UK Holidays - Terry Jones' Medieval Lives

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Manufacturer: BBC Warner
Starring: Terry Jones

Average Customer Rating:

Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
Brand: Warner Brothers
EAN: 0794051415424
Format: Closed-captioned
Label: BBC Warner
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: BBC Warner
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2008-04-01
Running Time: 231
Studio: BBC Warner

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Editorial Reviews:

The Emmy-nominated Medieval Lives by legendary Monty Python star and medieval scholar, Terry Jones, finally arrives on DVD! Terry Jones has been leafing through the history books to find out what the medieval world was really like. What he discovered is a treasure trove of extraordinary stories and characters that challenge the tired traditional stereotypes we all grew up with. With the help of animated medial paintings, these wonderful tales bring the Middle Ages vividly to life in all its corruption, violence and greed, courage, enterprise and learning. Anyone who enjoys Chaucer and Rabelais will be familiar with the early humor of the time, but few people know about the dark side of chivalry or that women and serfs were not downtrodden creatures at all. Each episode explores the role and function of a different medieval archetype.

Spotlight customer reviews:

Customer Rating:

Summary: Terry Jones is creative and enjoyable
Comment: Critics can complain about what this is lacking,etc. I'm taking a class on the time period and wanted a visual history that wouldn't annoy the whole family to watch it with me. We loved it, a few parts I had to talk over movie so my child wouldn't hear the topic discussed (knights improper conduct). This struck up family discussions about history. My husband and I laughed a few times and my history class education was maximized by this purchase.

I purchased this and Crusades also by Terry Jones and enjoyed them both very much. We rented History Channel's versions and found we didn't get as much out of them. History channels shows a lot of stock footage, again and again.. Terry Jones, however, shows us artwork in creative ways. Making this visually a much more enjoyable experience. I think this is a great springboard for future reading into history. He has done what I had hoped he would, inspire us, make history come alive, and leave us with a few laughs.

Definately worth the money, continue the purchase of both this and Crusades.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Totally worth the purchase
Comment: Though he's best known for his Monty Python stuff don't be fooled into thinking this series is comedy. Terry Jones is an expert on this topic and presents some very compelling detail about roles in medieval society. The real gem of the series is that with each profession you watch another piece of the whole puzzle fits together to give you a broad picture. Finding real information about this time period that isn't about nobility or war is virtually impossible and Jones fills that gap admirably. Invaluable (and very entertaining) knowledge for anyone with a casual or professional interest in this sort of thing.

If I were pressed to find a negative about this series, it feels like a few ends are left dangling- I'm left wanting to see more chapters about the daily life of professional soldiers or lesser nobles. Some chapters, such as the one about kings, is more concerned with interesting trivia over daily life. All in all, minor complaints.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Very well done and so enjoyable - but take another look at monastic spiritual life, and spiritual life in general
Comment: I echo all the praise of the previous reviews. As a medieval historian turned businessman, and a multimedia producer, I can't say how impressed I am with Mr. Jones' treatment of the subject, with his beloved humor and creativity - challenging our misperceptions and revealing details of medieval life we can appreciate through our shared humanity with people who lived so long ago. Thank you for caring so much about history, and sharing your enthusiasm!!

I challenge Mr. Jones to take another look at medieval monastic life and medieval spirituality. His episode on monks leaves the viewer with no sense of the value of spiritual life in general, or medieval or monastic life in particular. Mr. Jones' criticism of religious institutions and their worldly nonsense is most welcome, but can he look beyond these diversions from spirituality toward the real values and benefits that genuinely attracted people from all strata of society, and still do today? For a very different look at monastic life, I recommend the DVD "Into Great Silence" by Phillip Groning - a glimpse into the lives of Carthusian monks today, at the Grande Chartreuse monastery in the French Alps, founded by St. Bruno and his followers in 1084.

I think one of the most important jobs of a historian is not just to present the facts as accurately as possible, but actually help us see the world through the eyes of the people studied - and most medieval people lived in a world profoundly centered around religious belief and practice. Could he share with us something of the personal experience of devotion and spirituality, in a way that doesn't seem to assume that medieval people were too ignorant to know better? The medieval world was rich with imagination and meaning that, in my personal opinion, makes our modern experience, for all the real benefit of modern science and technology, seem somewhat pale and shallow. I can't think of anyone better able to help us rediscover and appreciate those things about the medieval worldview and medieval spirituality that have stood the test of time, if only Mr. Jones would turn his attention to them. Please do!

Customer Rating:

Summary: Fantastic!
Comment: Terry Jones' Medieval Lives is funny, informative and great for anyone interested in Medieval history.

Customer Rating:

Summary: A New Spin On the Medieval Period
Comment: After all the classes that I took in school on the Medieval period and from what I've read on my own, Terry Jones has taken something that (to some) is dry, dull and boring and turned it into something interesting and fun to learn about. Just like his series on the Crusades, this series takes all the myths from that period and shows that what you've read about isn't true at all. Take for instance, the Medieval Damsel in distress...She wasn't as helpless as one would seem to be. That was an image the Victorians wanted to show in order to "downplay" female sexuality. All in all, a very interesting and funny take on many of the myths of the Medieval period.

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