The Armour Archive

A few weeks ago there was a thread on popular period films, and someone mentioned a film I'd heard of but never seen... so I went out and grabbed the DVD.

The film is Eric Rohmer's "Perceval le Gallois" -- and Holy CRAP!!!

If you can get past the surreal settings (which seem inspired by period illuminations) and the rather odd usage of Chretien de Troyes' poem as both the script and the narration, this film is incroyable. I've watched it maybe six or seven times in the past week already, and now I need... REALLY need... a 12th C. kit...

I recommend this film highly, especially to any who like the original Arthurian literature (Chretien may have been the first Arthurian author of any repute).

The reason I'm putting this here is because the gear and the feel of the period comes through quite well for those wanting to re-enact that period.

Effingham

Dammit, Eff! Now I need a twelfth-century harness, too...

Greetings!
As a sucker for anything Arthurian, where did you pick up the DVD? I did a quick search on amazon and got some old books, but no DVD. Thanks,
Fearghus

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"How long will we fight? We will fight until hell freezes
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Fearghus's Homepage

Now Eff, for those of us who don't speak French, and would really like to keep up witht the plot, this is important: Can you get the VHS with English subtitles.

Unfortunatel, now, either way, I must have it. I really want to do 12th century. Me and a friend have a chainmail order on the way from Steve. I have the great helm. This will be cool.

For all else, a search on Yahoo turned up any number of cool sites for "Perceval le Gallois".

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The defining characteristic of fanaticism is the inability to understand why everyone else is not a fanatic.

Thanks for the tip, Effingham. I just found the film on www.videoflicks.com, both VHS and DVD, under the name "Perceval"; about 18 bucks. Can't find any mention of subtitles, though. Of course, we should all be able to read Chretien de Troyes, Boccaccio, Froissart and Petrarch in the originals...

Yes, it *is* subtitled -- there's no option, you have French soundtrack and English subtitles. I would have preferred a choice, but... eh.

I find myself in lust for a full hauberk and a phrygian helm... So, who is a good deal for rivetted mail these days?

Damn, I was just happy to see so much armour that wasn't knitted.

Effingham

Okay, I broke down and ordered it. Now if they'll bring out "Name of the Rose" on DVD... (why is it every piece of crap Freddy Prinze Jr. does is immediately issued on a $24 DVD, but you can't get some of the great movies?)

I saw that at an "art theatre" in NYC at least 25 years ago- thanks for the tip that it is still around