My favorite line in the whole movie is when the Prince is knighting him and says “your men love you, if I knew nothing else about you that would be enough.”
Fun fact: the producers hated that end credit scene so much that they wanted it cut out of the movie. But all the actors became such close friends, even before filming and had so much fun during filming that they all demanded that it would be included, almost as a token of all the fun they had while making this movie
Not just entertainment, the director wanted the audience to understand something about that period: that it was all modern to them! The hairstyles, music, clothing, and dance were all modern to them. Jousting was their sporting event. The Maximillion-style helmet flying off into the crowd was like a baseball. These events were like The World Series or The Superbowl. This is how the director connected the audience to the story. And it was brilliant!
A Knight's Tale is one of those movies where you know if you will love or hate it from its opening sequence. It immediately makes itself clear that it is a sports film set in medieval times, and some people have a hard time accepting it for that.
I’m an exception to that! When the opening sequence started, I wanted to leave the theatre (and I had been so excited about the movie). I thought “WTF *IS* THIS‽” So glad I stayed. So glad. I got into the rhythm of it pretty quickly and have loved it ever since.
@@poogie_kind of the same here. After my initial WTF moment, I found the whole movie funny, not necessarily in a good way. As time has passed, I like it more.
I never noticed before, but Jocelyn calls William "a hunter" when they first meet and when they kiss at the end the constellation behind them is Orion.
My favorite line is when after Chaucer says his work were allegorical, Roland tells Chaucer "We won't hold that against you. That's for each man to decide for himself." A Knight's Tale is a 10/10 fun movie.
it gets really frustrating to me how deeply misunderstood "Death of the Author" is. When written it was specifically tailored to the fact that Roland Barthes, spoke French Alergian, and was raised in a french education system. It had nothing to do with the reader reinterpreting text, and everything to do with the fact that French was the national language in a colonized nation, and Barthes thought that had an effect on the ability for people within his country to write political literature.
@@liampezzano Pfft, Barthes was expanding on what Benjamin had already suggested in Illuminations. Though with Post-structuralism favoring the death of the author and Creative-critical theory treating them as though alive we may have accidentally stumbled across Schrödinger's writer...
The squire starting the cheer after Bettany's monologue wasn't actually rehearsed - a lot of the extras didn't actually speak english, so they didn't know their cue to start cheering well. The actor playing the squire just started to give them their cue, and the director liked it so much that they reshot it properly with that idea.
Chaucer was the first medieval author to write his poems and epics in English rather than Latin, so him being the crowd plaser manager is the perfect take on the historical figure :D You might be familiar with his most famous work, the Canterbury Tales. Also, the "interesting shoulder" on the armor was an addition specifically for jousting to protect the face even more. Generally speaking jousting armor was the heaviest and most restrictive armor used in the medieval times, because it was made to minimize damage by removing the weak spots of combat armor-- even though most of those weak spots were there to allow mobility on the battlefield. That torture device is called a pillory. Gallows were for hanging. The modern style elements of the movie were entirely intentional :)
I was shocked she had never heard of Chaucer. He was required reading in high school when I was in high school. This was in 1984. What are they not teaching in schools now?
Exactly, Norman French and Latin were popular at this time because English was still seen as too vulgar and not poetic or "sophisticated" enough for Nobility. Chaucer is known as the father of English because he proved it could still be poetic and elegant, and one of the first to really use rhyme. The title of the film "A Knight's Tale" is a play on some of his popular works ("The Canterbury Tales", "The Pardoner's Tale", "The Wife of Bath's Tale", etc.). Chaucer's depiction in the film is quite brilliant because most "writers" in the time still had to give performances or speak out loud, as most people were illiterate. So the grand speeches to the crowds is very fitting and how most of these Tales would have been shared.
@@Native_Creation I wouldn't say that most people were illiterate per se, since that depends on what you define as illiterate - for example, somebody might understand runic script just not Latin script - but rather that apart from church sermons and travelling minstrels, such performances were the type of entertainment available at the time. And executions too of course. As for the language popularity, I think it was the more prosaic reason that English nobility at the time was still largely of Norman origins, and clergymen - which in the case of bishops and such also overlapped with aristocratic living standards - spoke Latin; so those were almost the only the languages they understood in the first place.
@@allenruss2976even though is important doesn't mean it will call everyone's attention. This century is called "the information era" but unfortunately is not true
The modern style elements aren't just intentional, they're meta. If you look at any artwork from the renaissance and earlier, where they are depicting an aincent battle, they always show them in (then) modern armour and fortifications, rather than what they actually looked like. It's an anachronism *exactly* like the anachronisms in this movie, done either to make things relatable (or unintentional because the artists didn't know better).
I'll happily admit to crying manly bitch tears every time I see Will's dad hug him and say "Oh my boy!". This movie was written by people who understood human emotion, unlike so much of the modern crap.
I'm so happy that Heath made a movie like A Knight's Tale so that his big-hearted charm could be immortalized in sweet, wholesome form forever. A true master of his craft, and one that shall not be forgotten. 💛
I actually saw this in theaters with some friends and some girls who talked us into seeing it. The best part is when she asks him to lose the tourni to prove his love, to only then say he had to win. Even as teenagers, both the boys and the girls saw that scene so differently haha. The girls thought it was romantic and we thought it was ridiculous, which is why we all agreed this is exactly what would happen if real life haha
So I have a theory. The request Jocelyn made is the same Gwenaver made to Lancelot in Arthurian legend. So I'm thinking she read the story and wanted to replicate it.
