Ravensgard's Medieval Movies

Attila (1954)
Anthony Quinn, Sofia Loren.
About Attila, ruler of the Huns @433-453

Caesar and Cleopatra (1946)
Claude Rains, Vivien Leigh.
Am I confusing this one with the one below?

Cleopatra (1934)
Claudette Colbert.
If Cleopatra was like this I can see the attraction. Good film.

Cleopatra (1963)
Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison.
Harrison is excellent as Caesar. Perhaps the definitive performance. Too bad they couldn't have cut out the rest of it.

Colossus of Rhodes, The (1960)
Sergio Leone, Dir.; Rory Calhoun.
I've never actually seen this one.

Constantine and the Cross (1962)
Cornel Wilde
A good film version of the founder of the Byzantine Empire.

Fall of the Roman Empire, The (1964)
Sophia Loren, Stephen Boyd, Alec Guiness
I've never been able to get into this one, but most people consider it a winner. Set during the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and Carraculla.

Sign of the Pagan (1954)
Jack Palance, Jeff Chandler.
About Attila, ruler of the Huns @433-453

Shakespearean series (Video)
the Royal Shakespearean Company and the BBC
The earliest Shakespearean histories such as Julius Caesar.

Alfred the Great (1969)
David Hemmings, Michael York.
Late 800s King of England

Charlemagne (Video)
BBC dramatic series on the first Holy Roman Emperor.

Macbeth (1948)
Orson Welles, Jeanette Nolan.
Set in mid-1000s Scotland. Based on Shakespeare's play.

Macbeth (1971)
Roman Polanski, dir.; John Finch.
Set in mid-1000s Scotland. Based on Shakespeare's play.

Mohammad, Messenger of God (1977)
Anthony Quinn.
Not bad.

Shakespearean series (Video)
The Royal Shakespearean Company and the BBC

Adventures of Marco Polo, The (1938) Gary Cooper, Basil Rathbone.
Not my taste.

Alexander Nevsky (1938)
Sergei Eisenstein director; Nikolai Cherkassov.
Russian w/English subtitles. Seems to strive for historical accuracy in its costuming. Russian prince repelling a German 13th C invasion.

Becket (1964)
Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole
Set during the reign of Henry II of England, concerning the assassination of St. Thomas a'Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Braveheart (1995)
Mel Gibson.
About 13th C Scottish rebel leader William Wallace, but based more on legendary material than historical.

Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1973)
Franco Zeffirelli, dir.; Graham Faulkner.
1182-1226, about the early years of St Francis of Assisi.

Clash of Steel (1962) Overthrow of Henry of Navarre.

Conqueror, The (1956)
Dick Powell, dir.; John Wayne.
Camp set in early 1200s about Genghis Khan.

Edward II (1991)
Version of Marlowe's period play, with some anachronisms.

Francesco (1989)
Mickey Rourke.
Terrible version of St. Francis story.

Francis of Assisi (1961)
Bradford Dillman.
Some script problems but not bad.

Genghis Khan (1965)
Omar Sharif,Stephen Boyd.
So, so film vaguely based on history and legend.

Henry V (1945)
Laurence Olivier.
Brilliant film based on Shakespeare's play concerning the Battle of Agincourt (early 1400s England & France). Special Oscar.

Henry V (1989)
Kenneth Branagh.
Brilliant film based on Shakespeare's play concerning the Battle of Agincourt (early 1400s England & France). Oscar for Costume Design.

Joan of Arc (1948)
Ingrid Berman
The story of St. Joan d'Arc 1428 France.

King Richard and the Crusaders (1954)
Rex Harrison.
Mediocre crusader yarn.

Lion in Winter, The (1968)
Peter O'Toole, Katherine Hepburn.
Set late in the reign of Henry II while he is trying to decide on a successor. Several Oscars.

Omar Khayyam (1957)
Cornel Wilde.
Supposedly about the famous medieval Persian poet.

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)
Maria Falconetti
Excellent film based on the transcript of Joan's trial.

Shakespearean series (Video)
the Royal Shakespearean Company and the BBC
Historical plays including Richard II, Henry IV parts I & II, Henry V.

