Monday, May 12, 2008

LincolnStudies.com Redesign & Hollywood's Lincoln

Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940)

Welcome to the newly redesigned LincolnStudies.com! Though we're still in the process of uploading the individual archive, document, and book review pages, each of our redesigned main pages should already be in place.

I encourage you to give the site a quick scan. You'll find a handful of new features. For instance, the Lincoln on Ebay page now features a whopping 200 live auctions!

Similarly, the Bookstore page has a new look. Now the page features a rotating selection of new Lincoln books available for purchase from Amazon.com. Whether you wish to purchase books or simply keep up to date on new publications, I think you'll find the page useful. While you're there, click the link just below today's date; it will take you to our expanded Bookstore, which features 16 different categories of books, music, and dvds for the history enthusiast. We even have a category for children's books!

As always, I encourage you to send me an email if you experience any problems as you navigate through the redesigned site. You should be able to find my email by clicking on my name, which will soon be at the bottom of every page on the site.

Now, onto our regularly scheduled program...

As you can see by today's image, I want to talk about Hollywood's Lincoln. Today's image is a publicity poster for Robert E. Sherwood's 1940 film, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, starring Raymond Massey. The film was based on the Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same title, which in recent years has enjoyed a run on Broadway with Sam Waterson playing the lead role.

Both the film and the play follow Lincoln from his early days as a lawyer up to the election of 1860; however, they both end before Lincoln takes office.

As many of you know, Hollywood now has its eye set on Lincoln's presidency.

Stephen Spielberg has plans to turn Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals into a major motion picture.

As I've reported, Liam Neeson is slated to play Lincoln, while Sally Field will portray Mary. There is also word that Harrison Ford will play Andrew Johnson.

More than a year ago, Spielberg hinted that filming would begin just after he finished shooting the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones saga. However, it appears the plan has changed.

The Los Angeles Times is now reporting that instead of the Lincoln biopic, Spielberg's next project will be Tintin, which will go into production in September. He has told a German magazine that he is going to wait until early 2009 to film Lincoln.

Barring any other delays, I suppose we might look forward to a 2009 or early 2010 release date.

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