10 best movies about archaeology / featuring an archaeologist...from the team who brought you '25 most intense Archaeological discoveries' & '5 Fascinating Archaeological Facts' - we are picking 5 films each and will admit to our choices by surname only...enjoy!
"Tea With Mussolini" 1999 is an unlikely choice, but the Archaeologist played by Lily Tomlin (alongside Cher) is an inspiring character in a film about a group of elderly British women in 2935, whom the Italians have named the Scorpioni, have chosen Italy, specifically Florence, as a place to live to blend their proper British sensibilities with their love of Italian art and culture. Worth a watch (Uni Arch Day Frearson)
"The Mummy Returns" 2001 back when the Mummy franchise was still acceptable (editor's opinion!) and the awesome Evelyn was still super cool and rocking as the awkward archaeologist - the Scorpion King led a menacing army, but when he sold his soul to Anubis, he was erased from history. Now he is only a myth...or is he? Rick and Evelyn O'Connell are still discovering new artifacts, along with their 8 year old son Alex (keeping it in the family!) - also, fun fact, the British Museum was considered 'too dirty' to be used so the film used the front of the UCL Portico building - where you will be on Thursday 22nd June! (Uni Arch Day Frearson)
"The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec" 2010 Desperate to cure her near catatonic sister, intrepid authoress Adèle Blanc-Sec braves ancient Egyptian tombs and modern Egyptian lowlife to locate a mummified doctor and get him back to Paris. Her hope is that oddball Professor Espérandieu will then use his unusual powers to bring the doctor back to life so he, in turn, can use his centuries-old skills on the unfortunate sister (Uni Arch Day Gardner).
"Quatermass and the Pit" 1967 Frearson personal fave "A mysterious artifact is unearthed in London, and famous scientist Bernard Quatermass is called into to divine its origins and explain its strange effects on people." Absolutely brilliant Hammer Horror film using Archaeology and Sci Fi to scare the living daylights out of Londoners! (Uni Arch Day Frearson)
"Pimpernell Smith" 1941 Another big fave with the ever awesome Leslie Howard (a real life spy) "It is mid-1939 and both Germany and England are preparing for an inevitable conflict. Professor Horatio Smith, an effete academic, asks his students to come with him to the continent to engage in an archaeological dig. When his students discover that the professor is the man responsible for smuggling a number of enemies of the Nazi state out of Germany, they enthusiastically join him in his fight. But things are complicated when one of his students brings a mysterious woman into their circle, a woman who is secretly working for the Gestapo." (Uni Arch Day Frearson)
"The Royal Tenenbaums" 2001 "Etheline Tenenbaum (Anjelica Huston) – A noted archaeologist and author, and the mother of the Tenenbaum children, who "makes their education her top priority." Later on, Ethel finds love with Henry Sherman, her accountant, the complete opposite of her estranged husband Royal." from Wikipedia. An absolutely astonishingly great film about, well, the Tenenbaums - great comedic 'falling into trench' scene as well...the classic archaeology slip up! Also the best music of any film...ever (Uni Arch Day Frearson).
"Spinx" 1981 "Egyptologist Erica Baron finds more than she bargained for during her long-planned trip to The Land of the Pharoahs - murder, theft, betrayal, love, and a mummy's curse!" from IMDB - a classic (although, not for the under 18s as the trailer is a bit, er, graphic!) Egyptian-cursed-tomb-find b-movie...only for the avid horror fan! (Uni Arch Day Gardner)
"Timeline" 2003 "In this case, a group of archaeologists and combat experts led by Paul Walker and Frances O'Connor use a "3-D fax machine" (so much for technobabble!) to time-travel back to France in 1357, in hopes of retrieving Walker's father and returning safely to the present. No such luck! Fending for themselves against marauding hordes of medieval French warriors at war with the invading British, these semi-intrepid travelers find their body count rising, and the deadline for their return home is rapidly approaching." So bad it is good? As archaeologists we have all been there - transported to the past when a '3D fax machine goes wrong' do you even remember fax machines!??! Another classic from Uni Arch Day Gardner!
"Secret of the Incas" 1954 "An Inca legend says the Inca Empire was destroyed by the gods when a gold and jeweled star burst was stolen from the Temple of the Sun centuries ago, and the ancient civilization will spring anew when the treasure is returned. The natives want it but so does Harry Steele, an American adventurer of slightly-shady ways who wants it for personal gain, as does his adversary, a grizzled old man even more into skulduggery than Steele. The latter teams up with Elena Antonescu, an Iron Curtain refugee fleeing from the MKVD. She can help him get a plane and he can help her escape Peru for the relative safety of Mexico.Is there a chance they will end up in a bickering love-hate relationship?... Is there a chance an American archaeologist, Dr. Stanley Moorehead, will come along as one corner of a romantic triangle?... Is there a chance that Yma Sumac (billed third on the posters and ads and special billed in the film), who can't act but can sing, will sing a few songs?... Is there a chance that ..." Uni Arch Day admits to not having seen this - but we will and we will report back on 'Proto-Indy' (the closest this list is getting to Dr Jones).
"The Three Ages" 1923 "In his first independently produced feature film Buster tells of love and romance through three historical ages: the Stone Age, the Roman Age, and the Modern Age." A super film to end on - and Buster Keaton is as always magical in this silent movie wonder - Uni Arch Day Frearson is a bit fan of Keaton (esp. Keaton over Chaplin - discuss!?).