The part that always gets me if after Chaucer speech at the end, and Williams father is in the stands, and his friends looks to him and says, “SIR William. Your father heard that!” Makes me heart burst
This is one of those rare, pretty much perfect films,like the Princess bride. Watching people's reactions as they first realise Queen are playing never gets old, and the mix of old story with modern fashion,sounds,language, just works.
I've never compared it to the princess bride before, but that's a perfect comparison. Doesn't take itself too seriously but is an instant cult classic, very quotable, fun and dramatic, hero's and villains you can't help but love/hate, and actors that play perfectly
I forgot just how much I enjoyed Bettany's performance in this. Such an interesting take on Chaucer. Not to mention how amazing everyone else is. Definitely what you needed today Nat!
Love this movie! The anachronisms seem odd at first, but they work really well! It's like telling a medieval story through a modern template. Plus, a top notch cast. Whenever I first watched GoT, and saw Robert Baratheon, I was like "Heyyyy! Roland! Movin' on up, I see!"
And if they used history accurate music, they wouldn't be able to tell the tale so well. The music is too alien for us. We can still enjoy it but the time to understand the emotions involved is done with.
@@angrytheclown801 That's why they need to add a Bardcore track for medieval versions of pop songs. Preferably for the 25th anniversary DVD/BluRay in 2026.
I've seen this movie dozens of times, and him yelling his name at the end before unhorsing Adhemar gives me chills even to this day. About as close to a perfect movie as you can get.
As a kid who was obsessed with knights and named William, let's just say this movie has had a special place in my heart and as I have gotten older I have grown love this movie even more (outside of the love story). I love that you liked this movie Nat!
Oh my gosh I would always get goosebumps as a kid at the scene where Prince Edward comes out of the crowd to free Heath Ledger from the stockade- descendant from an ANCIENT ROYAL Line- his word, and as such is BEYOND CONTESTATION. so badass
4:30 my favorite thing about the We Will Rock You opening is that it wasn’t planned. The extras were just doing that during a break when they thought the cameras were off, and they decided afterwards to fit it into the movie.
@@spiraljumper74If I recall correctly the anachronisms were decided on well in advance, the idea being that it would make a jousting movie easier for audiences to buy if they framed it like any other sport.
@@spiraljumper74 Anachronism was planned, because they wanted audiences to feel the same way medieval spectators would. Real medieval chants and songs would've excited medieval peasants, but not modern viewers.
One of my favorite moments that honestly is super underrated is when Will first walks out in his new armor, all the knights are laughing at him because of how skinny it is, then you see him get up on his horse effortlessly and they immediately shut up.
It took me a good 10 years after Heath’s passing before I could watch this movie again without feeling overwhelming sadness. No one else could have done it as well!
I was never interested in this movie. I bought it at Hollywood Video because I couldn't find a third movie for their 3 for $10. I had for years. I watched Way of the Gun which I also had for a while and loved it. So I decided to watch this movie too. This movie made me tear up at least twice. 10/10!
I totally can relate. Even though I saw The Dark Knight in theatres when it came out to honor his legacy, I could not bring myself to rewatch any of his movies until a couple of years had passed. Now every time I watch any Heath movie I still get emotional. Such a huge loss.
The year after my mother died my dad and I rented this movie over and over. It holds a special place in my heart. It brought me and my dad together in a time of utter sadness. Now it's my comfort movie whenever I need something to zone out to or not think about
This movie is a brilliant Action/Comedy. The fact that it also features The Joker, Hoban Washburne, Robert Baratheon, and The Vision is just icing on the cake.
It's really the group chemistry that I love in this movie. Brian Helgelund tapped into a wonderful dynamic and fed his actors very distinctive and fun characters to play. They oviously responded fully and made a great and watchable movie.
I love this movie. I love that it's anachronism. I love that it's actually a sports movie. Parts of this movie my D&D friends and I still quote to this day (we saw it in the theater as a group).
I love the little bit early on about "We're on the road to Rouen(ruin)!" Also, it's fairly unimportant but if memory serves this movie takes place specifically in 1372. It lines up with what is basically a blank, unknown space of about 10 yearsin the real Chaucer's life, but also the movie specifically uses music from "the 70s", since it takes place in "the 70s"
I've loved this movie since I was a kid! Along with Bettany's final speech, there's a line from Tudyk at the end that gets me every time: "That's your name, Will. Sir William Thatcher. Your father heard that."
Great reaction! Glad you liked it a lot. William won his first match because their "master" that died had already scored "I think" 2 points while the opponent had none. So, for the opponent to win in the final round, they had to knock William off the horse. But William did not fall, so they won. It's a fun movie, and the ending scream of "William" always gives me goosebumps.
This is one my favourite films that I've seen in my entire life. It inspired me to get into medieval battle reenactment, to love public speaking and to really value my friends as well as my own self worth. The fact that my closest friends also love this movie makes it even better.
The nice thing is that Chaucer's tales were contemporary, so it was a brilliant idea for them to make this version of one also be contemporary with modern mores. It works, making the movie much more relatable to an audience. [And it's one of my favourite post-credit scenes. Perfect in tone.]
My favorite line is the part about hope in the letter. It gets me emotional every time. I also really like the villain theme in the score. I used to play it in my head while lifting heavy weights.
Nice observation by Nat at 8:35 about the white clothes. That was the origin for white dresses at weddings, to show social status. Washing clothes (until recent history) caused clothes to become gray and colors faded. Being able to wear a white dress showed that your family could afford a new fancy dress or had enough servants to really wash your clothes well.
Bettany's Chaucer absolutely steals every scene. He just chews up the script. He's so good. lol. There's a great line between Ademar and someone else in there. Ademar asks him "How would you beat him?" "In his bed, while he sleeps. On a horse, with a lance, he's unbeatable." Prince Edward at the stocks... just knowing how loyal his friends were to him was enough to judge his character. But throwing in the interactions they had jousting. His respect for him, in the first, and even knowing who he was going at him in the 2nd. He earned his knighthood with his character. This movie is just so good. It checks all the boxes.
