8 best films about the Middle Ages

Movies about the Middle Ages are some of the most popular historical films out there, and these are 15 acclaimed classics that time will never forget.

Historical films are difficult to do well. They require endless research to keep them from being inaccurate, huge budgets to maintain the elaborate sets, the required costumes, and props, and there is often a balance to be struck between being true to history and entertaining contemporary audiences. This is, of course, no easy feat.

Despite the difficulties, there are many films about the Middle Ages that have been incredibly successful both commercially and critically.

8 PHOTOS

1. the Kingdom of Heaven

The Kingdom of Heaven showed how a director's cut can save a movie. In theaters, Kingdom of Heaven failed. However, after Ridley Scott released his version on DVD, it was a huge success and remains one of the best films about the Middle Ages of all time. In the film, a blacksmith (Orlando Bloom) joins his father (Liam Neeson) as a crusader on his way to the Holy City.

2. El Cid.

The charismatic knight El Cid is trying to unite his divided country and rally his people against foreign invaders.

3. King.

Many of the most successful films about the Middle Ages were made in the 20th century, but one of the latest additions is The King, which was released in 2019 based on several plays by William Shakespeare.

4. Lion in Winter.

Another highly acclaimed film chronicling the life of Henry II is The Lion in Winter, starring Peter O'Toole as King Henry II and Katharine Hepburn as Eleanor of Aquitaine.

5. Passion of Joan of Arc.

Released in 1928 as a silent film, The Passion of Joan of Arc told the true story of Joan of Arc's trial in 1431. She led the French in the battle against the English during the Hundred Years' War but was put on trial. French clergy loyal to the British for heresy. Film critic Pauline Kael called René Jeanne Falconetti's performance as Joan of Arc the best in cinematic history.

6. Seventh Seal.

In 1957, Ingmar Bergman created one of his masterpieces, the Seventh Seal. The film is set at the end of the Crusades when a medieval knight played by Max von Sydow has returned home. During the Black Death, the knight was dying but wanted to return home to see his wife one last time and challenged Death to a game of chess for his life to delay his departure.

7. Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

It's not often that a highly rated medieval movie is also a comedy, but Monty Python and the Holy Grail break all the rules. The film features a retelling of King Arthur and a modern-day murder investigation. The film was released in 1975 and starred the famous comedy group known as Monty Python: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin.

8. Braveheart.

Unsurprisingly, the very film set in the Middle Ages is William Wallace's 1995 epic tale Braveheart. Directed and starring Mel Gibson. Braveheart follows Wallace's life after the murder of his wife turns him from the son of a peaceful farmer to a rebellious leader of the Scottish army.