Stealing Heaven (1988)
Kim Thomson, Derek de Lint.
Set in the early 1100s, concerning Abelard's and Heloise's relationship. Two versions, one X-rated. (France)

Tartars, The (1962)
Orson Welles, Victor Mature.
Middling story of the invasion of the Volga area.

1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)
Ridley Scott, dir.; Gerard Depardieu.
About Christopher Columbus

Advocate, The (The Hour of the Pig) (1994)
Colin Firth.
15th C courtroom intrigue.

Affairs of Cellini (1934)
Fredric March, Constance Bennett.
The artist Cellini pursuing a Duchess.

Agony and the Ecstasy, The (1965)
Charlton Heston, Rex Harrison.
Set in the1500s, about Michaelangelo and Pope Julius II. (Italy)

Aguirre, Wrath of God (1972)
Klaus Kinski.
An offshoot of the 1560s Pizarro expedition to South America. An insane conquistador.

Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)
Richard Burton, Genevieve Bujold.
The relationship of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. Oscar for Costuming.

As You Like It (1936)
Laurence Olivier, Elizabeth Bergner
Shakespeare's comedy.

Beloved Rogue, The (1927)
John Barrymore, Conrad Veidt, Marceline Day.
Loosely based on the life of Francois Villion (the poet) and Louis XI of France (late 15th C).

Christopher Columbus (1949)
Frederic March.
Reasonable biography.

Christopher Columbus - The Discovery (1992)
Tom Selleck, Marlon Brando.
1492 Bomb about Chris Columbo.

Captain from Castille (1947)
Tyrone Power
With Cortez in Mexico.

Dangerous Beauty
Catherine McCormack, Rufus Sewell, Jacqueline Bisset
Based on true story of a 16th C Venetian courtesan.

Diane (1956)
Lana Turner
About Diane de Poitiers, mistress of Henry II of France.

Elizabeth
This film bears no resemblance to history in either plot or costuming or dance, unfortunately.

Elizabeth R
BBC series chronicling the life and times of Elizabeth I of England.

Galileo (1973)
Topol.
Based on Bertolt Brecht play.

Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1973)
Keith Mitchell
Adapted from the BBC series.

If I were King (1938)
Ronald Coleman, Basil Rathbone, Frances Dee.
Loosely based on the life of Francois Villion (the poet) and Louis XI of France (late 15th C).

Ivan the Terrible, Part 1 (1943)
Sergei Eisenstein, D.
A fascinating exploration of the Tsar.

Ivan the Terrible, Part 2 (1946)
Sergei Eisenstein, D.
A long suppressed sequel to the above.

Lady Jane (1985)
Helena Bonham Carter, Cary Elwes.
About Lady Jane Grey, cousin of Henry VIII, and for nine days (1553) Queen of England.

Man for All Seasons, A (1966)
Paul Scofield.
Set during the reign of Henry VIII and the controversy that led to the execution of Sir Thomas Moore. Winner of several Oscars.

Man for All Seasons, A (1988)
Charlton Heston, Vanessa Redgrave.
TV movie set during the reign of Henry VIII and the controversy that led to the execution of Sir Thomas Moore.

Mary, Queen of Scots (1971)
Vanessa Redgrave, Glenda Jackson.
The rivalry of Mary and Elizabeth that finally led to Mary's execution.

Mary of Scotland (1936)
Katherine Hepburn.
Mary, Queen of Scots and her time in Scotland after her return from France.

Nostradamus (1994)
Film about the famed astrologer-physician who lived 1503-1566.

Pit and the Pendulum, The (1991)
Apparently well-researched film on Torquemada.

Prince of Foxes (1949)
Orson Welles, Tyrone Power,
Cesare Borgia and a Renaissance adventurer.

Private Life of Henry VIII, The (1933)
Alexander Korda, dir; Charles Laughton.
Wonderful film, particularly the Anne of Cleves section.

Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, The (Elizabeth the Queen) (1939)
Bette Davis, Errol Flynn.
An interesting view of the relationship between Elizabeth and her principal suitor.