Reconstructionist jousters can be found at Renaissance fairs and in performing locations such as Medieval Times; there are entire groups of them all around the world. They put out a call for jousters for this film, so all of the jousters in it are professional jousters. These guys are trained for years to be able to fall off of a horse in full armor safely.
I LOVE this movie. The best part is that it's both a "Guy Flick" and a "Chick flick", at the same time. And when William's dad takes him in his arms and cries "Oh my boy!", I get choked up every time. Not to mention ... "WILLLLLLLLLLLLIAMMMMM". YES! RIGHTEOUS!.
This movie is such a classic. The entire cast is just perfect which makes me sad since Heath is no longer with us. One of the best scenes in this movie is when they right the letter and you get a paragraph from each member of Sir Ulrich's group.
This movie is delightful and underrated. It's nice to see a movie about the Medieval period that DOESN'T have a hopelessly dour and depressing portrayal of this era.
each of the main 5 friends went on to have other ICONIC roles: Heath Ledger was The Joker in The Dark Knight, Paul Bettany was Vision/Jarvis in the MCU, Alan Tudyk was Wah in Firefly, Laura Fraser was in Breaking Bad and Mark Addy was most famously known as Robert Baratheon in Game of Thrones
God I love this Movie. Spectacular cast well written and just a movie I love to revisit . This one slipped through the cracks at the Box Office but man it has a following. Welcome to A Knights Tale. !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Every name was real in history in this Movie. Nat it is now time for Highlander. The Total Queen Soundtrack alone makes it work !!!!
I like the idea that the Black Prince was indeed just completely making shit up about William having noble blood, but no one is going to say otherwise because he's the fucking prince.
I always like the story of him with all his friends including the blacksmith a little more then the love story tbh but I do love that she brought his father to the tournament. And the scene with him reuniting with his father always gets me. Paul Bettany and Alan were hilarious of course but I loved the whole team.
I has a beautiful moral to the story to which I have used this for my children. You can be anything you want be provided you try and try hard. I believe my children have followed this idea and I am proud of them.
This is one of those films that I tend to forget about over time, until I get reminded like this... I know what I'm watching tonight! Great reaction Nat 👍
One of the things i love most about this movie is that its a modern time sports movie peice of when it was made, and its was just set in medieval times, and its shows just how endearing and true the story is. Also when William follows his feet home, someone cuts onions....AnD iTs Me!! 😭😭😭
Coolest part of the movie was the dance scene when they morphed into Golden Years. Really showed that the social aspect of dancing hasn't changed much.
I´m glad that "Just something to sooth your soul a little bit" is a valid cryteria for you to use. It´s extremely important that you take care of yourself, even when working. Love your reactions, Nat. Thanks for sharing!
Sadly, I feel like that is one of the kinds of movies that just don't seem to be made any more. You get the Oscar bait, you get the utterly commercial blockbusters, but I miss the quirky gambles, the smaller films that aren't trying to change the world or set records for gross revenue, they just exist because someone thought they'd be fun!
Fun fact: during the first sword fight, all the extras around were Czech and didnt understand Geoffrey speech when William won, they didnt knew is was time for cheering and yelling so Rolands actor improvised and the extras quickly followed.
I love this movie. Great reaction Natalie. I love that William showed more knightly qualities then the villain. 1) Compassion / Sacrifice - When he saved his announcer by paying off his debt putting others before himself. 2) Respect and honor - He stated that the woman he loved was not the target but the arrow. Meaning she isn't an object, but the reason he fights. 3) Sacrifice - telling his friends to let people have them since he wasn't really a knight. Showing both compassion and sacrifice. 4) Respect, Kindness and Mercy - Showing mercy to the Prince when he was injured. 5) Courage - He refused to run even with odds against him. He never wavered and would fight to end. These are qualities we value even to this day.
This movie made Heath Ledger my favorite actor at like 3 years old, seeing him play the joker in The Dark Knight was like watching everyone you know finally realize what you've been saying your whole life..... then he was gone
This will forever be an all time favourite of mine. The goofiness, the humour, the little romance story. I’ll show this film to my children one day and hope that they enjoy it as much as I do.
This movie won’t win any awards but I’ve always enjoyed it. I’m a geek for anything medieval and this movie has a wholesome modern style to it. It has a charming cast. It’s just a fun movie to sit back and relax and enjoy during a rainy day. Recognize Robert Baratheon? 😊
Y’know, this may be my absolute favorite “guilty pleasure” movie. First saw it as a boy, during that phase many of us get where we’re obsessed with knights and the medieval and all that. And it’s just a fun, wholesome, uplifting movie that never gets old even after quite a few viewings. I’ve even been known to quote Bettany’s Chaucer when hyping up a friend, or Tudyk’s “I’ll make your entrails your extrails!” It ain’t Best Picture material, but it’s amazing entertainment
So happy that you enjoyed this as much as it deserved. It is quirky for all the right reasons, and when they made this, they really did throw out the rule book, retained just enough to be period, and at the same time, gave it a modern edge. My favourite scene of all is the first time they encounter Chaucer (a real writer btw, 14th century, who predates Shakespeare. Fun fact, my surname appears in Chaucer's 'The Miller's Tale') who is nonchalantly walking through the countryside completely nekkid.
This is one of my favorite movies of all time, i can almost recite the whole thing word for word. I'm so happy you got to finally enjoy it especially when yoy really needed it!
