Best Ancient/Medieval battles on screen?

[Atridis]

Two Japanese movies - "Ran" and "Heaven & Earth."

 

[Uruk]

It's a little bit later than medieval, but the Gangs of New York opening sequence. It's medieval in flavor and doesn't host any weapons that would be unviable in a fantasy campaign. Great pre-battle ambiance and cool images within.

 

[johnsemlak]

It's a little bit later than medieval, but the Gangs of New York opening sequence. It's medieval in flavor and doesn't host any weapons that would be unviable in a fantasy campaign. Great pre-battle ambiance and cool images within.

Actually my DM and I both like that as a depiction of melee combat. There are lots of fantasy type references (after the fight, there's a mention of the dead hero needing a coin to 'cross the river' IIRC). It's a very gory fight scene as well.

 

[Dark Jezter]

Although it dosen't count as ancient or medieval, the Battle of Helm's Deep in TTT was awesome, and it's looking like the Battle of the Pelinnor (sp?) Fields in RotK will be even cooler.

For movies based on history, I was very fond of the battles in Braveheart and Gladiator.

 

[Shadowdancer]

For a good depiction of siege warfare on a small scale -- much like what would happen in a D&D game with characters either attacking or defending a small keep or tower -- watch "The War Lord" starrting Charlton Heston. I caught this one night on Turner Movie Classics, and was pleasantly surprised.

Here's a link with some more info: IMDB

I'll second the recommendation for "Ran" and "Heaven & Earth." I thought "Braveheart" came close to matching "Ran" in the size and scope and intensity of its battle scenes. I thought "Two Towers" was about on par with it. I'm hoping "Return of the King" will surpass it.

By the same director who did "Ran," (Akira Kurosawa), there is another good movie called "Kagemusha" which he did as a dress rehearsal for "Ran." It has some good large battle scenes as well, but concentrates more on the commanders. And his "Seven Samurai" is good for small unit tactics.

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

"Ran" had, hands-down, the best battle sequence I've ever seen.

 

[Mark]

Yeah, Reap. Those have some of the sweetest battle sceens on film, IMO.

Also, if you like what they tried to do with The Vikings but it didn't quite do it for you, then what you want to get is a movie called The War Lord. Some of the battle sequences in that film, especially the taking of the keep (which comprises most of the second half of the movie) are well worth it for a 1965 flick. (as said by Shadowdancer which I see now that I read more closely! )

 

[S'mon]

I just watched the battle scene at the beginning of Gladiator. Man, I forgot how good a battle scene that was.

Got me thinking about other great battle scenes (of the pre-firearms variety) in film:

Off of the top of my head:

Henry V--Battle of Agincourt
Spartacus--various battles
Cleopatra--IIRC the battle of Actium is well depicted (both of these Roman epics lack modern day special effects, of course)
Braveheart--Battle of Falkirk (I believe)
Alexander Nevsky--and old B&W Russian Eisenstein classic

The final battle in 'Spartacus' is probably the best-presented Classical battle in any movie I've seen. I didn't like the jump-cut style of 'Gladiator' and it ruined the battle scene for me, I much preferred the same battle as shown in 'Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire', a movie which BTW is 95%+ identical to Gladiator (I hope they paid royalties!).
I have a great fondness for the depiction of the final Battle of Camlann in 'Excalibur', although it's not historical and with the fog there were maybe only 20-30 men shown at any time.
Re 'Braveheart' - Battle of Falkirk was pretty good, it somewhat underplayed the effect of the English archers on the Scots schiltrons. Battle of Stirling Bridge was rather a travesty though due to lack of a bridge! Wallace won Stirling Bridge through brilliant tactics, not just hacking all his enemies apart Slaine-style (Braveheart looked to have been strongly inspired by the 2000AD Slaine comic).