Beowulf as re-imagined by dreamweaver Neil Gaiman

There have been a number of different versions of the Anglo-Saxon epic committed to film over the years - including Beowulf & Grendel (2005) and Outlander (2008) - but one of the best is the Robert Zemeckis-helmed 2007 version, written by award-winning comic-book writer Neil Gaiman and Pulp Fiction co-writer Roger Avary.

Beowulf adds a bold new dimension to the story of the hero's battle against the monstrous Grendel, in its interpretation of the monster's 'hag-like' mother, and very effective it is too. And then there's the fact that it was all created inside a computer. (Ray Winstone has never looked so buff!)

Zemeckis creates a dark fantasy full of haunting images, and the film's on TV tonight, on ITV1, at 11.00pm.