20:
254:(2006) is that both History and Film are ways of narrating the past, both equally susceptible in theory (though not in practice) to perversion. As Rosenstone observes, "we always violate the past, even as we attempt to preserve its memory in whatever medium we use... Yet this violation is inevitable, part of the price of our attempts at understanding the vanished world of our forebears."
213:
Although in general terms the relationship between film and history has been a subject of interest since as long as films have been made, it was only in the last decade of the 20th century that medievalists paid attention to film as a serious means of learning about the Middle Ages. As Arthur
Lindley
214:
said in 1998 "One could note the absence of books by medievalists as well as books of any kind devoted to medieval film," however he prophetically observed "The situation may be beginning to change". This change took place in part by the recognition of the complex relationship between
262:
At over 900 films listed by Harty in 1999, it is beyond the scope of this article to create a complete list. Listed here are some of the best and most significant films in both quality and historical accuracy as determined by a consensus poll of medieval students and teachers at
234:
of
Medieval historians over the history which they narrate, and opens the door for new modes of thinking by the proposition that "we cannot interpret medieval culture, or any historical culture, except through the prism of the dominant concepts of our own thought worlds."
975:"Richard Burt, "Border Skirmishes: Weaving Around the Bayeux Tapestry and Cinema in Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves and El Cid ," in Medieval Film, ed. Anke Bernau and Bettina Bildhauer (Manchester: Manchester UP, 2009), 158–181.
246:(2003) can probably be called the first book in English dedicated solely to the subject of history and medieval history on film. One year later, in 2004, the eminent French historian François Amy de la Bretèque published his
202:(1988) in which he theorized that one of the main sources of friction between History and Film is the problem of translating from a written discourse (hence the -graphy) to a visual one (-photy). The French historian
250:, in which he proposes a number of useful theories to finally break out of the circle of historiography vs historiophoty. One of the most pervasive of these, and one picked up in Robert Rosenstone's
98:
was the most influential image maker. Hollywood films reached a global audience through big budget productions, and equally big distribution and advertising channels. Hollywood adapted works of the
990:
Nickolas
Haydock, "Digital Divagations in a Hyperreal Camelot: Antoine Fuqua's 'King Arthur'" in Helen Fulton, ed. "Blackwell Companion to Arthurian Literature" (Blackwell, forthcoming 2008).
978:
Nickolas
Haydock, "Arthurian Melodrama, Chaucerian Spectacle and the Waywardness of Cinematic Pastiche in 'First Knight' and 'A Knight's Tale'" "Studies in Medievalism" 12 (2002): 5–38.
83:
have advanced knowledge of the Middle Ages, nothing has had more widespread influence on more people than the images created by film. Just as most people's perceptions of the
American
972:
Richard Burt, "Cutting and
Running from the (Medieval) Middle East : The Uncanny Mises-hors-scène of Kingdom of Heaven's Double DVDs," Babel, N° 15, 1er semestre (2007), 247–298.
106:, operas, paintings, and music of the 19th century onto film in the 20th. The ideals of the Romantics were fully realized on the screen in such influential works as
734:
91:, versus source material or academic research, so too most peoples perceptions of the Middle Ages were influenced by the powerful narratives and images of film.
1007:
Special issue of Babel on "Le Moyen Age mise-en-scène: Perspectives contemporaines," edited by Sandra
Gorgievski and Xavier Leroux, N° 15, 1er semestre (2007).
79:. In the 20th century, film has defined Medieval history perhaps more so than any other medium. While the conclusions of academic research and findings of
963:
Richard Burt, "Re-embroidering the Bayeux
Tapestry in Film and Media: the Flip Side of History in Opening and End Title Sequences," special issue of
55:
The 20th century is not the first to create images of life during medieval times. The Middle Ages ended over five centuries ago and each century has
192:
of medieval film originated in the late 20th century. Historiophoty, the study of history through film, was coined by noted historiographer
712:
Seeking relief from the Black Death, guided by a boy's vision, people dig a tunnel from 14th-century
England to 20th-century New Zealand.