The part that I love was when Chaucer gives his speech at the end... telling the crowd about William. Then Tudyk's character just looks at William saying, "That's YOUR name Wil... Sir William Thatcher. Your father heard that." Tears every time
A true "feel good" movie, it always picks me right up if I need it. Also, the bearded guy of the main squad is played by Mark Addy who you might remember as King Robert Baratheon in Game of Thrones!
I love your recognition of actors. I do the same thing. Alan Tudyk is a great actor, they all are. Mark Addy is always in small roles that he really never gets enough credit for. Down to Earth being one of them.
Love this movie. Paul Bettany is also "nekkid" when you first see him as Vision in Age of Ultron. The actor who played Roland (Mark Addy) was also Robert Baratheon in The Game of Thrones.
I love A Knight's Tale. It's one of those movies in the same vein as School of Rock, where it appeals to people of all ages and is just a great one to put on to lift your spirits. Mark Addy (Roland) also appeared in one of my favourite comedy movies, The Full Monty. Another movie that does a great job brightening my day. :)
Yass!! This was such a fun movie, with a chance to see familiar faces in their younger days, especially Paul Bettany as the over-the-top hype man. I'm kinda surprised that you didn't mention Mark Addy, the infamous king Robert Baratheon from Game of Thrones!
10:06 that was an outtake. They were filming in Hungary and they used almost exclusively locals for the extras in the film. Especially the crowds. They didn't speak English and so when the cue came for them to cheer they didn't, so Robert Baratheon (Actor Mark Addy) did that little "yay" and it triggered the crowd. The director loved it so much that they left it in and it's one of the biggest laughs in the whole film.
It's a fun film and a favorite amongst MANY of my friends and I who work at the Renaissance Faire ... (and yes, audiences DO try to get that chant & song going during the jousting tournaments). It's just good fun.
I did youth theatre with Laura Fraser (who plays the blacksmith). We lost touch years ago, but I'm so happy for her success in this and other films and TV over the last 20 years.
My favorite line in the whole movie is when the Prince is knighting him and says “your men love you, if I knew nothing else about you that would be enough.”
That really says it all :)
Yes, same here :)
Also my favorite line. And, really, he didn't need to say any more than that.
I often watch just this scene.
That line changed my life.
Fun fact: the producers hated that end credit scene so much that they wanted it cut out of the movie. But all the actors became such close friends, even before filming and had so much fun during filming that they all demanded that it would be included, almost as a token of all the fun they had while making this movie
Not just entertainment, the director wanted the audience to understand something about that period: that it was all modern to them! The hairstyles, music, clothing, and dance were all modern to them. Jousting was their sporting event. The Maximillion-style helmet flying off into the crowd was like a baseball. These events were like The World Series or The Superbowl. This is how the director connected the audience to the story. And it was brilliant!
A Knight's Tale is one of those movies where you know if you will love or hate it from its opening sequence. It immediately makes itself clear that it is a sports film set in medieval times, and some people have a hard time accepting it for that.
I’m an exception to that! When the opening sequence started, I wanted to leave the theatre (and I had been so excited about the movie). I thought “WTF *IS* THIS‽”
So glad I stayed. So glad. I got into the rhythm of it pretty quickly and have loved it ever since.
@@poogie_kind of the same here. After my initial WTF moment, I found the whole movie funny, not necessarily in a good way. As time has passed, I like it more.
I never noticed before, but Jocelyn calls William "a hunter" when they first meet and when they kiss at the end the constellation behind them is Orion.
Bloody hell, how did I never see that until now?
@@Dafmeister1978 exactly how I felt.
I never noticed 😮😅 That's a great touch!
i never noticed that and now cant UNsee it, hilarious
My favorite line is when after Chaucer says his work were allegorical, Roland tells Chaucer "We won't hold that against you. That's for each man to decide for himself." A Knight's Tale is a 10/10 fun movie.
I love the deep jokes in the movie
it gets really frustrating to me how deeply misunderstood "Death of the Author" is. When written it was specifically tailored to the fact that Roland Barthes, spoke French Alergian, and was raised in a french education system.
It had nothing to do with the reader reinterpreting text, and everything to do with the fact that French was the national language in a colonized nation, and Barthes thought that had an effect on the ability for people within his country to write political literature.
@@liampezzano Pfft, Barthes was expanding on what Benjamin had already suggested in Illuminations.
Though with Post-structuralism favoring the death of the author and Creative-critical theory treating them as though alive we may have accidentally stumbled across Schrödinger's writer...
@@paulleach3612 I guess my real issue then is with recent Critical Theorists that are lazy, and only have the one label for the only idea they've got.
I feel like I still don't understand that joke, despite understanding what allegory is. So frustrating - can someone explain the joke?
The squire starting the cheer after Bettany's monologue wasn't actually rehearsed - a lot of the extras didn't actually speak english, so they didn't know their cue to start cheering well. The actor playing the squire just started to give them their cue, and the director liked it so much that they reshot it properly with that idea.
Seems a bit disrespectful to refer to Mark Addy as just "the squire".
That's our king Robbert Baratheon!
@@JakkFrost1 i don't know actor's names
@@JakkFrost1Squire Addy *
@@cobaltbeau Could've easily looked it up, but oh well.
Such a good movie! Tudyk's line of "It's called a lance...hellooo!" was stuck in my mom's head for so long and it always cracked her up growing up.
My mom and I quoted this movie all the time. This was one of her go to's
It’s the absolute best retort when someone asks (18 year old spoilers for Serenity )
How do the Reavers clean their spears?
Chaucer was the first medieval author to write his poems and epics in English rather than Latin, so him being the crowd plaser manager is the perfect take on the historical figure :D
You might be familiar with his most famous work, the Canterbury Tales.
