Jacques Berry
Office of the Lieutenant Governor                                

225.342.8607                                                                                                   

jberry@crt.la.gov                                                                                                                                            

LT. GOV. DARDENNE ANNOUNCES A-LIST PRODUCER TO CREATE
BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS FILM

Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne announced plans for a major motion picture about the Battle of New Orleans. Ken and Fred Atchity of Atchity Brothers Entertainment will produce the feature film, Andrew Jackson—Battle For New Orleans, based on military historian Ron Drez’s latest book, The War of 1812: Conflict And Deception. The project is endorsed by the Battle of New Orleans Bicentennial Commission.

“We have commemorated the Battle of New Orleans Bicentennial all week and it’s exciting to end the week announcing a feature film to ensure the Battle’s story lives on,” Lt. Governor Dardenne said. “This film will remind the country that America’s success as a nation was solidified 200 years ago in Chalmette.”

Andrew Jackson arrived in New Orleans December 1814 to discover a local force in place with fewer than 1,000 soldiers. In two weeks he put together an army to face the grand British force. Jackson assembled a ragtag group of soldiers including pirates, free men of color, American Indians and visiting militia from other states. The battle ended with a U.S. victory on Jan. 8, 1815.

“Jackson’s unpredictable victory is made for film because everyone enjoys rooting for the underdog,” producer Ken Atchity said. “His leadership bringing together folks from every race, nationality and walk of life to create a force to defeat the vastly superior British Army and solidify our position as Americans is an important story to tell.”

The Battle of New Orleans was an important subject in pop culture during the mid-20^th century. Films such as The Buccaneer focusing on pirate Jean Laffite and his contribution to the Battle in 1938 and the film’s remake in 1958 starring Yul Brynner were huge successes. In addition, Johnny Horton’s 1959 song The Battle of New Orleans topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for six weeks.

“It would be great to see the Battle of New Orleans back in the pop culture spotlight,” Lt. Governor Dardenne said. “The story is interesting enough to capture the attention of any generation.”

The Atchity brothers are expected to announce actors and directors for the Battle of New Orleans film soon.

For more information about the Battle of New Orleans Bicentennial Commission, visit BattleOfNewOrleans2015.com or the commission’s Facebook page. Use #BONO2015 on social media.

--LouisianaTravel.com--

Maryland Shines Spotlight on War of 1812

As we prepare Andrew Jackson—Battle for New Orleans the news begins to serve the project and will refresh American memory about the controversial War of 1812 that ended definitively with Jackson’s defeat of the British at New Orleans.

BALTIMORE—Maryland officials are on a campaign to elevate the profile of the War of 1812, a historically unpopular conflict that ended in a draw with Britain and has long been overshadowed by the Revolutionary and Civil wars.

The state is planning a weeklong festival next month to mark the 200th anniversary of the city's defense in 1814, which inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the poem that later became the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner," the national anthem.

State officials also have awarded $5.5 million in grants for celebrations, educational programs and research, hoping to generate a lasting patriotic buzz about Maryland's starring role in a war that largely has been written off as a historical footnote.

"This is not just about having a party and shutting it down for another hundred years," said Bill Pencek, executive director of Maryland's War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission. He said the state is counting on an enduring tourism boost.

If it is recalled at all, the War of 1812, which ended in 1815, is most often remembered for the British burning of Washington and the White House. But some of the lowest and highest points in the conflict actually occurred in nearby Maryland.

The error-filled collapse of American troops in Bladensburg, Md., in August 1814 gave the British easy entrée to the nation's capital. By contrast, the successful defense of Baltimore amid the British bombardment at Fort McHenry helped fuel American patriotism when an oversized American flag stood tall following the siege.

Commemorative coins are displayed for sale at the Fort McHenry gift shop. Melissa Golden for The Wall Street Journal

The war was folly, said Don Hickey, a history professor at Wayne State College in Nebraska who has written books on the subject. Though the U.S. declared war over legitimate British interference with American trade and the seizure of its sailors, it made no sense militarily, he said.

Still, the conflict "helped forge an American identity," Mr. Hickey said, and gave rise to such lasting symbols as Uncle Sam. It also helped propel the political careers of prominent U.S. figures, including future President Andrew Jackson, who defeated a British force near New Orleans in 1815, unaware that the two countries had signed a truce weeks earlier.

The Maryland grants, funded by corporate sponsorships and commemorative coin sales, have been matched by $14 million in public and private contributions. They have financed an IMAX film, improvements to the sleepy waterfront in southern Maryland where British forces landed, the restoration of an insect-ravaged cavalry jacket, and a camera network called KeyCam that gives people the same view of Fort McHenry that Mr. Key saw.

Much of the funding is focused along The Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail, a 560-mile route tracing the paths of British and American forces in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

On Maryland's Eastern Shore this Sunday, a $93,000 grant is subsidizing the re-enactment of the Battle of Caulk's Field on one of the war's most pristine battlefields.

There, a local militia repelled marauding British troops without help from American soldiers. Among the 14 British killed was Sir Peter Parker, a cousin of the poet Lord Byron, who wrote an ode in his relative's honor.

Even many locals don't know that history, said Bernadette Bowman, director of the Kent County Office of Tourism Development. "This is the forgotten war. We weren't taught this," she said.


Reposted from the Wall Street Journal

Write to Scott Calvert at scott.calvert@wsj.com