movie notes

I just finished watching Knight's Tale.

I watched it a few years ago, and absolutely hated it. I don't hate it quite so much now, but. . .

Here are my notes:

Sentence fragments in the opening subtitles

How is William a squire if he’s not noble?

Music by carter burwell? I love carter burwell!

Why dreadlocks? I mean, I guess it’s possible, but. . . I like his braies though

“a man can change his stars” – Wm. Very Early Modern

So if they’re peasants, who are they? They’re supposed to be squires, maybe it’s meant to be more like grooms/attendants

I get the point with the music, but I find it jarring. I think what we need is Baz Luhrman’s Knight’s Tale

Why is shirt technology always the first to go?

The boys know how to sew!

Chaucer! And he’s naked and covered in mud!

Chaucer creates the word “trudge” “To trudge: the slow weary depressing yet determined walk of a man who has nothing left in his life except the impulse to simply soldier on”

Steps on a thorn, pulls it out with his teeth, then introduces himself: [Roland asks ‘Who are you?’] “Liliments of venus. [?] Lily among the thorns. Geoffrey Chaucer’s the name, writing’s the game.”

The men are silent, unimpressed.
“Chaucer? Geoffrey Chaucer? The writer?”
“a what?”

“For a penny, I’ll scribble you anything you want, from summonses to decrees to edicts creeds, warrants, patents of nobility. I’ve even been know to jot down a poem.”

“You probably read my book?”

“No, well, that’s fine then, it was allegorical.”

[We won’t hold that against you, that’s for each man to decide on his own.]

Wm introduces himself, Chaucer makes fun of him, Wm pulls a sword on him

Chaucer gives them a plot point – they need a patent of nobility. Chaucer asks for clothes, shoes, food, to write a horse, then says he’ll give ‘em the patents

Oh, apparently they’re in France. Funny, I’ve never heard of patents of nobility outside of this movie, but apparently they are real.

I like Burwell’s music – a mix of medieval and modern – much better than the modern stuff

Chaucer says “I have to see a man about a dog”????

Women in movies never hold their dresses right when they go up stairs

Wm rides his horse into a cathedral, which actually gives a good idea of the expanse

The bad guy’s in black.

Simon the Summoner! “I must detain you on behalf of your herald.”

Chaucer admits to a gambling problem. He’s naked again.

Peter the Pardoner

They’ll take a pound of flesh

Chaucer: “Yes, yes I lied. I’m a writer! I give the truth scope!”

Chaucer talks him up. Everyone is like “Dewd, what>” “We walk in the garden of his turbulence”

Oh noes, a woman blacksmith!

“winner of the joust in France” What does that mean? Where are they?

Yea, the girl doesn’t know the rules, so she and the audience can be educated

Chaucer as promoter . “I got their attention, you go and win their hearts”

What on earth are they sleeping on?

The woman who plays Kate the Farrier was Lavinia in Julie Taymor’s Titus. I thought she looked familiar.

“I will eviscerate you in fiction.”
“I was naked for a day. You will be naked for eternity.”

Chaucer teaches em how to dance

Roland makes Wm fancy tunic. Cool. But what is up with Wm’s pants?

Beauty beauty very important, sheesh.

What the hell is Rufus Sewell wearing? And apparently the screenwriter or costume designer is confused as to what a tunic is

Makin’ friends with the Black Prince

Wm: “Don’t you ever get tired of putting on clothes?”
Chaucer; “She’s talking about taking them off”

Why are Will and Jocelyn fighting? Stupid romantic comedy

Wait, adhemar is the count of Anjou, how could the Black Prince command him, or was Anjou an ally of England? I know they were much later, but I thought that was solidified with Margaret’s marriage to Henry VI

Chaucer help Wm write a love letter. The other boys help, too. But why did they fight in the first place?

Can the movie take a time out so everyone can put on real clothes?

Wat: “Watch out, Quasimodo”

Wait, “No Englishman will win” but they’re saying Wm is from “Gelderland” gah

Wat:”I don’t understand women.”

Chaucer: “Nor do I, but they understand us.”

Chaucer observes Jocelyn going to Wm’s tent: “Guinevere comes to Lancelot. Bed him well, m’lady. Bed him well.”

Oh good the Summoner and Pardoner are back. Why isn’t this movie over yet?

Chaucer’s naked again! His wife Philippa has shown up.

She says “They seem much more fun than those boring old pilgrims you hung out with last year.”

The royal guards look like Conquistadors.

Chaucer calms the crowd when WM’s in the stocks

Chaucer: “I ask you, what makes a man noble? Is it his lineage or his heart?”

The people say, Heart, good heart.

Oh, burn, the Black Prince is in the crowd. “Release him.” “My personal historians have discovered him to be of an ancient royal line.”

So, does the Prince have to show patents of nobility? I shouldn’t think so, but. . .

That’s a sweet sweet duster the Prince has on

Chaucer: “all human activity lies within the artist’s scope”