Also, the "interesting shoulder" on the armor was an addition specifically for jousting to protect the face even more. Generally speaking jousting armor was the heaviest and most restrictive armor used in the medieval times, because it was made to minimize damage by removing the weak spots of combat armor-- even though most of those weak spots were there to allow mobility on the battlefield.
That torture device is called a pillory. Gallows were for hanging.
The modern style elements of the movie were entirely intentional :)
I was shocked she had never heard of Chaucer. He was required reading in high school when I was in high school. This was in 1984. What are they not teaching in schools now?
Exactly, Norman French and Latin were popular at this time because English was still seen as too vulgar and not poetic or "sophisticated" enough for Nobility. Chaucer is known as the father of English because he proved it could still be poetic and elegant, and one of the first to really use rhyme. The title of the film "A Knight's Tale" is a play on some of his popular works ("The Canterbury Tales", "The Pardoner's Tale", "The Wife of Bath's Tale", etc.). Chaucer's depiction in the film is quite brilliant because most "writers" in the time still had to give performances or speak out loud, as most people were illiterate. So the grand speeches to the crowds is very fitting and how most of these Tales would have been shared.
@@Native_Creation I wouldn't say that most people were illiterate per se, since that depends on what you define as illiterate - for example, somebody might understand runic script just not Latin script - but rather that apart from church sermons and travelling minstrels, such performances were the type of entertainment available at the time. And executions too of course.
As for the language popularity, I think it was the more prosaic reason that English nobility at the time was still largely of Norman origins, and clergymen - which in the case of bishops and such also overlapped with aristocratic living standards - spoke Latin; so those were almost the only the languages they understood in the first place.
@@allenruss2976even though is important doesn't mean it will call everyone's attention. This century is called "the information era" but unfortunately is not true
The modern style elements aren't just intentional, they're meta. If you look at any artwork from the renaissance and earlier, where they are depicting an aincent battle, they always show them in (then) modern armour and fortifications, rather than what they actually looked like. It's an anachronism *exactly* like the anachronisms in this movie, done either to make things relatable (or unintentional because the artists didn't know better).
When Will sees his dad again always get me. And that cry "WILLIAM!" just always hits
"Has he followed his feet?" 😭
“Your father heard that, Will”
I'll happily admit to crying manly bitch tears every time I see Will's dad hug him and say "Oh my boy!".
This movie was written by people who understood human emotion, unlike so much of the modern crap.
I'm so happy that Heath made a movie like A Knight's Tale so that his big-hearted charm could be immortalized in sweet, wholesome form forever. A true master of his craft, and one that shall not be forgotten. 💛
Yes yes!
I assume you’ve seen The Patriot, The Four Feathers, and 10 Things I Hate About You??
Couldn’t agree more!
@mokane86 I've seen The Patriot, but I actually haven't gotten around to watching the others yet 😅😌
Awwww
@@chriswho423210 things I hate about you is great definitely give it a go
I actually saw this in theaters with some friends and some girls who talked us into seeing it. The best part is when she asks him to lose the tourni to prove his love, to only then say he had to win. Even as teenagers, both the boys and the girls saw that scene so differently haha. The girls thought it was romantic and we thought it was ridiculous, which is why we all agreed this is exactly what would happen if real life haha
haha I wish I could remember my first time seeing this movie, I was 3 when it came out and have been watching it a dozen times a year since lol
So I have a theory. The request Jocelyn made is the same Gwenaver made to Lancelot in Arthurian legend. So I'm thinking she read the story and wanted to replicate it.
The part that always gets me if after Chaucer speech at the end, and Williams father is in the stands, and his friends looks to him and says, “SIR William. Your father heard that!” Makes me heart burst
This is one of those rare, pretty much perfect films,like the Princess bride.
Watching people's reactions as they first realise Queen are playing never gets old, and the mix of old story with modern fashion,sounds,language, just works.
I've never compared it to the princess bride before, but that's a perfect comparison.
Doesn't take itself too seriously but is an instant cult classic, very quotable, fun and dramatic, hero's and villains you can't help but love/hate, and actors that play perfectly
I forgot just how much I enjoyed Bettany's performance in this. Such an interesting take on Chaucer. Not to mention how amazing everyone else is. Definitely what you needed today Nat!
The way he and Tudyk bounced off each other is gold.
I wish there were more literary references.
I honestly cannot think of a Paul Bettany performance that didn't blow me away. The guy is a legend.
I based my Bard in our DnD game after Bettany's Chaucer I love his character lol
He complained the "closed set" just meant more people showed up for his nude scene. To me this role is how he got famous.
We ALL need a partner who, on a bad day, whips A Knight's Tale out of their back pocket to save things. What a win. 😁😁
Absolutely. 100%. Yes! 😇💜
i support this message
Love this movie! The anachronisms seem odd at first, but they work really well! It's like telling a medieval story through a modern template. Plus, a top notch cast. Whenever I first watched GoT, and saw Robert Baratheon, I was like "Heyyyy! Roland! Movin' on up, I see!"
I felt the same way until someone told me it's a sports movie. Then it clicked.
"If my doofus of a mate can become a knight, then I can bloody well become a king."
And if they used history accurate music, they wouldn't be able to tell the tale so well. The music is too alien for us. We can still enjoy it but the time to understand the emotions involved is done with.
@@angrytheclown801 That's why they need to add a Bardcore track for medieval versions of pop songs. Preferably for the 25th anniversary DVD/BluRay in 2026.
I've seen this movie dozens of times, and him yelling his name at the end before unhorsing Adhemar gives me chills even to this day. About as close to a perfect movie as you can get.
