Subject: Legends & Mythology
Humans tell stories, whether it’s the ancient Celtic bard, the Chinese sage, or the Malian griot. In this modern age, national identity is often rooted in these ancient tales, just as much of the future will create its own mythology with our movies and Internet memes.
Ambavi Suramis tsikhitsa (The Legend of Suram Fortress)
- Director: Sergei Parajanov, Dodo Abashidze
- Release Date: 1984
- Production Country: Soviet Union
A group of Georgians build a fortress to protect themselves from the invading Muslim army, but the walls cannot be completed without great sacrifice.
Arrivano i titani (My Son, the Hero)
- Director: Duccio Tessari
- Release Date: 1962
- Production Country: Italy, France
When Cadmus sets himself up in Jove's temple as king of the gods, Jove allows one of his Titan children, Krios, to go free in order to make things right; the prize for his success would mean the freedom for all the Titans—but Krios finds himself falling for the mortal daughter of Cadmus and must decide which is more important to him.
Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner
- Director: Zacharias Kunuk
- Release Date: 2001
- Production Country: Canada
When personal ambition takes precedence over the collective good of the village, a curse is unleashed upon the residents, the results of which will be played out in the next generation when Atanarjuat wins the hand of the beautiful Atuat despite the fact she was originally promised to the camp leader, Oki, setting in motion a tale of revenge and betrayal that will ultimately either heal or destroy their entire village.
Beowulf
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Release Date: 2007
- Production Country: United States
Danish King Hrothgar needs a hero to kill the monster Grendel that has ruined all his recent banquets, and the warrior Beowulf gladly steps up to the plate. But after killing Grendel, Beowulf finds another creature in a cave; she seduces Beowulf with promises of power and fame, if only he will give her a child to replace the one he just killed.
Beowulf & Grendel
- Director: Sturla Gunnarsson
- Release Date: 2005
- Production Country: Canada, United Kingdom, Iceland, United States, Australia
A reluctant hero Beowulf agrees to kill the monster Grendel for King Hrothgar, until he finds out what Grendel is and why he's on a rampage. Maybe, just maybe, Beowulf has agreed to kill the wrong monster.
Clash of the Titans
- Director: Desmond Davis
- Release Date: 1981
- Production Country: United States
Perseus has fallen for the lovely Andromeda, but before he can marry her he must solve a riddle or two, kill a monster or three, all the while Thetis, goddess of the sea, does her best to hinder him.
Clash of the Titans
- Director: Louis Leterrier
- Release Date: 2010
- Production Country: United States
When Perseus's adopted family dies in a shipwreck, he is cast ashore and imprisoned in the kingdom of Argos, where the King and Queen are determined to wage war against the gods. When they learn they have the son of Zeus in their dungeons, they enlist his help in order to save their daughter, Andromeda, who has been demanded as a sacrifice to appease the angry Kraken that is on course to destroy their kingdom.
Cortigiana di Babilonia (The Queen of Babylon)
- Director: Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia
- Release Date: 1954
- Production Country: Italy, France
In ancient Chaldea, the beautiful goatherd Semiramis must depend on the enslaved king to save her when she is accused of murdering her husband, the king who overthrew him.
Da ji (The Last Woman of Shang)
- Director: In-hyeon Choi, Feng Yueh
- Release Date: 1964
- Production Country: Hong Kong, South Korea
A woman seeks revenge for her father's death by destroying the Shang emperor and his dynasty.
Die Nibelungen
- Director: Fritz Lang
- Release Date: 1924
- Production Country: Germany
Valiant Siegfried slays dragons, defeats mighty warriors, and wins the fair Kriemhild's heart, but all is for naught until he tricks the man-hating Brunhilde into marriage with Kriemhild's brother. Sadly, neither Siegfried's valor nor success are rewarded with years of wedded bliss. Kriemhild, now an unhappy widow, then must square accounts with the bitter Brunhilde and the hapless king through whom she accomplished her revenge on Siegfried.
El rapto de las sabinas (The Rape of the Sabine Women)
- Director: Alberto Gout
- Release Date: 1962
- Production Country: Mexico
Shortly after founding their city, the men of Rome realize that they forgot one thing in their planning: wives. Fortunately, the Sabine people just over the hill do have wives—the trouble is... their husbands aren't willing to just hand them over.
El-haimoune (Wanderers of the Desert)
- Director: Nacer Khemir
- Release Date: 1986
- Production Country: France
A young school teacher in Tunisia is assigned to work in a village where reality and fantasy can be indistinguishable—and where his students have a tendency to wander away, joining those who walk forever, lost in the desert.
Excalibur
- Director: John Boorman
- Release Date: 1981
- Production Country: United States, United Kingdom
Magic, lust, and ambition complicate and distort the lives of Arthur and his knights, as well as the legacy of Arthur's father, Uther, with his lust for both power and the beautiful Igrayne.
Hang Tuah (The Legend of Hang Tuah)
- Director: Phani Majumdar
- Release Date: 1956
- Production Country: Singapore, Malaysia
A young boy grows up to become the fearsome warrior Hang Tuah, but not even his status as the Sultan's champion can save Hang Tuah when he is accused of adultery with one of the Sultan's concubines. Although condemned to death, the warrior is instead spirited away to live in hiding until he receives word that another warrior has threatened the Sultan—in revenge for Hang Tuah's death.
Helen of Troy
- Director: Robert Wise
- Release Date: 1956
- Production Country: United States, Italy
Shipwrecked on the shores of Greece, Prince Paris finds the beautiful Helen along with a passel of Greek kings and heroes plotting war in order to get their hands on the riches of his lovely city, Troy, which he must then warn; but taking Helen with him when he leaves may not have been his best idea.
Helen of Troy
- Director: John Kent Harrison
- Release Date: 2003
- Production Country: United States
When Menelaus wins the beautiful Helen as his bride, Menelaus prevents the losers from murdering him in a jealous rage by making all those present promise to band together to go to war against any man who would take Helen from her husband. Enter Prince Paris, who was prophesied to bring about the destruction of his home city of Troy, and the stage is set for epic tragedy as only the Greeks can deliver it.
Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa (The Malay Chronicles: Bloodlines)
- Director: Yusry Abd Halim
- Release Date: 2011
- Production Country: Malaysia
A Malay warrior befriends a shipwrecked Roman prince and a Chinese princess, and the three join forces in an attempt to unite the tribes of the Malay peninsula against marauding pirates. Their efforts are so successful that they ultimately create the first Malay kingdom, Langkasuka.
Hua Mu Lan (Lady General Hua Mulan or Woman General Mulan Hua)
- Director: Feng Yueh
- Release Date: 1964
- Production Country: Hong Kong
Determined to save her frail father and baby brother from conscription into the army, Fa Mulan defeats her father in combat, proving that she can uphold the family honor in battle. And for the next twelve years she does just that, proving her mettle both in battle against the barbarians and in leadership—until the Commanding General himself is so impressed, he wishes to betroth his daughter to this famous war hero.
Hua Mulan (Mulan)
- Director: Jingle Ma, Wei Dong
- Release Date: 2009
- Production Country: United States, China
Hua Mulan dresses as a man to save her father from service in the army, becoming the woman and warrior of legend in China.
Ifigeneia (Iphigenia)
- Director: Mihalis Kakogiannis
- Release Date: 1977
- Production Country: Greece
Agamemnon needs to sail for Troy with his armies, but the winds refuse to blow. When he discovers that it is because he unintentionally offended the goddess Artemis, Agamenon swears he will make amends, no matter the cost—but the cost may be more than he imagined.