Heroes and Villains: Attila the Hun

Crying out for a hero? Well look no further than this six-part drama about some of the greatest men in history. As with the Shogun and Cortes episodes, Attila the Hun's story isn't a simple one of triumph over injustice, or of the righteous underdog, but it's nonetheless impressive or worthy of investigation for that. Taking on the might of the Romans in a very different way to Spartacus, Attila, chief of the Huns, was the mastermind behind some of the fiercest rampages and military victories ever seen.

Portrayed by Rory McCann, fresh from other historic roles in Alexander and Beowulf and Grendel, Attila's story is set against a breathtaking backdrop of battle scenes, and the visuals themselves have a certain element of the heroic and epic about them. Director Gareth Edwards created all of the special effects himself, in his bedroom, in a masterstroke of computer-generated ingenuity, raising the bar for visual effects everywhere while displaying something of the Attila spirit himself. It's not many men who'd pit themselves alone against the armies of Rome and Attila at the same time, after all.