Queen Margot (1994)
The circumstances surrounding the Medici's and the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre.

Return of Martin Guerre, The (1982)
Gerard Depardieu.
Based on fact, early 16th century in French with subtitles. Beautifully filmed and accurate.

Richard III (early 1900's)
Excellent silent version recently recovered.

Richard III (1955)
Laurence Olivier.
Based on Shakespeare's pro-Tudor play about the last of the Yorkist/Plantagenet Kings. Quite good.

Richard III (1996)

Seven Seas to Calais (1962)
Rod Taylor
Sir Francis Drake swashbuckler.

Shakespearean series (Video)
The Royal Shakespearean Company and the BBC
The late historical plays including Richard III & Henry VIII.

Shakespeare in Love
Gwyneth Paltrow, Finnes
Excellent film not based on history as documented, but as close to historical for sets, costumes and ambience as just about any film made. The plot is quite plausible, except for the new world references.

Six Wives of Henry VIII, The (Video)
BBC Television
The life and loves of Henry VIII, King of England.

Sword and the Rose, The (1953)
Disney; Richard Todd, Glynis Johns, James Robertson Justice.
About Princess Margaret, sister to Henry VIII.

Tower of London (1939)
Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff
Minor Richard III melodrama.

Tower of London (1962)
Roger Corman, D.; Vincent Price
Flat Richard III melodrama remake.

Tudor Rose (1936)
About Lady Jane Grey, cousin of Henry VIII, and for nine days (1553) Queen of England.

Virgin Queen, The (1955)
Bette Davis, Richard Todd.
Elizabeth I and her conflicts with Sir Walter Raleigh. Reasonable.

Young Bess (1953)
Jean Simmons, Stewart Granger, Charles Laughton.
A good rendition of the early years of Elizabeth I.

Grendel, Grendel, Grendel (1980)
Peter Ustinov.
Animated version of John Gardner's retelling of Beowulf.

King Lear (1971)
Paul Scofield.
Heavy version of Shakespeare's play.

King Lear (1984) (Video)
Laurence Olivier
An excellent BBC version of Shakespeare's play.

Vikings, The (1958)
Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh.
Based on Ragnars Saga Lodbrokar. Many archaeological consultants, but rather fifties.

Canterbury Tales, The (1971)
Pier Paolo Pasolini, dir.
Supposedly four Chaucer stories. A real bomb, and disgusting to boot.

Chimes at Midnight (Falstaff) (1966)
Orson Welles, Jeanne Moreau.
Combination of excerpts from Shakespeare.

Decameron, The (1970)
Pier Paolo Pasolini, dir.
X-rated. Eight stories from Boccaccio's Decameron.

Decameron Nights (1953)
Joan Fontaine, Louis Jourdan.
Distillation of stories from Boccaccio's Decameron.

El Cid (1961)
Charleton Heston, Sophia Loren.
Legendary Spanish warrior-hero who began the campaign to drive the Moors from Spain. Accurate to the literature if not the history.

El Greco (1966)
Mel Ferrer
Unfortunate story of Renaissance painter.

Hamlet (1948)
Laurence Olivier
Brilliant Noir adaptation of Shakespeare's play. Four or five Oscars.

Hamlet (1969)
Nichol Williamson, Gordon Jackson, Anthony Hopkins.
A basic adaptation of Shakespeare's play.

Hamlet (1990)
Franco Zefferelli, dir.; Mel Gibson.
A somewhat scattered adaptation of Shakespeare's play.

Hearts and Armor (1982)
Tanya Roberts.
Based on the 1516 Orlando Furioso by Ludovico Ariosto.

Midsummer Night's Dream, A (1935)
James Cagney, Dick Powell.
I find this a little bizarre.

Midsummer Night's Dream, A (1968)
Diana Rigg, David Warner.
A fine cast. Production is a bit iffy though.

Midsummer Night's Dream, A
Kevin Kline.
Victorian setting.

Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson.
The costuming has nothing at all to do with the Italian Renaissance, but is otherwise a good adaptation, but not brilliant.

Othello (1952)
Orson Welles.
A good adaptation of Shakespeare's play.

