The work introduces the rapidly burgeoning field of medieval film studies, viewed through the lenses of Lacanian psychoanalysis and the Deleuzian philosophy of the time-image; explores how a vast array of films contributes to the modern vision of life in the Middle Ages; is concerned with how time itself functions in cinematic representations of the medieval; and offers detailed considerations of specific examples of representations of medievalism in recent films, including First Knight, A Knights Tale, The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, Kingdom of Heaven, King Arthur, Night Watch, and...

This collection of essays analyzes film representations of the Crusades, other medieval East/West encounters, and the modern inheritance of encounters between orientalist fantasy and apocalyptic conspiracy. From studies of the filmic representations of popular figures such as El Cid, Roland, Richard I, and Saladin to examinations of such topics as Templar romance and the role of set design, location and landscape, the essays make significant contributions to our understanding of orientalist medievalism in film. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination...