Movies We Dig | Film, Antiquity and Everything in Between
Movies We Dig is a podcast that explores films about Greece, Rome, and the ancient world. Hosts Colin MacCormack, Elijah Fleming, and Christie Vogler discuss what works and what doesn't in these movies, focusing on their relation to history rather than nitpicking inaccuracies. The show offers hot takes from academics and professional nerds on Hollywood's portrayal of antiquity.
Episodes
Ulysses (1954), with Laura Jenkinson-Brown
Feel like you've heard WAY too much about Odysseus? Too bad, because we're wrapping up our season with one more iteration of the famous Homeric hero. But this time, we're going old-school to discuss the 1954 film Ulysses. We are joined by special guest Laura Jenkinson-Brown (aka Jenks of Greek Myth Comix) to help us map out Ulysses' journey home. While our intrepid bard/hero gets w
In the Hand of Dante (2025), with Gianna Albaum
What made Dante Alighieri one of the world's greatest poets and a foundational figure for Italian culture? We're not sure because we left this film more confused than when we started. Yes, we descend into the Inferno that is In the Hand of Dante (2025), the very-hard-to-follow noir about an author recovering a manuscript of La Divina Commedia from the criminal underworld, set alongside the
Marble (2026), with Taylor Catalana
Needing a break from Odysseus, we thought it was time to look at another important mythohistorical figure from the ancient Mediterranean world: Mary. You know, the Blessed Mother, Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Our Lady, Holy Virgin, Madonna (no, not the musician). Lucky for us, we got our hands a brand new historical fiction novel titled Marble, which is set to hit the shelves later this month. Even
Treasure Planet (2002)
Travel through space (and time) as we wrap up our coverage of early-2000s animated films with Treasure Planet. The crew sits down to discuss children's literature, pirates in pop culture, and why pre-teen boys are to blame for letting this one flop. Come for the cool animation, stay for the Goo Goo Dolls! As always, if you like what you hear, please be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the sh
The Odyssey (2026), Reception Battle, Part 2, with Joel Christensen, Joe Goodkin and Amy Pistone
We're back! Cramming ourselves once more into the water-logged, toilet-water horse that is podcasting, we return once again to finish our conversation on Christopher's The Odyssey (2026). The whole gang's here: Amy, Joe, Joel, Kermit, Piggy, Spider-man (listen through, it'll make sense). We talk the women of Homer, the nature of adaptation and why Plato keeps showing up in our group chat.You can f
The Odyssey (2026), Reception Battle, Part 1, with Joel Christensen, Joe Goodkin and Amy Pistone
What's more Homeric than ending up right back where you started? Or wandering an endless sea of textual criticism? Or your co-hosts and guests fighting you every step of the way as you struggle to bring the ship to port? (sorry Christie!)We reconvene our Homeric council (see our episode on The Return) for the first part of our great debate of this summer/year/decade/Age of Bronze: Do We Dig Christ
The Odyssey (2026)
What can be said about Nolan's Odyssey that hasn't already been said? Well hopefully a few things! The MWD crew gives their initial impressions on the biggest thing to hit the world of film and Classical studies since probably Gladiator. The main question on our mind: What version of Odysseus ended up coming home? Just beware of any sirens (spoilers) you may run into along the way if you have not
The Damodyssey (1997-2026)
It's more podcast for your buck! That's right, in anticipation of a certain small-budget indie film coming out this month, we're not talking about one movie, but five! We quest out in search of Matt Damon as he appears in Good Will Hunting (1997), Saving Private Ryan (1998), The Bourne Identity (2002), Interstellar (2014) and The Martian (2015), all in service of the great question: "Do We Dig Ody
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003), with Liv Albert
