Reel History

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**Hamilton (2015) | American Revolution (1776)** Feb 16, 2020
Show notes

Welcome to episode 7 of Reel History ! Well this week we were eager to find out “how does a ragtag volunteer army in need of a shower-
Somehow defeat a global superpower?”

So naturally our gaze couldn’t help being drawn to the phenomenal smash hit “Hamilton – An American Musical” (2015) !

Who would ever dream of making a 46-song Broadway Musical about the adventurous life of the founding fathers’ “little lion of federalism” Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804)? Well award-winning playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda had that exact revelation when reading Ron Chernows biography of this almost neglected trail blazer.

To his enemies (and he had many) simply a “bastard brat of a scotch peddler” – Alexander was in fact a “young ,scrappy and hungry” pioneer of inexhaustible ability at the vanguard of the American revolutionary golden generation.

Happily this era also happens to be one of Mark’s most cherished subjects so we naturally couldn’t resist plunging head-first into the earth-shattering events of the entire period as we witness the birth and fledgling fortunes of this plucky (if flawed) young Republic.

The founding fathers famously thought that it was ridiculous for a continent to belong to an island. We touch on their fiery and brilliant ideals and lives (not to mention duels ) from the imperious Washington to the much maligned “American Cataline” Aaron Burr. Oh and in case you forgot he’s the ´damn fool that shot him’!

So kick back and prepare to face off against Britain’s king George as we remember that “when push comes to shove” he will “kill your friends and family to remind you” of his love.

As this is a new podcast we’d be delighted if you’d take the time to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. And follow us on Twitter @Reel_History for historical tidbits throughout the week!

Sources:
“Founding Brothers – The Revolutionary Generation” by Joseph J. Ellis
“Alexander Hamilton” by Ron Chernow
“1776” by David McCullough.
The post Hamilton (2015) | American Revolution (1776) first appeared on Shows What You Know.

300 (2007) | This is Sparta (480 BC) Feb 03, 2020

Show notes

Are you prepared for glory? Well you better get prepared because this week we’re discussing King Leonidas and the brave 300! Frank Miller’s famous comic book gets the Zack Snyder treatment and turns the Greco-Persian wars into a rock’n’roll soap opera where semi-naked men slaughter wave after wave of demons from the East. But who were the Spartans, really? Did 300 men stand against a million at the Battle of Thermopylae and why would a king sacrifice himself to preserve a nascent western democracy?

Doesn’t really add up, does it? No… Join us for some insight into the world of ancient Sparta!

As this is a new podcast we’d be delighted if you’d take the time to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. And follow us on Twitter @Reel_History for historical tidbits throughout the week!

Sources
“Histories” by Herodotus
“History of My Times” by Xenophon
“Persian Fire” by Tom Holland

The post 300 (2007) | This is Sparta (480 BC) first appeared on Shows What You Know.

Darkest Hour (2017) | Winston Churchill (1940) Jan 19, 2020

Show notes

Welcome to episode five of Reel History! This week we (well mainly Mark to be honest) take a critical sledgehammer to Joe Wright’s 2017 semi-historical drama “Darkest Hour” (available now on Netflix).

Written by Anthony McCarten and set in early 1940, it provides a glimpse into the chaotic life and whiskey-soaked times of that quintessentially British icon Winston Churchill.

Love him or loathe him, we watch as he grapples with political foes both at home and abroad whilst promising nothing but “Blood, toil, tears and sweat” in the existential struggle against Nazi hegemony on the continent.

The acting prowess of Gary Oldman won a well deserved Oscar for his stellar performance as the cantankerous old Tory prime minister (and not just for wearing a fat suit as Jakob claims). He is also joined by Lily James as his ever patient secretary Elizebeth Layton, who acts as witness to both his tender moments of doubt as well as every distillation of his rhetorical genius!

Lamentably this film is also unfortunate enough to be cursed by Mark’s pet hate Ben Mendelsohn making a ludicrous appearance as the well-groomed King George VI. However the film is redeemed slightly by another star turn by Reel History’s MVP Stephen Dillane as Viscount Halifax.

We take advantage of this epic setting of high stakes politics and war time distrust to deconstruct the often rose-tinted mystique which surrounds this giant of world history.

