During the 1970s motion pictures began to alter their depiction of the Medieval Era from colorful and chivalric to dark, grungy and brutal. "Flesh + Blood" pretty much exemplifies that shift in perception. As one character says, "It isn't a sin if nobody sees it".
The story takes place in 1501, at the very end of the Medieval Period and the beginning of the Renaissance. Although the particular region of Europe is not specified, the implication is that it is somewhere in Italy. One of the principal characters is a nobleman called "Arnolfini", which sounds Italian. Furthermore, another of the principal characters is Sir John Hawkwood, who was an actual historical figure, an English knight who became a highly successful "Condottiero" (leader of a company of mercenary soldiers) in Medieval Italy. However, the real Sir John Hawkwood lived and died more than a century before the story depicted in the film takes place. The nationality of the soldiers who are the central characters in the story is not specified, not need it be. Late Medieval Europe was full of companies of free-lance mercenaries willing to fight for anyone wealthy enough to pay them.
"Flesh + Blood" depicts a Medieval world in which there is no "honor", no chivalrous knights and no virtuous ladies, with plenty of "protagonists", but no "good guys". As a result, there are only two kinds of people; predators and prey.
The story takes place in 1501, at the very end of the Medieval Period and the beginning of the Renaissance. Although the particular region of Europe is not specified, the implication is that it is somewhere in Italy. One of the principal characters is a nobleman called "Arnolfini", which sounds Italian. Furthermore, another of the principal characters is Sir John Hawkwood, who was an actual historical figure, an English knight who became a highly successful "Condottiero" (leader of a company of mercenary soldiers) in Medieval Italy. However, the real Sir John Hawkwood lived and died more than a century before the story depicted in the film takes place. The nationality of the soldiers who are the central characters in the story is not specified, not need it be. Late Medieval Europe was full of companies of free-lance mercenaries willing to fight for anyone wealthy enough to pay them.
"Flesh + Blood" depicts a Medieval world in which there is no "honor", no chivalrous knights and no virtuous ladies, with plenty of "protagonists", but no "good guys". As a result, there are only two kinds of people; predators and prey.