Othello (1965)
Laurence Olivier, Frank Finlay, Maggie Smith.
A excellent adaptation of Shakespeare's play.

Othello (1996)
Kenneth Branagh.

Romeo and Juliet (1936)
George Cukor, dir.; Norma Shearer, Leslie Howard, John Barrymore.
A good adaptation of Shakespeare's play.

Romeo and Juliet (1954)
Renato Castellani, dir.; Laurence Harvey.
A pleasing adaptation of Shakespeare's play.

Romeo and Juliet (1968)
Franco Zefferelli, dir.; Leonard Whiting, Olivia Hussey.
An excellent adaptation of Shakespeare's play. Won several Oscars.

Romeo and Juliet (1996)
Jenny Agutter

Shakespearean series (Video)
the Royal Shakespearean Company and the BBC
John Cleese of Monty Python fame stars in the Taming of the Shrew. Many of the plays do not belong to any particular period, but are placed here because this is Shakespeare's period.

Taming of the Shrew, The (1929)
Sam Taylor, dir.; Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks.
An unfortunate adaptation of Shakespeare's play.

Taming of the Shrew, The (1967)
Franco Zefferelli, dir.; Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton.
A brilliant adaptation of Shakespeare's play.

Winter's Tale, The (1968)
Laurence Harvey, Jane Asher.
Film of 1966 Edinburgh Festival stage production.

7th Voyage of Sinbad, The (1958)
Kerwin Matthews, Kathryn Grant (Crosby).
Ray Harryhausen Sinbad adventure.

Adventures of Robin Hood, The (1955)
Greene, Richard.
The TV series.

Adventures of Haji Baba, The (1954)(
John Derek.
OK I suppose.

Adventures of Robin Hood, The (1938)
Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone.
The definitive Robin Hood as swashbuckler. Several Oscars.

Aladdin (1992)
Animated. Several Oscars. I liked it.

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (1944)
Maria Montez, Jon Hall.
I always enjoyed this.

Arabian Adventure (1979)
Christopher Lee, Milo O'Shea.
Self explanatory.

Arabian Nights (1942)
Jon Hall, Maria Montez, Sabu.
Interesting.

Arabian Nights (1974)
Directed by Pasolini.
Supposedly the best of his medieval trilogy. It wouldn't take much.

Arthur of the Britons (TV)
Oliver Tobias , Brian Blessed 1972-1973
Some like this adaptation of the legend.

Arthur the King (Merlin and the Sword) (1985)
Malcolm McDowell, Candice Bergen.
A odd adaptation of the legend.

Bandit of Sherwood Forest, The (1946)
Cornel Wilde, Anita Louise.
The son of Robin Hood.

Black Knight, The (1954)
Alan Ladd, Patricia Medina.
Loosely Arthurian.

Camelot (1967)
Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Harris.
The musical version of T.H. White's version of the Arthur legend. Iffy. Won Oscar for Costumes.

Challenge for Robin Hood, A (1968)
Nothing much.

Dragon and the Sword, The
Russian. It concerns a Russian folk hero named Illya Murometz, and his battle against the Tartars.

Ever After (
Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, Dougray Scott.
An interesting telling of the Cinderella faity tale, set in the Renaissance more or less.

Excalibur (1981)
John Boorman, dir.; Nichol Williamson, Nigel Terry, Helen Mirren.
Odd but arresting version of the Arthur Legend.

First Knight (1995)
Sean Connery.
Connery is the only thing going for this movie.

Golden Blade, The (1953)
Rock Hudson, Piper Laurie.
Arabian swashbuckler.

Golden Horde, The (1951)
Ann Blyth.
13th C Arabian Nights story.

Golden Voyage of Sinbad, The (1974)
John Philip Law.
Ray Harryhausen special effects Sinbad flick.

Knights of the Round Table, The (1953)
Richard Thorpe, dir.; Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner.
Middling Hollywood effort at Arthur legend.

Lady Godiva (1955)
Maureen O'Hara.
Flat version of the famous ride.

Ladyhawke (1985)
Richard Donner, dir.; Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Leo McKern.
Based on 12th Century legend; setting is possibly French. Grows on you.