Join us as we pour over his controversial legacy. His reputation hinges on a delicate tight rope. This is best illustrated by his past grave failings at Gallipoli and abhorrent views on race and imperialism being counterbalanced by his undoubted leadership in defending western democracy against the horrors of fascism.

There is also “that definitely didn’t f** happen” moment to discuss with only one ridiculous stand out contender this week!

As this is a new podcast we’d be delighted if you’d take the time to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. And follow us on Twitter @Reel_History for historical tidbits throughout the week!

The post Darkest Hour (2017) | Winston Churchill (1940) first appeared on Shows What You Know.

Kingdom of Heaven (2005) | The Crusades (1187) Jan 07, 2020

Show notes

This week we tackle Michael’s favourite subject – the Crusades. Yes, we’re discussing Ridley Scott’s flawed epic “Kingdom of Heaven.” from 2005. Join us as we discuss the events often described as a clash of civilisations, when religious fervor and ethnic allegiances led to the rise and fall of kingdoms and the siege of the Jerusalem. Nobody is safe as Orlando Bloom’s Balian of Ibelin takes on the legendary An-Nasir Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub.

Kingdom of Heaven opens a discussion on the origins of the Crusades, the seemingly miraculous expansion of Islam and the living standards one might expect to find in the 12th Century. Just who were these knights and sultans? Why were they really fighting and how is it that a blacksmith from northern France knows how to command the army of Jerusalem?

We’d be delighted if you’d take the time to review us on Apple Podcasts and follow us on Twitter @Reel_History for historical tidbits!

Sources
“The Life and Legend of the Sultan Saladin” by Jonathan Phillips
“The Crusades: The War for the Holy Land” by Thomas Asbridge

The post Kingdom of Heaven (2005) | The Crusades (1187) first appeared on Shows What You Know.

Gladiator (2000) | Colosseum of Carnage (180) Dec 08, 2019

Show notes

Welcome to episode two of Reel History! On this podcast we talk about historical movies and TV, anything that claims to be based on a true story, and we check- how bad they mess it up? What was life actually like during that time period?

This week we watched Gladiator (2000) starring Russel Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius, Joaquin Phoenix as Commodus and Oliver Reed as Proximo. Directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Franzoni, John Logan and William Nicholson.

Gladiator leads us into a discussion on the glory days of the Roman Empire. From the grandeur of the Empire and imperial power to the pitiless existence of the fighting slaves, we discuss how this time period came about. Just who was Marcus Aurelius and was Maximus Decimus Meridius even a real guy?

As this is a brand new podcast (part of the Shows What You Know network) we’d be delighted if you’d take the time to leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Sources
Mary Beard- SPQR (2016)
Marcus Aurelius- Meditations (2006)
Cassius Dio- Roman History (1989)
The Five Good Emperors: The History of the Roman Empire during the Reigns of Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius (2018)

The post Gladiator (2000) | Colosseum of Carnage (180) first appeared on Shows What You Know.

The King (2019) | The Hundred Year War (1415) Nov 25, 2019

Show notes

Welcome to the first episode of Reel History! On this podcast we talk about historical movies and TV, anything that claims to be based on a true story, and we check – how bad did they mess it up? What was life actually like during that time period?

We’ve watched Netflix’s The King (2019), starring Timothée Chalamet as Henry V, Joel Edgerton as Falstaff and Robert Pattinson as The Dauphin. Directed by David Michôd who also wrote it together with Joel Edgerton. Based on the “Henriad” plays by the bard himself, William Shakespeare.

The King serves as a starting point for us to learn and discuss what the Hundred Year war was all about. From the early days of feudal warring lords to the massive victory at the Battle of Agincourt (as depicted in the film) and the long-lasting consequences to the national identities of both England and France.

As this is a brand new podcast (part of the Shows What You Know network) we’d be delighted if you’d take the time to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It’s especially helpful early on! Look for new episodes of Reel History every other week at ShowsWhatYouKnow.com or just search Reel History on your podcast app of choice! We’ll be releasing our first season, consisting of ten episodes, along that biweekly schedule.

Sources
Gordon Corrigan – A Great and Glorious Adventure: A History of the Hundred Years War and the Birth of Renaissance England (2013)
Juliet Barker – Agincourt (2005)

The post The King (2019) | The Hundred Year War (1415) first appeared on Shows What You Know.

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