The Castilian (DVD)

The place: the Spanish province of Castile. The time: 350 years before the Crusades. From this mystery-shrouded age comes the battle-swept adventures of Fernan Gonzalez, the nobleman who emerged from self-imposed exile to overthrow the grip of Moorish tyranny with his mighty sword. Starring Cesar Romero, Frankie Avalon, Broderick Crawford and Alida Valli, The Castilian recreates the fabled saga of Gonzalez (Spartaco Santony), one of Spain's greatest heroes who, history records, was a pioneer of guerrilla warfare. Filmed at actual sites where events unfolded (including the climactic battle at Carozo, a sequence requiring 7,000 extras and nine weeks to recreate), The Castilian is a colorful, rousing epic of a rarely-seen era -- and the man who boldly shaped its history.

• drama