I always get chills at the scene where prince Edward knights William, everytime without fail- goosebumps
As a kid who was obsessed with knights and named William, let's just say this movie has had a special place in my heart and as I have gotten older I have grown love this movie even more (outside of the love story). I love that you liked this movie Nat!
Oh my gosh I would always get goosebumps as a kid at the scene where Prince Edward comes out of the crowd to free Heath Ledger from the stockade- descendant from an ANCIENT ROYAL Line- his word, and as such is BEYOND CONTESTATION. so badass
His dad breaking down when he realises his son is home gets me everytime
4:30 my favorite thing about the We Will Rock You opening is that it wasn’t planned.
The extras were just doing that during a break when they thought the cameras were off, and they decided afterwards to fit it into the movie.
I wonder if they decided to go with the anachronistic tone because of that or if it was explicitly present in the screenplay already.
@@spiraljumper74If I recall correctly the anachronisms were decided on well in advance, the idea being that it would make a jousting movie easier for audiences to buy if they framed it like any other sport.
@@ThePonderer Hence the many adjusted English football chants throughout the movie.
@@spiraljumper74 Anachronism was planned, because they wanted audiences to feel the same way medieval spectators would. Real medieval chants and songs would've excited medieval peasants, but not modern viewers.
It makes me happy every time someone discovers the wonder that is Knight’s Tale.
One of my favorite moments that honestly is super underrated is when Will first walks out in his new armor, all the knights are laughing at him because of how skinny it is, then you see him get up on his horse effortlessly and they immediately shut up.
The best action, comedy with real depth of character. William taught me to believe that a man can change his stars
It took me a good 10 years after Heath’s passing before I could watch this movie again without feeling overwhelming sadness. No one else could have done it as well!
I couldn't watch Dark Knight until after it had been on cable for a couple months. I feel you.
yeah they could, a number of good actors could have.
@@frost1977 well ya know, I say tomato, you say unnecessarily hurtful things about the dead
I was never interested in this movie. I bought it at Hollywood Video because I couldn't find a third movie for their 3 for $10. I had for years. I watched Way of the Gun which I also had for a while and loved it. So I decided to watch this movie too. This movie made me tear up at least twice. 10/10!
I totally can relate. Even though I saw The Dark Knight in theatres when it came out to honor his legacy, I could not bring myself to rewatch any of his movies until a couple of years had passed. Now every time I watch any Heath movie I still get emotional. Such a huge loss.
If you're in this kind of mood again and you loved this you will love Stardust. Amazing and underrated movie.
In the middle of the fun and funky lance shattering goodness they throw in the scene with the father, it get's me every time
The year after my mother died my dad and I rented this movie over and over. It holds a special place in my heart. It brought me and my dad together in a time of utter sadness. Now it's my comfort movie whenever I need something to zone out to or not think about
This movie is a brilliant Action/Comedy. The fact that it also features The Joker, Hoban Washburne, Robert Baratheon, and The Vision is just icing on the cake.
And the woman blacksmith is Lydia from breaking bad
Oh Jesus yes, Lydia!@@derekchant7875
You forgot about fookin Marc Antony :p
It's really the group chemistry that I love in this movie. Brian Helgelund tapped into a wonderful dynamic and fed his actors very distinctive and fun characters to play. They oviously responded fully and made a great and watchable movie.
I love this movie. I love that it's anachronism. I love that it's actually a sports movie. Parts of this movie my D&D friends and I still quote to this day (we saw it in the theater as a group).
The new D&D film definitely has A Knight's Tale vibes to it
A shame there isn't a fan cut with the soundtrack replaced with Bardcore versions.
"Now, if I may repay the kindness you once showed me, take a knee."
Hands down one of my favorite movie quotes of all time, especially in his accent!
YEEEESSSS!!!! This is one of my favorite movies and I'm so happy you did this!
A Knight's Tale is just a straight 90s-00s sports movie with a setting twist. It's fantastic.
This movie absolutely needs more love. It's just fun.
I love the little bit early on about "We're on the road to Rouen(ruin)!"
Also, it's fairly unimportant but if memory serves this movie takes place specifically in 1372. It lines up with what is basically a blank, unknown space of about 10 yearsin the real Chaucer's life, but also the movie specifically uses music from "the 70s", since it takes place in "the 70s"
I've loved this movie since I was a kid! Along with Bettany's final speech, there's a line from Tudyk at the end that gets me every time: "That's your name, Will. Sir William Thatcher. Your father heard that."
I thought that was Mark Addy.
Great reaction! Glad you liked it a lot. William won his first match because their "master" that died had already scored "I think" 2 points while the opponent had none. So, for the opponent to win in the final round, they had to knock William off the horse. But William did not fall, so they won. It's a fun movie, and the ending scream of "William" always gives me goosebumps.
For a moment I thought I had read LA KNIGHT...
YEAH!
Omg I can't believe it... EVEN HERE... YEAAAHH!
YEAH!
This is one my favourite films that I've seen in my entire life. It inspired me to get into medieval battle reenactment, to love public speaking and to really value my friends as well as my own self worth. The fact that my closest friends also love this movie makes it even better.
The nice thing is that Chaucer's tales were contemporary, so it was a brilliant idea for them to make this version of one also be contemporary with modern mores. It works, making the movie much more relatable to an audience.
[And it's one of my favourite post-credit scenes. Perfect in tone.]
Yeah, Chaucer’s Knight’s Tale was pretty gruesome.
My favorite line is the part about hope in the letter. It gets me emotional every time.
I also really like the villain theme in the score. I used to play it in my head while lifting heavy weights.
Nice observation by Nat at 8:35 about the white clothes.
That was the origin for white dresses at weddings, to show social status. Washing clothes (until recent history) caused clothes to become gray and colors faded.
