Perhaps the quintessential example of the intimate epic, Nicholas and Alexandra is the compelling story of Nicholas II (Michael Jayston), the last Czar of Russia, and his wife Alexandra (Janet Suzman). Director Franklin J Schaffner frames the intimate lives of the Imperial Couple against the dramatic backdrop of the Russian Revolution, creating the filmic equivalent of a monumental frieze. Private and public lives intersect when Alexandra, who has clearly read Macbeth, influences Nicholas into several misguided actions while coping with her haemophilic newborn son. Schaffner builds suspense wonderfully as he illuminates the couple's mysterious bond to the mystical Rasputin (Tom Baker) and the events leading to their execution. Nominated for Best Picture, the splendidly lensed Nicholas and Alexandra earned two Oscars for its delicious eye candy (Art Direction, Costume Design). --Kevin Mulhall