Now on DVD, Hatfields and McCoys feud has staying power

A ratings hit when it aired in May, the History channel mini series Hatfields and McCoys also was a smash with the Emmy folks, picking up 16 nominations.

A solidly told story, it was brought to the small screen by Kevin Costner, who also stars as Anse Hatfield, leader of the West Virginia Hatfields, who for nearly 30 years (1863 to 1891) were locked in a bloody battle with the McCoys of Eastern Kentucky.

The miniseries is populated by some top actors, including Bill Paxton as Randolph McCoy, the head of the clan, and Tom Berenger, Powers Boothe and Mare Winningham.

Directed by Kevin Reynolds, a collaborator with Costner on Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Waterworld, Hatfields and McCoys makes for an entertaining yarn, although I'm not sure about the history, even with it being on the History channel. It would have been helpful for the DVD to include a documentary about the real history of the bad blood. A bit of that is alluded to in a "making of the miniseries" documentary, but then no amount of explanation really accounts for the famed feud.

Plus, the primary goal of the series is to have a lot of guys shooting at each other while throwing in a bit of a Romeo and Juliet angle.

Hatfields and McCoys retails for $45.99 or $55.99 Blu-ray.

This story was originally published August 2, 2012 at 8:20 AM with the headline "Now on DVD, Hatfields and McCoys feud has staying power."