In The Footsteps Of Alexander The Great (1998/BBC DVD Set)
Picture:
C Sound: C+ Extras: B- Episodes: B-
Still
unsatisfied with the Oliver Stone film, the 1998 documentary mini-series In The Footsteps Of Alexander The Great
has history expert Michael Wood retracing his steps through history by (in a
journey that would not be as easy today) going through the Middle East where
his conquest of all that land still haunts them today and it holds up better
than Stone’s failed film in all of its versions. Adults (read parents) still tell their
children to hide or Alexander will get them.
You can decide if part of this is homophobic, xenophobic and/or almost a
way to superstitiously wart-off another conquest of his scale again.
The four
hour-long shows hold up as well as when they were first broadcast, but I
remember them and though they were good, they were also repetitious and I never
felt he was able to go beyond just retracing.
That is interesting and is a side of the story you do not hear enough
(Al Qaeda and The Taliban may even still be mad about him), but it was never
totally satisfactory despite being so thorough.
Oddly, the extras help the show and bring some closure and conclusion to
what he presents, whether he realizes it or not. Those interested in the subject and
disappointed by the Stone/Colin Farrell film will want to see everything here,
as it shows just how off-base Stone’s film is.
Too bad he lost his touch.
The 1.33
X 1 full screen image was filmed in 16mm film, but looks warn, has aliasing
errors and was finished on PAL analog video, which is why these do not look as
good as they could. The Dolby Digital
2.0 Mono is a little compressed, but holds up better than the image
throughout. Extras include Wood being
interviewed looking back on the show and his journey going back and bringing
the military with him this time.
- Nicholas Sheffo
