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With more than 200 illustrations, the fascinating book on the making of the new epic action film, starring Orlando Bloom, from the director of Gladiator and Black Hawk Down, set in 12th century Europe and Jerusalem during the Crusades.
A millennium ago, Pope Urban II urged the nobility of Christian Europe into a frenzy to reclaim the holy city of Jerusalem, conquered by Muslim armies that swept through the Middle East in the 7th century. Thousands answered the call, from kings to peasants, and in the ensuing waves of war ancient cities fell to bloody sieges, Christian kingdoms were founded in the Holy Land, Jerusalem was retaken and lost again, and unspeakable atrocities were committed on both sides. Early in the Crusades, however, two visionary leaders—King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem and the Saracen general Saladin—forged a brief, shining era of peace amid the carnage.
Drawn into this immense drama is the young blacksmith Balian (Orlando Bloom), newly claimed as the son of a great knight, Godfrey of Ibelin (Liam Neeson). Fleeing his village under a death sentence, Balian becomes a reluctant Crusader and on reaching Palestine, inherits his fathers lands and title when Godfrey dies of battle wounds. He soon finds himself at the center of a political crusade for the kingdoms soul, as the dying king (Edward Norton) is assailed by extremists bent on shattering the fragile peace—meanwhile falling under the spell of Princess Sybilla, the kings sister. The rest of the tale unfolds around Balians quest to uphold his sense of knightly honor, and his practical gifts as a leader during Saladins climactic siege of Jerusalem.
Scott and his veteran production team surpass all their earlier achievements in creating historical worlds onscreen: building astounding sets on locations in Morocco and Spain, peopling them with a brilliant international cast and thousands of extras, then seamlessly merging filmed action with the latest FX technology for breathtaking realism. Kingdom of Heaven features scenes of battles and sieges that could never before have been realized.
This gorgeously illustrated companion book, illustrated with more than 200 production photos, drawings, and Ridley Scott's own storyboards, documents every side of this landmark production: the massive sets, fabulous costumes, and period weapons, the depiction of medieval warfare on a scale never before seen. But it also delves into the details of storycrafting that give Kingdom of Heaven its solid historical grounding, and features a lively primer on the Crusades that will expand readers' appreciation of both the film and the history behind it. |
