# Medieval Movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 6, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243 "2003-02-06T17:15:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/41 "2003-02-07T01:02:49Z")
**Baker** Thank you for confirming my good taste in movies–greatness must run in our name (I’m a Baker when required to use my real name). Really–this ( **The Sword and the Sorceror** is a fun, action packed movie, with enough plot to make it watchable without being overly complicated (i.e. you won’t lose track of the movie once the adult beverages take effect). And it has plenty for a group to comment on–come to think of it, I may organize a showing at my house! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/42 "2003-02-07T01:22:37Z")
The Virgin Spring. Alan Ladd’s Black Knight. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/43 "2003-02-07T01:24:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pochacco \* > **Knight Riders** – The Arthur story re-enacted by modern-day ren-fest-style biker nomads **Knight Rider** – The story of a man with a false identity who drives around in a souped-up talking car. Not really a Knight _movie_, but they managed to 4 TV seasons out of it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/44 "2003-02-07T01:27:10Z")
Oh yeah, I second Ivanhoe. Not just Robert Taylor’s (the best) but the other two as well. James Mason makes an excellent Issac. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/45 "2003-02-07T02:12:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mahaloth \* > \*\ ***Evil Dead III: Army of Darkness** > > You don’t need to see the first two to appreciate the third one. \*\* Or you could just see [the condensed version.](http://snaildust.xidus.net/) ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/46 "2003-02-07T02:24:58Z")
In his autobiography Charlton Heston wrote about filming **The Warlord**. He mentioned that at one of the on location filming sites a young man kept sneaking onto the set to watch the filming process, and kept getting thrown out when found. Eventually the director let him stay, because he never got in the way or really bothered anyone. Who was it? Steven Speilberg. Who, by the way, Heston seems to admire, although he hasn’t worked with him. He compared Speilberg to Cecil B. DeMille(who Heston DID work with) saying he had his finger on the pulse of what people would really like to see. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/47 "2003-02-07T03:57:31Z")
Some good movies without (unfortunately) much bashin’: _The Advocate_ (aka _The Day of the Pig_). _The Return of Martin Guerre_. _Stealing Heaven_ (about Heloise and Abelard). These are all pretty good period pieces, and all based at least partly on true stories. For some good medieval fightin’, the 1954 _Prince Valiant_, with a young and athletic Robert Wagner, is actually pretty entertaining. For cheesy fun, try _The Black Shield of Falworth_ (also 1954) with Tony Curtis and his medieval English Brooklyn accent. Some excellent fight scenes. For a C.B. DeMille take on the Third Crusade, try and find _The Crusades_ (1935) with Henry Wilcoxon as Richard Lionheart and a lucious Loretta Young as his wife, Berengaria. Spectacular scenes of capturing the city of Acre. Unfortunate decision to let Alan Hale sing. “Knight Riders” is _Knightriders_, an offbeat George Romero movie, now available on DVD. It’s a good two and a half hours long. I find the subculture depicted therein pretty interesting, in both good and bad ways. Lot of good motorcycle stunts. (By guys apparently wearing less protection than _I_ have to wear to fight with wooden weapons in the SCA, not to mention less than motocross riders wear.) (_Excalibur_, by the way, is 140 minutes in the British release, and 119 minutes in the American version.) Unfortunately, a lot of good movies are unavailable on DVD, and hard to find on VHS. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/48 "2003-02-07T05:07:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ArchiveGuy \* > And surprisingly, nobody’s mentioned the best Robin Hood, Errol Flynn’s **The Adventures of Robin Hood**. I suppose any version of _Othello_ or _Macbeth_ counts, too. Wow, I was getting nervous that I would be the first one to think of this one. Two other possibilities: 1. My sister has a movie _Ever After_ which is supposed to be based on the Cinderella story, but I haven’t seen it, so I can’t say whether it’s any good or not. 2. A _Three Musketeers_ movie, but I forget which version(s) are supposed to be good. ---
**Author:** ![jeanster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc348/32.png) [@jeanster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeanster)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/49 "2003-02-07T05:26:48Z")
Merlin, starring Sam Neill [http://us.imdb.com/Title?0130414](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0130414) I concur with The Princess Bride and The Court Jester. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/50 "2003-02-07T05:33:19Z")
If anyone sees Restoration based on my recommendation, please report back. I think it’s a terrific movie and I have yet to run into anyone who’s seen it, or dashed out and rented it on my advice. \ Robert Downey Jr. is fabulous in it, and Sam Neill (speaking of him) plays the king. It’s so tragic such a wonderful actor has been taken from us because of drug abuse. I can’t think of a single time I’ve ever seen RDJ and haven’t loved him. (Well, I never watched Allie McBeal…) ---