826:
1157:
729:
1152:
944:
923:
739:
226:
in 1991 demonstrated the extent of the influence of historiography on
Medieval History. Harnessing the work of the earlier
1088:
328:
1042:
1024:
909:
895:
874:
855:
699:
1129:
198:
1045:
Online list of over 300 books and papers focused on medievalism in film and television. Last retrieved March 2018.
1017:
The Reel Middle Ages: American, Western and Eastern European, Middle Eastern and Asian films about Medieval Europe
954:
Richard Burt, "Getting Schmedieval: Of Manuscript and Film Parodies, Prologues, and Paratexts," special issue of
599:
121:
Strong cinematic images of the Middle Ages can be found in European films. Influential European films included
1035:
817:
172:
158:
786:
Inventing the Middle Ages: The Lives, Works, and Ideas of the Great Medievalists of the Twentieth Century
670:
166:
95:
650:
635:
300:
1130:
Medieval Studies at the Movies: An Online Reference Guide to Medieval Subjects on Film and Television
210:(1977) to precisely this question, he asks in Chapter 16, "Can a filmic writing of History exist?"
969:
on "Movie Medievalism," 19.2. (Summer 2007), 327–50, co-edited by Richard Burt and Nickolas Haydock.
960:
on "Movie Medievalism," 19.2. (Summer 2007), 217–42, co-edited by Richard Burt and Nickolas Haydock.
507:
930:
Hollywood in the Holy Land: Essays on Film Depictions of the Crusades and Christian-Muslim Clashes
1072:
981:
Nickolas Haydock, "Shooting the Messenger: Luc Besson at War with Joan of Arc," special issue of
369:
139:
19:
724:
56:
28:
1066:
448:
Story of Christian medieval Swedish family whose daughter is raped by vagabonds. Directed by
902:
Remaking the Middle Ages: The Methods of Cinema and History in Portraying the Medieval World
616:
566:
554:
is a knight invoking the "right" to sleep with another man's bride on their wedding night.
354:
987:
on "Movie Medievalism," 19.2 (Summer 2007), co-edited by Richard Burt and Nickolas Haydock
118:(1961) which belong to the same late Romantic culture in their music, imagery and themes.
8:
812:
620:
612:
514:
108:
1132:(maintained by The Virtual Society for the Study of Popular Culture and the Middle Ages)
242:(1999) there had been no comprehensive survey of medieval films, and John Aberth's book
1076:
822:
489:
313:
264:
1027:. The first comprehensive survey of films of the European Middle Ages. Over 900 films.
1135:
1020:
940:
919:
905:
891:
870:
862:
851:
435:
387:
357:'s absence, a Saxon lord fights back as the outlaw leader of a rebel guerrilla army.
134:
23:
584:
402:
383:
149:
103:
1062:
551:
346:
342:
227:
1031:
543:
449:
215:
185:
144:
1093:
1146:
580:
510:
464:
219:
189:
114:
1123:
1100:
David J. Williams, "Looking at the Middle Ages in the Cinema: An Overview."
1109:
Martha Driver, "Writing About Medieval Movies: Authenticity and History.",
529:
503:
420:
350:
193:
64:
813:"Medieval History in the Movies (v. 6.1) - Best Medieval Movies as films"
684:
170:
released in 1900. The first Robin Hood film dates to 1907 and was called
102:
movement to the screen, seamlessly forging a bridge between Romanticized
99:
40:
705:
676:
641:
605:
572:
535:
470:
441:
408:
375:
334:
306:
983:
965:
956:
203:
122:
80:
164:
The first Medieval film was also one of the earliest films ever made,
495:
84:
1034:
Online list of over 200 movies depicting Medieval history. From the
316:. The film was so powerful that it was initially banned in Britain.
231:
60:
1111:
1102:
1050:
416:
1063:
ENG 4133 Section 6439: Medieval and Early Modern Film and Media
230:, this emergent field of historiography began to challenge the
154:
68:
801:(Harlow, London and New York: Pearson, Longman, 2006), p. 135.
218:
and cinematic history, since the publication of works such as
655:
615:
three sons all want to inherit the throne. His sons and wife
76:
72:
88:
44:
735:
List of films and television series featuring Robin Hood
619:
variously plot. Based ten years after the events of the
788:(New York: William Morrow & Company, 1991), p. 37.