Last Unicorn, The (1982)
Animated. From Peter S. Beagle and set during the late 1100's.

Magic Sword, The (1962)
Gary Lockwood, Basil Rathbone
Campy version of St. George and the Dragon.

Men of Sherwood Forest (1954)
Don Taylor
Average Robin Hood story.

Nibelungen, Die (1924)
Fritz Lang, dir.
A masterful rendition of the ring cycle.

Pied Piper, The (1972)
Donovan, Donald Pleasance.

Pied Piper of Hamelin, The (1957)
Van Johnson, Kay Starr, Claude Rains.
Made for TV before TV movies were a rage. I remember this as pleasant and a little flat.

Prince of Thieves, The (1948)
Jon Hall
Supposedly a kids swashbuckler about Robin Hood.

Robin and Marian (1976)
Richard Lester, dir; Sean Connery, Audrey Hepburn
Interesting version of Robin Hood legend loosely based on one of the stories. Robin and Marian in their middle-ages. ;-)

Robin Hood (1973)
Disney animation.
So-so.

Robin Hood (1991)
Patrick Bergin, Uma Thurman.
TV movie. Mediocre.

Robin Hood
HTV/Showtime series.
Interesting viewpoint, particularly the earlier episodes. Hardly traditional.

Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves (1991)
Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Alan Rickman.
Costner is flat, Freeman's part unnecessary but interesting, Mastrantonio illcast, but Rickman is precious. Definitely should be seen.

Rogues of Sherwood Forest (1950)
John Derek.
Nonsense about Robin Hood's son and the Magna Carta.

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977)
Sam Wanamaker, dir.; Patrick Wayne, Jane Seymour.
Disappointing Ray Harryhausen Sinbad flick.

Sinbad the Sailor (1947)
Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Maureen O'Hara, Anthony Quinn.
The definitive Sinbad, a witty, funny, exhilarating swashbuckler.

Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Disney animation.
Classic fairy tale.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Disney animation.
Classic fairy tale.

Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men, The (1952)
Disney; Richard Todd, Joan Rice.
A good solid rendition of the story.

Sword in the Stone, The (1963)
Disney animation.
Middling version of T.H. White's version of the Arthur legend.

Sword of Ali Baba (1965)
Remake of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves using footage from 1944. Ukk.

Sword of Lancelot (1963)
Cornel Wilde
Middling version of Arthur.

Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960)
Richard Greene.
A fair continuation of the Robin Hood story.

Sword of the Valiant (1982)
Miles O'Keefe, Sean Connery
The Legend of Gawain and the Green Knight from the Arthurian cycle.

Tales of Robin Hood (1951)
Robert Clarke.
From an old TV series.

Prospero's Books (1991)
John Gielgud.
Adaptation of The Tempest. Eh.

Thief of Bagdad, The (1924)
Douglas Fairbanks.
Silent film, many hold it as great. I like it.

Thief of Bagdad, The (1940)
Sabu.
Oscar winning. Quite good.

Thief of Bagdad, The (1961)
Steve Reeves.
Flat Italian story.

Thief of Bagdad, The (1978)
Roddy McDowell, Peter Ustinov.
So-so TV version.

Thief of Damascus, The (1952)
Paul Henreid.
Another so-so Arabian nights film.

Thousand and One Nights, A (1945)
Cornel Wilde.
Pretty good Arabian Nights adventure.

Thousand and One Nights, A (1968)
Tongue-in-cheek middling Arabian Nights adventure.

Tristan and Isolde (Lovespell) (1979)
Richard Burton, Kate Mulgrew.
Bad version of the legend.

The Virgin Spring (1959)
Ingmar Bergman, D.; Max von Sydow
Based on a 14th C legend about the rape and murder of a farm girl. Best foreign film Oscar.

Erik the Conqueror (The Invaders) (1961)
Cameron Mitchell.
So-so 10th century Viking story.

Last of the Vikings, The (1961)
Cameron Mitchell.
Urgh.

