Medieval Castles and Movies - A Long History Together
Posted: Wednesday, February 07, 2007
by Will Kalif
Kalif Publishing
Movies are a creative world of imagination and wonder. And does anything evoke this feeling of wonder more than castles? They represent power, wealth, mystery and many other things so they make a perfect setting for movies not just about knights but movies about many other things.
Castles and Movies – A history Intertwined
Scottish Castles in the Movies
Scottish castles are a very popular setting for movies that take place in the middle ages or require a really old and medieval feeling. One of the most popular castles for this is castle Eilian Donan which has been used in many movies such as Highlander, Highlander End Game, and the James Bond movie The World is not Enough where it was the northern base for the British Secret Service. Another popular Scottish castle for filmmaking is Doune Castle, which was used extensively in the making of the cult classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Eastern European Castles
Eastern Europe has many castles that have found their way into movies and one of the most famous, and oldest, is Spis Castle in Slovakia. It was built in the twelfth century and has been the setting for movies such as Dragon Heart, Phoenix, Kull the Conquerer, The Lion in Winter and The Last Legion.
British Castles in the Movies
There are many British castles, and there are many movies that feature British castles. These movies tend to be more about the later middle ages and the Victorian era where the castles serve as a lush setting for the political and social intricacies of the times. Two excellent examples of this are the movie Shakespeare in Love, which was filmed in Broughton Castle and Remains of the Day, which was filmed in Powderham Castle. This Victorian era use of British castles wasn’t exclusive though. There are many English castles that have a feel of the middle ages and Old Wordour castle was used as the ancestral home of Robin Hood in Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.
Other Countries and other Medieval Castles
Some other other countries with medieval castles that have been used in movies include the Italian Rocca Calascio Castle found in the Abruzzo province and used in the filming of the 1985 Michelle Pfeiffer movie Ladyhawke. Germany has many medieval castles that have been used in movies and Sean Connery’s The Name of the Rose was filmed in and around Eberbach Cloister on the Rhine River.
Harry Potter
The Harry Potter movies, which oscillate between the modern world and a fantasy medieval world, use many of England’s gothic structures to achieve the right setting. And one of the most famous of these locations is Alnwick Castle.
Medieval Castles from around the world have been used quite extensively in movies. They communicate a wide variety of expression, mood, and atmosphere. And have been used in movies that date back to the period of a thousand years ago, movies of the Victorian era, and even movies of modern times. There are hundreds of great movies that showcase the beauty and majesty of the world’s medieval castles.
To Learn more about the beauty and the mystery of Medieval Castles visit the authors website at: Medieval Castles – The Strength and the Secrets of a Thousand Years
To Learn more about Medieval Weapons, Armor, and Knights, visit the authors website at: The Knight's Medieval Armory
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