Medieval History
So, what would you expect to find in a forgotten janitor's closet in an insane asylum in Oslo, Norway? Dusty brooms, crusty old cleaning chemicals...and maybe a landmark silent film about Joan of Arc, believed to be long since lost to history? Well, you'd be right.
Nine of out ten times, I hate watching movies set in the 'medieval' period. They seem to include two things that drive me nutty: Dirty, vulgar peasants portrayed like this ("Denis, there's some lovely filth down here!"), and inexplicable, gratuitous, graphic rape or sex scenes. I don't even mind gross historical inaccuracies in events, costume, sets, etc. I must also state that on the whole, I don't see films as works of art. I can hear the abusing comments now - but I think its the rare film that is actually a work of art.
Carl T. Dreyer's silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc, with Renee Jeanne Falconetti playing Joan, is an extraordinary exception. I watched the Criterion Collection DVD version, with "Voices of Light" composed by Richard Einhorn accompanying the film. Its safe to say, this was the most intense movie-watching experience I've ever had. Falconetti is unforgettable, and it is with good reason her performance is often considered one of the best ever captured on film. It was actually hard for me to watch, because I love Joan of Arc so much, and film forces you to feel with her.
I recommend watching A. O Scott's New York Times Critics Pick podcast before you embark on the film. He rightfully says of the film, "We may not ultimately understand Joan, but we know her." I'm sure you could find the whole movie on YouTube, but don't. Get the DVD, dim the lights, and watch it. I found I couldn't even snack on my favorite tea and crackers when it was on - I was utterly engrossed. In my opinion, one of the best films ever made.
- France Celebrates Joan Of Arc's 600th Birthday
The normally tranquil city of Orleans is buzzing with festivities over the next two weeks to mark the 600th birthday of one of France's best cultural exports: Joan of Arc. Looking appropriately cinematic, the Loire River swarmed with wooden boats...
- Celebrating The Real Joan Of Arc
On January 6, people around the world will come together to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the birth of St. Joan of Arc, the brave peasant girl from the French countryside who in 1429 lifted the English siege of Orleans, walloped the enemy army and...
- Hollywood Gets Mixed Reviews In History Class, Study Suggests
Students who learn history by watching historically based blockbuster movies may be doomed to repeat the historical mistakes portrayed within them, suggests a new study from Washington University in St. Louis. The study, forthcoming in the journal Psychological...
- Burt On Medieval And Early Modern Film And Media
From Palgrave/Macmillan: "Medieval and Early Modern Film and Media contextualizes historical films in an innovative way--not only relating them to the history of cinema, but also to premodern and early modern media. This philological approach to the (pre)history...
- The Geography Of Joan, Part Ii: Orleans
The battles won at Orleans were the decisive victories for the French in the Hundred Years War. Orleans' situation on the Loire was important for the English, as it would have connected their landholdings in the west with their Burgundians allies...
Medieval History
The Passion of Joan of Arc, 1928
So, what would you expect to find in a forgotten janitor's closet in an insane asylum in Oslo, Norway? Dusty brooms, crusty old cleaning chemicals...and maybe a landmark silent film about Joan of Arc, believed to be long since lost to history? Well, you'd be right.
Nine of out ten times, I hate watching movies set in the 'medieval' period. They seem to include two things that drive me nutty: Dirty, vulgar peasants portrayed like this ("Denis, there's some lovely filth down here!"), and inexplicable, gratuitous, graphic rape or sex scenes. I don't even mind gross historical inaccuracies in events, costume, sets, etc. I must also state that on the whole, I don't see films as works of art. I can hear the abusing comments now - but I think its the rare film that is actually a work of art.
- France Celebrates Joan Of Arc's 600th Birthday
The normally tranquil city of Orleans is buzzing with festivities over the next two weeks to mark the 600th birthday of one of France's best cultural exports: Joan of Arc. Looking appropriately cinematic, the Loire River swarmed with wooden boats...
- Celebrating The Real Joan Of Arc
On January 6, people around the world will come together to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the birth of St. Joan of Arc, the brave peasant girl from the French countryside who in 1429 lifted the English siege of Orleans, walloped the enemy army and...
- Hollywood Gets Mixed Reviews In History Class, Study Suggests
Students who learn history by watching historically based blockbuster movies may be doomed to repeat the historical mistakes portrayed within them, suggests a new study from Washington University in St. Louis. The study, forthcoming in the journal Psychological...
- Burt On Medieval And Early Modern Film And Media
From Palgrave/Macmillan: "Medieval and Early Modern Film and Media contextualizes historical films in an innovative way--not only relating them to the history of cinema, but also to premodern and early modern media. This philological approach to the (pre)history...
- The Geography Of Joan, Part Ii: Orleans
The battles won at Orleans were the decisive victories for the French in the Hundred Years War. Orleans' situation on the Loire was important for the English, as it would have connected their landholdings in the west with their Burgundians allies...