Name of the Rose

Name of the Rose a movie from 1986 directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and starring Sean Connery, Christian Slater, and F. Murray Abraham. It's a well researched, meticulously implemented view into life in the 1300s.

I've seen this movie many times and own it on DVD. Watch the movie "normally" of course first - and then watch it with the director's cut vocals. You'll hear the incredible level of detail they put into getting every aspect correct. They ensured the hand-made costumes were created with authentic raw ingredients. Their meticulous work on the cups, bowls, and other small background items means that some of those now reside in museums for their workmanship. They hand created the outer buildings to get the look just right. The inside was done at a location in Germany, which I've visited.

The storyline is based on the book by Umberto Eco. It's sort of a mix of Sherlock Holmes with William of Ockham - i.e. an intelligent man who solves mysteries by looking for clues and applying logic. And it's even more than that. You get a fascinating look into the politics at the time. Factions were vying against each other, either trying to hold onto power or attempting to bring a bit of equality for the poor.

I love how the book shows that people were not necessarily "insular" in the middle ages. Sometimes people get the sense that in the middle ages every person stayed in their village and had no idea about other cultures. Quite the contrary - people did travel and explore. This monastery has residents from all over the known world, black and white, northern and southern. They come together for a common cause.

As an author of medieval novels I definitely rank this as a "must see" for a well researched view into this time period. I'll note that, given the storyline, this is all about MALE life and times - the sole female who speaks only grunts and moans. So the movie is very closely focused in on men, and on men "of the cloth" at that. So, that being said, you get a wealth of information about the type of utensils they used, the lighting, the heating, styles of clothes, and so on.

Well recommended.

Buy Name of the Rose from Amazon.com

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