Attila the Hun

First things first. Attila the Hun (~ 403 - 453) was King of the Huns for approximately the last twenty years of his life, although the most turbulent and most researched were the last two. Attila had quite a military mind and did indeed challenge the might of Rome, but everything else in this US made-for-TV mini-series is a combination of drama and imagination. However, it isn't as bad as you are probably thinking right about now, and if a good three hour epic on a wet Sunday afternoon is your thing, then Attila The Hun is well worth a look.

Made in 2001, Attila The Hun follows the life of Attila from boyhood to his untimely death aged about 50, although watching this DVD he still looks about 30 and no attempt has been made to show him ageing. It begins with the slaying of the young Attila’s family during a raid by a neighbouring tribe, and his escape from the besieged village. He is eventually ‘rescued’ by his uncle, who is king of his tribe, and Attila grows into the role of Prince almost by default. After dealing with his less-ambitious half-brother, Attila embarks on a campaign to unite the Huns under his rule, with a view to conquering the world.

The Huns were essentially a collection of tribes in eastern Europe and Asia, with a reputation for being fierce and ruthlessly savage. Attila's rise to King of the Huns didn’t go unnoticed by Rome (split into two empires), and they became increasingly interested in, and fearful of, the Huns, and planned a campaign to either contain, or defeat, them. Attila, encouraged by the visions of his entrusted soothsayer, and being arrogant and over-confident, set about on a campaign of conquest, gradually eating away at Rome's territories and enslaving the inhabitants. In the process of uniting the Huns, he struck an extortion deal with Theodosius II, Emperor of East Rome. In return for cash and wealth, the Huns would not attack. This deal held for some time, until Attila's aspirations and belief in his own immortality led him to believe he had the strength to conquer the stronger Western Roman Empire, badly ruled by the idiot Emperor Valentinian III, under the direct influence of his mother. She was the real brains in the outfit, and a little peeved that her son was Emperor when she was far better qualified, but alas, also a woman.

Forced to act, several assassination plans were hatched and carried out. All failed and the Romans decided to strike after securing a deal with the Visigoths to unite and defeat the Huns once and for all. The ensuing battle was as bloody as it was strategic, and there were heavy casualties on both sides. The result was something that changed world history forever.

As mentioned, this version of Attila The Hun has but a thread of truth running through it, relying on Hollywood drama and glitz to beef it up to three hours of viewing. There are a number of things working in its favour, including elaborate (though inaccurate) costuming and sets. The actors playing Attila, and those playing his wives, are all strapping, glamorous, matinee types, when in reality Attila was an ugly bastard with a big, flat nose and wispy facial hair. The acting is fair to strong, but the battle scenes are a little light-on numbers wise. I can't believe that Attila would attack Rome with the number of men on show here. Even The Freo Dockers take more men with them to Melbourne when they attack the Imperial Forces of the evil Richmond! There are bound to be even more inaccuracies, but if you are not concerned by such things, then there is a lot here to enjoy.

Attila The Hun is presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and is 16x9 enhanced, so it wins Brownie points straight away. Being made for television, this was unexpected. The picture is generally clear and sharp, with just a little softening. Shadow detail is good, and there is almost no evidence of grain. There is some very mild low-level noise, but generally black levels are acceptable.

Colours are rich, and in an epic such as this with its many costumes, sets and scenery, it adds to the majestic feel. There is no evidence of any colour bleeding or cross-colouration. There are a few film artefacts, but not enough to be distracting. Aliasing is a slight problem, but overall this is a very watchable transfer.

The layer change is placed at 83:39 and while not mid-sentence, is distractingly placed mid-scene. Brownie points off for that. I have read and heard of some players having trouble with this layer change, but I had no problem at all, other than where it is placed.

It's a shame that the only audio on offer here is Dolby Digital 2.0, as there is much that would have sounded even grander and had more impact in 5.1. There are a number of battle scenes, for example, that would have sounded more menacing in full surround sound. Also, the music is quite dramatic, and would have been more so had it been presented in full surround sound.

What is presented still sounds good, however. The low-level sounds do have a good presence, and there is noticeable separation between left and right speakers. No other speakers or the subwoofer are used. The dialogue is clear and in sync, and no accents hinder the audio. The French and German audio are at an appropriate volume.

There are no extras on offer, not even an animated menu.

Like the traditional Sunday afternoon movie matinee, there is a sense of the expected about this. It breaks no new ground in special effects, nor does it set out to achieve the record for most screen deaths in three hours. It is simply a story about a significant historical figure thrashed out, liberally embellished, and ending up a little better than the average Sunday afternoon fair. There are no big names in the cast (aside from Steven Burkoff and you're probably already asking, "who?"), but they do a creditable job. If you like epics, then this is for you - if not, then steer clear. I guess, at worst, you could wait and see if it comes to TV, but imagine how long 170 minutes will drag out to be with commercial breaks thrown in.