If this is your first episode, you might want to pick a film you like and listen to that ep first – this is a special one, the finale of season 2! We’re answering listener questions, taking on a musical challenge and giving a sneak peak of what’s coming next in the history of Reel…
ROME III | And Brutus is an Honourable Man (44-42 BC)
Friends! Romans! Countrymen! Lend me your ears! I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. It’s episode 3 of our coverage of HBO’s ROME, starting in on the second season – and the Republic hangs by a thread. The Great Julius Caesar is dead, the city is in shock. What next? War… obviously. Haven’t…
Master and Commander (2003) | The Napoleonic Wars (1805)
Welcome aboard for episode 4 of Reel History Season 2! To quote Jakob – “this week we’ve gone nautical, lads” ⚓️ so all hands on deck as we man the canons and survey the horizon for dark sails 🏴☠️ in the epic period war drama “ Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World”…
Seven Samurai (1954) | Sengoku Jidai (1586)
Akira Kurosawa has stood the test of time as one of the most influential filmmakers ever, and his 1954 big-budget historical film Seven Samurai is a huge part of that legacy. A t the time, Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai was the most expensive film ever made in Japan, and you can certainly see that money on…
Apocalypto (2006) | Mesoamerica Meets Cortés (1519)
Welcome to episode 2 of season 2 of Reel History! 🎤 This week we dust off our mics, clear our throats and try not to choke as we digest the 2006 smash hit ‘Apocalypto’. Mel Gibson delivers a heart thumping tropical jungle chase that is one part Rambo, one part Predator with a double serving…
A Knight’s Tale (2001) | Feudal Europe (1372)
Season 2 of Reel History starts today! We’re aiming to release episodes every other week so please subscribe, leave us a review and tweet your history puns at us @reel_history. A Knight’s Tale from 2001 is a sport films about jousting and while it has a tenuous connection to any real history it serves as…
Reel History Season 1 FINALE
With 10 episodes we’re closing out season 1 of Reel History! In this finale episode we follow a more loose structure, having general chats about history and answering listener questions that have cropped up throughout the season. If you have any questions for us to answer in future episodes, don’t hesitate to get in touch…
Darkest Hour (2017) | Winston Churchill (1940)
Welcome to episode five of Reel History! This week we (well mainly Mark to be honest) take a critical sledgehammer to Joe Wright’s 2017 semi-historical drama “Darkest Hour” (available now on Netflix). Written by Anthony McCarten and set in early 1940, it provides a glimpse into the chaotic life and whiskey-soaked times of that quintessentially…
Kingdom of Heaven (2005) | The Crusades (1187)
This week we tackle Michael’s favourite subject – the Crusades. Yes, we’re discussing Ridley Scott’s flawed epic “Kingdom of Heaven.” from 2005. Join us as we discuss the events often described as a clash of civilisations, when religious fervor and ethnic allegiances led to the rise and fall of kingdoms and the siege of the…
Gladiator (2000) | Colosseum of Carnage (180)
Welcome to episode two of Reel History! On this podcast we talk about historical movies and TV, anything that claims to be based on a true story, and we check- how bad they mess it up? What was life actually like during that time period? This week we watched Gladiator (2000) starring Russel Crowe as…