Medievalists and the movies

Get a few medieval scholars together, and the topic of conversation will inevitably turn to movies about the Middle Ages. We love them and hate them, and can talk about all the little details and how they do or do not match with the actual history. We usually keep these conversations to ourselves, but I have noticed that medievalists are being seen on Youtube talking all about movies. I wanted to share three recent videos where medievalists do a great job of dissecting and explaining famous movie scenes about the Middle Ages. The first is with Michael Fulton, an expert on siege warfare during the crusades, who has written for us on several occasions. His focus here is rating various movie sieges for historical accuracy (few of which get a high rating). Next is from the wonderful Eleanor Janega - well known for her Going Medieval website - who tells us about scenes she likes and which drive her crazy. Finally, bestselling author Marc Morris looks at scenes from movies and tv shows like the Red Wedding from Game of Thrones and a Viking attack in The Last Kingdom. All three videos offer a lot of interesting insights into what films and tv shows get right and get wrong when it comes to depicting the Middle Ages.