The 15 Best Medieval Movies Of All Time According To IMDb

The 15 Best Medieval Movies Of All Time, According To IMDb

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1 The 15 Best Medieval Movies Of All Time, According To IMDb

Medieval movies are some of the most popular historical movies around, with these 15 proving to be beloved classics that time will never forget

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Historical films are difficult to do well. They require endless research to prevent them from becoming inaccurate, huge budgets to cater to the elaborate sets, costumes, and props required, and must often strike a balance between staying true to history and entertaining a modern audience. It’s certainly no easy feat.

Despite the difficulties, there are many medieval films that have been incredibly successful, both commercially and critically. We did some research and gathered a list of the highest-rated English-language medieval films, according to IMDb. From A Knight’s Tale to Henry V to The Name of the Rose, check out the most highly rated medieval titles below!

Updated June 10, 2020, by Shawn S. Lealos: Medieval movies come in all shapes and sizes. While most people think about the crusades and films about knights, there are also many other forms of the film. The medieval period lasted from the 5th to the 15th century, and there is a rich film history from this time. From Japan to England and everywhere in between, from Knights of the Round table to feudal lords and warriors in the crusades, some of the best films in history takes place in this era.

15 A Knight’s Tale (2001) – 6.9

A Knight’s Tale is one of the films that cemented the late Heath Ledger as an international star. With an IMDb rating of 6.9, it ties with titles such as Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and the 2018 film Outlaw King on the list of best medieval movies of all time.

Ledger stars as William Thatcher, a man who impersonates a knight and rises up through the ranks by jousting in a series of tournaments. The highly entertaining film centers around the idea that humans can choose their own destinies.

14 Kingdom of Heaven (2005) – 7.2

Kingdom of Heaven has an intriguing history. Years before fans started demanding the director’s cut of Justice League, the film Kingdom of Heaven showed how a director’s cut could save a movie. When released in theaters, Kingdom of Heaven flopped. However, once Ridley Scott released his cut on DVD, it was a massive success and remains one of the best medieval films of all-time. In the movie, a blacksmith (Orlando Bloom) joins his father (Liam Neeson) as a crusader on the road to the Holy City.

13 El Cid (1961) – 7.2

The 1961 film El Cid starring Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren is one of the most highly rated on IMDb, with an average of 7.2. The film chronicles the life of Spanish legendary figure Rodrigo Diaz de Bivar, also known as El Cid.

The film is set in the 11th century against a backdrop of Christian Spain that is being overrun by the Moors. The charismatic knight El Cid tries to unify his divided country and rally his people against the foreign invaders. Another medieval film that IMDb rates as 7.2 stars is Ridley Scott’s Crusader epic Kingdom of Heaven, starring Orlando Bloom.

12 The King (2019) – 7.3

Many of IMDb’s most successful medieval movies were made in the 20th century, but one of the more recent additions is The King, which was released in 2019. Based on several plays from William Shakespeare, the film chronicles the life of Henry V after becoming the King of England in the 15th century.

Henry ascends to the throne following the death of his brother. In the early days of his reign, he must face a number of obstacles, including war and treachery. The film stars Timothée Chalamet as King Henry V, along with Robert Pattinson, Joel Edgerton, Lily-Rose Depp, and Dean-Charles Chapman.

11 Excalibur (1981) – 7.4

John Boorman directed his medieval movie Excalibur in 1981. As expected from the title, this is a story about King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table. The cast was amazing. Nigel Terry was Arthur. Patrick Stewart was Leondegrance. Liam Neeson was Gawain. Helen Mirren was Morgana. The movie picked up an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography while Boorman won an award at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival.

10 Richard III (1955) – 7.4

Another medieval film based on the work of Shakespeare, Richard III tells the tale of the cruel English king and his conquests. It stars Laurence Olivier, Cedric Hardwicke, Nicholas Hannen, and Ralph Richardson.

The last king of the House of York, Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field, which marked the end of the Middle Ages in England. He is believed by some historians to have murdered his nephews, Edward V and Richard, Duke of York, to eliminate the risk of losing his throne. Legend has it that the young princes were secretly buried in the Tower of London.

