Genghis Khan ( Genghis Khan: To The Ends Of The Earth And Sea )

Genghis Khan (DVD) (*)

~~$23.99~~ $17.97

Alternate Title: Genghis Khan: To The Ends Of The Earth And Sea
Language Selections:
Dutch ( Subtitles )
English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 )

Product Origin/Format:
Netherlands ( PAL/Region 2 )

Running Time:
50 min

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen

Special Features:
Interactive Menu
Scene Access

Movie filmed in 2005 and produced in:
Germany ( Germany, Central Europe )
United Kingdom ( Great Britain, Ireland )

Directed By:
Edward Bazalgette

Written By:
Isabelle Grey

Actors:
Orgil Makhaan ..... Genghis Khan
Unubold Batbayar ..... Young Temujin
Unurjargal Jigjidsuren ..... Subodei
Erdenetsetseg Bazarragchaa ..... Hoelun
Ankhnyam Rachaa ..... Borte
Bayarkhuu Purvee ..... Jamuka
Kenneth Cranham ..... Voice of Genghis Khan (voice)
Alisdair Simpson ..... Narrator (voice)

Synopsis:

After 27 years of planning, Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea finally captures the mystery and majesty of one of history's greatest rulers Genghis Khan. This landmark achievement of Japanese cinema represents an epic undertaking not soon to be rivaled. Genghis Khan: the name a legend. The man near myth. A soul obscured by his own achievements; Son, husband, father, conqueror. Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea weaves the saga of one exalted man's march toward immortality and the battle to unite the tribes of Mongol under one rule.

Of all the images the name Genghis Khan brings to mind, that of a visionary who brought literacy, law and culture to his people rarely springs to mind. His name is usually synonymous with evil, his image that of a brutal barbarian who slaughtered millions in his quest for power. Yet a BBC drama-documentary is aiming to change the reputation of one of the world's most notorious warlords to that of a heroic figure who achieved greatness against all odds. 'Genghis Khan is right up there with the likes of Hitler and Attila the Hun as one of the bogeymen of history,' said Ed Bazalgette, the programme's producer. 'We hear the phrase 'somewhere to the Right of Genghis Khan'. Everyone has heard the name yet few people know much about his story. 'It is one of the great untold stories of history and we wanted to get behind the myths. No one is suggesting that he was a benign individual but his history was written by those he defeated. 'To make a parallel, imagine if our country's history was written by the people of Africa or India. He was intent on sharing his riches with his people, and wanted to raise levels of culture, law and literacy. He also brought Chinese medicine to his people.' 'Amassing material wealth did not matter much to him, as he shared everything with his loyal supporters. He was seen as a generous leader. 'Genghis Khan also demonstrated a rather liberal and tolerant attitude to the beliefs of others, and never persecuted people on religious grounds.'
Born in Mongolia sometime after 1160, he created the largest known empire, covering a fifth of the world, stretching from the Pacific to the Black Sea. He lived in a brutal world. His father was killed when he was nine and, at the age of 13, he killed his half-brother in a dispute over who would lead the family. Such is the cult of Genghis Khan in his homeland that last year when Mongolians had to register family names for an election - after having only first names in the Communist era - 50,000 of the 2.5 million population registered themselves as part of his clan. Mr Bazalgette's programme involved six weeks filming on the Mongolian steppes in 100F heat and cost £1million. The cast included 150 horsemen from the Mongolian army, as well as a team of Hungarian stuntmen. Mr Bazalgette said his team was welcomed by a nation eager for the world to know more about its founding father. 'Genghis Khan has suffered centuries of vilification here,' he added. 'But he is seen in a different light in Mongolia.'

Genghis Khan, ruthless leader of the Mongols and sovereign over the vastest empire ever ruled by a single man, was both god and devil - not just in the Middle Ages, but for centuries to come.

This product was added to our catalog on Wednesday 06 August, 2008.

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