For far too long, El Cid was one of those big classic Hollywood road-show epics people heard more about from old school cinephiles than actually saw. Relegated to wrecked pan-and-scan prints on cable and broadcast TV for decades (I’m not even sure if it was ever on VHS), Anthony Mann’s massive-scale melodrama finally gets the release it deserves in this digital age: a superbly restored, remastered, special edition DVD courtesy of, of all people, the Weinstein brothers.

Although it’s not quite the classic masterpiece of lore some would have you believe — Lawrence of Arabia and Spartacus remain the high watermarks of 60s Hollywood epics — this 3-hour-plus tale of Spain’s 11th century hero knight remains a remarkable example of the kind of panoramic, cast-of-thousands entertainment that will never exist again thanks to the astronomical cost of production and advances in computer graphics.

Easily superior to more widely celebrated and, quite frankly, somewhat tired epics like Ben-Hur, Gone With the Wind, The Ten Commandments, and Titanic, El Cid distinguishes itself through a number of Mann’s raw stylistic approach, honed during years spent making brilliantly tough and brutal noir and western films. The director’s economical, driving sense of pacing along with his penchant for gritty action set pieces and a peculiarly haunting end, help create a lengthy film that’s a blast to sit through instead of a chore.

A strong script from Diego Fabbri, epic vet Fredric Frank, and the fascinating Philip Yordan, and a great Midlos Rozsa score add up to forge legitimate emotional intensity between Charlton Heston (who actually works here unironically) and a jaw-droppingly attractive Sophia Loren. On-location shooting, outdoor scenes with natural lighting, and apparently highly authentic period costumes and props (the swords are real!) give the whole piece a legitimate aura of realism.

In short, it’s a lot of fun.

Grade: A-

Pick it up from Amazon if you’re so inclined.

So, what else can you find on this DVD?

The El Cid 2-Disc Deluxe Edition Special Features:

-Written introduction from Martin Scorsese

-Feature Commentary with Bill Bronston (son of producer Samuel Bronston) and Neal M. Rosendorf (historian and biographer of Samuel Bronston)

-Vintage radio interviews with Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren

-DOC: “Hollywood Conquers Spain: The Making of El Cid”

-DOC: “Samuel Bronston: The Epic Journey of a Dreamer”

-DOC: “Behind the Camera: Anthony Mann and El Cid”

-DOC: “Miklos Rozsa: Maestro of the Movies”

-DOC: “Preserving Our Legacy: Gerry Byrne on Film Preservation and Restoration”

-Trailers, Still Galleries, Filmographies, etc…they still list these things as special features…? Aren’t these a given at this point?

The Limited Collector’s Edition includes the above and a couple really nifty items:

-Reproduction of the original souvenir program

-Reproduction of the original Dell comic

-Bunch of postcards with stills from the movie

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