9 Henry V (1989) – 7.5

Shakespeare’s work has inspired a number of successful medieval films, one of those being Henry V. The 1989 version of the film earned a score of 7.5, while the earlier 1944 version that was directed by Laurence Olivier received 7.1.

The 1989 adaptation of Shakespeare’s play stars its director, Kenneth Branagh, as the titular character. The film follows Henry V as he tries to claim the kingdom of France in the name of England during the Hundred Years War. It also stars Emma Thompson, Judi Dench, and Robbie Coltrane.

8 The Name Of The Rose (1986) – 7.7

In 1986, Sean Connery starred in The Name of the Rose, a period piece that would go on to become one of the most highly rated IMDb films of all time. Despite being an Italian, French, and German production, the film is acted in English and tells the story of the fictional 14th-century Franciscan monk William of Baskerville.

William and his apprentice, played by Christian Slater, travel to an abbey and investigate a suspicious death. The film is based on the Italian novel of the same name by Umberto Eco.

7 Becket (1964) – 7.8

With a strong rating of 7.8, the 1964 film Becket is one of the best medieval movies on IMDb. Starring Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole, the film documents the relationship between Henry II of England and the bishop Thomas Becket.

Now known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas Becket served as the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until 1170. He was assassinated by four knights who followed the king and was later canonized by the Catholic Church and the Church of England.

6 The Lion In Winter (1968) – 7.9

Another highly-rated film to chronicle 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. The film also stars a young Anthony Hopkins as the couple’s eldest son, Richard the Lionheart.

The film is based on a Broadway play of the same name and was one of the highest-grossing films of 1968. It also won three Academy Awards, including Best Music Score, Best Adapted Screen Play, and Best Actress for Katharine Hepburn. The Adventures of Robin Hood, starring Errol Flynn, also received 7.9 on IMDb.

5 The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) – 8.1

Released in 1928 as a silent film, The Passion of Joan of Arc told the real-life story of the trial of Joan of Arc in 1431. She led the French in battle against the English during the Hundred Years’ War but stood trial in front of the French clergy, who were loyal to the English, for heresy. Film critic Pauline Kael called Renée Jeanne Falconetti’s performance as Joan of Arc the best in cinema history.

4 Ran (1985) – 8.2

Moving to Japan for the medieval period, Akira Kurosawa mastered the genre. In 1985, Kurosawa made one of his later day movies in Ran. Kurosawa pulled heavily from Shakespeare, and Ran was a remake of King Lear. Taking place in feudal Japan, the film centers on a dying feudal lord who lost most of his kingdom’s inheritance, and this caused a war to break out between his sons for the kingdom while destroying what is left of their father’s kingdom.

3 The Seventh Seal (1957) – 8.2

In 1957, Ingmar Bergman created one of his masterpieces with The Seventh Seal. The film takes place at the end of the crusades when a medieval knight, played by Max von Sydow, returned home. At the time of 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 passing.

2 Monty Python & The Holy Grail (1975) – 8.2

It’s not often that a medieval film with a high rating is also a comedy, but Monty Python and the Holy Grail breaks all the rules. The movie features a retelling of King Arthur and a modern murder investigation. The film was released in 1975 and stars the well-known comedic group known as Monty Python: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin.

The Swedish medieval film The Seventh Seal, a meditation on mortality that’s told through a knight who challenges Death to a game of chess, also received an impressive 8.2.

1 Braveheart (1995) – 8.3

It comes as no surprise that the highest-rated English film set in medieval times is Braveheart, the 1995 epic tale of William Wallace. Directed by and starring Mel Gibson, Braveheart follows the life of Wallace after the murder of his new wife transforms him from a peaceful farmer’s son to the rebellious leader of the Scottish army.

The movie went on to dominate the awards season of the time, even taking home the Oscars for Best Director and Picture. Despite its many historical inaccuracies and the storm of controversy that now surrounds Mel Gibson, Braveheart remains one of the most iconic medieval films of all time.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/medieval-movies-imdb-best-braveheart-monty-python-holy-grail/

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