Movie Knights

Catalog description

Knights in shining armor, bow-wielding vigilantes in green tights and a cart-pushing cretin admonishing his neighbors to “bring out your dead” - al these well-known images come to us from films, the primary means by which most of us encounter medieval history. The Middle Ages seem to us at once terribly romantic (think of chivalrous knights) and horribly uncivilized (think of “medieval” table manners). This class will explore modern popular imaginings of the Middle Ages through film. We will view several feature-length films and numerous clips, interspersed with readings from and about the Middle Ages. Our aim will be to develop a more critical perspective on historical films and other historical genres, allowing us to evaluate historical films critially without sacrificing our enjoyment of them. Films will range from Monte Python’s “Holy Grail” to “The Seventh Seal” and “The Kingdom of Heaven.” Themes will include Robin Hood, the Crusades, the Black Death and Joan of Arc. Some reading will need to be completed before the course begins. Course Attributes: Humanities Elective College of Arts & Sciences History