There are three scenes – all of which I show in my Early World Civilizations class – that are followed by a brief explanation of what they can teach about history.įirst of all, the amazing special effects in this battle help the audience see and feel what it was like to experience medieval hand-to-hand combat. It is also, however, more historically valuable than many serious films that seem accurate because they are serious. If I were a student in a class that covers the medieval period in Europe, then I would write a paper on “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” This is partly because it is one of the funniest movies ever made. By writing a historical critique or two, students may take the “history” that they see in future films with a grain of salt. Unfortunately, many people get more of their history from the movies than from professors and books. Also, this exercise, along with feature film critiques that I slip into class, will get them to see that Hollywood may not always be a great source of information. If they write something about a documentary, it will come out as little more than a summary. And this assignment, if done properly, requires high-level thinking skills and a certain amount of research. In spite of their flaws, they can bring the past to life more effectively than most documentaries.
I like using feature films in my classes.
Monty python and the holy grail movie#
In other words, they must distinguish historically valuable information in the movie from material that is exaggerated, unlikely, or just downright wrong. In my history classes, I have students do a written assignment in which they historically evaluate a feature film that relates to class material. I'm a professor of history, but my articles (like my classes) cover a range of topics, including education, politics, history, and culture.