After routing the Swedes and the Tartars, Alexander Nevsky is called once more to the breach to give the Germans a hammering. Eisenstein's portrayal of the 13th Century Russian hero is a bold, patriotic epic that served as a stirring anti-Nazi propaganda film during World War Two. find out more...

Mind those steps! Perhaps the most famous movie scene in the history of cinema. The documentary style story of mutiny aboard the Potemkin as the sailors fight oppression and fire on Tzarist troops attempting to quell rebellion in the city of Oddessa. Almost every shot is so beautiful it could work as a still. find out more...

Another striking DVD release from the BFI archives that gives a contemporary twist to a dramatic re-construction of the battle of Culloden in 1746; a conflict acknowledged by many for ending Clan unity within the Scottish Highlands. Filmed in black and white and made back in 1964 Culloden remains a striking depiction of a particularly brutal event in history. find out more...

David Lean's epic romance set against the turbulant backdrop of the Russian revolution. One man's struggle for moral political and personal survival amidst the complex web of intrigue and tangled loyalties that accompanied the fall of the Tsar.

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One of the very finest epics produced, equally impressive in terms of script and spectacle. Heston is aptly heroic as the 11th Century patriot destined to die in the fight to evict the Moors from Spain, Mann's direction is stately and thrilling and Miklos Rosza's superb score perfectly complements the crisp and simple widescreen images. Sobriety and restraint, in fact, are perhaps the keynotes of the film's success, with the result that a potentially risible finale, in which Cid's corpse is born find out more...

Robert Jordan is an idealist and with his skills as a demolition expert he finds himself with the opportunity to marry both by helping the anti-fascists during the Spanish Civil War. Amongst the band of freedom fighters Robert joins is Maria, an innocent but impassioned and beautiful young woman. As the group draw towards their ultimate mission so Robert and Maria's friendship develops into something far deeper, intensified by their uncertain fate. For The Whom the Bell Tolls was showered with O find out more...

The original big screen romantic epic that fired the hearts of generations to come. Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War and telling the tale of the love between Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler, it's the history of a selfish woman who doesn't want to admit her feelings about the man she loves, and finally loses. Won Best Picture at 1939 Academy Awards. find out more...

This is the Shakespearean opus containing many a familiar line, "Once more into the breach dear friends..." amongst them, and spoken by an absolutely outstanding cast. A must to watch, even if it's not on your school syllabus! find out more...

John Wayne's favourite John Wayne movie. Wayne is the half-Indian gunman who has thrown in his lot with the white man and discovers Page and son safely living in Apache land during an uprising. "A way of life is dying and what a great way it was". Wayne in PC movie shock! find out more...

Shot in five sections "How The West Was Won" is a sprawling multi-star epic following the fortunes of one family from 1839 and New York to 1889 and Arizona. 'The Rivers' (dir Henry Hathaway); the Prescotts head west down the Ohio river. 'The Plains' (dir Henry Hathaway); Lily moves to St Louis and on to Caifornia. 'The Civil War' (dir John Ford); Linus and Zeb enlist on the Union side. 'The Railroad' (dir George Marshall); the settlers multiply and cavalry officer Zeb finds himself in a war with find out more...