If anyone out there is in the mood for a good movie to watch while you're painting up your Caesarian Romans and Gauls, you might want to check out "Druids"!

This film was a joint Canadian, French and Bulgarian production, featuring a cast of thousands (of real Bulgarians), who portrayed the great numbers of Roman Legionnaires and Gallic Warriors, who fought many battles leading up to the finale at Alesia. Excellent Battle Scenes, fairly authentic costuming, and lavish sets (encampments & siege fortifications) are a real treat, especially after the disappointing foreign-made film, "Attila", that featured a cast of "hundreds" and unconvincing computer enhancements. Aside from the battles, "Druids" does tend to move a bit slowly when dealing with the political machinations of the Gauls and the poor stab at romantic interludes between Vercingetorix and his Queen (like it was almost mandatory to have to try to inject a bit of romance).

Although somewhat of a fan of Christopher Lambert (the Original Highlander), as Vercingetorix, he gives an un-memorable performance (my choice would have been Dolph Lundgren), and actually seems quite a weak character (who could compete with Mel Gibson in Braveheart?).

Anyway, it was well worth the rental at Blockbuster, and has inspired me to get busy with finishing the Gallic component of my 28mm NAVIGATOR Miniatures Carthaginian Army, so I can also use it (stretching the timeline just a tad) to battle Gaius Julius's Romans as well.

And to add a pretty blatant commercial message, I might remind you all that both GRIPPING BEAST and NAVIGATOR make great 25/28mm figures ideal for re-fighting the many battles of Caesar's Gallic Wars (and I for one would much rather fight the battles than be forced to translate Caesar's journals from Latin to English again!).