Depictions of the Middle Ages in European Cinema - Video Essay

ince the advent of cinema, depictions of the medieval period varied considerably. This essay explores the common stereotypes and errors in European films about the middle Ages

[@ryanviel6524]

Honestly the middle ages have always seem like this impenetrable cloud of history. It's so hard to understand what life was actually like for them. Thanks for the take on it.

[@jknprods]

Thank you! That's very true, the more I try to study what life was like in that period, the more I realize how varied it was and how few details we actually know about it. But it's a fascinating topic

[@AGS363]

It is interesting to note, that many things associated with the middle ages were in fact much more prevelent after the renaissance. The Inquisition had its most powerfull time in the 16th century. The burning of witches peaked in the 17th, the same time plague doctors were invented. And full plate armor was almost unknown before 1400, but stayed on the battlefield untill about 1648.

[@jknprods]

That's very true! A large part of the popular image of the middle ages originates in those later periods and was retroactively transposed to the earlier centuries

[@tomashize]

Surprised you didnt mention the film Andrei Rublev from Russia or Marketa Lazarova from the Czech Republic. Both very authentic and immersive films.

[@Maymaysmaymays]

I love the seventh seal to the point where I can quote that entire monastery dialogue between Antonius Block and Death by heart. So far, the only ones I’ve managed to impress with that party trick are my parents, but oh well!

[@jknprods]

It is impressive! And yes, it's a great film, true classic

[@carlosnobrega5091]

Amazing video! As a history student, it always pissed me off how the middle ages has been show in media. I also enjoyed how you were able to cram a lot of information without having to extend the video to over 1 hour. I hope you channel continues to grow

[@jknprods]

Thank you! I appreciate your comment!

[@nathanhines284]

Awesome job on this video. Would love to see more how history is represented in film videos from you. Maybe something about our modern mythical conceptions of periods like the enlightenment, the Victorian era, or WWII.

[@viderevero1338]

One of the first times ive got to see a channel before it inevitably blows up. 🤙🏾 You got this.

[@jknprods]

Thanks! 🙏

[@conaldempsey8342]

Agree with most points but for the kingdom of heaven bastard point, less so. William the conqueror was the son of the Duke and a tanners daughter. His second nickname is that of "William the bastard", the rules of inheritance applied in the period, but not without exceptions.

[@jknprods]

Thank you for the comment! Yes, that's true, maybe i shouldn't have made such a general statement. The period was so varied that it's hard to generalize. I mostly wanted to contrast the film to the historical Balian of Ibelin who wasn't a bastard

[@thomasdevine867]

Accuracy in art is always going to be subordinate to the story and the point of the story. As you pointed out, "Seventh Seal" was about the moral and emotional state of mid-twentieth century Europe. "Kingdom of Heaven" never knew what it was about. It wanted to object to the Invasion of Iraq. But it couldn't understand that they chose the wrong period to use as commentary, nor could it deal with moral complexity. You'd need a story about human beings making a moral mistake. Some of those making the mistake would have to be decent people and some of those wronged would need to be unworthy or corrupt. The story would be closer to a late classical understanding of the Trojan War. Accuracy, for it own sake, belongs in documentaries. I do think good faith efforts are worthwhile. Still, an accurate Robin Hood wouldn't have a long bow. An accurate King Arthur wouldn't even know Merlin, Lancelot, Guinevere, or Morgain le Fay. Accuracy can kick out the fun if you use it improperly.

[@awilk418]

I feel like you are describing the difference between accuracy vs authenticity. True, if depicting a real person that existed you will never portray them 100% accurately for a myriad of reasons, some due to impossibility and some in service of the story. You can, however, portray them and the world authentically which is something that filmmakers have really failed to do in most period pieces. Master and Commander, while not medieval, is the first example I can think of that really nailed the authenticity but is a fictional story that sacrifices some historical accuracy in order to tell that story.

[@jellees]

Very good video. The middle ages are unfortunately often misrepresented in various ways.

[@jknprods]

Thank you!

[@rexfrancorum]

Great video ! Thanks for your work.

