Four score and 136 minutes more ago

If you’re planning on seeing “Gods and Generals” when it opens Friday, make sure take along a seat cushion. The film runs three hours and 36 minutes.

Of course, that is something of an improvement. “Gettysburg,” the 1993 movie to which “Gods and Generals” is a prequel, ran four hours and 21 minutes.

“Gods and Generals” tells the story of the Civil War events that led up to “Gettysburg,” which in real life took place on July 1-3, 1863. Though the focus is on Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, many characters from the first film make an appearance. This includes the real-life heroes of Little Round Top — Col. Joshua Chamberlain (Jeff Daniels) and his brother Thomas (C. Thomas Howell), plus their fictional Irish sergeant Buster Kilrain (Kevin Conway).

And supposedly if you look, you’ll see a grinning Ted Turner somewhere. Turner was one of the film’s executive producers, so it’s only natural that he would want to be in the middle of the action.

I hope to spot him. That is, if I don’t fall asleep.