The Best Medieval Movies

Robin Hood (Single-Disc Unrated Director's Cut)

Amazon Price: $6.08 (as of 05/30/2012)

This is the latest version of this awesome movie with Russel Crowe (one of my favorite actors).

Braveheart

Amazon Price: $4.36 (as of 05/30/2012)

Gladiator (Single-Disc Widescreen Edition)

Amazon Price: $5.00 (as of 05/30/2012)

A man robbed of his name and his dignity strives to win them back, and gain the freedom of his people, in this epic historical drama from director Ridley Scott.

The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy (Special Extended Edition)

Amazon Price: $54.99 (as of 05/30/2012)

This is the extended edition (the one I also bought) as it has a ton of extra parts that were cut in the regular movie set.

Excalibur

Amazon Price: $3.00 (as of 05/30/2012)

Retelling of the myths of King Arthur, the legendary 5th-6th century monarch, as well as Merlin, Uther Pendragon, the Holy Grail and the Lady of the Lake.

Kingdom of Heaven (2-Disc Widescreen Edition)

Amazon Price: $5.84 (as of 05/30/2012)

From Ridley Scott, the visionary director of Black Hawk Down and Gladiator, comes this spectacular epic of courage, honor and adventure. Orlando Bloom stars as Balian, a young Frenchman in Medieval Jerusalem during the Crusades, who, having lost everything, finds redemption in a heroic fight against overwhelming forces to save his people and fulfill his destiny as a knight.

The Name of the Rose

Amazon Price: $19.13 (as of 05/30/2012)

"The Name of the Rose" is a gothic medieval mystery thriller set in a 14th-century Italian monastery. Franciscan monk William of Baskerville (Sean Connery) and a young novice (Christian Slater) arrive for a conference to find that several monks have been murdered in mysterious circumstances. To solve the crimes, William must rise up against the Church authority and fight the shadowy conspiracy of monastery monks using only his wit and intelligence.

Conan the Barbarian

Amazon Price: $5.31 (as of 05/30/2012)

Conan the Barbarian, the movie that turned Arnold Schwarzenegger into a global superstar, is a prime example of a match made in heaven. It's the movie that macho maverick writer-director John Milius was born to make, and Arnold was genetically engineered for his role as the muscle-bound, angst-ridden hero created in Robert E. Howard's pulp novels.

Conan the Barbarian

Amazon Price: $7.34 (as of 05/30/2012)

You think your childhood was rough? Check out the opening 20 minutes of Conan the Barbarian, a bone-cracking coming-of-age prologue that fully explains the "Barbarian" part of the name.

The Chronicles of Narnia

Amazon Price: $15.64 (as of 05/30/2012)

C.S. Lewis's classic novel The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe makes an ambitious and long-awaited leap to the screen in this modern adaptation. It's a CGI-created world laden with all the special effects and visual wizardry modern filmmaking technology can conjure, which is fine so long as the film stays true to the story that Lewis wrote.

Joan of Arc

Amazon Price: $5.98 (as of 05/30/2012)

The 140-minute feature follows Joan D'Arc's odyssey from peasant obscurity to notoriety as the "Maid of Orleans," spiritual fulcrum for the beleaguered French forces struggling to halt English invaders. As played by Leelee Sobieski (Eyes Wide Shut), her evolution from naive farm girl to seasoned soldier is convincing, as is her gradual awakening to the underlying agendas of church and state. Most critically, Sobieski radiates the young girl's fervent spiritual devotion.

Ivanhoe

Amazon Price: $3.49 (as of 05/30/2012)

Among the most exciting of MGM swashbucklers, Richard Thorpe's 1952 Ivanhoe stars Robert Taylor as the medieval hero of Sir Walter Scott's novel. Returning to England from the Third Crusades, Ivanhoe is steadfast in his determination to raise the ransom for the captured King Richard (Norman Wooland), but the effort is full of peril.

Timeline (Widescreen Edition)

Amazon Price: $3.75 (as of 05/30/2012)

A group of archaeological students become trapped in the past when they go there to retrieve their professor. The group mustsurvive in 14th century france long enough to be rescued.

Troy (Two-Disc Full Screen Edition)

Amazon Price: $0.92 (as of 05/30/2012)

Brad Pitt picks up a sword and brings a muscular, brooding presence to the role of Greek warrior Achilles in this spectacular retelling of The Iliad. Orlando Bloom and Diane Kruger play the legendary lovers who plunge the world into war, Eric Bana portrays the prince who dares to confront Achilles, and Peter O'Toole rules Troy as King Priam. Director Wolfgang Petersen recreates a long-ago world of bireme warships, clashing armies, the massive fortress city and the towering Trojan Horse.