Media-eval is back and this time we are tackling one of the most famous movies that can come under our remit- Gladiator directed by Ridley Scott.
This movie won all the oscars and is a beloved fan favourite BUT did Sarah like it? She has brought Ollie back to argue the merits or lack thereof for this popular movie.
Is Russel Crowe any good? Does Joaquin Phoenix eat enough ham? Is Kingdom of Heaven really better than this? Is it a fridging if they arent even a character?

This might be the closest to a real argument the podcast has ever seen between Host and traitor...I mean guest.

Gladiator

Ridley Scott has released a new movie and that mans Sarah has another chance to take him down! Ollie is back to talk about Zombie baboons and the logistics of having two kids that are the same age but also born 21 months apart! 

Join us as we have a lot of fun discussing one of the most baffling movies of 2024 at the end of the year!

Gladiator 2

Join Sarah and returning guest Morgan Morales - back for her final appearance on the podcast - as these two curly-haired historians tackle the top curl representation of 2012: Pixar film Brave. We delve into tartans, tapestries, and folklore, all while making the argument that Brave is WAY better than Braveheart.

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Brave

Sarah is joined by fellow historian Maeve Doyle and fan of people getting stabbed Ollie to talk about the seminal 1981 classic Excalibur.
Directed by John Boorman and seemingly filmed in a fog of coke dust and horniness this movie is one of the most famous medieval movies of all time. As Maeve says- this movie is a rich text.


Excalibur

CW: Discussions of historical and modern transphobia

Join Sarah and her mom, Beth Greenfield, for their last episode of the podcast together as they discuss 1992 film Orlando, based on the novel by Virginia Woolf. We explore the Little Ice Age, English-Ottoman diplomacy, and trans lives and narratives from the medieval and early modern world. 

Trans people have a history! Learn more: 
Trans Historical, edited by Greta LaFleur, Masha Raskolnikov, and Anna Klosowska: https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501759505/trans-historical/
Byzantine Intersectionality by Roland Betancourt: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691179452/byzantine-intersectionality  Silence: A Thirteenth-Century French Romance, translated by Sarah Roche-Mahdi: https://bookshop.org/p/books/silence-a-thirteenth-century-french-romance-sarah-roche-mahdi/12696746 

Social Media: Join our Facebook group!  E-mail: media.evalpod@gmail.com

Orlando

The holy Grail! Maeve Doyle returns to help us find the most holy of artefacts as we discuss academic representation on screen, Harrison Fords illegal attractive levels and whether a Nazi who reads is a "good" Nazi. 

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Tracey Tanoff is back but this time Chris Pine's Peen(R) is not on the table as we dissect a couple of beloved animated classics. We may not have liked them but we appreciate the work! 

The Black Cauldron & The Sword in the Stone

A slightly differnt episode as Sarah is joined by Ollie to break down the Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies. 6 Movies, 20+ hours and one episode to rule on them all!

Some of these are masterpieces. Some of them are The Hobbit trilogy.

Lord of the Rings Universe

We're back where the Podcast began- Medieval Scotland! You'll never guess but some of the English nobles are being a bit dickish so its time for a Scottish hero to step up and deal with the situation. Sarah is joined by Ollie to talk about a movie that seems to be about Honour but is really a protracted contract negotiation. And its great! (in the eyes of one of the hosts!)

Rob Roy

This episode is being released on Easter Sunday and Sarah thought what better way to celebrate this most holy of days than discussing whether or not Jesus got it w...on with Mary Magdalene. Ollie returns to discuss the 2006 movie The Davinci Code featuring one of the worst haircuts in history and more mansplaining than you can shake a stick at! 

Join us for a fun chat about a movie that is based on a book Im fairly sure you can read in less time than the movie seems to last! 

Disclaimer: Ollie was sick during this recording so if he appears quiet at times its not because the movie sent him to sleep, he was trying not to cough!

The Da Vinci Code

Its finally here folks- the last regular episode of Media-eval! 
Join Sarah one last time as she tells us why Princess Bride manages to be one of the most accurate movies ever on the show as it goes out on a really happy note.

One last thing from me as I just want to say that it has been a pleasure guesting and listening to this podcast over the last 7 years and a great joy to be able to call Sarah my friend. 


The Princess Bride

Sarah Ifft Decker, a medieval historian, explores how movies, tv, and books depict the medieval world. What did they get right? What did they get wrong? And what do they tell us about how modern people think about the medieval past?

Gladiator

Media-eval: A Medieval Pop Culture Podcast