Hop on board listeners as we take a look at another early 2000s animated film that maybe should have just fallen off the edge of the world. Helping us to discuss yet another problematic man lost at sea is none other than Liv Albert, the host of Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! and founding member of Mnemosyne: The Memory Collective. If, like us, you missed this swashbuckling-adventure in favor of ano
The Prince of Egypt (1998)
Two brothers united by friendship, divided by podcasting. Yes, we're rounding off our Month of Mummy's (and movies about princes) with the 1998 animated musical The Prince of Egypt. We talk about such far-ranging and fascinating topics as biblical archaeology, killing babies and why Shrek was a mistake. We may not get 2D animation like this ever again, but the soundtrack will live on in our hearts
Lee Cronin's The Mummy (2026), with Briana Jackson
From ambitious ancient architects to sexy evil priestesses, we've seen the "Mummy" take many forms, but none quite as horrifying as a modern teenage girl. Join us in unwrapping the latest reincarnation of this monster franchise with Lee Cronin's The Mummy. Helping us to investigate yet another creepy pyramid and it's resident demonic entity is special return guest and Egyptologist, Dr. Briana Jack
Blood from the Mummy's Tomb (1971), with Genn McMenemy & Jenny Williamson
Men will rob ancient tombs with no qualms, but the second a woman starts accessing ancient magical powers then they start caring about morality. Yes, we watching Blood from the Mummy's Tomb, the 1971 Hammer horror about an ancient sorceress possessing a modern London woman. Joining us to discuss this cult classic are our good friends, the Ancient History Fangirls, Genn McMenemy and Jenny Williamso
The Mummy (1932), with Julia Troche
It's May, so you know what that means? It's time to celebrate all those wonderful Mummies in film! With the help of return guest and Egyptologist, Dr. Julia Troche, we travel back in time to unravel the humble beginnings of the entire Mummy movie franchise. For a film nearing 100 years old, it has some surprisingly progressive takes on archaeology, colonialism, and female sexuality. It's a dangero
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
We wish we had our own magic time-traveling sands as we review 2010's Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Is it a creative re-imagining of a popular game? No. Is it a fun action-adventure with comedic tones? Also no. Does Alfred Molina run an illegal ostrich-racing circuit? Yes he does.We could have been watching Prince of Egypt...As always, if you like what you hear, please be sure to rate, revi
Romulus, Season 2 (2022), with The Partial Historians
It's been well over a year (and season) since we last checked in on Wiros and Yemos (AKA Romulus and Remus) to see how their little city of Rome is managing. While both brothers are still alive, they are definitely not prepared to handle the wildcard that is Titus Tatius, King of the Sabines and Son of Sancus. Helping us to separate the original founding myth from an imaginative modern retelling a
Spartacus: House of Ashur (2025), with Monica Cyrino
We're back and this time untethered from history with a new season of your (but not Colin's) favorite gladiator show: Spartacus: House of Ashur (2025). Also helping us rewrite history in some pretty radical ways is Dr. Monica Cyrino. We talk gladiators, sex, crucifixion and more, everything a growing ludus needs. What does a gladiator-turned-aspiring-nouveau-riche-fight-promoter have to do to get
Gods of Egypt (2016), with Julia Troche
Maybe, like, the fourth or fifth best entry in the Transformers series? Yes we're talking Gods of Egypt (2016) a... film. Joining us is extra special guest, Dr. Julia Troche, who is here to help educate us on ancient Egyptian mythology and the many hidden benefits of lettuce. We talk gods, Egypt, robots, forced-perspective, arm workout routines and much more. Listen now or you'll need to spend mon
Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Season 2 (2025), with Lexie Henning
If ever a series made us feel our age, it's this one! Once again, we return to Rick Riordan's fantastical world of teenage demi-gods with Disney's second season of Percy Jackson & The Olympians. Since your hosts are lost at sea when it comes to this series, we called upon a true aficionado and fellow Mnemosyne member, Lexie Henning, to help us navigate the world of prophecies and Party Ponies.
10,000 BC (2008), with David S. Anderson
Grab your spears, grow out your dreads and get ready to hunt some mammoth because we're going back, waaaay back to 2008 and 10,000 BC, Roland Emmerich's stealth prequel to Stargate. And what conversation about Stone Age tribes battling Atlantean Pyramid Enthusiasts (Aliens?) would be complete without our resident pseudo-archaeology expert, David S. Anderson. We talk mammoth hunting strategies, meg
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, Season 2 (2025)
As part of our "Unfinished Business" season, we return to the Netflix animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. It wouldn't surprise the three of us to learn that you might have missed the second (and final) season of this series, but we spend a good chunk of time discussing why that may have been the case. So let's all dive in to the story of a tomb raider turned repatriation advocat
Hail, Caesar! (2016)
Ancient Rome. MWD's podcasts are masters of the world, the heat of its takes heard from the Iberian peninsula in the west through the halls of the great library of Alexandria in the east. As oppressed people everywhere writhe under the Roman lash, freeman and vassal are united in one compulsory listenership. But there is a new wind, exploring this Cohen Brothers' 2016 comedy on the eccentric perso
The Eagle (2011), with Roel Konijnendijk
Once again, we sift through our backlog of episodes to take another look at a mostly forgotten film, this time with fresh eyes and new takes. What we find is a film about a Roman legionary that is actually, dare we say, good!? Joining us on the journey to find The Eagle is special return guest, Roel Konijnendijk. From a Roman military fortress to the wilds of Scotland, we discuss the charm of this
Frankenstein (2025), with Marina Escolano-Poveda
Chug your milk, don your ruffled shirts and get ready to shoot lightning bolts through your lymphatic system because we're re-animating Guillermo del Toro' latest creature-feature: Frankenstein (2025). Returning to play god with us is Dr. Marina Escolano-Poveda, Senior Lecturer in Classics, Ancient History and Egyptology at the University of Liverpool. We talk the horrors of science, the sins of t
Ben-Hur (2016)
The holidays are upon us, so we figured it was a good time to delve into a remake of a remake that nobody really asked for. That's right, we're talking about 2016's Ben-Hur! And sorry to say, this one might have sent your hosts off the rails. We discuss the major changes from the 1959 film, including Messala's backstory, the inciting incident that destroys the Ben-Hur family, and the interesting c
Agora (2009), with Marina Escolano-Poveda
In this season's attempt to highlight films that might have fallen under the radar, the Movies We Dig Crew revisits Agora along with special guest, Dr. Marina Escolano-Poveda. Despite (or more likely, because of) the film's the unorthodox setting in Late Roman Alexandria, the central story focusing on the life of Hypatia (played by Rachel Weisz), and amazing use of costuming and set design, there'
Scream 2 (1997), with Lizzy Adams and TJ Bolt
What's your favorite scary movie? Ours is Scream 2! Joined by super special guests and professional Scream-heads (Screamers?) Lizzy Adams and TJ Bolt, we breakdown the metatextual masterpiece that is the Scream franchise, starting with the 1997 follow up to the original cult classic: Scream 2. We talk ancient Greek tragedy, horror as genre, VHS cassette tapes and all things 90's.You can read more
History of the World, Part I (1981), with Emma Pauly
What better way to start our season of "Unfinished Business" than with a Part I film that was never supposed to get a sequel? Well, at least until that streaming money was just too good to pass up. With the help of fellow Mnemosyne: Memory Collective member Emma Pauly we take a look at Mel Brooks' world history comedy spanning the Stone Age, the Roman Empire, the Spanish Inquisition, and the Frenc
Season 5 Wrap-Up
What "archaeology" film set Colin off? To find out, check out our latest episode closing out Season 5 of Movies We Dig! For our Wrap-Up episode, we reflect on our season surveying archaeology in film. Listen in to hear our official tier rankings of every archaeology film (that we've covered). We also end the show with a fun guessing game about AI's interpretation of our own body of work. And if yo
Movies We Dig Season 6 "Unfinished Business"
Get ready for Season 6 of Movies We Dig, where we are determined to leave no stone left unturned! If you want to be in the know for upcoming episodes and special events, be sure to follow our socials. And show some love by subscribing, rating, and reviewing the show wherever you like to listen to your podcasts!As always, if you like what you hear, please be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to
International Podcast Day Livestream (2025), with Mnemosyne: The Memory Collective
Mnemosyne: The Memory Collective got together for the first time to celebrate International Podcast Day! Various members and contributors hopped on throughout the day to answer questions, play games, and much more! This event is meant to be an opportunity for our audiences to get to know many members of and contributors to the Memory Collective, which you can learn more about by visiting collectiv
Excavations (2023), with Kate Myers
Grab your trowels, apply your sunscreen and get ready to get down and dirty as we sit down with author Kate Myers to discuss her smash-hit novel Excavations. We talk all things archaeology: dirt, artifacts, repatriation, dirt, organized crime, horse-loving donkeys, more dirt and all the character types that seem to crawl out of the woodwork every summer to dig in remote Mediterranean villages.You
National Treasure (2004)
If pressed to recall this film, one can probably remember its most iconic line "I'm gonna steal the Declaration of Independence," but not much beyond that. And maybe that's a good thing. Part heist, part treasure hunt, and part historical conspiracy, this film works hard to make the United States' settler colonialism past seem a lot cooler than it actually is. We talk ships (both nautical and roma
Arrival (2016), with Deb Trusty
Dust off your linguistic skills and join us as we decipher the myriad of meanings presented in the science fiction drama, Arrival. What on the surface appears to be a conflict between humans and extraterrestrials, in reality, is the longstanding rivalry between Humanities and STEM. With the help of our special guest Dr. Deb Trusty, we discuss the similarities and differences between the film and T
Pompeii (2014), with Genn McMenemy
We clearly had lots of thoughts as this is one of our longest (and most swear-ridden) episodes ever. Joined by super special guest Genn McMenemy, we excavate the layers and layers of volcanic ash that is Pompeii (2014). We dive deep not just into this film as an artifact of cinematic cliches circa the 2010's but also the actual artifacts from the site of Pompeii. Really, we spend most of our time
La chimera (2023)
Get your divining rods and apotropaic phalli and get ready for some dark magical realism. We excavate Alice Rohrwacher's 2023 film about a British archaeologist-turned-tombarolo, La chimera. This film has everything: Etruscan tombs, musical interludes, Isabella Rossellini, ghosts and more! We really dug this film and the way it unpacks the complicated relationship between past and present, living
Enemy of My Dreams (2025), with Jenny Williamson
It's summertime! You know what that means? Time to head to the beach with a historical, smutty romance book! And boy do we have a recommendation for you! In this episode we are joined by romance novelist and fellow historical podcaster, Jenny Williamson, to discuss her debut book Enemy of My Dreams. We discuss everything from the historical figures that inspired the story, the importance of Romanc
RE-AIR: The Dig (2021)
This episode originally aired in February 2021. It is also a historical record documenting the start of wonderful friendship between three scholars/nerds talking about ancient history and archaeology in popular media.A movie actually about digging! This week we're joined by special guest, Dr. Christie Vogler, to talk about the 3 D's of The Dig: death, dirt and drudgery. We get into the ins and out
Lore Olympus (2018-2024), with Erica Rose Hampton
For all those who like to read their Greek myths in comic form, this one's for you! With the help of special guest Erica Rose Hampton, we delve into one of the most famous web comics in the world. While you may love it or hate it, it is undeniable that Rachel Smythe's Lore Olympus embraces and modernizes the heavy topics presented to us in myths, making it a compelling piece of modern reception. P
Blood of Zeus, Season 3 Interview (2025), with Charley and Vlas Parlapanides, Derek Phillips, & Elias Toufexis
It wouldn't be a series finale episode if we didn't go out with a bang! Joined by the creators of Blood of Zeus, Charley and Vlas Parlapanides, as well as the voice actors for the series' leads of Heron (Derek Phillips) and Seraphim (Elias Toufexis), we delve into the creative process of producing one of our favorite modern retellings of Greek myth. Though our heroic brothers may be at odds in the
Blood of Zeus, Season 3 (2025), with Zoé Elise Thomas
It wouldn't be a Blood of Zeus episode if we didn't bring back the reigning champ and monster 'enthusiast' Zoé Thomas. We break down our reactions to the third and final season of Netflix's animated myth-fest, Blood of Zeus, created by Charley and Vlas Parlapanides. Highs, lows and Bacchic hallucinations, we've got a lot to say about this one, so grab your lightning bolts, hop on your flying chari
She's The Man (2006)
"All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players." That's right! We trade in one mysterious bard for another as we tackle Christie's pick for a favorite film, She's The Man. This adaptation of a Disney Channel Original Movie, Motocro... uhh we mean, Shakespeare's Twelfth Night has everything one could hope for: shenanigans, soccer, romance, and early 2000s female empowerment thro
Galaxy Quest (1999)
We continue our suite of host-picks that have nothing to do with the central premise of our show with Colin's random movie pick: Dean Parisot's 1999 addition to the Star Trek canon, Galaxy Quest. This time, we're the Thermians taking a piece of media at face value with no appreciation for context, irony or the dramatic arts. Or are we Saris? Either way, listen as we find a way to turn this late 20
Alien vs. Predator (2004)
Did the Predator aliens invent toxic masculinity? Are billionaire's secretly chill dudes? Would this be Freud's all-time favorite movie? Yes.We take a (slight) detour from our usual survey grounds to talk about our first personal pick (thank you, Elijah): Alien vs. Predator (2004), aka The Predator Industrial Complex. Join us for a review of this classic tale of human explorers finding themselves
KAOS at CAMWS (2025), with Amy Pistone
That's right! We packed our bags with recording equipment and made our way to the annual meeting of the Classical Association of the Midwest and South to talk about the 2024 Netflix show, KAOS. Filling in for Colin as co-host is fan favorite Amy Pistone, and our special guest for this episode is our first ever live audience!. While we might be at an academic conference, we can't help but do things
The Pyramid (2014), with Briana Jackson
This episode could totally rewrite our chronology of pyramid movies! Join us as we uncover the tomb of unspeakable (unwatchable?) horrors that is the 2014 found-footage horror film, The Pyramid. Joined by super special guest and Egyptologist extraordinaire Briana Jackson, we attempt to make sense of this confusing three-sided pyramid. We talk cannibal cats, abused camera men and why is Anubis is a
Epic: The Musical (2024), with Wren Fleming
Social media may be a dumpster fire these days, but every once in a while it takes us by surprise. In this case, it’s a new take on Homer’s Odyssey as a concept album titled Epic with music and lyrics by Jorge “Jay” Rivera-Herrans. Bopping along to all the highs and lows of this musical experience is the lovely Wren Fleming, a writer and long time friend of the podcast. Maybe we’re all musical the
The Lost City of Z (2016), with Flint Dibble
Man's reach should forever exceed his podcast. Join us as we talk with super special guest, Flint Dibble, about James Gray's 2016 biopic on early 20th century British explorer Percy Fawcett, The Lost City of Z. We talk archaeology, colonialism and why this is a stealth prequel to the Twilight Saga. Is this a hagiography of an archaeological pioneer or a troubling attempt to smooth other a complica
Romancing the Stone (1984), with Raven Todd DaSilva
Happy Valentine's Day listeners! To celebrate, grab your favorite smutty romance book and your map of questionable origins as we explore the chaotically-fun film, Romancing the Stone. Joining the conversation is the wonderful Raven Todd DaSilva, who helps us to uncover the film's questionable romance and even more questionable archaeology. We uncover the tragic history of the film's screenwriter,
The Return (2024), with Joel Christensen, Joe Goodkin and Amy Pistone
How can men find their way to war but not find their way to a good podcast? Like suitors around Penelope's megaron, we assemble our biggest survey panel ever to court Uberto Pasolini's latest re-imagining of Homer's Odyssey (or the back half at least): The Return (2024). Joining us are guesting hall-of-famers Joel Christensen and Amy Pistone, as well as super-special new suitor, Joe Goodkin. We ta
Hades II (2024 Early Access), with Meg Sullivan
Grab your witches hats and your godly boons as we delve into the Underworld once again with Hades II. Keep in mind that while the game is still in early access, spoilers abound (including a big one for Final Fantasy VII)! Helping us out with this gaming katabasis is the wonderful Meg Sullivan of History N' Games. We talk about some of our favorite characters and themes from the game thus far, as w
Stargate (1994), with David S. Anderson
It's not a "door to heaven," it's Stargate (1994), dweeb! We travel a million light years from home to uncover this peak 90's find with good friend of the show David S. Anderson. We talk gods, aliens, archaeology, dunking on your colleagues' translations and curiously paradoxical attitudes towards arming children. Is this movie the harbinger of modern ancient aliens conspiracies or just a warm up
Gladiator II (2024), with Glenn Storey
Where to begin? (No really, what date is this film even taking place in?) Ridley Scott returns us to his vision of ancient Rome that was laid out over twenty years ago. While we do see a lot of new faces in the Eternal City, the overall story is wrapped up in its mythologizing of the original. Joining the crew is a very special guest (and Maximus/mentor figure to two of your hosts), Dr. Glenn Stor
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), with Bill Farley
Are you back Indy? We are at least as we uncover the fifth (and final?) installment of the America's favorite archaeologist: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Joining us is super special guest Bill Farley, who helps us unpack a whole range of topics including the Antikythera mechanism, Processualism, Operation Paperclip, digital de-aging technology and the dangers of living in the past (don't
Indiana Jones (Original Trilogy), with David West Reynolds
They're digging in the right place? We take another look at the most famous archaeologist of all as we revisit the first three Indiana Jones movies: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), The Temple of Doom (1984) and The Last Crusade (1989). Joined by super special guest, author and archaeologist David West Reynolds, we look back on our own experiences with Indy, enormous impact on the public perception
Megalopolis (2024), with Hannah Čulík-Baird
In this episode we utilize our amazing artistic abilities to *checks notes* stop time(?) and discuss Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, a modern retelling/allegory of the Catilinarian Conspiracy that took place during the late Roman Republic. Here to help analyze this fever-dream of a film is Dr. Hannah Čulík-Baird, Associate Professor of Classics at UCLA, co-editor of Res Difficiles, and last b
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft (2024)
In this episode we learn that your hosts do not know how to behave themselves without an awesome guest to keep them in line! That being said, Colin, Elijah, and Christie delve into the latest iteration of Tomb Raider from the new Netflix animated series. It has a fully realized Lara, beautiful animation, and a plot that actually requires the heroine to intervene in order to save the world. Yet it
Tomb Raider Video Game (2013) and Film (2018), with Julie Levy
Your favorite Tomb Raider is back, and this time she taking a beating. With the help of archaeogaming specialist, Julie Levy, we take a look at the rebooted version of Lara Croft introduced in the 2010s. Considering the film is supposed to be based on the 2013 game, it is wild to see how drastically different the two mediums present Lara Croft's new origin story. Let's just say, we end up loving t
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and The Cradle of Life (2003), with Marina Escolano-Poveda
As the old adage goes, "Well-behaved women seldom make history" and Tomb Raider takes that to a whole new level. Based on the popular late 90s action-adventure video games, Angelina Jolie plays the titular Lara Croft in these high-energy films released during the early 2000s. To help us unpack the early inspirations for this character and her initial film adaptations, we are joined by Egyptologist
KAOS (2024), with Amy Pistone
If you've been hankering for a good modern take on ancient myth, then this is the show for you! We join forces with super-special guest Amy Pistone to talk about Netflix's new take on the Greek gods in Kaos (2024). We talk about how this show adapts oft- and less-oft-seen stories to its unique world and its novel takes on many familiar characters. Does everything in the end come back to Romeo + Ju
Film Wasn’t Dug in a Day! Season 5 Promo (Part II)
We're back with the second part of our promo-preview for the newest season of Movies We Dig: Archaeology on Film. We round out our discussion of the previous season on Rome on TV with some trivia games, make predictions on the films we're about to review and reflect back on what brought us to our fields, in some cases literally.As always, if you like what you hear, please be sure to rate, review,
Rome Wasn’t Filmed in a Day! Season 5 Promo (Part I) with Bonus Content from The Partial Historians
Before we dig our way through some of the most famous archaeologists found on screen, we figured it would be a good idea to reflect back on Season 4 of Movies We Dig. We talk about the season as a whole, our favorite and least favorite series, and...Demon Slayer? Come on, you should all know we're big nerds at this point. Come for the anime discussion, but stay for the bonus content on Spartacus!
Happy International Podcast Day 2024! Livestream Episode with Liv Albert, Genn McMenemy and Jenny Williamson
That's right, we did a thing! Our first-ever livestream crossover event with the hosts of Movies We Dig, Ancient History Fangirl, and Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! And if you want a chance to watch rather than just listen to the show, you can do so on our new YouTube channel! Here is the link for the recorded livestream: https://youtube.com/live/qtUMQm0no1cTo celebrate International Podcast Day yo
MWD Season 5: “It Belongs in a Museum!” Archaeology on Film
You already got a small taste of Season 5, but get hyped as we prepare to discuss all your favorite fictional archaeologists! We love that Hollywood makes us (Lij and Christie specifically) look like bad asses, but sometimes they miss out on what makes archaeology awesome. We have an amazing lineup of guests from both the academic and the public scholarship world, so grab a trowel and help us dig
The Name of the Rose (1986), with Joel Christensen & Tim Gerolami
Elementary my dear Adso! We kick off our new archaeology-focused season with director Jean-Jacques Annaud's 1986 adaptation of Umberto Eco's medieval mystery thriller The Name of the Rose. Joining us are super-special return guests: Joel Christensen & Tim Gerolami. We host our own little ecumenical discussing everything from the poverty of Christ to the hotness of Christian Slater. Come learn
Those About to Die, Season 1 (2024), with Alexandra Sills
Ready your quardriga and place your bets as we race to the finish of Movies We Dig Season 4! We end the season with the most recent series depicting ancient Rome, Peacock's Those About to Die. Oddly enough, there's not a single Julio-Claudian in sight. That's right, new imperial family=new opportunities to plot and scheme your way to the top! And if anyone can pull it off, it's Ramsey Bol...excuse
Romulus, Season 1 (2020), with the Partial Historians
Rome wasn't founded in a season of television, but you can watch it on Tubi. Joined by super-special guests and experts of archaic Rome, Dr. Peta Greenfield and Dr. Fiona Radford (aka The Partial Historians), we dig into the first season of Romulus (2020), an Italian historical drama retelling the founding of Rome. Familicide, divine epiphanies, pre-agricultural wolf cults, eyeball-poking-masks, t
Alexander (2004), with Jenn Finn
What if you made a coming of age film, but it was about a Macedonian Prince who conquered Asia? Joined by super special guest and Alexander expert (*Alexpert) Jenn Finn, we psychoanalyze history's most famous military wunderkind as presented in Oliver Stone's 2004 historical epic Alexander. As we learn from the film, the secret to making a great conqueror is equal parts traumatic childhood and cav
![Hercules (2014) [AKA Rockules!], with Amy Pistone](https://assets.pippa.io/shows/67d1eebcba1ef91ed0701189/5a166762188a936099a5dd3920916f7f.png)
Hercules (2014) [AKA Rockules!], with Amy Pistone
He's just a Big Guy who does Big Guy things! Joined by special return guest, Amy Pistone, we unpack this true gem of a Greek myth adaptation that's really just a delightful D&D excursion. Starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as the titular hero, Hercules, it's no surprise that we all come away loving this quirky film produced at a time when every one else is trying to be gritty with their mytho-
Troy (2004), with Joel Christensen
Returning to our debut topic, we dig into the 2004 attempt to keep the Gladiator train going, Wolfgang Petersen's Troy. Joined by super-special guest Joel Christensen (of Sententiae Antiquae fame), we revisit this oddly situated film. Spurned by many, beloved by some, and forgotten by most, this film sits at an interesting crossroads in Hollywood and classical reception. Is it a secret masterpiece
300 (2006), with Roel Konijnendijk
Podcasters, what is your profession? If it's bragging about how you don't have a job, then you might be a Spartan! We return once again to the film that launched a thousand memes: Zack Snyder's 2006 adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novel 300. Joined by super-special guest and military history extraordinaire, Roel Konijnendijk, we approach this film as the revealing study of masculinity it real
Interview with the Creators of Blood of Zeus (2020-2024), with Vlas and Charley Parlapanides
Straight from the Oracle's mouth! Once again, we have the great pleasure of chatting with the Parlapanides Bros about the second season of Netflix's Blood of Zeus. We discuss everything from the season's delayed production, themes of justice and forgiveness, and all our favorite mythological, archaeological, and Classics media Easter eggs! The Fates also offer a glimpse of a future spin-off...but
Blood of Zeus, Season 2 (2024); with Zoe E Thomas
Long awaited and much anticipated, we return for the second season of Netflix's anime fantasy series Blood of Zeus. We dig into this show's many references and Easter-eggs, both ancient and modern, along with its larger themes on godhood, humanity, vengeance and forgiveness. And the Hades+Persephone of it all. How could we leave that out?As always, if you like what you hear, please be sure to rate
Movies We Dig Does a Conference! CAMWS 2024
Pack your bags because we are headed to St. Louis for the Classical Association of the Midwest and South’s annual conference! That’s right, your hosts are not just nerds who really enjoy Classically-inspired media; they’re also serious scholars! Our host Christie talks to various participants (some of which are old friends of the podcast) to learn what they love about CAMWS. It’s not all serious a
Spartacus: War of the Damned (2013), with Ancient History Fangirl
We all knew Spartacus and his followers would meet a tragic end, but damn if they didn't make it look sexy as hell! Joining us for one final Girls' Night at MWD are the hosts of Ancient History Fangirl podcast, Jenny Williamson and Genn McMenemy. Listen as we laugh and discuss the terrible outfit choices, surfer-boy Julius Caesar's dubious alias , and the apparent apotheosis of Gannicus . While we
Spartacus: Vengeance (2012), with Christina Hotalen
What happens when a bunch of gladiators break out of a ludus? They loot villas, burn down an arena, and party with some Germans, that's what! And all in the name of lov... I mean "VENGEANCE!" The ladies of MWD are joined by special return guest, Christina Hotalen, to discuss the second season of Starz's Spartacus. This season might be the most fun of them all! Now if certain characters would just
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (2011), with Liv Albert
Present ears for listening and broach subject! Joined by our special guest doctore, author and host of Let's Talk About Myths, Baby!, Liv Albert, we strip down to our subligacula to break down the prequel series of the Spartacus franchise: Gods of the Arena. Hear us discuss this show's hyper-stylized cocktail of blood, sweat and sex. Opinions vary but we're all in agreement that this show does not
Spartacus: Blood and Sand (2010), with Alexandra Sills
The ladies decided to have a good ol' Girls' Night! And what better series to discuss than the first season of Starz's Spartacus? With its Zack Snyder aesthetic, impressive gladiatorial fights, and sad attempt to include romance, where could we go wrong? Joining in is our resident Roman spectacle specialist, Alexandra Sills, to help us distill the true essence of Blood and Sand...which is apparen
Movies We Dig Trailer
Find out what we're all about! Please be sure to rate, review, and subscribe if you like what you hear and follow us on social media. Thanks for listening!As always, if you like what you hear, please be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the show! Stay up-to-date on all the Movies We Dig news by visiting movieswedig.com or checking out our socials.Movies We Dig is also part of Mnemosyne:
Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-2001), with Amy Pistone
Girls can be warlords too! To celebrate Women's History Month we're looking back at the 90's cult classic series Xena: Warrior Princess. Joined by super special warrior-guest Amy Pistone, we carve up this show's sparagmatic approach to antiquity, storytelling, fan-fiction, feminism, queer representation and all things 90's. ***INSERT XENA WAR CRY***As always, if you like what you hear, please be
(Retcon) Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief 2010, with Hannah Bazinaw
After completion of the Disney+ Percy Jackson series, the MWD crew thought it would be a good(?) idea to revisit the original film with new perspectives and participants. Has time improved our overall view of the film? Maybe the better question to ask is which of the hosts end up hating this film the most. Grab your magical pens with the same level of skepticism as Lerman's aged-up Percy as we del
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