Being able to wear a white dress showed that your family could afford a new fancy dress or had enough servants to really wash your clothes well.
Bettany's Chaucer absolutely steals every scene. He just chews up the script. He's so good. lol.
There's a great line between Ademar and someone else in there. Ademar asks him "How would you beat him?" "In his bed, while he sleeps. On a horse, with a lance, he's unbeatable."
Prince Edward at the stocks... just knowing how loyal his friends were to him was enough to judge his character. But throwing in the interactions they had jousting. His respect for him, in the first, and even knowing who he was going at him in the 2nd. He earned his knighthood with his character.
This movie is just so good. It checks all the boxes.
OH NAT! Did you choose the right movie for the right time. This is always a go-to when I feel I need something to lift my spirits.
Reconstructionist jousters can be found at Renaissance fairs and in performing locations such as Medieval Times; there are entire groups of them all around the world. They put out a call for jousters for this film, so all of the jousters in it are professional jousters. These guys are trained for years to be able to fall off of a horse in full armor safely.
Natalie I’m so pleased you’re reacting to this! It’s such a fantastic movie.
I LOVE this movie. The best part is that it's both a "Guy Flick" and a "Chick flick", at the same time.
And when William's dad takes him in his arms and cries "Oh my boy!", I get choked up every time.
Not to mention ... "WILLLLLLLLLLLLIAMMMMM". YES! RIGHTEOUS!.
This movie is such a classic. The entire cast is just perfect which makes me sad since Heath is no longer with us. One of the best scenes in this movie is when they right the letter and you get a paragraph from each member of Sir Ulrich's group.
As a kid, I thought his name was Sir Orek. Didn't know otherwise until maybe 3 years ago, lol.
Christopher Cazenove is SUCH a great actor. I tear up every time he finds out his son has returned.
One of my very favorite movies. Just utterly excellent, feel good movie.
This movie is delightful and underrated. It's nice to see a movie about the Medieval period that DOESN'T have a hopelessly dour and depressing portrayal of this era.
each of the main 5 friends went on to have other ICONIC roles: Heath Ledger was The Joker in The Dark Knight, Paul Bettany was Vision/Jarvis in the MCU, Alan Tudyk was Wah in Firefly, Laura Fraser was in Breaking Bad and Mark Addy was most famously known as Robert Baratheon in Game of Thrones
God I love this Movie. Spectacular cast well written and just a movie I love to revisit . This one slipped through the cracks at the Box Office but man it has a following. Welcome to A Knights Tale. !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Every name was real in history in this Movie. Nat it is now time for Highlander. The Total Queen Soundtrack alone makes it work !!!!
Or Flash Gordon, where Queen did the entire soundtrack for that movie too
@@weldonwin Flash, A-ah, Saviour of the universe
@@thatHARVguy Best part is Brian Blessed, as the Prince of the Hawkmen "SQUADRON 40! *DIIIIIIIIIVE!!!"*
I like the idea that the Black Prince was indeed just completely making shit up about William having noble blood, but no one is going to say otherwise because he's the fucking prince.
this is such a fun interpretation on 'The Canterbury Tales' by Geoffrey Chaucer
Me and my Dad watched this together millions of times, serious comfort film for me
I always like the story of him with all his friends including the blacksmith a little more then the love story tbh but I do love that she brought his father to the tournament. And the scene with him reuniting with his father always gets me. Paul Bettany and Alan were hilarious of course but I loved the whole team.
Same, though she does really redeem herself when she says she'll live in the hovel with him, just run.
I has a beautiful moral to the story to which I have used this for my children. You can be anything you want be provided you try and try hard. I believe my children have followed this idea and I am proud of them.
One of my favorite movies, was going to a Renaissance Festival one time and on the radio they started playing "We Will Rock You"
the early 00s and late 90s did these modern retellings of classic literature and they seem to have aged in such a unique way now
This is one of those films that I tend to forget about over time, until I get reminded like this... I know what I'm watching tonight! Great reaction Nat 👍
One of the things i love most about this movie is that its a modern time sports movie peice of when it was made, and its was just set in medieval times, and its shows just how endearing and true the story is.
Also when William follows his feet home, someone cuts onions....AnD iTs Me!! 😭😭😭
Coolest part of the movie was the dance scene when they morphed into Golden Years.
Really showed that the social aspect of dancing hasn't changed much.
Heck yeah. Bowie rules!! 🤘🏿
A Knight's Tale is one of my favorites!!!
LOVE this movie! Thank you for reaching to it.
I´m glad that "Just something to sooth your soul a little bit" is a valid cryteria for you to use. It´s extremely important that you take care of yourself, even when working.
Love your reactions, Nat. Thanks for sharing!
Sadly, I feel like that is one of the kinds of movies that just don't seem to be made any more. You get the Oscar bait, you get the utterly commercial blockbusters, but I miss the quirky gambles, the smaller films that aren't trying to change the world or set records for gross revenue, they just exist because someone thought they'd be fun!
Totally agree... there should be more movies just for the fun of it. It´s entertainment, after all.
This video helped me on my day home sick. This movie is one of those good ones to revisit once in a while.
A Knight's Tale is one of my favorite and one of the most wonderful movies ever made.
You've got a contagious energy and fantastic sense of humor. It's a blast watching your videos! Keep it up!
Fun fact: during the first sword fight, all the extras around were Czech and didnt understand Geoffrey speech when William won, they didnt knew is was time for cheering and yelling so Rolands actor improvised and the extras quickly followed.
Now imagine everyone's surprise back in 2005 when we heard that dude was gonna be the Joker.
And now Heath's Joker is talked about among some of the greatest interpretations of the character. Pure chaotic energy.