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/51 "2003-02-07T08:29:59Z")
**Ellen Cherry** I’ve been meaning to see **Restoration**. If I get to the movie rental place this weekend, I’ll look for it–partially based on your recommendation, of course. As for **Ever After** it is the Drew Barrymore retelling of _Cinderella._ I enjoyed it, but I don’t remember fighting in it. Not as fun s **Princess Bride** , but then, not really trying to be. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/52 "2003-02-07T08:30:35Z")
Yet another vote for **Flesh+Blood**. I love that movie to pieces. I’m hoping it’s out on DVD. Beyond that, I really don’t have many suggestions. The more I got involved in fighting in the SCA, the more annoyed I got with fight scenes in Medieval Movies. ---
**Author:** ![Edwardina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Edwardina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edwardina)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/53 "2003-02-07T10:15:48Z")
**Ellen Cherry** - You have good taste! _Restoration_ is a great movie. I happen to own it. I have a weakness for costume movies, and this is a great one. However, for those who give a darn, it does not take place in the medieval period but the Restoration period. More like the 1700’s, as opposed to the 1300’s. There’s not much in the way of fighting, but it’s a great, entertaining story and is pretty accurate to the period. _Rob Roy_ is also set in the same period. I own that one, too. As for the OP … a lot of fun movies that are set (more or less) in the medieval period, and would probably be enjoyed by a beer-and-pizza crowd (as opposed to a crowd of historical sticklers) have been mentioned: _First Knight Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Ladyhawke The 13th Warrior Braveheart Excalibur Merlin Willow The Court Jester The Princess Bride_ I haven’t seen _A Knight’s Tale_, _The Sword and The Sorceror_, _Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc_, or _Jabberwocky_, but they all sound like they might be good choices also. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/54 "2003-02-07T11:13:59Z")
What? No suggestions for _Robin Hood: Men in Tights_? ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/55 "2003-02-07T13:52:19Z")
The Black Shield of Falsworth (1954), Starring Tony “yonder lies the castle of my fadda’ da’ prince.” Curtis. All teasing aside it’s a fun movie. I watch “the Court Jester” so often I forgot to mention it earlier. Dang ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/56 "2003-02-07T13:53:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carnivorousplant \* > \*\*Oh yeah, I second Ivanhoe. > Not just Robert Taylor’s (the best) but the other two as well. James Mason makes an excellent Issac. \*\* Wow, I was reading through this thread thinking, “I can’t be the only one who loves that made for TV Ivanhoe with James Mason and Anthony Andrews!” (And Sam Niell.) I heartily second the nomination. It’s got fighting too! I think it would work well, if you can find it. The James Mason one might be available for rental, and sometimes comes up on ebay–other than that, I’m not sure where to find it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/57 "2003-02-07T14:08:26Z")
Notice how the three bad guys in the Mason version resemble the guys in the Taylor flick? The Taylor feast at Cedric’s had them eating roasted potatoes. They re-filmed it with apples when they figured out that potatoes weren’t in Europe yet. ---
**Author:** ![moes\_lotion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@moes\_lotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moes_lotion)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/58 "2003-02-07T18:59:49Z")
I recommend [**The Last Valley**](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0065969) for a different look at the era. I lucked onto a TV showing of it sometime in the early '80’s and was quite impressed. How you’re going to find a copy though… ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/59 "2003-02-07T21:34:19Z")
Nitpick: the Restoration is actually the 1600s not the 1700s. Still later than the medieval period, I agree, but I was pushin’ for that plague angle. 😉 > [@](#): > > in English history, the reestablishment of the monarchy on the accession (1660) of > Charles II after the collapse of the Commonwealth (see under commonwealth ) > and the Protectorate . The term is often used to refer to the entire period from > 1660 to the fall of James II in 1688, and in English literature the Restoration > period (often called the age of Dryden) is commonly viewed as extending from > 1660 to the death of John Dryden in 1700. Cite: [http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/R/RestorE1ng.asp](http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/R/RestorE1ng.asp)" Thanks Kallessa and Edwardina! You both made my day. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243/60 "2003-02-07T22:10:12Z")
While it’s not a pizza & beer flick, Roman Pulanski’s version of **MacBeth** is gruesome and contains a charming amount of medieval violence. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-movies/153243.md?page=4)