1079:, taught by Dr. Esther Liberman Cuenca in Spring 2018
1048:
David J. Williams, "Medieval Movies: A Filmography",
758:
Hayden V. White, 'Historiography and Historiophoty',
1144:
1043:Medievalism on Screen: An Annotated Bibliography
937:Cinematic Illuminations: The Middle Ages on Film
848:A Knight at the Movies: Medieval History on Film
57:imagined, portrayed and depicted the Middle Ages
43:through the visual, audio and thematic forms of
1069:by Dr. Richard Burt. Last retrieved April. 2009
881:L'imaginaire Médiéval Dans Le Cinéma Occidental
248:L'Imaginaire médiéval dans le cinéma occidental
238:Until the publication of Kevin J. Harty's book
583:the great 15th-century Russian icon painter (
419:who plays a chess game with Death during the
928:Nickolas Haydock and Edward L. Risden, eds.
916:Movie Medievalism: The Imaginary Middle Ages
939:(The Johns Hopkins University Press 2009)
16:Portrayal of the medieval era through film
1004:, "Le Moyen Âge au Cinéma", 42/43 (1985).
477:Epic film of the legendary Spanish hero.
157:there were many versions of the story of
94:If film was the most influential medium,
888:Medieval and Early Modern Film and Media
382:Russians defend against invading German
18:
810:
730:List of films based on Arthurian legend
1145:
935:Laurie Finke and Martin B Shichtman,
206:had already devoted his seminal work
1089:"The ahistoricism of medieval film"
993:David Williams, "Medieval Movies",
869:(Manchester: Manchester UP, 2009),
13:
837:
14:
1169:
1012:Filmographies and Bibliographies
700:The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey
179:
829:from the original on 2021-09-20.
415:About a knight returning from a
199:Historiography and Historiophoty
131:Die Nibelungen: Kriemhilds Rache
1075:, a history and film course at
995:The Yearbook of English Studies
799:History on Film/Film on History
257:
252:History on Film/Film on History
1158:Middle Ages in popular culture
1126:(hosted by Fordham University)
1032:Medieval History in the Movies
804:
791:
778:
765:
760:The American Historical Review
752:
127:Die Nibelungen: Siegfrieds Tod
1:
1073:HIST 3220: Medieval Hollywood
904:(Jefferson: McFarland, 2011)
50:
1153:Films set in the Middle Ages
1036:Internet Medieval Sourcebook
818:Internet Medieval Sourcebook
329:The Adventures of Robin Hood
173:Robin Hood and His Merry Men
7:
890:(Palgrave MacMillan, 2008)
718:
10:
1174:
1002:Cahiers de la Cinémathèque
636:Mohammad, Messenger of God
301:The Passion of Joan of Arc
224:Inventing the Middle Ages
883:(Paris: Champion, 2004).
745:
654:. Tagline: The Story of
508:Archbishop of Canterbury
39:imagine and portray the
811:Halsall, Paul (2023).
775:(Paris: Denoël, 1977).
725:Middle Ages in history
683:Based on the novel by
244:A Knight at the Movies
33:
1067:University of Florida
762:, 93 (1988), 1193–99.
680:France/Italy/Germany
390:of the 13th century.
349:begin oppressing the
22:
1106:29:1–2 (1999): 8–19.
1054:29:1–2 (1999):20–32.
879:Amy de La Bretèque,
671:The Name of the Rose
617:Eleanor of Aquitaine
240:The Reel Middle Ages
1136:Medieval War Movies
1059:University classes
797:Robert Rosenstone,
784:Norman F. Cantor,
740:Joan of Arc in film
621:Revolt of 1173-1174
515:Henry II of England
125:'s two-film series
1124:Medieval Hollywood
1115:29:1–2 (1999):5–7.
1112:Film & History
1103:Film & History
1094:Screening The Past
1077:Fordham University
1051:Film & History
997:, 20 (1990), 1–32.
932:(McFarland, 2008).
918:(McFarland 2008).
