Norikazu Kameda
Professor Bigley
4/24/03
Medieval Films
Medieval films are historical movies in large category, and they developed from epic/historical genre. The beginning of the epic genre was silent epics, which was created by D.W. Griffith. Judith of Bethulia (1914) is the first American silent epic, which is a Biblical story. Epic films often use historical incidences, legendary stories and historic figures. A good example of epic films is Quo Vadis (1951) a biblical film, and films like this prospered in 50’s and 60’s. An other epic genre is biographical films like The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936), which is a story of famous scientist who solved mysterious diseases like anthrax1. Although many epic films are based on historical events and figures, these films do not always follow true stories. Legendary and heroic movies are most of the time exaggerated.
As I previously mentioned, historical/epic films are based on historic events, and many of these events came from world literatures. Especially many of middle age films are developed from literatures. First Middle age film known is Robin Hood (1912), the story of a thief who steals money from heartless nobles and give them to poor children. There are many Robin Hood movies other than this one, and these are basically same story which based on the medieval fiction. For example, Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) is based on the fiction, but it spoofs the story and especially a movie Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)2. Other middle age movies based on literatures are The Three Musketeers (1921) and The Counto of Monte Cristo (1934), both from novels by Alexandre Dumas pere. Films based on literatures by well-known writer William Shakespeare are Hamlet (1921) and Romeo and Juliet (1936)3.
Middle age films are often taken as dramas and adventures films. The time period of “middle age” is 1050 to 1450 A.D., and places are usually in Europe. The films are described with vast spectacles of natures, hills and forests, various types of towns and great castles. Main characters are usually sword masters, and they fight for saving other people. If the stories of the middle age movies focus on the figures’ social lives, they tend to be categorized with dramas. If a person or a party travels around the countryside, those movies are often called adventures. More likely, middle age films share a lot of elements with other kinds of films like drama, adventure, war, fantasy and even animations. In fact, it is much easier to find middle age films in these categories than to find Medieval genre.
Sometimes middle age movies pick up social conflicts as other films do. For example, First Knight (1995) is affected by a previous social conflict, the Gulf War. The movie itself is a love story with some sword fights which takes place in legendary England King Arthur’s Camelot. In the middle of movie, Prince Malagant, who is a former knight of Camelot and had betrayed the king, tries to take over Camelot. The king’s idea of Camelot is peace, and no one is higher than others. He tells other knights and the traitor Prince Malagant that if they have to fight to protect the peace of Camelot, they will fight. This part of the movie reminds me the Gulf War. Prince Malagant is Saddam Hussein who used to be supported by the United States and later betrayed them. Camelot is the United States, and it’s Constitution says “for the people…” which sound like no one is higher than others like King Arthur’s idea. In the end, Camelot beats Prince Malagant, but the King gets killed. This part tells me that they protect the peace but there are some sacrifices to get the peace, which remind me that lost of the United States against Iraq in the Gulf War. However, it tells the United States will win in the end.
One of the best
known middle age movies is Braveheart (1995). However, there are negative opinions too.
A film critic Schmitt says, “This
movie goes far beyond violence and into the realm of sadism. Obviously, it is
understandable that a two edged sword will do great damage without filming
volumes of blood and accompanying sound effects. Moreover, the nudity during the
wedding night is totally unnecessary4.”
This critic seems to hate this movie.
I have totally opposite opinions about this movie.
He mentioned that it is too bloody, scenes and sound affects were not
needed to describe the power of sword fights, but it was great affects how sword
fights would be. Before the film
technology gets advanced, it’s was difficult how much these fighting get
closer to more realistic affects, and this movie was great example how much
these technologies are advanced. Also
he talks about unnecessary of nudity of the wedding night, but I believe it was
important in order to show how much Wallace loves his wife, and it rises his
revenge late in the movie.
Schmitt also complain, “(1) The beginning of
the movie shows the unidentified barns of Ayr. Sir William Wallace was already a
leader versus a child at this time and lost several relatives in this episode.
Later on in the movie, the barns of Ayr episode continues without any indication
that it is the same episode implying that Sir William Wallace was prone to
violence versus fighting for liberty… (8) This movie implies that Sir William
Wallace was a bloodthirsty maniac, when in reality, he was a very chivalrous
Christian gentleman5.” So he believes that Braveheart
is full of false information compared to history. Although this movie uses existing figures and is based on
true story, as I mentioned before, middle age movies don’t have to follow true
stories. Especially in this movie,
the story of revenge was much more important than the history.
The future of middle age movies takes more graphically realistic
improvements because of advance of technology.
A good example is The Lord of the Rings (2001).
This movie is also categorized as fantasy but has enough elements to be
middle age movie which include less advanced technology, no guns, and middle age
like costumes. In this movie the sceneries are well described with computer
graphics, and there will be more of these graphically advanced middle age
movies.
1http://www.filmsite.org/
2http://us.imdb.com/Title?0107977
3http://us.imdb.com/Name?Shakespeare,%20William
4http://www.lovetolearnplace.com/Movies/MiddleAges.html