William Hollin

Rod Steiger in my mind was the much better Napoleon even if DeLaurentis' epic is 50 years old. The Waterloo ending was a historical mess though the tactic of squares vs. cavalry showed why that was such an effective defensive maneuver. The terror on the frozen lake at Austerlitz was done well. There was no mention of the Peninsular War at all which was needed to set up the contest between Bony and Wellington. Too much shagging and not enough on WHY he took over Europe and his initial popularity in the German states. Also, there was too much recognizable music which was distracting. Haydn's "Heavens are Telling" has some historical authenticity but the13th C. organum made no sense. Game composers manage to write orginal music that fits historically, enhances and doesn't distract. Sets and costumes get an A from me. And Vanessa.