The.great.wall

There are few objects as compelling or iconic as the Great Wall of China and this feature length drama doc takes on this monumental subject with typical style and scale of ambition. Recently shown on Channel 4 this 1.45min film traces the story of the building of the wall in its latest, greatest guise the colossal brick structure that everyone recognizes as the Wall, from the terror of apocalyptic Mongol attacks in 1550 the Ming dynasty’s own 9/11 - through the founding of the nation s first professional army to the building of the wall itself and its testing in battle.

The Great Wall is an American-Chinese adventure film from director Zhang Yimou (Raise The Red Lantern). Starring Matt Damon, the movie follows an elite force of soldiers as they make a heroic stand atop the Great Wall of China against a horde of monsters that appear every sixty years. The score to The Great Wall was composed by Ramin Djawadi. Best known for his iconic scores to Game of Thrones and Iron Man, Djawadi has also provided the music for Warcraft, Pacific Rim and Westworld among countless other projects. His score to The Great Wall is sweeping and grand featuring rumbling drums, an army of strings and traditional Chinese chanting.

With access to the first nationwide survey and state-of-the-art drones mapping the Great Wall of China, this documentary offers new evidence that reveals its extraordinary magnitude, rewrites its millennia-long history and decodes its complex signals system. Using cutting-edge chemistry, the programme also finds out what has kept the wall standing for so long - a simple cooking ingredient found in kitchens across the world.

A spectacular aerial journey flying over the world’s longest man-made monument, the Great Wall of China. In classic slow-TV style - without commentary and using authentic location sound - fly 2,500 kilometres along the 2,300-year-old wall, from the Yellow Sea in the crowded east, near Beijing, to the remote Gobi Desert in the west. This epic adventure explores 20 location highlights of the UNESCO-world-heritage site, built by the Ming Dynasty between 1368 and 1644, starting at Old Dragon’s Head on the east coast and ending at the extraordinary Jaiyuguan Fortress - once the gateway into China from the ancient Silk Road trading route.

The presenter explores the dramatic landscapes and wildlife of China, beginning in Beijing, where he visits the Beijing Raptor Rescue Centre and releases an owl back into the wild. He also learns about unusual looking deer, and joins world expert Dr Lindesay on the Great Wall of China.

Embark on an unforgettable time-travelling journey along one of the world's greatest landmarks: the Great Wall of China.

Embark on an unforgettable time-travelling journey along one of the world's greatest landmarks: the Great Wall of China.