Long Ships, The (1964)
Richard Widmark, Sidney Poitier.
Strangely enough based on an actual historical incident, but I donÕt remember anything about a bell and OccamÕs razor was just going too far.

Norseman, The (1978)
Lee Majors
Bad, very bad. Bears little resemblance to historical events of any sort.

Prince Valiant (1954)
Robert Wagner, Janet Leigh.
A flat uninteresting version of the comic strip.

Sword of the Conqueror (1961) 6th C Byzantine nothing.

Black Arrow, The (1948)
Louis Hayward.
Based on Robert Louis Stevenson's novel.

Black Arrow, The (1985)
Oliver Reed.
Based on Robert Louis Stevenson's novel.

Black Rose, The (1950)
Tyrone Power, Cecile Aubry, Orson Welles.
Set during the Crusades. Plodding mostly.

Black Shield of Falworth, The (1954)
Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh.
Supposedly based on a Howard Pyle novel. Pretty flat.

Brother Cadfael (series) (1996) (Video)
Derek Jacobi
A controversial rendering of Ellis Peters medieval mysteries.

The Crusades (1935) Cecil B. DeMille, D.; Loretta Young, Henry Wilcoxon
Costumer set during the third crusade (Richard the Lion-Hearted)

The Flame and the Arrow (1950) Burt Lancaster
A sometimes comedic swashbuckler set in Italy.

Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1923)
Lon Chaney
A good silent version of the Hugo classic.

Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1939)
Charles Laughton
A excellent version of the Hugo classic.

Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1957)
Anthony Quinn, Gina Lollobrigida
An average version of the Hugo classic.

Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1982)
Anthony Hopkins, Derek Jacobi
An excellent TV version of the Hugo classic.

Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1997)
Disney animated version of the Hugo classic. A bit heavy for kids, the supposed audience for the film.

Ivanhoe (1952)
Robert Taylor, Joan Fontaine.
Based on Sir Walter Scott's novel set in the late 1100s. A classic of its type.

Ivanhoe
Roger Moore.
A 1960's BBC series based on Sir Walter Scott's novel set in the late 1100s.

Ivanhoe (1982)
Anthony Andrews, Olivia Hussey.
TV movie. Based on Sir Walter Scott's novel set in the late 1100s. Fairly good.

Lionheart (1987)
Eric Stoltz
A sort of children's crusade looking for Richard the Lion-Hearted led by a knight.

Masque of the Red Death, The (1964)
Vincent Price.
One of the best of Roger Corman's Poe stories. I'm guessing as to period from my memories.

Masque of the Red Death, The (1989)
Remake of the Roger Corman's Poe story. Why did Corman (he produced) remake such a good work if he was going to degrade it so badly?

Mighty Crusaders, The (1957)
Flat Italian crusader flick.

Mongols, The (1961)
Jack Palance, Anita Ekberg.
Mongol invasion of Europe. Ugh.

Name of the Rose, The (1986)
Sean Connery, F. Murray Abraham, Christain Slater.
Based on Umberto Eco's novel set in 1312, Italy. A medieval mystery, slightly flawed, but not to be missed.

Saracen Blade, The (1954)
Ricardo Montalban.
Venegence in the 13th Century. Urgh.

Sword of El Cid, The (1962)
nothing much.

Viking Women and the Sea Serpent (1957) Dir. Roger Corman.
Zero grade trash.

Walk with Love and Death, A (1969)
John Huston, D.; Anjelica Huston
Average love story in 1300s France.

Warlord, The (1965)
Charlton Heston, Rosemary Forsyth, Richard Boone.
Based on Leslie Stevens The Lovers. Has authenticity problems but interesting.

Crossed Swords (1954)
Errol Flynn, Gina Lollabrigida
Mediocre swashbuckler.

Fire Over England (1937)
Laurence Olivier, Flora Robson.
Quite nice piece about English-Spanish conflict.

Flesh & Blood (renamed The Rose and the Sword) (1985)
Rutger Hauer, Jennifer Jason Leigh.
The opening scene dates this to the 1500's in Italy, though some of the characters (notably Hawkwood) are earlier. Gory, erotic, foul and picturesque, every individual's reaction will be different depending on their sensitivities.