[@JO-mr8tp]

A very good video! I would be interested in hearing more about the depiction of the crusades vs. reality :)

[@jknprods]

Thank you! It's a fascinating topic, I might do more videos about it ;)

[@pyrrhusofepirus8491]

El Cid is one of my favourites, I find a lot of these older films strangely have more authenticity of the Middle Ages. They actually have the brass stones, the sheer cajones to actually have bright colours and vibrancy. Whereas even good films like The Northmen feel the need to wipe out colour. Definitely the new medieval trend is that they make the Medieval period as violent and barbarous as possible, and make the people as evil as possible (unless they’re brown). I’ve often seen this concern dismissed as ‘its a different time morals were different back then’. Yeah thats true, but it goes so far (like a certain scene in the Northmen) as to the point that I’m certain it’ve been viewed as evil back then as we do today. But according to these films, each and every medieval person had the morality of the Waffen SS.

[@m1tchsorensten983]

really interesting video thanks

[@jknprods]

I'm glad you found it interesting!

[@KenDelloSandro7565]

Anti Catholicism has always been the most popular pastime practiced by Her enemies no matter the century . *+INSTAVRARE OMNIA IN CHRISTO*

[@jknprods]

It has, but the gates of hell will not prevail! Truth will win

[@agnieszkaogonek9047]

Świetny film. Naprawdę inspirujący.

[@jknprods]

Dziękuję!

[@sugarapsa]

you skipped over Henry V, which I watched recently (it’s posted on youtube!). The comments on it are mostly lauding its historical accuracy - it really stuck out to me how colorful it was; it really looked like a medieval painting come to life.

[@jagienka_1]

Super! Ciekawe ujęcie tematu i ogromna wiedza. Gratulacje!

[@jknprods]

Dziękuję!

[@calindragoi]

Popped off

[@jbolanowski1]

Świetne!

[@jknprods]

Dziękuję!

[@prankster1590]

This is purely to promote all these movies.

[@loganscully373]

4:13 the halo soundtrack lmao

[@franzjoseph4218]

13:30 which movie is this

[@jknprods]

The seventh seal

[@waltonsmith7210]

Ive always been confused as to why some people would prefer to put exaggerrated stereotypical nonsense in a movie or tv series when the true facts we know are so interesting. Also, calling the crusades a response ro violent muslim conquests when Jerusalem had been muslim for around four hundred years is strange. The Turks were making violent raids on Anatolia, true, and the First Crusade was a response to that, but the people of Antioch and Jerusalem, who ended up being massacred, were not responsible for that. I dont think Kingdom of Heaven is as accurate or sophisticated as Id like, but depicting crusades as an overall negative is not something I have a problem with.

[@filipbien8951]

POLSKA GUROM 🇵🇱🇵🇱🇵🇱

[@jacklaurentius6130]

Looks like you found your niche.

[@skjaldulfr]

"Lumping together" many centuries into a period called the Middle Ages is NOT problematic at all--no more than "lumping together" all of history as "all of history." Ancient, Medieval, Modern are three high-level divisions in the historical timeline that have subdivisions. The Middle Ages can be subdivided, for example, into the Dark Ages, the High Middle Ages, and the start of the Renaissance. Those subdivisions can be further subdivided. These are tiered levels of organization. Not only is that not problematic. It's necessary, in order to discuss and analyze history.

[@awilk418]

Not problematic in concept but in execution I think was probably more what he meant. Using the term Middle Ages to refer to that period of history is totally fine and necessary as you say, but if you are trying to represent a culture and/or person from a specific period and just throw things in from the entire 1000 year period because we lazily think of it as all the same is going to come off as inauthentic at best.

[@starcapture3040]

You contradicts yourself too, if you into Medieval studies you must have known that tax on Christion was also on Muslims in what is called zakat. this cherty although paid by Muslims it was also consumed by poor Christians.

[@skeletorlikespotatoes7846]

No it wasn't. Christians and Jews were taxed extremely ridiculously by Muslims.

[@bobsbigboy_]

absurdly based video

[@jknprods]

Thanks!