914:Nickolas Haydock,
823:Fordham University
773:Cinéma et Histoire
600:The Lion in Winter
265:Fordham University
208:Cinéma et Histoire
34:
1120:Online resources
1065:English Class at
1000:Special issue of
945:978-0-8018-9345-2
924:978-0-7864-3443-5
863:Bettina Bildhauer
716:
715:
436:The Virgin Spring
388:Northern Crusades
153:(1957), while in
135:Sergei Eisenstein
104:historical novels
24:Douglas Fairbanks
1165:
1087:Arthur Lindley,
1015:Kevin J. Harty,
900:Andrew Elliott,
861:Anke Bernau and
831:
830:
808:
802:
795:
789:
782:
776:
769:
763:
756:
585:Andrey Tarkovsky
403:The Seventh Seal
384:Teutonic Knights
370:Alexander Nevsky
270:
269:
150:The Seventh Seal
140:Alexander Nevsky
87:were drawn from
1173:
1172:
1168:
1167:
1166:
1164:
1163:
1162:
1143:
1142:
1041:Scott Manning,
840:
838:Further reading
835:
834:
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796:
792:
783:
779:
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766:
757:
753:
748:
721:
613:King Henry II's
552:Charlton Heston
398:13th / 14th c.
353:masses in King
260:
228:New Historicism
182:
53:
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1030:Paul Halsall,
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886:Richard Burt,
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648:Also known as
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506:'s play about
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216:historiography
186:historiography
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145:Ingmar Bergman
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37:Medieval films
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896:0-230-60125-1
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875:0-7190-7702-8
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867:Medieval Film
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856:0-415-93886-4
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846:John Aberth,
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771:Marc Ferro,
767:
759:
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709:New Zealand
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669:
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565:
547:
530:The War Lord
528:
504:Jean Anouilh
488:
463:
434:
421:Black Plague
401:
368:
347:Norman Lords
327:
299:
261:
258:Select films
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247:
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212:
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194:Hayden White
183:
171:
167:Jeanne d'Arc
165:
163:
148:
138:
130:
126:
120:
113:
107:
93:
65:architecture
54:
36:
35:
27:
685:Umberto Eco
651:The Message
645:UK/Lebanon
386:during the
314:Joan of Arc
159:Joan of Arc
143:(1938) and
112:(1952) and
100:Romanticism
41:Middle Ages
1147:Categories
984:Exemplaria
966:Exemplaria
957:Exemplaria
548:The Lovers
204:Marc Ferro
123:Fritz Lang
81:archeology
51:Background
29:Robin Hood
1084:Articles
951:Articles
542:Based on
513:and King
502:Based on
133:(1924),
96:Hollywood
85:Wild West
1097:Journal.
1091:, from
1019:, 1999,
850:, 2003,
827:Archived
719:See also
695:14th c.
666:14th c.
595:12th c.
579:Life of
562:15th c.
525:11th c.
485:12th c.
460:11th c.
431:13th c.
365:13th c.
345:and the
324:12th c.
285:Country
232:hegemony
61:painting
59:through
631:7th c.
445:Sweden
417:crusade
412:Sweden
355:Richard
341:Prince
310:France
109:Ivanhoe
1023:
943:
922:
908:
894:
873:
865:, ed.
854:
843:Books
490:Becket
465:El Cid
288:Notes
279:Title
155:France
115:El Cid
89:cinema
69:poetry
45:cinema
32:(1922)
746:Notes
692:1988
663:1986
656:Islam
628:1976
592:1968
576:USSR
559:1966
522:1965
482:1964
457:1961
428:1960
395:1957
379:USSR
362:1938
351:Saxon
321:1938
296:1431
293:1928
282:IMDB
273:Date
77:novel
73:music
1021:ISBN
941:ISBN
920:ISBN
906:ISBN
892:ISBN
871:ISBN
852:ISBN
539:USA
474:USA
343:John
338:USA
276:Era
188:and
184:The
129:and
75:and
609:UK
587:).
499:UK
267:.
222:'s
196:in
147:'s
137:'s
26:in
1149::
825:.
821:.
815:.
687:.
658:.
623:.
550:.
546:'
517:.
452:.
423:.
176:.
161:.
71:,
67:,
63:,
47:.
1038:.
858:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
