films

Tutankhamun found – what about Cleopatra?

Aug 10, 2023

anniversaries, archaeology, battles, films, humour, Science

Actium, Alexandria, Amanda Barrie, Ancient Egypt, asps, BBC Newsround, Carry On Cleo, Cleopatra, gold coins, Howard Carter, Kathleen Martinez, Leicester Greyfriars, lost monarchs, Marc Antony, naval battles, Pharoahs, Richard III, secret tunnels, Smithsonian, suicide, Taposiris Magna Temple, Tutankhamun, Valley of the Kings

It is just over a hundred years since Howard Carter discovered the young Pharoah Tutankhamun in an unexpected part of the Valley of the Kings – shades of Richard III, perhaps? Some thirteen centuries later, Cleopatra VII died by her own hand in Alexandria, after her lover Marcus Antonius’ defeat at Actium, but her tomb seems…
A film review that praises the real Richard III….

Aug 3, 2023

anniversaries, films, sources, The play’s the thing

anti-Stratfordianism, Edward Earl of Oxford, film reviews, Larchmont Chronicle. Tony Melody, More, Richard III Society, Shakespeare, The Lost King

There have been a lot (and I mean a LOT) of reviews of The Lost King, and since its release in the US they have redoubled. There’s a dearth of poor reviews, and rightly so. This link is to a very favourable one and I have picked it out because of what it says about…
Wot, no Richard III….?

Jul 25, 2023

archaeology, buildings, films, Science

Highcross Shopping Centre, Leicester Greyfriars, Leicester University, Richard III, The Lost King

Well, once again the archaeologists of Leicester University are busy with their gleaming trowels. This time they’re scratching and scraping the ground beneath the Highcross Shopping Centre in search of Leicester’s Roman and medieval past. See here. I wish them well, truly, but can’t help noticing that complete omission of any mention of the finding…
Mediaeval myths

Jul 22, 2023

anniversaries, culture, films, law

Antony Bek, Battle of Falkirk, battles, Braveheart, chastity belts, Edward I, etiquette, mediaeval food, medievalists.net, mythbusting, right of the first night, Scotland, sieges

Here is an excellent article about mediaeval myths. It discusses the “right of the first night” (here called prima nocta and supposedly imposed by Edward I in Scotland, according to Braveheart), table manners, the frequency of open warfare as opposed to sieges, the standard of food and the chastity belt.
Richard III and the Addams Family….?

May 8, 2023

culture, films

Catherine Zeta-Jones, English Country Dance, folk music, Morticia Addams, Netflix, Rhisiart, Richard III, Snowdonia, Wales, Wednesday, Y Per Oslef

It seems that while watching the new two-part hit Netflix series Wednesday (I’ve never heard of it, but apparently it stars Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams. 🙄) an expert on folk music noticed that it included an ancient Welsh tune. See here. The article goes on to state “….The tune is also recorded…
Richard III was one of the five most fearsome medieval warrior kings….?

May 4, 2023

anniversaries, battles, films

“Tudors”, Azincourt, Bannockburn, Battle of Falkirk, Battle of Hastings, Bosworth, Edward I, Edward IV, Henry V, Henry VII, rebellions, Richard III, Robert I, Tewkesbury, The Lost King, treachery, warriors, William I

I don’t know which five of our medieval monarchs you’d choose as the most fearsome warriors, but according to this article it seems the Fearsome Five are (in chronological order) William I, Edward I, Robert the Bruce, Henry V and … Richard III. Now, I’m not saying Richard wasn’t a fearsome warrior, because he was,…
The Missing Princes Project and 2023….

Apr 9, 2023

anniversaries, archaeology, buildings, films, humour, religion, Science

“Princes”, Henry I, Henry Pole the Younger, Philippa Langley, Reading Gaol, satire, The Lost King, The Missing Princes Project, Westminster Abbey

Here’s an article that contains an interview with Philippa Langley. It’s all about how The Lost King came about, but also has a few nuggets about what we might expect in 2023 concerning the Missing Princes project. Tantalising!
The lady responsible for the costumes in The Lost King….

Mar 24, 2023

anniversaries, battles, films

armour, costumes, Harry Lloyd, Ninya Mikhaila, Nottinghamshire, Richard III, sewing, The Lost King, Tobias Capwell, Wollaton

I have heard mixed opinions about the costumes for The Lost King, mostly that the armour was spot-on but the king’s other clothes weren’t luxurious enough. Well, if you’ve wondered who was actually responsible for making them, here’s the answer:- “….A historical costume maker from Nottingham created some of the clothing worn by the actor…
Henry Tudor was a villain….

Feb 28, 2023

anniversaries, films, The play’s the thing

Henry VII, Laurence Olivier, Patrick McGoohan, Richard III, Sean Connery, Stanley Baker

“….Two years later, after being cast by Laurence Olivier as Henry Tudor in Richard III, he played a villain again in Child in the House….” Oh, the bliss of taking a sentence out of context. Yes, of COURSE Henry Tudor was a villain! The quote is from this link about the great Welsh actor…
The Lost Plot (by the Guardian) and ‘The Lost King’ Exhibition

Feb 2, 2023

anniversaries, art, battles, buildings, films, Science

“Princes”, All Hallows Church, Henry IV, Henry VIII, Iron Age, Jonathan Jones, Mortimer boys, Mortimer’s Cross, Paul Delaroche, Richard III Society, Roman cemetery, Steve Coogan, Tanner and Wright, The Guardian, The Lost King, The Wallace Collection, Tower of London

A number of film critics have now viewed the new Steve Coogan movie, THE LOST KING, about the finding of Richard III’s remains. Reviews have been mixed but generally quite positive; I imagine it might be one of those ‘marmite’ films, which viewers either love or loathe. A exhibition in The Wallace Collection had also…