The Duellists is Ridley Scott’s first feature film, in 1977. It describes a vicious feud of honour between two officers over the course of the Napoleonic wars

The Duellists

Marie Antoinette is the 2006 film directed by Sophia Coppola. It took a highly stylised and sumptuous approach, with modern music – though nailing the cake thing. Reception was quite hostile – but maybe has improved?

Marie Antoinette

The 1964 Epic Zulu, first major role for Michael Caine was super popular - I saw it in my youth for sure. So how well has it worn?&nbsp;Is it a great drama, and in the light of changing attitudes to colonialism and Empire&nbsp;does it still sti...

The 1964 Epic Zulu, first major role for Michael Caine was super popular - I saw it in my youth for sure. So how well has it worn?&nbsp;Is it a great drama, and in the light of changing attitudes to colonialism and Empire&nbsp;does it still stir the blood, in a good way?

Zulu

Ridley Scott's 2005 historical epic came soon after the massive success of Gladiator, and consciously aimed to repeat it's success. It didn't manage it, but&nbsp;the Director's Cut was better received, and the film has very stro...

Ridley Scott's 2005 historical epic came soon after the massive success of Gladiator, and consciously aimed to repeat it's success. It didn't manage it, but&nbsp;the Director's Cut was better received, and the film has very strong themes about religious fanaticism; and is a visual treat.

Kingdom of Heaven

Monty Python produced two deeply researched dramas&nbsp;analysing the reign of the great British Hero King Arthur, and the religious&nbsp;leader, Brian. How accurate are they, and are we still a Python worshiping country?

Monty Python produced two deeply researched dramas&nbsp;analysing the reign of the great British Hero King Arthur, and the religious&nbsp;leader, Brian. How accurate are they, and are we still a Python worshiping country?

Monty Python

The 1995 film&nbsp;about the Spanish Civil war, directed by Ken Loach and heavily influenced by Orwell's Homage to Catalonia. The film sees the war through the eyes of an English communist who goes to fight for the POUM militia.

The 1995 film&nbsp;about the Spanish Civil war, directed by Ken Loach and heavily influenced by Orwell's Homage to Catalonia. The film sees the war through the eyes of an English communist who goes to fight for the POUM militia.

Land and Freedom

A 1941 Powell and Pressburger film designed to persuade the American people of the need to join the war against the Nazis.&nbsp;"Goebbels considered himself an expert on propaganda, but I thought I'd show him a thing or two" said Pre...

A 1941 Powell and Pressburger film designed to persuade the American people of the need to join the war against the Nazis.&nbsp;"Goebbels considered himself an expert on propaganda, but I thought I'd show him a thing or two" said Pressburger. Did the film work?

49th Parallel

The massacre&nbsp;at St Peters Field in 1819&nbsp;was a key date in the story of&nbsp;the development of democracy in Britain. Mike Lee's film sets out to restore that sense of outrage in loving and angry detail.

The massacre&nbsp;at St Peters Field in 1819&nbsp;was a key date in the story of&nbsp;the development of democracy in Britain. Mike Lee's film sets out to restore that sense of outrage in loving and angry detail.

Peterloo

The stunning 2013 Japanese animated historical drama by the master, Hayao Miyazaki.&nbsp;The Wind Rises is a biographical film of Jiro Horikoshi (1903–1982), designer of the Mitsubishi A5M fighter aircraft and its successor, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero...

The stunning 2013 Japanese animated historical drama by the master, Hayao Miyazaki.&nbsp;The Wind Rises is a biographical film of Jiro Horikoshi (1903–1982), designer of the Mitsubishi A5M fighter aircraft and its successor, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, used by the Empire of Japan during World War II.

The Wind Rises

Wolf and David explore the history films we love or (or sometimes, films we’d loved just a little less but find interesting). Turns out we like different things…anyway, then we given them a score for two things – how good are they as a film, and how ac...

Wolf and David explore the history films we love or (or sometimes, films we’d loved just a little less but find interesting). Turns out we like different things…anyway, then we given them a score for two things – how good are they as a film, and how accurate are they with their history.When you’ve listened, join us at the History of England Facebook Group – you can vote, and tell us what you think of the film, and you can even tell us (in no uncertain terms) what you think of our views (while writing to your MP in the strongest possible terms).

History in Technicolour

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The Duellists

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Zulu

Kingdom of Heaven

Monty Python