The biography of Alexander by Oxford University professor Robin Lane Fox was an original inspiration and source of information for writer and director Oliver Stone. As a historical advisor, Professor Fox didn't get on-screen credit. His price for giving his advice was to be allowed to take a place at the head of what is one of the largest cavalry charges ever filmed. Professor Fox was used to riding around the English countryside, but gladly dressed up as a Macedonean cavalry officer to live his dream of charging for Alexander.
After the massive DVD sales of this movie, writer and director Oliver Stone made one more version, "Alexander Revisited: The Final Cut". It used all 3-1/2 hours of footage shot, and is formatted like a traditional epic, with intermission. This version has sold close to one million DVD and Blu-ray copies in the U.S. home video market, and became one of the highest-selling catalogue items from Warner Brothers.
Alexander's Pyrrhic victory at the Hydaspes is actually a combination of two actual battles. The real Hydaspes battle was a much easier victory for the real Alexander, and Porus became one of his allies. The second battle was the siege of Multan, where Alexander was wounded while leading his men as they assaulted the fortress. Both battles were victories.
This movie almost never made it to theaters in Greece. A group of Greek lawyers tried to ban this movie on the grounds that writer and director Oliver Stone was denigrating the figure of Alexander the Great by making reference to his bisexuality. This movie ultimately got a theatrical release in Greece, where it premiered at number one.
Oliver Stone: A bearded Macedonian General in close-up at the dedication of the statue of Zeus marking the beginning of the the army's retreat from India back to Babylon.