@@pearchris I've never been so happy to be wrong. This was the only role I knew him from prior to The Dark Knight.
I love this movie. Great reaction Natalie. I love that William showed more knightly qualities then the villain. 1) Compassion / Sacrifice - When he saved his announcer by paying off his debt putting others before himself. 2) Respect and honor - He stated that the woman he loved was not the target but the arrow. Meaning she isn't an object, but the reason he fights. 3) Sacrifice - telling his friends to let people have them since he wasn't really a knight. Showing both compassion and sacrifice. 4) Respect, Kindness and Mercy - Showing mercy to the Prince when he was injured. 5) Courage - He refused to run even with odds against him. He never wavered and would fight to end. These are qualities we value even to this day.
Rip to Heath, one of Australia’s finest actors and gone far too soon
This movie made Heath Ledger my favorite actor at like 3 years old, seeing him play the joker in The Dark Knight was like watching everyone you know finally realize what you've been saying your whole life..... then he was gone
This will forever be an all time favourite of mine. The goofiness, the humour, the little romance story. I’ll show this film to my children one day and hope that they enjoy it as much as I do.
This movie won’t win any awards but I’ve always enjoyed it. I’m a geek for anything medieval and this movie has a wholesome modern style to it. It has a charming cast. It’s just a fun movie to sit back and relax and enjoy during a rainy day. Recognize Robert Baratheon? 😊
Y’know, this may be my absolute favorite “guilty pleasure” movie. First saw it as a boy, during that phase many of us get where we’re obsessed with knights and the medieval and all that. And it’s just a fun, wholesome, uplifting movie that never gets old even after quite a few viewings. I’ve even been known to quote Bettany’s Chaucer when hyping up a friend, or Tudyk’s “I’ll make your entrails your extrails!” It ain’t Best Picture material, but it’s amazing entertainment
You got The Joker, Robert Baratheon. Wash, and Vision. What an amazing cast.
Rufus Sewell is pretty good, too. Dark City is underappreciated, in my sci-fi nerd opinion.
And Marc Antony.
I grew up watching this film. Christopher Cazenove’s performance has me in tears every time! Great reaction!!
I appreciate you sharing the other side of things. You’re human just like us, and not everyone is happy and bubbly all the time. Hang in there!
As I always say about 'A Knight's Tale': A perfect film and this is a hill I am prepared die on!
This movie was fun and a real surprise but I'm with you Nat. Fart jokes stink! 😄
Love Nattie's light bulb moment 😂
One of my absolutely favorite comfort films, I'm glad you decided on watching this!
I don’t think I’ve ever been more saddened by words that Nat said than “I don’t like fart jokes!”
My heart is broken.
Same here.
So happy that you enjoyed this as much as it deserved. It is quirky for all the right reasons, and when they made this, they really did throw out the rule book, retained just enough to be period, and at the same time, gave it a modern edge.
My favourite scene of all is the first time they encounter Chaucer (a real writer btw, 14th century, who predates Shakespeare. Fun fact, my surname appears in Chaucer's 'The Miller's Tale') who is nonchalantly walking through the countryside completely nekkid.
This is one of my favorite movies of all time, i can almost recite the whole thing word for word. I'm so happy you got to finally enjoy it especially when yoy really needed it!
The part that I love was when Chaucer gives his speech at the end... telling the crowd about William. Then Tudyk's character just looks at William saying, "That's YOUR name Wil... Sir William Thatcher. Your father heard that." Tears every time
A great movie starring an actor who left us much too early.
RIP Mr. Ledger.
Thank you for entertaining us.
A true "feel good" movie, it always picks me right up if I need it. Also, the bearded guy of the main squad is played by Mark Addy who you might remember as King Robert Baratheon in Game of Thrones!
I love your recognition of actors. I do the same thing. Alan Tudyk is a great actor, they all are. Mark Addy is always in small roles that he really never gets enough credit for. Down to Earth being one of them.
A knights tale was the movie I watched EVERY time I was sick as a child. Think I've seen it at least 10 times. love it!
Love this movie. Paul Bettany is also "nekkid" when you first see him as Vision in Age of Ultron. The actor who played Roland (Mark Addy) was also Robert Baratheon in The Game of Thrones.
I love A Knight's Tale. It's one of those movies in the same vein as School of Rock, where it appeals to people of all ages and is just a great one to put on to lift your spirits.
Mark Addy (Roland) also appeared in one of my favourite comedy movies, The Full Monty. Another movie that does a great job brightening my day. :)
Yass!! This was such a fun movie, with a chance to see familiar faces in their younger days, especially Paul Bettany as the over-the-top hype man. I'm kinda surprised that you didn't mention Mark Addy, the infamous king Robert Baratheon from Game of Thrones!
10:06 that was an outtake. They were filming in Hungary and they used almost exclusively locals for the extras in the film. Especially the crowds. They didn't speak English and so when the cue came for them to cheer they didn't, so Robert Baratheon (Actor Mark Addy) did that little "yay" and it triggered the crowd. The director loved it so much that they left it in and it's one of the biggest laughs in the whole film.
It's a fun film and a favorite amongst MANY of my friends and I who work at the Renaissance Faire ... (and yes, audiences DO try to get that chant & song going during the jousting tournaments). It's just good fun.
By far, my most favorite reaction you’ve ever done!!! Tons of people say Heaths best role is the joker, but this is my personal favorite!
One of the best movies you could have picked for your "rainy day"! I hope you feel better soon Natalie ❤
Love this movie !! You will enjoy this. Bring a smile to your life. Hope your back gets better.
I did youth theatre with Laura Fraser (who plays the blacksmith). We lost touch years ago, but I'm so happy for her success in this and other films and TV over the last 20 years.