Orlando (1993)
Only the first part, which is set in the reign of Elizabeth I.

Pit and the Pendulum, The (1961)
Vincent Price.
One of the best of Roger Corman's Poe stories.

Seventh Sword (1962)
Plot to overthrow Philip II of Spain. Minor.

Swordsman of Siena, The (1961)
Stewart Granger.
Spanish underground in the 16th C. Nothing much.

Erik the Viking (1989)
Terry Jones, dir.; Tim Robbins.
Major flaws unfortunately.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Supposedly 932 AD. A cultural icon to some. Some truly inspired comedy, but somewhat uneven.

Black Adder I (Video)
Rowan Atkinson.
British comedy set in the (nonexistent) interregnum between Richard III and Henry VII. Hilarious.

Carry On Henry VIII (1972)
Sydney James, et al.
One of a long series of British comedy movies. Midling.

Court Jester, The (1956)
Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns, Basil Rathbone.
1100's? England? A brilliant comedy.

Jabberwocky (1977)
Terry Gilliam, dir.; Michael Palin.
Monty Python does the grungy side of the Middle Ages.

Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
Mel Brooks, dir; Cary Elwes.
Mild camp parody of Robin Hood movies.

The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood (1984)
George Segal, Morgan Fairchild
Forget it.

Black Adder II (Video)
Rowan Atkinson.
British comedy supposed occurring in the court of Elizabeth I.

Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1990)
Gary Oldman, Tim Roth, Richard Dreyfuss.
Based on director Tom Stoppard's play, with characters from Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Black Cauldron, The (1985)
Animated. Good vs evil.

Conan the Barbarian (1982)
Arnold Schwartzenegger
Underrated in my opinion. Great mayhem. Made me a fan of Basil Poledouris.

Conan the Destroyer (1984)
Arnold Schwartzenegger
Unfortunate sequel to Conan the Barbarian. Hardly worth watching.

Dragonheart (1996)
Dennis Quaid, Sean Connery
Knight ironicly allies with dragon to destroy evil king.

Dragonheart: New Beginning (2000)
Mediocre.

Dragonslayer (1981)
Peter MacNichol, Caitlin Clarke, Ralph Richardson.
Magician's apprentice tries to defeat a dragon. Pretty good.

Hawk the Slayer (1980)
Jack Palance, John Terry.
This film should be terrible, but I must admit that I watch it at every opportunity.

Labyrinth (1986)
Jim Henson, dir.; David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly.
An Alice like rescue adventure with the King of the Goblins or some such.

Legend (1985)
Ridley Scott, dir; Tom cruise, Mia Sara, Tim Curry.
Unicorns, demons, goblins and other interesting stuff.

Lord of the Rings, The (1978)
Animated.
Unfortunate version incorporating only two of three books of JRR Tolkien's classic, and omitting many of the things that made the books so good.

Navigator, The (1988)
About a group of miners who, to escape the plague, tunnel through to a 1988 modern city. Quite good.

Princess Bride, The (1987)
Rob Reiner, dir.; Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin.
Based fairly accurately on William Goldman's novel. For some reason underrated by the critics. A great film.

Raven, The (1963)
Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre.
Satire on horror flicks of the period. Quite good.

Red Sonja (1985)
Brigitte Nielsen, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Bad, very bad.

Storyteller series (Video)
Jim Henson Production

Seventh Seal, The (1957)
Ingmar Bergman, dir.; Max von Sydow.
Set during the Crusades and during the Great Plague. A knight returning from the Crusades must play a game of chess with Death to save some villagers from the Plague. Very atmospheric film; almost like a passion play. Sorely tempted to place among the historicals.

Sword and the Sorcerer, The (1982)
Lee Horsley, Richard Lynch.
Erg. Warrior returns to defeat wizard and his accomplice and free kingdom. Erg.

Willow (1988)
Ron Howard, dir; Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Warwick Davis.
George Lucas's excursion into fantasy. Some fantastic action, Mad Mardigan was great, but there are flaws. Most unfortunate.

Return to Society Page, or Ravensgard.

Last updated 7/25/01.