"The Crusades" is a 4x45 minute British TV miniseries and documentary of one of history's greatest faux pas made in the name of Christianity, the Crusades of the 11th and 12 centuries AD. The always jovial Terry Jones (Monty Python) hosts this documentary as he travels from England to Istanbul to Jerusalem and beyond explaining the who, what, where, why, and when of the more notable of the many European forays into the Holy Land. An excellent production laced with humor and supported by plenty of film clips, maps, reenactments, expert commentary, etc., "The Crusades" makes an enjoyable primer for the common man. A worthy effort as a stand alone documentary this series also offers a historical foundation for a better understanding of present day tribulations in the middle East. (B+)
