Hannibal

Sunday night sees a docudrama Hannibal - filmed in Bulgaria apparently using extras and kit for two previous roman epics Spartacus and Caesar for those of you who like that sort of information. The elephants - 3 in number were digitally reproduced - website here. The Balkans are becoming the place to film these days - anyway this what the Radio Times website says

This feature-length dramatisation of Hannibal's audacious military campaign to beat the Romans by marching his army 1,500 miles over the Alps is definitely one for viewers who like their history bloody. Every five minutes someone gets stabbed or decapitated, while the battle scenes are bathed in so much gore, they must have had a Hollywood movie-sized budget for fake blood. So beware: it may be educational but some younger viewers may find it too violent. Alexander Siddig plays the young Carthaginian warrior with the necessary zeal, while Kenneth Cranham gives the voiceover suitable gravitas. Overall, it's a well-executed if lengthy drama that reveals a bit more about the man behind the myth and gives us some impressive set pieces. However, there are a few clunking moments. notably when the dialogue spells out the obvious. I wouldn't want to be in those mountains when the snows come," a soldier tells Hannibal. And guess what happens next? While the snow and wind machines are used extensively, Hannibal's elephants, sadly, don't get much of a look-in. RT reviewer: Jane Rackham