History in Technicolour
History Podcasts
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).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Location:
United States
Genres:
History Podcasts
Description:
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). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Language:
English
Episodes
Napoleon
12/7/2023
Ridley Scott's long awaited latest epic; a 'character study' of one of the most influential figures of European history, who reshaped a continent. It has been accompanied by furious debate, criticism, praise and confusion. Henry, Wolf and David rushed to see it, and to chat about it.
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Duration:00:50:24
Oppenheimer
8/5/2023
Christopher Nolan's biography of J Robert Oppenheimer is visually stunning, rich, ambitious...also quite long. Did it engage you, was it thought provoking, present a convincing view of it's subject? We talk about that.
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Duration:01:04:50
The Great Escape
12/18/2022
Released in 1863 The Great Escape has got to be one of the definitive tales of derring-do, the ultimate escapism, in the 'film is fun' genre. What role would you have had if you had been there?
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Duration:00:55:28
Chariots of Fire
12/11/2022
I remember back in 1981 this film was a sensation; we were all running around on beaches in slo-mo. Has it stood the test of time, though, and is it any more than a bit of fluff?
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Duration:00:53:11
Bright Star
11/20/2022
Jane Campion's Bright Star was released in 2009 and featured on the lives of Fanny Browne and John Keats in the last years of Keat's life. Abbie Cornish and Ben Wishaw do a brilliant job of recreating their lives
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Duration:00:57:39
Gladiator
10/30/2022
Ridley Scott's classic - is it, and were you entertained or did it unleash hell? Has it stood the test of time? And how well does the revenge format work? This and much more - and a discussion of the ubiquitous agricultural yield ratios.
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Duration:01:01:49
The Lost King
10/16/2022
The Lost King follows the remarkable story of Ricardian Phillipa Langley, whose steely determination and persistence led to the discovery of the body of Richard III and paints the academic community as determined to write her out of the story.
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Duration:00:58:19
Lagaan
9/25/2022
The evil British oppressor Captain Russell - twiddly 'tache and all - forces the poor hapless (and stonkingly rich) Raja to impose the traditional tax, Lagaan threefold on the villagers unless they beat the English overlord at their weird game - Cricket (pre IPL days, obs). Find out what happens.
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Duration:00:52:21
In Cold Blood
9/11/2022
The 1967 film noir adaptation of Truman Capote's famous book, In Cold Blood tells of the gruesome story of the murders of the Clutter family. It used a quasi document style, and is not only strikingly filmed, but makes you ask why these people died. It won multiple nominations for Academy Awards.
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Duration:00:51:58
The Favourite
8/28/2022
This 2018 film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos is a glorious tragi-comedy about the lives of three women - Queen Anne, Sarah Churchill and Abigail Hill. It travels the full spectrum from barking mad to genuinely moving. It is a blast.
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Duration:00:50:07
Rob Roy
8/14/2022
Rob Roy is a 1995 film telling a story of a Highland clan chief Rob Roy McGregor played by Liam Neeson; Jessica :Lange, John Hurt, Tim Roth, Brian Cox are superb. The best film about scotland in 1995 for sure.
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Duration:00:40:56
Cromwell
7/31/2022
Cromwell was a 1970 film starring Richard Harris as the eponymous, and Alec Guiness as Charles I. Massive in scale and ambition, in its attempt to present Oliver as a democratic hero of the people. Does it manage it?
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Duration:00:55:36
Marie Antoinette
9/11/2021
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?
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Duration:00:51:22
The Duellists
8/22/2021
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
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Duration:00:45:45
Zulu
7/25/2021
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? Is it a great drama, and in the light of changing attitudes to colonialism and Empire does it still stir the blood, in a good way?
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Duration:00:54:21
Kingdom of Heaven
7/11/2021
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 the Director's Cut was better received, and the film has very strong themes about religious fanaticism; and is a visual treat.
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Duration:00:55:20
Monty Python
6/20/2021
Monty Python produced two deeply researched dramas analysing the reign of the great British Hero King Arthur, and the religious leader, Brian. How accurate are they, and are we still a Python worshiping country?
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Duration:01:09:56
Land and Freedom
6/6/2021
The 1995 film 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.
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Duration:00:41:46
49th Parallel
5/23/2021
A 1941 Powell and Pressburger film designed to persuade the American people of the need to join the war against the Nazis. "Goebbels considered himself an expert on propaganda, but I thought I'd show him a thing or two" said Pressburger. Did the film work?
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Duration:00:40:42
Peterloo
5/9/2021
The massacre at St Peters Field in 1819 was a key date in the story of the development of democracy in Britain. Mike Lee's film sets out to restore that sense of outrage in loving and angry detail.
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Duration:00:51:45