Ridley Scotts previous films have demonstrated his mastery of cinematic storytelling that is epic in dimension but with a deeply personal, human core. In Kingdom of Heaven , he turns to the Crusades: that world-shaping 300-year collision between Europe and the East. With this film, Ridley Scott and the veteran production team with whom he worked on GLADIATOR - including the same production designer, art and costume directors, and cinematographer - surpass all their earlier achievements in creating historical worlds onscreen. This official companion book chronicles their achievements in building astounding sets on location in Morocco and Spain, peopling them with a brilliant international cast and thousands of extras, and then seamlessly merging filmed action with the latest special effects technology and re-creation of authentic period weapons - along with the casting, story-crafting, editing and scoring that make a Ridley Scott epic so satisfying to filmgoers on all levels.